He got me settled down with a redhead and a glass of Scotch-and-soda in my hand, and then he went off to do the host with Ackie. Not that Ackie wasn’t looking after himself.
The redhead was pretty tight and giggled a lot. She told me her name was Dawn Murray. When I asked what her real name was she giggled a lot more but wouldn’t tell me.
These parties always go the same way. Everyone gets plastered and talks about nothing and laughs when there’s nothing to laugh about. I guess it’s just an excuse to get tight.
Dawn started talking about books. This surprised me because I thought she wouldn’t bother about reading. She’d just finished Steinbeck’s
“Now I bet that guy knows what he’s writing about,” she said. “I bet he lived in those camps. That’s the most marvellous book I’ve ever read.”
A tall, lanky guy who I didn’t know, and whose name I hadn’t caught when I was introduced, pricked up his ears when he heard that and came over. He’d read it too, so I guess they were soul-mates. I got up quietly and left them to it.
The certain sign that a party is going well is when the people start going into the kitchen. I thought I’d have a look and see if any one had got there yet. I drifted in and found a couple with their arms around each other and their faces glued together.
That told me the party was going all right.
“If she bites you, I’ll give you the verdict,” I said.
The fellow prised himself loose. “I bet your ma thinks you’re a scream,” he said coldly.
Not so good. I went back to the sitting-room. Dawn and the lanky guy had exhausted Steinbeck and were sitting playing handies.
Someone started the gramophone and everyone broke up into couples to dance. There was no room for much movement, but so long as they’d got their arms round a girl and could shuffle their feet a yard or two, they didn’t care.
I was content to sit in an armchair and watch them. Hughson came over after a little while and sat on the arm of my chair.
“The old man’s pleased the way you handled the Colonel for us,” he said. “He thinks you made a swell job of it.”
Hughson was the sort of guy who would never let anything rest. He kept on plugging at the thing, and now nice the Colonel was about it, until I thought I’d go haywire.
Then right in the middle of it the door opened and Mardi walked in.
I saw her at once, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Standing behind her was a tall guy with a lot of wavy hair and the sort of brown complexion that dames fall for and, of course, very bright blue eyes. This guy was handsome all right.
I stared at Mardi through the haze of tobacco smoke and thought I was seeing things. I said cautiously to Hughson: “Who’s the dame?”
He got off my chair arm. “I don’t know, but I’m goin’ to find out… she’s a peach, ain’t she?”
He went over and shook hands with the tall guy. Then he had a few words with Mardi. I was suddenly aware that I was pretty high, and I was sorry about it. I was feeling a little sore about the tall guy. That didn’t look so good.
Hughson had stopped them dancing and was taking the two round introducing them. I got out of my chair and put my tie straight. They got round to me at last. In the confusion of the crowd and the thickness of the atmosphere, Mardi hadn’t seen me. Now she was standing right in front of me. We looked at each other and her face went white.
Hughson was saying: “You must meet Nick… you’ll like this guy. He’s done, more for the Women’s Friendly Societies than most men. The trouble is he gets too friendly so they give him the gate in the end.”
I wasn’t listening to what he said. Mardi was trying to tell me something without speaking. Her eyes were wide and she looked scared; then, seeing that I was still dumb, she said: “Why haven’t I met you before?”
I got it all right then. For some reason or other she didn’t want to let on she knew me.
I said: “You’ve got your chance now and I’m hoping you won’t be disappointed.” It was a lame comeback, but I was up-creek without a paddle.
Hughson introduced me to the tall guy. He said: “Nick, I want you to meet Lee Curtis,” then turning his head he went on: “Curtis, this is—”
Mardi interrupted him. She broke in quite naturally: “Oh, Barry, who’s the funny little man over there?”
Hughson grinned. “That’s Mo Ackie. The smartest news-hawk on the street. Come on over and meet him.”
He led them away from me and Ackie started doing his stuff right away. I was learning fast. First, Mardi didn’t want me to show that I’d met her and, second, she didn’t want the big guy to know my name. I added that together. I was in a spot. I wanted to go over and get friendly with the girl, but obviously she didn’t want Curtis to get any inkling, so I had to stay there and water at the mouth.
Dawn came over to me. “Dance with me, hot man,” she said. “Crush me up in your arms. My instincts are starving.”
I could have gladly wrung her neck, but thought I’d better mix in with the crowd. Mardi and Curtis were talking in a corner with Hughson. Curtis had his back to me, but Mardi kept her eyes on me as I shuffled around the room.
Dawn said: “You might pay me a little attention. That brunette isn’t going to fall for you.”
I jerked my eyes away from Mardi and grinned at her. “You don’t need to worry,” I said. “Anyway, you could have the curly-haired guy, if she did.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want him,” she said.
I manoeuvred her to the far end of the room. “What do you know about him?” I asked, jerking gently to the swing.
“Know about Lee Curtis?” Her eyebrows shot up. “Plenty.”
I danced her round the room again and then the record finished. “Suppose we go out into the kitchen and have a drink?”
“That’s what I like about you. You anticipate my thoughts.”
We slipped out of the room and into the kitchen. It was in complete darkness, but I knew where Hughson had left his torch. She held the light while I fixed a Bacardi cocktail. Then we sat down on the table with the torch between us.
“I’m interested in this guy Curtis,” I said. “Suppose you tell me about him.”
She sipped the Bacardi thoughtfully. “There isn’t anything to tell. He’s got some dough, likes a good time, runs around with anything easy and changes his bedfellow once a week.”
I wondered what the hell Mardi was doing with him. You can tell if a girl’s a tramp more times than not, and I was prepared to swear that Mardi was on the level.
“What’s he do for a living?” I said.
“Oh, he’s something big in the Mackenzie Fabrics. Secretary of the company or something. Do you mind not talking about him any more… I’m getting bored.”
“Sure, that’s all right,” I said.
My brain was busy. So this guy was tied up in the same business. That told me why Mardi wanted to keep my name out of it. I told myself that Mardi knew something and I was going to find out what just as soon as I got her to myself.
Because she expected it, I did a little necking with Dawn and then left her sitting on the table in the gloom, patiently waiting for me to come back. I’d made up my mind that I wasn’t going to be alone any more with that dame that night.
I looked into the sitting-room. The party was still going on. Mardi was dancing with Hughson. Just as I was going to walk in I heard the telephone in the hall ringing. Hughson looked at me and he called: “See who it is, will you, Nick?”
I said, “Sure,” and went over to the telephone. “Hullo? This is Barry Hughson’s apartment.”
A woman said: “Is Mr. Curtis there? Mr. Lee Curtis?”
