“She was very fond of Vessi,” Mardi told me. “Really fond of him. Sarah is the type who likes them rough, and Vessi meant a lot to her. When he was executed she nearly went out of her mind. I had to work for two days right in the house, so I should know. She drove us all haywire. You have no idea. I think she hates Lu.”
I sat on the bed. “You've opened the door,” I said. “As you say, it fits. She wants to get Lu on trial. That evens things up with Vessi and it gets rid of him. She couldn't come out in the open and accuse Lu of knocking Richmond off. The Vessi angle would come out in court and it wouldn't be nice for her. So she hides behind a telephone, and makes me the goat.”
Mardi nodded. “Yes,” she said, “I think that's what it all means.”
I thought some more. “It would have been easy for her to know what was going on,” I said. “All the things she knew to tell me over the 'phone came from keeping her ears open and listening in to Lu's talk with his boys. I dare say she had ample opportunity of doing that. Then again she's rich, I take it, and ten grand would have been peanut money for her to get rid of Lu.”
Mardi stubbed out her cigarette. “She's crazy about the men. She's running Curtis now. He's working for Lu, as you know, and I guess he told her all she wanted to know.”
I suddenly thought of Kennedy. Was he an old flame of hers? I guessed I was getting near to the truth.
“Well,” I said, “this is going to get her nowhere. I'm through, so she can whistle for another goat.”
Mardi fixed her big eyes on me. “You don't know Sarah Spencer,” she said quietly. “I'm scared. She won't let you go as easily as that.”
I grinned at her. “Don't you worry your head,” I said. “No dame's goin' to rush me into somethin' I ain't keen about.”
“Please don't....” She looked so scared that I got up and went over to sit on the bed.
“Now take it easy,” I said, putting my hand on hers. “Just take it easy.”
She said, “But you don't know her. She's dangerous. She won't stop at anything.”
I liked the feel of her hand in mine. I took each finger in turn between my finger and thumb and gently pressed her nails. “Suppose we wait an' see,” I said. “It's no good getting steamed up before anythin' starts. Now forget about it, honey, we got other things to think about. I've gotta make plans. What are we goin' to do with you?”
She was quite content to leave her hand in mine. We sat there looking at each other, and when she saw I wasn't worrying she relaxed and smiled at me.
“You're good to have around, Nick,” she said. “I guess I'd be in a bad spot without you.”
“I'd like you to be around always.”
She shook her head. “Don't say that,” she said, taking her hand away. “You don't have to say it.”
“I know. I wouldn't say it if I didn't meant it. I've tried to get you out of my system, but you stick. I guess this sounds cock-eyed to you, but I want to go on with you.” I stopped because I just couldn't get the words out.
She saw what I meant all right. She said very softly, “What about me? Do you think—”
“I'm thinking about you. I wouldn't've started this if I hadn't've been thinking about you. It's because of you that I want you and me to go on. I think you and I could go on—”
I got up. It was no use. I couldn't put it over. I guess I regretted being what I was for the first time in my life. I regretted all the other dames. I regretted almost everything.
I went over to the window and looked out. The silence in the room made me think of a church. Then she said, “Nick....” She Was crying.
I went over to her and put my arms round her. I didn't say anything. I just put my arms round her and held her. She cried against my silk dressing-gown. I could feel her body trembling.
“Be kind to me,” she said. “We are going to have a strange life together.”
When she said that, I felt good. It was like coming through a bad storm, shutting the door on the wind and the rain and knowing that it was quiet inside.
I shifted my position so that I lay beside her, and she put her head on my shoulder. Her soft hair touched my face and I held both her hands in mine.
When she had stopped crying and was quite calm again, I said, “Suppose we go an' get married quick? Would you like that?”
She stayed so still, after I had said that, that I thought she had not heard me, but I just waited, wondering how it would all come out and if she really wanted me. She sighed then, and relaxed.
“Would you say a thing like that if you didn't really mean it?” she said at last, leaning away from me so that she could look up at my face. Her eyes were very bright and her lips were parted, and behind the brightness of her eyes I could see she was scared.
I said, “No, I wouldn't. It's how I want it to be.”
She shook her head. “You're crazy, Nick. You don't want to marry me.”
“I know why you say that. You think I'm just like the rest. You don't know me yet.”
“No—I do know you.' It's not because of you, it's because of me. What do you know of me? How can you—”
