Lady—Here's Your Wreath

CHAPTER ELEVEN

IT WAS TRICKY work smuggling Blondie into my apartment. If she didn’t mind getting herself talked about, I did.

We certainly had all the luck. After swimming around for a little while, we made the waterfront. A docker nearly had a fit when we climbed up the side of the wharf right at his feet. Once he’d got over the shock of seeing Blondie in her wet undies, he extended a helping hand. He took us along to his place and fitted us out with a couple of worn-out suits. We both looked tramps, but we didn’t give a damn.

The docker seemed quite content to accept a phoney story I’d made up for his consumption, and when I promised him twenty dollars if he got us a taxi, he couldn’t do enough for us. That was how we got home.

Right now, Blondie was lying in the bath soaking her bruises, and I Was crouched over the fire with a glass of Scotch in my hand.

I wasn’t too keen having Blondie here. She just wouldn’t go back to her apartment. There was nothing else to do but to bring her here. I wanted to get her story, and although she didn’t say more than three or four words in the taxi… and they were bad ones, I had hopes of getting something out of her.

“When you’ve finished,” I bawled out to her, “you might remember I’m waiting.”

“All right,” she called back. “Come and give me a towel and I’ll come out.”

I said, “You can get it yourself. Remember I’m modest, if you ain’t.”

She didn’t say anything to that, but I heard her climb out of the bath, and after some time she came out wrapped in my woollen dressing-gown. Her eyes were still stormy and her mouth was set in a sullen line. She jerked her head towards the bathroom, and poured herself out three fingers of Scotch.

I went into the bathroom and had a quick one. The hot water did a lot to restore me, and when I came out again I was feeling fine.

Blondie was crouched over the fire. A cigarette dangled from her lips and the Scotch was way down in the bottle.

I sat down close to her and lit a cigarette. We remained like that for several moments. Then I said, “Maybe you’d like to tell me what happened.”

She twisted round so that she faced me. This dame was tough all right. I guess the street knocks hell out of these women. They’ve learnt to have no feelings, and to be on the look-out for a double-cross at every step. It is the one weapon they have to protect themselves.

Looking down at her hard face, I could see no redeeming expression.. She was a swell looker, but that didn’t get a dame far. If you’d got eyes like granite and a mouth like a trap, I guess the rest of your looks can’t even that lot up.

“Listen,” she said evenly. “You pulled me out of a jam, but you did it because of someone else and not because of me. You an’ me have had a little trouble before. I guess we don’t mean anythin’ to each other. Well, if you’re extending sympathy, you can stick it on the wall. I can manage okay without you handing out any grease; get all that?”

Talking with a dame like her was like playing ‘handles’ with a rattlesnake. There was only one way to talk to a dame who gets like that, so I handed out some of her own stuff.

“I’m not handing you any grease, sister,” I said, “I haven’t any grease to pass on to your type. I save it for those who can appreciate it. I want to know your story. I’ve got myself mixed up in this business, and I guess, as I pulled you out of a jam, I’m entitled to know something about it. So come off your high horse, cut out the dramatics, and shoot.”

She turned back to the fire. “I ain’t talkin’,” she said.

I got up.

“Okay,” I said. “Beat it… go on… get the hell out of here… blow!”

She stood up. Her face startled and her eyes wide.

“If you ain’t outside quick, I’ll call the cops an’ hand you over. You can guess what the charge’ll be… an’ I’ll make it stick.”

She saw she hadn’t a leg to stand on. Her sullen face cleared and she laughed. She could look mighty nice when she laughed. “Okay, darlin’,” she said, “I’ll be good.”

“You see how it is,” I said, moving back to the fire, “I’ve got you where it’s crisp.”

She poured herself out another Scotch. This dame certainly liked her liquor. “Yes, darlin’,” she said, all honey. “You’re the boss.”

“While we’re on the subject,” I went on, “I reckon I’ve told you before. That ‘darlin’’ of yours gives me a pain. You ain’t on business now.”

She came over and put her arms round my neck. “I could be,” she said, digging down into her box of tricks and putting on a swell act-

It only made me nervous. I got rid of her arms none too gently and pushed her into the chair. “Relax,” I said. “I wantta catch up some sleep some time. It’s gettin’ late.”

