“Stop it, you sent the insurance company a letter two days ago. They been here every hour, waiting to ask...”
days ago?”
Laurie bent down over me, looking so pretty and smelling all cool and clean. “Darling, this Saturday. You've been out since Thursday night. Your jaw is all wired like an old radio set. Had to pull one of your teeth so they can feed you through a straw. But the doctors say you'll be fine in a few weeks.”
I tried grinning at her but my lips didn't move. Nor could I turn my head—it was in a cast. “Saltz,” I called out, hearing my voice grow weak.
Laurie pulled back and he stuck his hairbrush noggin into view. “Get the killings squared away?” I asked.
“All tied up with a neat ribbon. Miss Shelton gave us an affidavit that Franklin admitted killing Anita Rogers. And Lefty is talking all over himself. And I thought he was tough. Why...”
“Tough. Tough,” I said, feeling angry. “All you hear these days. People worship toughness. Only frightened people are tough, they act tough to forget how scared they are. How about the Frisco deal, did you...?”
“That's in the bag. Franklin acted as a sort of fence and big brain. They've pinched most of the hoods who did the job out on the Coast yesterday, and we're digging through the 'Cat's' bank vaults now for the rest of the dough. Wish you'd told me about that angle—made me look like a sap.”
“You mean a
Saltz shook his head, or maybe I was losing focus. “Can't figure you, Darling. But you and the girl and Bobo will get that two hundred grand reward, so I guess you played your cards right You were lucky as hell, but you got the big payoff.”
“The payoff is going to be a lot of sleep and rest, normal, peaceful living. Saltz, only a moron goes for this rough stuff... this slugging and violence. All I want now is to get a good agency going again—me and Bobo. But only guard stuff... the hell with being a bully-boy and crime. Only want a lot of peace... and rest... enjoy... living.”
I felt myself floating off into that gentle darkness again. The light seemed a long ways off and fading.
I heard the nurse say, “No more talking, he's tired.”
Laurie said, “And we'll get a bigger boat... can't raise a family in one room.”
Saltz said, “So it's that way with you and him? Well, with his luck, maybe you'll raise a family of midgets and make a fortune.”
I started to swim back toward the light, get that bastard Saltz, but I heard Laurie bawling him out, saying, “You big, stupid ox, I've a good mind to bang your empty head against the wall—only I don't want to disturb Hal!”
And then Bobo growled something and Saltz said, “Miss Shelton, I swear I didn't mean nothing, merely a corny joke that...”
I thought I heard her laughter as I stopped swimming. And now there was music too; distant, loud, brassy music. Laurie's laughter sounded as soft and inviting as the darkness I was floating on. I sighed. It would be great to have her there when I woke up... all the mornings of my life... and the music... it was growing a little louder, but not too loud.
Then I knew what that was... the merry-go-round had stopped... I was just hearing the old tinny carrousel music.
It sounded lively and peaceful.
