'He's asleep at the moment,' I said. 'We thought it would be a shame to wake him up.'
Maxie eyed the scratches on my face and whistled softly.
'Yeah. I guess I haven't seen you two guys.' He looked across at the girl behind the desk. 'Did you hear, Grade? We ain't seen nobody.'
The girl nodded and went back to her funnies. Maxie waved us to the door.
'Careful there're no cops around.'
We went down the steps into the sunshine. There were no cops around.
I laid the unconscious girl along the back seat of the Buick and closed the door.
'Well, thanks again. It wouldn't be an over-statement to say you saved my life.' I gave Perelli my card. 'Don't forget; anywhere, any time, I'll be glad to even the score.'
An easy thing to say, but the way it worked out I was scrabbling around like a monkey with a can tied to its tail, three weeks later, trying to make good my promise.
III
Jack Kerman, long, lean and dapper, lay full length on my divan; an immaculate figure in a bottle-green flannel suit, cream silk shirt and brown buckskin shoes. On his chest he balanced a highball, while he beat time a little drunkenly to the swing music coming from the radio.
Opposite him I relaxed in one of those down-to-the-ground easy chairs, and looked through the open windows at the moonlit Pacific, while I tried to make up my mind whether to go in for a swim or mix myself another drink.
Wingrove's daughter was an almost forgotten memory; Perelli just another name. Ten days had gone past since I had returned the unconscious little junkie to the bosom of her family, and so far as I was concerned the case was closed.
'It's about time I had a vacation,' Kerman said suddenly. This continual grind is giving me ulcers. What we should do is to shut up the office for a couple of months and go to Bermuda or Honolulu. I'm bored with the local talent in this burg. I want a little more fire; grass skirts instead of lounging pyjamas: something with a little zing in it. How about it, Vic? Let's do it. We can afford it, can't we?'
'Maybe you can, but I'm damn sure I can't. Besides, what would we do with Paula?'
Kerman took a long drink from his glass, sighed, and reached for a cigarette.
'She's your funeral. That girl is a menace. All she thinks about is money and work. You might tell her not to keep picking on me. To hear her talk, you'd think I don't earn my keep.'
'Do you?' I said, shutting my eyes. 'Do any of us? Anyway, a vacation is out, Jack. We're getting on top and we've got to stay on top. If we shut the office, we'd be forgotten in a week. You can't stand still in a job like this.'
Kerman grunted,
'Maybe you're right. I've a redhead who's costing me a pile of dough. I don't know what's the matter with her. She thinks I'm made of money. Mind you, she's not a bad little thing. She's willing, and that's what I like about a girl. The trouble with her is...'
The telephone bell began to ring.
Kerman raised his head and scowled at the telephone.
'Don't answer it,' he advised. 'It might be a client,'
'Not at ten past ten,' I said, hoisting myself out of the chair. It's probably my past catching me up.'
'Then you'd better let me handle her. I have a very nifty line with women on the telephone.'
I shied a cushion at him as I picked up the receiver.
'Hello?'
A male voice asked, 'Is that Mr. Malloy?' A voice that would send an immediate prickle up most women's spines. A voice that conjured up a picture of a tall, powerfully built man, probably sun-tanned and handsome, who would rather drop in for an afternoon cup of tea when her husband's at the office than look in the evening when he's at home.
Perhaps I was doing him an injustice, but that was the mental picture I got of him from the vibrating baritone voice.
'Speaking,' I said. 'Who is that?'
'My name is Lee Dedrick. I have been trying to get you at your office. There doesn't appear to be anyone there.'
'I'm sorry. The office closes at six.'
'And sweat-shop hours at that,' Kerman muttered, punching the pillow at the back of his head, 'Tell him we're in bed with the croup.'
The voice said sharply, 'But surely you have a night service?' 'You're talking to the night service now, Mr. Dedrick.'
'Oh. I see.' There was a pause, then he said, 'I would like you to come out to my place right away. It's rather urgent.'
In spite of the domineering tone, I had a sudden impression that he was frightened. There was a peculiar shake in his voice, and he seemed very breathless.
'Can you give me some idea what you want, Mr. Dedrick?' I asked, ignoring Kerman's frantic signals to hang up.
There was a moment's silence. I waited and listened to the uneven, hurried breathing.
'A few minutes ago some man rang me up and warned me an attempt would be made tonight to kidnap me. Probably a practical joker, but I thought it wise to take precautions. I happen to be alone here, except for my chauffeur; he is a Filipino, and would be quite useless in an emergency.'
This sounded screwy to me.
'Have you any idea why anyone should want to kidnap you?'
