[chrisy]

"Please, Ms. Vavoom, have a seat", Rockhead gestured at a shabby wooden chair with one short leg, purchased from the now defunct Norma's diner along with the grimy coffee pot. "Can I get you some coffee?"

Valerie glanced at the coal black 5 hour old coffee, shuddered, and said "Don't you have anything stronger?"

Hmmm, this could be getting interesting...and hell, it's 5 o'clock somewhere...Jim thought, replying "what's the lady's pleasure?"

"Martini. Chocolate. Straight up" was the reply. Rockhead blew the dust out of the shaker, filling it generously with ice, gin, a breath of vermouth and 12 M&M's. "Whatever the lady wants" he said as he poured the drink into the only clean tumbler he had.

"Now, how can I help you?"

"Oh, Mr. Rockhead, I don't know where to begin...You see, it all started 3 weeks ago when I got this letter (handing him a rumpled envelope from Harrah's Reno) from Danny"

The phone in his office rang just as Rockhead opened the proffered envelope. "Where for the love of Mike is that Agnes???" he thought as he sat transfixed, looking first at the letter, then at the insistently blinking phone, then at the mascara-streaked socialite sitting before him gently rocking in the off-kilter chair...

"Who the hell" he said, reaching for the phone...