“I'd call it more than a job.”
“Yeah?” Ginger said. “Well, it hasn't been.”
“And you don't really like him?”
“What do you think?”
The lights of a car lit up the road. The car was coming very fast from Paulton. I heard the scream of a siren and I pulled Ginger to the side of the road. We watched the car go by from behind a bush. It was doing a good seventy miles an hour. We got back on the cement just as the tail light faded away.
“What's this to you, anyway?” Ginger said. “What do you care about my troubles?”
“I care a lot.”
“I know what you care for,” Ginger said.
“I care for that, too.”
She didn't say anything more. I saw a car coming along the road. It was going towards Paulton. “Here's where we hook a ride,” I said. We stood on the cement. The car was coming slowly. I thought it was a truck, or a farmer. The lights made it hard to see. As it came up I jerked my thumb in the direction of Paulton. The car came to a stop.
“Well, look who's here,” said a voice.
It was Pug Banta.
CHAPTER EIGHT
WE SLID along the dark highway at forty miles an hour, heading for Paulton. Like hell heading for Paulton, I thought. Heading for a couple of slugs in the gut. I was between two of Pug's boys in the back seat, both with their rods in my ribs. Ginger was in front with Pug and the driver. There wasn't any conversation. The guy on my left smelled of garlic.
We turned off the highway at the city limits. To the left I saw street lights. Goodbye, street lights! I thought. We drove on asphalt, the tyres humming. Pug lit a cigarette, then held the pack to Ginger.
“Have one, babe?”
“No.”
He put the pack away. We turned down a lane that was lined with trees and went to a big frame house. We stopped in front of the house. I could hear frogs croaking.
“Joe.”
“Yeah, boss,” said the guy on my right.
“Take Ginger inside.”
“Okay.”
Joe got out. Pug climbed out, too, to let Ginger out.
“Pug.”
“Yeah, babe?”
“It isn't his fault.”
“I warned him.”
“I made him go out. I told him it would be all right.”
“It's all right,” Pug said.
“Oh, Pug.” Ginger's voice was husky.
This was creepy. She was badly worried. It didn't look so good for me. I felt funny in my stomach.
“I wanted to make you jealous,” Ginger said.
“That's a good one.”
“Really, Pug.”
“Take her in, Joe.”
The guy with me said: “Sit still, dope.”
I heard Ginger crying. She didn't say anything to me. Pug got in the back seat. “Let's go,” he said.
“Where?” the driver asked.
“To the cabin,” Pug said.
We started off. I saw a light go on in the front of the frame house.
I said: “How about a cigarette?”
“Sure, pal,” Pug said.
He gave me a cigarette and lit it for me. We came out of the lane and swung around to the right. The car was moving a little faster than before. I took a drag on the cigarette.
“What the hell's the matter with you, pal?” Pug asked.
