1

Gates opened his glove compartment and pulled out a revolver. He stared at it in his hands. Then he pointed at his face. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was hesitant almost shivering. He made a face and pulled the trigger. Water shot onto his face washing sweat away.

It was a hot day. Hotter than normal for May.

Gates raced down the Vegas Strip heading south toward McCarran airport in his Pink Cadillac. Wherever he went, people stared. He knew he was invisible, everyone wanted to see car. Not a day went by that he didn’t get an offer from someone wanting to buy it. There was no way he was going to sell it. It was family. The only family he had.

His phone hadn’t stopped ringing. All the loan sharks and bookies he borrowed from were calling for their dues. He pretended to be the wrong number. Most bought the act except for Leon Browne.

“You’re not fooling anyone, Gates. I want my money. I want my money today or else I’ll come find you. I’ll cut your balls off, jerk off, don’t fuck with me — get me my money.”

CLICK.

Gates shook his head. Great, now he had Leon Brown on his back.

He followed the directions given to him by the client and wound up at the Bangkok Motel. He hated being there. He hated PI work but it paid the bills and right now he needed money fast. This was going to be quick five grand and then he could go around to big casinos and build up pot of cash for the big poker tournament.

He sat in the Cadillac with the top down getting some much needed sun. All the pain pills built up in his system; he needed a good sweat.

Now he just had to wait for the pigeon to arrive. Henry said his wife drove a red Lexus.

2

Sunny Bunny had to make choice. A big one. She thought about what Gale said. Being a beacon of hope to the world. She never knew why people reacted to her. But wherever she went people flocked her, always with a gleam in their eyes. She wasn’t even a movie star, not a real one anyway.

She closed her eyes and asked her intuition what she should do. All she could see was Marylin Monroe. Sunny knew it was sign. She had to go and find Ravish. He would help her become the star she was destined to be.

She put on her pink mini dress and high heels. She packed up some of her new clothes, only what she could take in her tote bag then she grabbed the sack of money. She’d made over a hundred grand on a video. Rico had recorded her in bathing suit and the video went viral. Some big company paid her a hundred and twenty thousand. Rico had handle the negations. Sunny didn’t know what she would do with out him.

She’d satisfied him three times during the night and he was out cold. He looked so peaceful and wonderful. She thought, how often do the most beautiful things turn out to be the most ugly.

She stood in the mirror wanting to cry but she wouldn’t let herself.

“Don’t cry Sugar, your mascara will run. Besides the days of crying are over.”

She closed the door and left.

3

Gates saw the red Lexus arrive at the hotel. A woman and man walked out and went into a room. It was show time. He got his camera and his fake gun. He gave a good ten minutes. He didn’t want to barge in before things got good and heavy.

At ten, he drove up the room and left car ready for quick get away. He looked into the room and saw the action.

Lights...Camera...Action!

He kicked the door open and barged in with the camera...and the gun in hand. His face was covered like a cowboy bandit.

“This is stick up! ”

Gates walked in with video camera. The woman was on top of the man. He taped the whole thing.

“GET THE FUCK OUT! You don’t know how I am. I can’t be seen on that tape. Give me that tape,” raged the man.

The man went to charge Gates but Gates pointed the gun to his head.

“Don’t fucking move or i’ll blow your brains out,” said Gates.

The man backed way in anger. Gates saw a Rolex, wallet, a purse, and some jewelry on the nightstand and he grabbed them.

4

Sunny came down and headed towards the Corvette. Then she heard someone calling her.

“Sunny where are you going?”

She thought he would be out for hours. Why did have to wake up so soon.

“Don’t be mad Rico, but I have trust my feelings.” said Sunny.

“You can’t leave Sunny get back up here.”

“Oh.” Sunny got nervous. The Corvette wouldn’t start. She wondered what to do. The she saw the pink Cadillac in front of her.

“Toto, it would seem that we’ve found ourselves a new carriage and it’s just my color.” Sunny loaded her bags in the back seat of the Cadillac. She hopped in the driver seat and fired up the car without any trouble.

“This is our fate, Toto.”

