'Oh, I can keep quiet, Jack,' she returned, smiling. 'Just regard me as part of the scenery.'
Maurer's eyes moved to Seigel.
What's she doing here?'
Seigel shrugged.
'I don't know. She's having dinner with me. She told me who she was, and
she's already a little high. The way she's acting, she's a push-over, but maybe she's playing me for a sucker.'
'Not you, Louis,' Dolores said mockingly. 'Anyone else but you. I'm sure she's just dying to feel your manly arms round her and your passionate breath against her cheek. Who wouldn't?'
Seigel's face went a dusky red and a look of vicious fury jumped into his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped himself in time.
'Go away, Dolly,' Maurer said without looking round. 'I've had enough of you tonight. Go home!'
Dolores slid off her stool, picked up her ermine wrap she had thrown carelessly over the back of a chair and walked across the room, trailing the wrap behind her. She moved slowly, a little smile on her red lips, and she swayed her hips slightly, attracting the attention of Gollowitz and Seigel who both watched her with intent expressions. As she passed Seigel, she wrinkled her nose at him.
'Good night, Abe,' she said at the door.
'Good night,' Gollowitz said with a little bow. He was careful not to look at her nor to let Maurer see the anger in his eyes.
'Good night, Louis,' she said.
'Oh, get out!' Maurer exclaimed angrily. 'We're busy!'
'And good night, darling.'
She went out, closing the door behind her.
Maurer made an impatient gesture with his hands.
'Damned women! If that bitch doesn't . . .'
'We shouldn't keep Mrs. Conrad waiting,' Gollowitz put in sharply.
'That's right,' Maurer said. He looked over at Seigel. 'Get friendly with her, Louis. She might be useful, but watch your tongue. Make sure she isn't after information.'
'I'll watch it,' Seigel said.
'Get back to her. I don't have to tell you how to handle her, but handle her right.'
Seigel nodded and stepped out into the passage and closed the door.
Janey was waiting for him in the cocktail bar, and it gave him sadistic pleasure to see how worried she looked as she sat at the table. It was so obvious that she was thinking he had walked out on her, and she was once more alone.
'Well for goodness sake!' she exclaimed when she saw him. 'You said five minutes and you've been a quarter of an hour.'
He grinned at her.
'The number was engaged.' He ran his eyes over her. She was good, but not in the same class as that red- headed devil. Still, she would have to do instead. He would take her somewhere in the dark and imagine she was Dolores. She wasn't going to forget this night with him. He would leave a scar on her mind – a scar in memory of Dolores.
'Come on,' he said, taking her arm possessively. 'Let's eat.'
CHAPTER FOUR
MOE GLEB flicked a fried egg on to his plate, added two thick rashers of ham, dropped the hissing fry-pan into the sink and carried the plate to the table.
He was a thickset, undersized youth with a mop of sandy-coloured hair. His small, heart-shaped face was as white as fresh mutton fat; his small, deep-set eyes, his pinched thin mouth were hard and vicious. He looked what he was: a young hoodlum fighting with no holds barred to get into the money, as dangerous and as savage as a treed wild cat.
He sat down at the table, poured himself a cup of coffee, and began to eat ravenously.
From the window, Peter Weiner watched him.
'For cryin' out loud!' Moe snarled, looking up suddenly. 'Wadjer starin' at? Ain't yuh seen a guy eat before?'
'I was admiring your appetite,' Pete said quietly. 'You've eaten twelve eggs and two pounds of ham since nine o'clock last night.'
'So wad? I gotta do somethin' while we wait, ain't I? Why the hell don't yuh eat?'
Pete shrugged.
'I guess I'm not hungry. How much longer do you think we've got to wait like this ?'