For a moment she looked as if she was goin’ to get mad again, then she thought better of it.

“Now what’s the story behind all this?” I asked.

She shrugged. “I guess Earl’s a little tired of having me around. This is the sort of hint that guy hands out when he wants you to take a powder.”

Not quite right. One of those difficult answers, half-truth and half-lie. If I was going to get anywhere with this dame, I’d got to lead her along carefully.

“Those three thugs work for Katz?”

She nodded. “That’s right.”

“What did they want to know?”

She glanced at me quickly. Once again her lips smiled, but her eyes were suspicious. “They didn’t want to know anythin’, darlin,” she said.

“Yeah? Then why did they beat you up?”

The memory of that made her face darken. “I’ve told you… that’s the way he gives out he’s tired of you.”

I shrugged. I certainly wasn’t getting anywhere on these lines. “What do you know about Spencer?”

She looked blank. “Never heard of him.”

If she and Ananias got swopping stories, I’d know who I’d have my money on.

“Ever heard of a girl called Mardi Jackson?”

Again she shook her head. I gave up. She was too tough to get wild with. She would only laugh at me.

“Okay, sister,” I said, getting to my feet. “I can see you an’ I ain’t goin’ places. Maybe one day you’ll think better of it an’ give it me straight. I’m hoping it won’t be too late for you. Suppose you tell me your plans. I can’t keep you here, you know.”

She said, “I’m leaving this town to-morrow. I want you to go along to my apartment, put some things together for me, and bring them back here. Then I’m off.”

For nerve, this dame was the tops. I was too tired to argue.

“Anythin’ you say,” I grunted. “You’ll be comfortable either in here on the couch or in my bed…. I don’t care which you have, just make up your mind. I’ll take the other.”

The following morning was dull and overcast. I got up around eight. It didn’t take me long to get to her apartment. A spare key was under the mat. I’d taken the fat guy’s .45 along with me. It didn’t seem to have suffered from the water, and I had taken care to have cleaned it well. I wasn’t going to be surprised by Katz, and I don’t mind telling you that I was a bit nervous going into the place.

She had given me a list Of the things she wanted. It was not a long list and I was soon through. I then went carefully through the apartment and searched it pretty thoroughly, but I didn’t find anything.

After all the excitement, I was no further to finding Mardi. That was getting me steamed up. I had one taste of the type of thug that Spencer employed, and if they were capable of getting tough with Blondie the same methods could be handed out to Mardi.”

I was certain that Blondie knew something and they were trying to find out what it was. The fact that she had made up her mind to leave town showed that she was scared. To leave a nice little apartment like this in a hurry, as well as to lose her connections, pointed that she knew that she was on the spot.

I’d never get anything out of her unless she wanted to tell me. She was far too shrewd to be jumped. Now that Mardi was missing, I had to bust this thing open. There was no other way round it.

When I got back to my apartment I found Ackie there. He was sitting on the foot of my bed, talking to Blondie.

I stood in the doorway and glared at him. He looked over his shoulder. “H’yah, pal,” he said. “I’m mighty glad I looked in.”

I dumped the suit-case down and glanced over at Blondie. She seemed to be enjoying herself.

“Well, for God’s sake,” I said, “can’t you keep out of my place when I’m busy?”

Ackie shook his head. “You may have to thank me,” he said. “Don’t bother to introduce us, we’ve already done that.”

“So I see,” I said sourly. “You might keep your trap shut about this… I don’t want the whole town talkin’.”

Ackie grinned. “Hear that?” he said to Blondie. “You’d think he was a saint, wouldn’t you?”

Blondie liked to see me getting fussed. “He ain’t no saint,” she said, bringing her arms and shoulders into view.

“Come on, Buddy,” I said, “you an’ me will have a little talk outside. The lady wants to get up.”

He was obviously reluctant to go, but I got him outside at last.

“Well, well,” he said with a leer, “I shouldn’t have thought it of you.”

