She tore it with her teeth, slowly, time after time.
"What makes you think he has anything on me?" she whispered, her voice muffled by the handkerchief.
"He lets you win a lot of money and sends a gun-poke around to take it back for him.
You're not more than mildly surprised.
You didn't even thank me for saving it for you.
I think the whole thing was just some kind of an act.
If I wanted to flatter myself, I'd say it was at least partly for my benefit."
"You think he can win or lose as he pleases."
"Sure.
On even money bets, four times out of five."
"Do I have to tell you I loathe your guts, Mister Detective?" "You don't owe me anything.
I'm paid off."
She tossed the shredded handkerchief out of the car window.
"You have a lovely way with women."
"I liked kissing you."
"You kept your head beautifully.
That's so flattering.
Should I congratulate you, or my father?"
"I liked kissing you."
Her voice became an icy drawl.
"Take me away from here, if you will be so kind.
I'm quite sure I'd like to go home."
"You won't be a sister to me?"
"If I had a razor, I'd cut your throat — just to see what ran out of it."
"Caterpillar blood," I said.
I started the car and turned it and drove back across the interurban tracks to the highway and so on into town and up to West Hollywood.
She didn't speak to me.
She hardly moved all the way back.
I drove through the gates and up the sunken driveway to the porte-cochere of the big house.
She jerked the car door open and was out of it before it had quite stopped.
She didn't speak even then.
I watched her back as she stood against the door after ringing the bell.
The door opened and Norris looked out.
She pushed past him quickly and was gone.
The door banged shut and I was sitting there looking at it.
I turned back down the driveway and home.
24
The apartment house lobby was empty this time.
No gunman waiting under the potted palm to give me orders.
I took the automatic elevator up to my floor and walked along the hallway to the tune of a muted radio behind a door.
I needed a drink and was in a hurry to get one.
I didn't switch the light on inside the door. I made straight for the kitchenette and brought up short in three or four feet. Something was wrong.
Something on the air, a scent.
The shades were down at the windows and the street light leaking in at the sides made a dim light in the room.
I stood still and listened.
The scent on the air was a perfume, a heavy cloying perfume.
There was no sound, no sound at all.
Then my eyes adjusted themselves more to the darkness and I saw there was something across the floor in front of me that shouldn't have been there.
I backed, reached the wall switch with my thumb and flicked the light on.
The bed was down. Something in it giggled.