Gates and Sunny arrived at the Leisure Station Hotel, music blaring music, Dr Feelgood by Motley Crue. Gates had it so loud that everyone plugged their ears.

Gates had a big grin. He knew the hotel manager, Pierre, hated it when he did it. He knew it would upset the guests. He knew he would probably get a lecture for it. He knew he was in big trouble. But it was fun. and he knew Pierre couldn’t do anything about it.

Gates had big grin when he stepped out of the car but scowled when he saw a mob of people surrounding him.

A crowd had noticed Sunny and she got mobbed. Gates was pushed away. He wasn’t sure who Sunny was, but all the attention was going to cause trouble.

He pulled her away, and then they went to his room. He cut through the lobby, and immediately the hotel manager, Pierre, came after. questioning whether they had broken into people’s rooms and stolen clothes.

“That’s my shirt,” the man said, pointing at Gates. “He’s wearing my shirt.”

“Mr. Gates, I want to talk to you.” Pierre said.

“Hey, listen, I was just borrowing it, man.There’s no reason to get upset.” said Gates.

Gates took off the shirt and threw it at him.

Sunny watched Gates and wondered if she’ made a mistake hiring him. She was sure he could find another private investigator in Vegas somewhere.

“Mr. Gates.” Pierre was walking quickly behind Gates, who had Sunny by the arm and was hurrying her to the elevator.

“Mr. Gates, no more nonsense.”

“Later Pierre.”

The doors closed just as Pierre reached them.

“You’re a lunatic.” Sunny said. Gates made a menacing gesture at her, and Toto barked angrily at him.

“Bad dog.”

“I want my money back. I’ll find another detective.”

“Sorry, no refunds. You can go, but you’re not getting your money back.”

The doors opened, and Gates led Sunny to his penthouse suite.

“Besides, I’m the best in detective in town. Don’t worry, we’ll find your friend Shirley.”

“Sheek”

“Whatever.”

Then he walked into the penthouse suite. It was looked like a room that belonged to a frat boy. There were rock and roll posters, beer cans, posters of hot naked girls, and many empty vodka bottles.

“This is where you live? In a hotel. How do you afford it?” Sunny asked.

“Yup.” Gates ran up to this bed and began to jump on it. “And this is where it happens,” he said, smiling.

“I bet. That big old bed and just you all by yourself. I can’t imagine you getting a girl up here.”

“Now, who’s not being nice?”

They heard a knock and the door opened. A man appeared in the living room of the suite. it was Henry, gates client.

Gates could already tell what was going to happen. He was going to see the video, and start crying. He hated it when they cried.

When Henry saw the video. He started crying like child.

“I’m going to be sick.”

“Wait, Henry, you’re going to miss the money shot. Look at that. See right there. Your wife in her full glory.”

Gates slapped Henry on the back.

“Stop it, I can’t look at this anymore,” said Henry.

Henry broke out in tears. He looked at Gates.

“Now, Henry, we had a deal, remember?”

“What am I going to do?”

“No crying, Henry, stop it.”

“It’s not fair.”

“But you know the truth now, and that’s what you wanted.”

“No, you were right, Mr. Gates. It’s better not to know.” Henry hugged Gates and began to cry on his shoulder.

“Can I have my money, Henry?”

“What am I going to do? she was my whole life”

“My money, Henry. is that it in your pocket. Don’t worry i’ll get it.”

Gates slipped his hand into Henry’ pocket and pulled out an envelope of money.

He looked at Sunny and mouthed to get the door. Sunny opened the door as Gates danced Henry out into the hallway.

“But what...” started Henry.

Gates closed the door and hugged the wall in disgust.

“I hate it when they cry.”

“You’re a jackass. What kind of person are you? Your heartless. The poor man was hurting. He was crying, and you just kept picking at his wounds; it was disgusting.”

“I was just trying to cheer him up. Laughter is the best medicine. Besides, I’m was just being realistic.” Gates took out his money and loot and began guestimating how much he could get a Rolex watch, a gold chain and a few rings and earrings. He’d have to pawn them. He’d be close to fifteen grand, which was not a bad start. 85 thousand to go.

“So, where do we start?” said Sunny.

“What?”

“I hired you to help me find my friend.”

“Oh yeah, Shirley.”