Toto barked

5

Gates heard the Cadillac start up. He looked out and saw someone in the drier’s seat.

“NO! NO! NO!”

He ran out with the loot, shoving most of it in his pocket. Then he ran after the car.

“Hey, that’s my car!”

The Cadillac circled around the parking lot then drove out onto the street.

Gate ran out through the parking lot to cut it off.

He stood in the street pointing his fake gun.

The Cadillac showed no signs of stopping. Gates closed his eyes and finally the car went into a skid and stopped but not enough and hit him.

He smashed onto the hood of the car. He looked through the windshield and saw Sunny.

“You, crazy bitch, you almost killed me.”

“Don’t yell at me,” cried Sunny.

“This is my car! You’re stealing my car.”

“I told you to stop yelling at me.”

Gates was about to climb over the windshield when bullets flew past him. He looked over and saw that man he’d video taped in his underwear shooting at him.

Rico also appeared and fired off a couple of shots at the Cadillac.

The man and Rico looked at each other.

Sunny and Gates said,“Oh shit!”

“Are you waiting for an invitation? Drive, lady, get us out of here!” said Gates.

Sunny floored the gas. The Cadillac flew off like a whirlwind and shot down the street.

A minute later, Rico was on their tail in the Corvette while Gates clung to the hood of the Cadillac.

The Cadillac was going ninety miles per hour.

“Lady, this is a very unique performance vehicle. I’d slow down if I were you.”

“Stop telling me what to do,” Sunny said.

The two cars raced down he street. Sunny swerved left and right to keep Rico from getting next to her.

Gates slapped the windshield.

“Make a right ... turn right ... you listening?”

She listened and went up the ramp to I-15 and the Vette had to turn around.

The incline slowed the car enough and Gates somersaulted over the windshield into the back seat.

The Corvette was behind him again and Gates began to throw Sunny’s packed suitcases at it.

“Not my clothes. My beautiful clothes,” Sunny yelled.

Gates continued and finally landed one right through the Corvette’s windshield. The Corvette fish tailed and slammed into the railing.

As gates looked back with a big smile on his face Sunny stared out the side Mirror at all her expensive clothes laying all over the road.

“Stop the car!”

“No!”

“Lady, stop the car.”

Gates tried to climb over the seat but Sunny sped up and pushed him back.

Gates finally snatched Toto and held the dog by his neck over the side of the car.

“Stop ... or the mutt gets it.”

Sunny saw Toto dangling over the edge and she took her foot off the gas pedal

She pulled over and Gates handed her the dog.

Gates jumped out and checked his car.

“You’re Lucky. Not a scratch on her.”

“Gosh it just a car.”

“And that’s just a dog or cat or whatever it is.”

“he’s Toto,” said Sunny.

Toto barked at Gates and tried to bite him.

Gates reached over at Sunny and his hand slipped near her legs. She thought he grabbing for her but he pulled out a small bottle of vodka from the glove compartment and took big gulps.

Sunny saw Gates private Investigate license.”

“Gates ... is that your first name or last name?”

“That’s my only name. Now get out. ”

“What you’re going o leave me here?”

“Well either you get out here and go back and find your pimp, boyfiren,d husband whatever he is and let him take care of you ”

“he’s not my pimp, he’s my hsuband.”

“whatever. Not interested.”

“your not a very nice person are you?

“What gave you that idea”

Look your a detective. So can you find people

“Sure that’s some of things we do.

Well this is so funny cause I need to find someone and look your a detective and it’s like fate would you say. So i wanna hire you. I need to find a friend of my mine. He’s in town throwing a big party. I’ll pay you fifteen thousand if you help me find a guy.”

Seed money thought Gates.

“You get five now and ten later.”

“Fine lady get in.” Gate said.

He looked at Sunny and for some reason he felt he was going to regret.

Seen Money.

“Aren’t you going to open he door for me, after all you’re working for me.”

He was going to regret it.

Seed Money.

Gates shook his head. He opened the car door for Sunny then started to drive off.

“Now let’s go back and pick up all my clothes.”