'I suppose it's another Cosgrove,' said Myrtle, sarcastically. 'Go on, tell me it is.'
I shook my head. I didn't know what it was all about, but I knew it wouldn't be another Cosgrove. It was all done too neatly.
I'd drawn a check for $250. After allowing for a month's expenses, I'd have a surplus of just about $175 to spend on a car. I hadn't done it, but! wouldn't dare tell Myrtle that. She'd never liked the idea of my being paroled to Doc. If she got the idea that he was using me, that there was something seriously wrong…
I was in a trap, and I couldn't go out by the door. That led back to Sandstone. I had to stay in until I found my own exit.
'I'm sorry,' I said. 'I didn't know it was a violation of my parole.'
'Who said it was? What I want to know is why you bought it? That title was transferred yesterday, but the car was still on the sales lot this morning.'
'I thought I'd pick it up over the week end,' I said.
'But why did you buy it-a jalopy like that-when the state lets you have a first class car for nothing?'
'It's simple enough,' I said. 'Since I don't need it for myself, I obviously intend to resell it. I'm pretty handy with tools. I can fix it up in my spare time and make a little money on it.'
'Well…' She stared at me suspiciously.
'That's what I intend to do, Miss Briscoe.'
'Now,' she nodded. 'That's what you intend to do
'I don't understand.'
'I don't either. But let it go. Get that car off the lot today. And don't lose any time about re-selling it.'
'Yes, ma'am,' I said. 'Do you want me to drive back to town ahead of you?'
'That won't be necessary,' she snapped. And then her voice and her face softened. 'I'm trying to help you, Red, and that's all I am trying to do. Why don't you give me a chance?'
'Yes, ma'am?'
'Come out of it! For God's sake come out of your shell before you rot in it.' She put a hand on my knee and leaned toward me. 'I'm sure you're in a jam, a damned bad one. Tell me about it.'
'There's nothing I can tell you,' I said.
'There. You see? You don't even have to think any more; you slide off center automatically. Doc's got you mixed up in something, and you don't know how to get out of it, hasn't he?'
'Why should Doc do that?'
'Red-!' She sighed and removed her hand. 'Suppose I said this to you. Suppose I told you I knew you were on the level and wanted to stay that way and any trouble you were in wasn't your own fault.'
'There's nothing to tell at the moment,' I said carefully. 'But something might come up..
'Yes, Red?'
'I understand you always keep your word,' I said. 'You always make good on a threat or a promise. So make that supposition of yours a little more specific, and I'll believe you. Tell me you'll trust me to do what I have to, what I think is right, and that you'll keep me from going back to Sandstone.'
'Well,' she laughed, irritatedly, 'that's a pretty big load to buy blind, Red.'
I nodded. 'But no bigger than the one you're asking me to buy.'
'Yes, it is. You see, Red, there's such a hell of a lot more involved than just you and me. For almost ten years, now, Doc's crowd has been riding high and handsome. This time, in this coming election, it looks like they're going to lose out. They're getting desperate. They're looking for some way to discredit me. You could be it.'
'I don't see how I could be used,' I said. 'Anyway, I've been given to understand that you can stay in office as long as you want to.'
'I've stayed in for thirty years, but that doesn't mean I can keep on doing it. And when I go, whatever small reform element there is goes with me. A first class scandal will put any office-holder in the street- and the straighter he's been the harder it'll hit him. He'll either lose out entirely or he'll have to do so much horse- trading that he won't be able to do anything in his job.'
'But-'
'Yeah, I know. I didn't sign your parole. But I did consent to it, and you're my obligation. Let you get in a really bad scrape, and it'll come back on me. Let me get it in the neck, and the whole reform slate will collapse. That automatically leaves Doc's crowd in the saddle. This is a one-party state. The people don't vote for candidates, they vote against them.'
'I understand,' I said. 'But how am I going to be used to discredit you?'
'I don't know, Red. But I can think of any number of things you could do that would pull the trick. That's why I want you to level with me. And I'll go along with you as far as I can, Red. That's a promise.'
She stood up tiredly and began brushing at her perpetually wrinkled skirt. The sun was full out by now, and it etched every line of her harsh, haggard face. Her faded topknot of hair was more gray than red.
I stood up also, and she looked up into my face for a moment, squinting her eyes against the sun. Then she took hold of my arm, pushed me gently aside and strode past me and down the hill.
Watching her, watching the firm unfaltering stride, I somehow felt ashamed; and I wanted to run after her or call her back. And I stayed where I was and kept my mouth closed.
I knew I was making a mistake, just how bad a one I was yet to discover. But I knew of nothing else to do.
15
The Capital Car Company had a block-long sales lot on the outskirts of the downtown business district. A salesman directed me to a small frame office, surrounded and almost hidden by cars. I introduced myself to the manager, a brisk gold-toothed little man named Rivers.
'Oh, sure,' he said instantly. 'Wife bought it for you. Very fine lady, very fine. Want to take a look at it?'
'I thought I'd take it with me,' I said.
'Take it or leave it. Wife said you might want to leave it a while. A fine lady, that.'
'Fine,' I said.
He led me halfway down a row of automobiles and stopped before a Ford coupe. It wasn't junk, by any means, despite the scratched and lustreless body. The tires were new. I lifted the hood and saw an engine as clean as though it had been scrubbed with soap and water.
'Gettin' a buy there,' Rivers declared. 'Why, I bet you I coulda got two, two and a quarter for that car this morning if I hadn't already sold it. Little old lady was down here lookin' at it. Tell she knew cars, too.'
A Negro youth, an employee of the company, drove the car out to Doc's house for me. Rivers followed in another car to take the youth back to town.
I left the coupe and the state car at the curb, and went up the walk to the house. As I climbed the steps the venetian blind at one of the front windows moved, and when I opened the front doors Mrs. Luther was standing in the door of her apartment.
She was wearing a flowered silk house coat with a bodice of some very sheer material. She smiled and stood back from the door, inviting me in.
'Now aren't you a bad man!' she cried. 'You found out about our surprise.'
'Is Doc here?' I said.