“No, Sheek”

“That’s right Sheek. Now where does Sheek hang out?. The Mandalay, might be a good place to start; then again the Luxor will have hot tables tonight; so he might be there. I know the Bellagio will pay, so Sheek might be there. Finally, if all else fails, we’ll find him at the MGM Grand. Yup, Sheek will be there.

Gates looked over at Sunny. She looked like she was going to disco. In her pink outfit she was going to stick out like sore thumb.

“What are you looking at?′

“You need new clothes.”

“Well, I had new clothes, but someone threw them all over the freeway.”

“That’s all right, because those clothes were all wrong for you. They made you look like a high priced call girl.”

“Those were from top designers.” Dona Karen, Versace.”

Gates looked at her a little stupefied.

“Are those friends of yours?” Gates said.

“Idiot, besides what’s wrong with what I’m wearing.”

“Where we’re going, you can’t go dressed like that. You’ll stick out like a cat in rat farm.”

So Gates grabbed his key card and told Sunny to wait. A few minutes later, he came back with a new shirt for himself, and several outfits for Sunny .

“Where did you get those?”

“From a few rooms on the eighth floor. That’s where all the good stuff is.”

“You break into people’s rooms.”

“No, no...I don’t’ break in. I have a key. I just walked right in. I don’t break anything.” Gates said.

“I can’t do this.” Sunny said.

“Do it, or you can forget about finding your friend.”

“Just give me back my money.”

“Sorry, no refunds.”

Sunny looked at the clothes. It was Walmart stuff. She did the best she could. She found a pair of jeans that fit and a casual blouse that was a little large. She looked at herself in the mirror. For a second she couldn’t recognize herself, nor could Toto, and he barked at her.

***

Their first stop was the EZ Pawn Shop. A hole that was open twenty-four hours. The owner had to buzz them in.

“What are we doing here?”

“Taking care of some business,” Gates said.

The man, a horse faced, older gentleman that walked bow legged, came up the Gates.

“Can I help you, buddy.” The man gave Gates a suspicious look as if Gates was going to rob him. He desperate poeple every day; but when he saw Sunny, he relaxed a bit.

“Me and the wife here,” Gates said, pointing to Sunny. “We hit a little rough spot, and we want to sell our watch and chains and some other things.”

The man looked over at Sunny, who despite her change of clothes still looked immaculate but, unlike Gates, she also looked clean.

“How much can I get?”

“Let me see.” The man scrutinized the merchandise, and while he did, Gates noticed the incredible collection of Elvis memorabilia.

“Five hundred, partner,” said the pawn man.

“But this is a Rolex,” said Gates. “Its worth five grand.”

“Is it? Well, maybe it is and maybe it isn’t.”

Gates smiled at the man. He had to butter him up. Get all chummy with him.

“So you like Elvis, huh?”

“Let me show you something.” Gate pointed at his Cadillac.

“That’s his car.”

The man looked at the car and smiled.

“Honestly, come out. I’ll show you.”

Gates and the man went outside. Sunny looked around at all the stuff and junk for sale

“This is where they end up when they reach the end the road,” a voice said.

Sunny looked up and saw an older woman. Her face was tanned and wrinkled;her hair gray and blond.

“I’m Vera, Vern’s wife.”

“I’m Sunny.”

“You two ain’t really married, are you?” Sunny shook her head.

“I didn’t think so. After a while, you can tell who’s married and who’s looking to score.”

“Score?”

“Well, people, run out of money. They panic like some junkie looking for a fix. You don’t look like you’re from here. Not like your partner out there. You don’t look used. Vegas will get under your skin.”

“I’m from Kansas,” said Sunny.

“Nice to meet you, Kansas.” The woman eyed Gates talking to her husband, and she knew a con man when she saw one. He was building the sale, buttering up old Verne.

“Honey, I don’t know what you’re doing with that man out here, but I know people, and that man would sell his mama for a dollar. You watch it.”

Sunny eyed Gates. Was there something to worry about? Maybe the woman was right.

“Take this,” the old woman said and she slid a small pistol at her. “On the house. You know, how to use it.”

“My daddy had one. I used to shoot snakes with it,” said Sunny.

“That man tries anything, don’t hesitate. A rattlesnake doesn’t have friends but other rattlesnakes, you remember that,” said Vera.

“Yeah.” Sunny took the gun.

Vera buzzed her husband and Gates back in. They were as close as long-lost friends. Gates eyed Vera, who gave him a --I’m on to your hustle-- smile.

“So what are you going to give me, Vern?”

