“The Police Relief Fund could be glad to have it. Cops don’t make much money. When they get in trouble they have to borrow from the Fund. Yes, I think the Police Relief Fund would be very grateful to you.”
“But not you?”
“You were a major in the CIC. You must have had a lot of chances to graft. But you’re still working. I guess I’ll be on my way.”
“Listen, Marlowe. You’re being a damn fool. I want to tell you—”
“Tell yourself, Javonen. You have a captive audience. And good luck.”
I walked out of the bar and got into my car. I drove to the Descansado and picked up my stuff and stopped at the office to pay my bill. Jack and Lucille were in their usual positions. Lucille smiled at me.
Jack said: “No bill, Mr. Marlowe. I’ve been instructed. And we offer you our apologies for last night. But they’re not worth much, are they?”
“How much would the bill be?”
“Not much. Twelve-fifty maybe.”
I put the money on the counter. Jack looked at it and frowned.
“I said there was no bill, Mr. Marlowe.”
“Why not? I occupied the room.”
“Mr. Brandon—”
“Some people never learn, do they? Nice to have known you both. I’d like a receipt for this. It’s deductible.”
28
I didn’t do more than ninety back to Los Angeles. Well, perhaps I hit a hundred for a few seconds now and then. Back on Yucca Avenue I stuck the Olds in the garage and poked at the mailbox. Nothing, as usual. I climbed the long flight of redwood steps and unlocked my door. Everything was the same. The room was stuffy and dull and impersonal as it always was. I opened a couple of windows and mixed a drink in the kitchen. I sat down on the couch and stared at the wall. Wherever I went, whatever I did, this was what I would come back to. A blank wall in a meaningless room in a meaningless house.
I put the drink down on a side table without touching it. Alcohol was no cure for this. Nothing was any cure but the hard inner heart that asked for nothing from anyone.
The telephone started to ring. I picked it up and said emptily: “Marlowe speaking.”
“Is this Mr. Philip Marlowe?”
“Yes.”
“Paris has been trying to reach you, Mr. Marlowe. I’ll call you back in a little while.”
I put the phone down slowly and I think my hand shook a little.
Driving too fast, or not enough sleep.
The call came through in fifteen minutes: “The party calling you from Paris is on the line, sir. If you have any difficulty, please flash your operator.”
“This is Linda. Linda Loring. You remember. me, don’t you, darling?”
“How could I forget?”
“How are you?”
“Tired—as usual. Just came off a very trying sort of case. How are you?”
“Lonely. Lonely for you. I’ve tried to forget you. I haven’t been able to. We made beautiful love together.”
“That was a year and a half ago. And for one night. What am I supposed to say?”
“I’ve been faithful to you. I don’t know why. The world is full of men. But I’ve been faithful to you.”
“I haven’t been faithful to you, Linda. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. I didn’t know you expected me to be faithful.”
“I didn’t. I don’t. I’m just trying to say that I love you. I’m asking you to marry me. You said it wouldn’t last six months. But why not give it a chance? Who knows—it might last forever. I’m begging you. What does a woman have to do to get the man she wants?”
“I don’t know. I don’t even know how she knows she wants him. We live in different worlds. You’re a rich woman, used to being pampered. I’m a tired hack with a doubtful future. Your father would probably see to it that I didn’t even have that.”
“You’re not afraid of my father. You’re not afraid of anyone. You’re just afraid of marriage. My father knows a man when he sees one. Please, please, please. I’m at the Ritz. I’ll send you a plane ticket at once.”
I laughed. “You’ll send me a plane ticket? What sort of guy do you think I am? I’ll send you a plane ticket. And that will give you time to change your mind.”
“But, darling, I don’t need you to send me a plane ticket. I have—”
“Sure. You have the money for five hundred plane tickets. But this one will be my plane ticket. Take it, or don’t come.”
“I’ll come, darling. I’ll come. Hold me in your arms. Hold me close in your arms. I don’t want to own you. Nobody ever will. I just want to love you.”
