'Blanche!' Johnny was startled.
'My daughter married Bart, Jr.,' the lawyer said. 'Didn't you know?'
'No, sir, I didn't.'
'Bart, Jr., is O.K., you know.' The lawyer drummed his fingers. 'I wish Dick had stayed away.'
'Why, sir?'
'I don't exactly know.''
'Where had he been?'
'After they kicked him out of college—some escapade, I forget what—why, he roamed around the country. In and out of the Navy. All kinds of jobs. He tried some white-collar job on a big liner. Never stuck to anything very long.
Turned up here about a year and a half ago. Made up to the old man. But the old man left him out of his will. Nathaniel's proper share went to tfie old lady.'
'Was Dick disappointed?'
'He took it very well, as far as I know.'
'Is he a partner or what?'
'He's a hired hand, as far as I know. If he had money, I'm sure Bart could use it. I understand the old man didn't keep the place up. Bart's got a lot of modernizing to do. But where would Dick get any capital?'
Johnny didn't explain where.
'Bart will pull it out in time. Knows his business.'
'You don't think Dick had anything to do with Christy's death?'
'I doubt it,' the lawyer said. 'I think McCauIey's stuck with it. A jury convicted him. You \on't overturn that in a hurry.' His eyes were tired.
Johnny rose.
'Bart and Dick are coming in this morning. Papers to draw up.^
'Thanks and excuse me,' said Johnny hastily.
No, he wouldn't overturn anything in a hurr\% but he was in a hurry, just the same.
CHAPTER 11
Out on the sidewalk of the dusty little town that strung out along the highway, Johnny stood in thought.
What could he do or find that would mean an>'thing? Doubt did not help. Doubt was seventeen years too late. Yet, it wasn't Johnny's immediate business to convince a jury, but to convince himself. Resolve his own doubt. He must go to see this Kate.
Then he saw the green convertible, a dark head in the driver's seat, a blonde head riding beside. Nan pulled up to
the curb; Dorothy said, 'What are you up to, Johnny? Come on to Riverside with us. You can buy us lunch.'
'I've got a httle chore . . .' he began.
''Oh, poohl You've got to eat your lunch.' Dorothy very much wanted him to come along.
Nan said mildly, 'We're going to the Mission Inn. It's supposed to be nice. Why don't you come along, Johnny? Move in, Dotty. Let Johnny sit on the outside.'
Johnny looked at Dorothy. The blue eyes seemed to say, ''! need to talk to you.'
'Why don't you two come with me? Take fifteen minutes? Then I'll treat you to a fancy lunch, sky's the limit. A deal?'
''Where are you going?' asked Dorothy.
'To see a woman. Talk a minute.'
'About that old murder?' Nan pouted.
''Oh, come on,' said Dorothy. 'Fifteen minutes can't hurt. More fun lunching with a man.'
'We were going shopping,' Nan began. But Dorothy was out of the car.
Nan took the keys out of the ignition and slid along the seat. 'I'll just tag along behind you two,' Nan said, most transparently throwing them together.
Kate's place seemed to have a Mexican clientele. The bar was not doing a lot of business; two dark-skinned men leaned there. Dark eyes inspected the girls.
The place was not elegant. Poverty came here. Poverty felt at home here. Poverty wouldn't notice the holes in the plaster, the stained ceiling.
The dark-haired, dark-eyed man behind the bar, when asked for Miss Callahan, simply shouted where he stood. She peered through a pair of dirty pink curtains at the back. 'Yeah?'
'Miss Callahan, may we talk to you?'
'Why not?' she said. 'Come on back here, why don't you?'
