'I shall certainly go with him!'
Conrad walked up to her.
'Listen, you little fool! Why do you imagine a lawyer should go to the trouble of taking out a writ for you? He's Maurer's lawyer! That's why.'
'How do I know Bunty Lloyd hasn't sent him?' she demanded. 'You want me to stay here, don't you? I don't believe anything you're saying!'
A tap came on the door and Madge looked in.
'Mr. Gollowitz.'
Gollowitz came in, a smooth smile on his dark face.
'Miss Coleman?'
Frances faced him, her eyes searching his face.
'Yes.'
'I'm a lawyer, and I represent the Norgate Union. The secretary of the union called me and told me you were detained here. The District Attorney tells me he has no reason to hold you any longer. Are you willing to come with me?'
Frances hesitated for a moment. There was something about Gollowitz that made her nervous.
'I don't want to go with you, thank you,' she said. 'I just want to go home.'
Gollowitz chuckled.
'Of course. I simply meant that I would escort you as far as the entrance. If you would communicate with the secretary of your union and tell him I have arranged for your release I should be obliged.'
Conrad moved quietly to the door and beckoned to Madge.
'Tell Van to bring Weiner in here,' he whispered.
As he turned back he heard Frances say, 'Can I leave here at once?'
'Of course,' Gollowitz said.
'Just a moment,' Conrad broke in. 'While you're here, Mr. Gollowitz, you might be interested to go bail for another of our customers. Come in, Weiner.'
Van Roche threw open the door and gave Pete a hard shove so he entered the room with an unbalanced rush. When he saw Gollowitz, he jumped back as if he had seen a snake.
Gollowitz had been too busy getting the writ for Frances's release to find out what had happened to Pete. Seigel had assured him he would get Pete, and seeing Pete so unexpectedly completely threw him off balance. His fat face turned livid, and he took a step towards Pete, his lips drawn off his teeth in a snarl of fury.
'Leave me alone!' Pete exclaimed, and backed away.
Too late, Gollowitz realized he had given himself away. He twisted his face into a forced bland smile, but he saw the look of horror on Frances's face.
'Don't you want to take Weiner along with you as well as Miss Coleman?' Conrad asked quietly. 'I doubt if he'll come, but at least you can ask him.'
His eyes glittering with rage, Gollowitz turned to Frances.
'Come along, Miss Coleman. I'll get you a cab.'
'Don't go with him!' Pete shouted. 'He belongs to the organization. Stay here where you are safe! Don't go with him!'
Gollowitz put out his hand and laid it gently on Frances's arm.
'I don't know who this fellow is, but he sounds crazy to me,' he said. 'Let's go, Miss Coleman.'
Frances shuddered and jumped back.
'No! I'm going to stay here. I don't want to go with you. I won't go with you!'
'I'm afraid you are being rather a foolish young woman, Miss Coleman,' Gollowitz said. The silent threat in those black eyes turned Frances cold. 'Are you coming with me or aren't you?'
'Oh, tell him to go!' Frances cried, and sat down on the couch, hiding her face in her hands. 'Please tell him to go!'
Gollowitz looked at Pete, then he walked quietly from the room.
No one moved as he crossed the outer room. They watched him open the door, step into the passage and close the door behind him.
He left behind him an atmosphere charged with threatening danger.
III
'Janey!'
Conrad stood in the small hall and waited for her reply. She wasn't in any of the downstairs rooms, and he had an idea she might be out. Two or three times lately she had been out when he had returned from the office. During the past three days their relationship had worsened. She didn't tell him where she went and he didn't ask.
