nervous, so he said, “Because we’re here to shop. Some people got their wires crossed, but they’ll find out it was a mistake and that’s the end of it. They didn’t tell me enough to make me dangerous to them, and after a while they’ll find out I’m not in on their thing, whatever it is, so they won’t be back.”
She looked dubious. “Are you sure?”
“I’m not packing,” he said.
She looked at the open suitcase on the bed. “You think it’s safe to stay here?”
“Yes. And I think you ought to go out. Go to some stores, buy some things. That’s what you’re here for. It’ll get those three out of your head.”
“You won’t come with me?”
“I’ll cramp your style,” he told her. “Go on and buy things.”
“I don’t like this!” she said, suddenly bursting it out.
Parker went over and put his hands on her arms. “They didn’t hurt you,” he said. “They leaned a little and said don’t get involved. So we’re not getting involved, so it’s all over. I know this kind of thing; you can take my word for it.”
She looked at him, and he could see her wanting to believe him. “Can I really?”
“You can.”
She began to shiver. He pulled her in and held her, and the shivering settled down, and after a while she nodded against his jaw and said, “I’m all right.”
He let her go. “You want a drink now?”
“No I will go shopping. That’s what I was going to do this afternoon, so why not?”
“That’s right,” he said.
It took her five minutes to get ready. He sat on the bed and watched her, pleased by her existence but in a hurry for her to be gone, and when she’d kissed him and left he picked up the phone and called a number in uptown Manhattan and asked to speak to Fred.
“Speaking.”
“This is Colt,” Parker said. “I need a traveling iron. Can I get one delivered to the hotel?”
“Are you a referral, Mr Colt?”
“A friend of mine named Parker recommended you.”
“Oh, yes. Mr Parker, I remember him. Did you have any special kind of iron in mind, Mr Colt?”
“What do you have available?”
“Oh, most kinds. The thirty-two-dollar circular model, or the larger one at thirty-eight dollars. Or the forty-five- dollar automatic steam model. Then there are some nice German irons.”
“The thirty-two-dollar model’s good enough,” Parker said.
“Excellent. And you want that delivered?”
“Yes. Normanton Hotel, West Forty-sixth Street, room seven twenty-three.”
“And that will be cash on delivery.”
“Naturally,” said Parker. “How soon can it get here?”
“Is this a rush order?”
“Yes.”
“Hmmmm.” There was a silence, and then: “Within the hour.”
“Fine,” Parker said, and hung up.
Fifty minutes later there was a knock at the door. Parker opened and let in a messenger with a package. “Fifty bucks,” the messenger said.
Parker paid him, in cash, and he left. Parker opened the package and took out a Smith and Wesson Terrier .32- caliber revolver, a stubby five-shot pistol with a two-inch barrel. There was also a box of cartridges in the package. Parker loaded the revolver and tucked it away under the pillow of his bed.
3
Claire said, “You have no more money.”
Parker, sitting on the bed, his back against the pillow, looked at her and saw she was over it. She’d believed his assurances, and the shopping had taken her mind off it more, and the raw, windy day outside had given her good color. She looked fine, happy and healthy, dropping packages on the other bed. She’d come in with a double armload of boxes and bags.
Parker said, “Let’s see.”
“One at a time,” she said. “I’ll give you a fashion show.”
“Good.”
She rummaged among the packages, selected two and went into the bathroom, leaving the door open. Calling out to him, she said, “The crowds were incredible. I’d forgotten.”
He listened to her, but didn’t have the attention to find anything to answer. He was thinking about the three