“I can go as far as 2500.”

“Deal.”

“Three hundred, no more,” Gates eyed Vera. Gates could tell she was the brains of the operation and the balls of the relationship.

“Five hundred,” Verne said, whispering in agreement with Vera.

“But it’s a Rolex,” Gates said.

“Take it or leave it.” Vera said, slipping back into the back office but not before mouthing to Sunny, “Remember what I told you, Kansas.”

Gates got his seven hundred instead of the five. Verne gave him a smile and nod. anyone who owned Elvis Presley’s Cadillac couldn’t be all bad.

Sunny was quiet. She felt nervous with the gun in her bag. She wasn’t sure she wanted to be sitting where she was. It was a different and far road from Hollywood or Kansas.

She eyed Gates curiously as the woman’s words played over and over in her mind. “A rattlesnake has no friends except for other rattlesnakes.” For once in all this, she missed Rico. Aside from him losing his temper with Toto, he’d always been her prince. She could trust him. He’d do anything for her. Though oddly he had fired his gun at her.

Gates pulled out onto the road and said. “Okay, let’s find her, Shirley.”

***

The first place he looked was the Luxor. He walked in and told Sunny to wait in the lobby. He had friends in security that could locate Ravish if he was there. He disappeared. Sunny sat down and waited.

She watched the people in their expensive clothes walking in and out, and she felt naked, as if Gates had stripped her of her armor, her beautiful clothes. She looked at her cellphone. She now had fifteen missed calls all from Rico.

The idea of going back to him came to her often. She could just forget everything and go back, but a blackness fell over her heart when she thought about he was. if he would do that to Toto, then what else could he do. He’d even fired several shots at her.

***

Gates walked up to the poker table, put his money down, and won on the first bet. But that’ as far as he got before three security guards came down on him and he was escorted out of the casino.

“What are you doing?” Gates said.

“You’re banned,” said one of the guards.

Gates was thrown out of the casino, falling on the floor right in front of Sunny. Gates tried to play it off.

“Okay guys, we’ll I see you next time. Let’s get together for a BBQ.” Gates said. One of the guards gave him the finger.

“He’s not here.” Gates told Sunny.

“Those are your friends, huh?” asked Sunny.

“Yeah, they’re a couple of jokers. Its’ all good,” said Gates. Rubbing his back.

The same happened at the Mandalay, the Pearl, the Alladin, and the Bellagio. By the time Gates got to the MGM Grand, Sunny was also eyeing him curiously and ready to walk away.

“So you said your friend at the Bellagio told you Ravish was here for sure.”

“That’s what he told me, honestly,” said Gates.

“and those are the same guys who hit you in the stomach and told you to stay out of there,” said Sunny.

“You know the game we play; it’s like football only without the ball.”

“Right. Do you think I was born yesterday? I’m done with this,” said Sunny.

Gates had a bad time getting the money he was going to need. Things were not going according to plan, and he would need Sunny’s money.

“No wait, I swear he’s got to be here. Just wait five minutes, I swear.”

“Five minutes.” Sunny waited two then got up and went to look for Gates in the casino. She found him arguing with a couple of security guards.

“you’ve been banned from every casino from Vegas to Reno buddy.”

“Who did it

“Ivan Smirnoff.”

Gates saw Sunny looking annoyed.

“You lied to me.” Sunny turned around and left. Gates plan had failed. He was now cut off from raising funds for the poker tournament. Now Sunny was leaving. He needed her more than ever. He ran after her.

“Fine, fine. Look, I was lying to you. I needed to make some quick cash.”

“But you’re a cheat.”

“No, well, not really.”

“Listen, I’ll find my own way around.”

“Hey you don’t want to go around in Vegas alone Kansas. This is not the place to just walk around. But I promise this time, this last time, we will find him...Scout’s honor.”

“You’re no boy scout.”

“Very true,” Gates reached out and handed Sunny his money.

“Here’s all my money, I promise you. This is real this time. If I’m lying you keep it okay, but I promise this time it’s for real.”

She couldn’t tell if it was scam. Know him it was. But still, she had his money. What could he do. Take her out somewhere and leave her for dead. She remembered what the woman told her about rattlesnakes. She fluttered the gun in her purse and followed Gates. She would use it if she had to. She was good at killing snakes.

The Cadillac disappeared onto a long lonely Las Vegas street to a destination, unknown to Sunny.