He glanced at the clock. “Suppose we have some lunch and then I can telephone for my man to pick up some of your things and bring them out here. He’s got to bring some of mine, so he may as well make himself useful.”
Lunch was ready by the time we had had a wash and a drink. It was laid out in the suntrap outside: a small verandah, screened by glass, overlooking the river. We sat down to a swell meal.
“You got a grand spot here,” I said, helping myself to lobster salad.
Kennedy nodded. “It is very convenient,” he said, with a faint smile. “I don’t see people for weeks here. Just the place for relaxation.”
I looked at him quickly. “I’ve got another name for it,” I said with a grin.
He laughed. “You don’t look as if you’ve had much relaxation,” he said. “What have you been doing with your face?”
That put me in a fix. I wasn’t sure how far he might be involved in this business.
I said carelessly, “Oh, I got into a scrap last night.”
We finished our meal and sat there in the sun with a nice cigar and some old brandy, and talked. I said casually, after we had been talking some time, “I’m thinkin’ of buyin’ some stock. Can you advise me?”
He began to go through a list of names that didn’t mean much to me.
“What about Mackenzie Fabrics?” I shot out.
He looked startled. “That’s funny,” he said, “I’ve just been getting rid of some of those myself.”
“What’s so funny about it?” I asked, keeping my voice casual.
He shook his head. “Oh, nothing,” he said shortly, and changed the subject.
I wondered if the dame who’d just gone had anything to do with this. I didn’t like to risk asking him outright who she was. These guys, once they’ve been through the army, have got ideas about mentioning names of women who they’ve compromised. He might have turned tough, so I shelved it for the moment.
After we had settled our lunch, we went out and had a look at the grounds. The more I saw of the place the more I liked it.
He’d got everything. Even a bathing-pool, cut in the rocks in the thickest part of the wood, and fed by the rushing water of the river.
We spent the next four days fishing, swimming, and lazing about. He and I hit it off together pretty well. The food was good and there was plenty to drink. I’ll say this, it was one of the nicest holidays I’ve spent. There was nothing that guy didn’t know about fishing, and with his help I found I wasn’t doing too badly myself. We’d go out after breakfast with rods and long waders, and walk slowly into the shallow, fast-moving river and fish. It was a grand way of spending the day.
One evening we were sitting on the verandah in the moonlight, finishing a cigar before turning in. The night was still and hot and we were both pleasantly tired. I was thinking that it was time I got back and did some work, when he looked up suddenly. “You know, Mason, a guy like you ought to marry and settle down. You’d make more money that way.”
Six months ago a crack like that would have made me laugh, but now I pondered before answering him. “Yeah,” I said at last, “I guess there’s somethin’ in that.”
He was silent for a little while, then he went on, “When you find the girl, I’m going to give you this place.”
Didn’t I tell you this guy smothered me? I sat up sharply. “You be careful what you’re saying,” I said, “I might take you seriously.”
He smiled a little. “I reckon it would be a bit heavy for you to carry, anyway,” he said. “There’s a hell of a lot of upkeep that goes with it. But this I will promise you. When you get married, you can use this place as often as you like. I’m getting out pretty soon. I want to go to China. Maybe I’ll be away a number of years. So when you’re fixed up, let me know.”
I said it was mighty white of him and we let the matter drop. All the same, I kept thinking of Mardi, and I kept thinking what a surprise it would be for her to come here for our honeymoon. I kept thinking about it until I got restless. I told myself that I’d been there too long. My eye and nose were back to normal and I was anxious to get away.
The following morning I broke the news to him. He just grinned. “I believe you’ve got a girl, after all,” he said.
I nodded. “You’re right. It’s just a matter of fixing things up.” Although I spoke like that, I was wondering how long it would take to get Mardi on the dotted line. Maybe I would come unstuck. Anyway, it was worth a try.
I got back to town the next afternoon. And I rang up the Mackenzie Fabrics right away. “I want to speak to Miss Mardi Jackson,” I said to the operator.
“Hold on a minute,” she snapped. I heard a faint plopping as she jerked out the plug and connected it somewhere else. Then she came back over the line again. “Miss Jackson no longer works here,” she said, and cut off.
I put the telephone down very thoughtfully. So Mardi wasn’t working any more for the Mackenzie Fabrics. Why? Had she walked out on them, or had they given her the bird? How long had she been gone? I suddenly felt annoyed with myself for staying with Kennedy so long. If I’d ’phoned her on the day Ackie took me out, I might have caught her.
Now where was I going to find her? I hopefully checked the telephone-book, but she wasn’t in that. Maybe she stayed with her people or in a boarding-house. There were about a thousand Jacksons to choose from.
I suddenly remembered that on the day we had first met, Katz had seen us together. Did that mean anything? Had Katz scrammed back to Spencer and told him that I had contacted her? Was that why she no longer worked there? I remembered Ackie saying that Katz was as dangerous as a rattlesnake, and I began to get a little hot and bothered. Did Mardi know anything? Had they got her out of the way? It was no use sitting around asking myself dumb questions. I’d got to find out.
I grabbed my hat and left my apartment at a run. A taxi took me to the Hoffman Building quickly. I paid him off and checked the time. It would be one o’clock in ten minutes or so. I went into the nearby drug-store and bought myself a drink. The guy behind the counter looked like he might have some brains. After I had finished the Scotch I ordered another.
“I’m lookin’ for a dame,” I said confidentially to this guy, as he put the glass on the counter.
“Ain’t we all?” he said, putting his elbows on handles of the soda jerker and resting himself.
I said, “You’re right. Maybe you can help me.”
He looked interested. “Sure,” he said, “Anythin’ I can do.”
“I’m looking for a dame who works at the Mackenzie Fabrics. I’ve just heard that she’s been fired out an’ I want to know where she’s gone.”
He looked sort of dreamy. “They’ve got some swell dames workin’ in that joint,” he said wistfully. “They’re high steppers. I can’t get to the first base with any of ’em.”
“Do they come in here to eat?” I asked.
“Sure. The rush starts right now.”
I took a five-dollar bill from my vest-pocket and pushed it across to him. “Suppose you let me know when one of them comes in. If I could get her talkin’ maybe I could learn where this dame’s gone to.”
He grabbed the fin. “I’ll do that okay,” he said. “You just sit around.”
A little after one o’clock the place began to fill up. Almost immediately he jerked his head at me. A tall, blonde doll was just settling herself on a stool, preparing to put on the nose-bag. She’d got a friendly look about her, and I thought I’d get places with her if I handled her in the right way.
I let her settle down, then I left my place and took the stool next to hers. She was against the wall, so we were more or less isolated from the others.
She glanced at me and then went on packing a club sandwich away. The guy behind the counter came over and gave me one, too. He winked at me, and then took himself off to deal with a rush at the far end of his beat.
I said cautiously, “You’ll pardon me, but I guess you could tell me something about Miss Jackson.”
She jerked round like a virgin at bay. Her eyes popped a little and I thought she was going to get tough. “What did you say?” she asked.