I was pardonably annoyed. “I can’t explain just now,” I said heatedly. “But for Gawd’s sake keep your trap shut about this. You recognise that dame?”

Ackie screwed up his face thoughtfully. “Yeah,” he said, “I know her all right. I suppose you’re still chasing up the Vessi affair. Well, I guess you’re having a swell time doin’ it.”

“Suppose you tell me what you want bustin’ in like this?”

He thought for a moment, then his face brightened. “You know, I’d forgotten all about it. When I walked into your bedroom and found that dame in your bed, I certainly had a shock. Yeah, now about to-night. The boys are throwing a little party down at Hughson’s place. I thought maybe you’d like to come with me. It’s as well to meet the boys every now and then, what do you say?”

To get rid of him, I’d’ve agreed to anything. “Sure,” I said, “that’s grand. Suppose you pick me up, and we’ll go along together.”

I took him by the arm and led him to the door. He got it all right. “Now mind you be careful,” he said.

I shoved him out of the door and slammed it behind him. Then I went back to Blondie. She was doing her hair with my hair-brushes. Everyone seemed to be using my place like it was a hotel. I sat on the bed.

“A real funny guy,” I said.

“Oh, I like him, darlin’,” she said, glancing back over her shoulder. “I think he’s cute.”

She would. They were a pair.

“Well, baby,” I said, anxious to get her off my hands, “I got your stuff so I guess you’ll be moving out.”

She finished her hair and opened up the suit-case. I saw her make a little grimace at the way I had packed her things, but that didn’t worry me. She’d got a hell of a crust asking me to do it, so if she didn’t like it she could do what the monkey did.

She sorted some things out that she wanted to wear and began to get dressed. I sat there and watched her. The thing uppermost in my mind was that she was leaving town and I might never see her again. She was an important link between Katz and Spencer, and consequently she might be able to lead me to Mardi. I risked everything and had another try.

“There was a girl working for Spencer at the Mackenzie Fabrics. She was a mighty swell dame an’ I got interested in her,” I began.

“Listen, hayseed,” she said, without looking up. She was bending over, fixing her suspender. “I ain’t interested in your love life.”

I was tempted to take a sock at her, but I kept my hands in my pockets. “This dame has disappeared,” I went on. “I can’t find her—”

“If she was a good girl she’s saved herself a lot of grief,” she said, straightening up and reaching for her dress.

“I could do things to you,” I said grimly.

“I know—I know. It’s no use makin’ a beef now.”

I went over to her and put my hands on her arms. I held her tight. She looked up at me, her face hardening. “Don’t start getting tough,” she said. “I’ll get that way too.”

“You haven’t thought that Katz is hanging around waiting to put a slug in you, have you?” I said. “You think you’re bright enough to play a solo hand on this and get away with it. You might, but then again you might not. If one day I read that a nice-lookin’ blonde has been fished out of the drink, I’ll have a laugh. I am ready to take this thing over if you’re ready to tell me what you know. If you wait too long, you might never be able to talk. So this is your last chance to get it off your chest.”

She sneered. “What a mouthful,” she said. “I can look after myself, big boy, don’t let that grieve you. I’ve done it before, an’ I’ll keep on doin’ it. I ain’t tellin’ you a thing. If you’re so anxious, try and find out for yourself.”

I shrugged and let her go. “Okay, wise guy,” I said. “Go ahead and work on your own. Don’t say I haven’t warned you.”

She pulled on her dress and fixed her hat. As she closed her case, she said: “The next time you see me, raise your lid. I shall be in the money.”

That crack told me something. Blondie had her eye on some easy dough. That meant blackmail. It explained why she wanted to work on her own. It explained quite a lot of things.

I said: “You watch your step, Blondie. That game’s dangerous.”

Her face was expressionless. She picked up her bag and moved to the door. “I’ll get by,” she said. “If I don’t see you again, keep sober.”

She opened the door and stepped into the passage. I watched her walk away, her tall figure swaying a little and her head held high.

I was just going back to my room when I saw the guy opposite standing in his doorway. His eyes were popping.

“Still seein’ things?” I asked pleasantly, and went inside, shutting the door quietly against his palpitating curiosity.