Helm - The Shadowers Part 2

IX.

IT TOOK a bit of doing, of course. No man really likes to be used as a punching bag in front of a woman, even if she isnat quite Sophia Loren. There was even a certain risk, but an attacker who really means business seldom wastes his time and effort with the fists. You get so you can sense when there is real danger, and when the worst that can happen is getting your block knocked off in an amateurish way.

A moment after Iad hit the hail carpet, Olivia was kneeling beside me. Her hand touched my face, but her words werenat addressed to me.

aThat was brave!a I heard her cry. aTo attack a man from behind, without warning! Thatas just what I would have expected from you, Harold!a aYou were going into his room!a Harold, whoever he was, had a fine baritone, with indignant overtones.

aAnd why not? It wouldnat be the first time Iad gone into a manas room, would it? Not quite the first!a aLook at you!a he cried, ignoring this. aLetting a cynical reporter-oh, I asked about him at the desk-ply you with liquor until you can hardly stand and bring you up here! He was laughing at you, Olivia, couldnat you see? He just thought it was an amusing way to spend an evening. It meant nothing to him, nothing at all.a She said fiercely, aThatas right, nothing! No more than it meant to you. Youare a fine one to criticize other menas motives!a aOlivia-a aDo you think I didnat know what he was doing?a she demanded. aAll right, so it amused him to be charming to the mousy lady scientist. Maybe it amused me to play up to him! Maybe I thought it would be entertaining to deliberately let a slick, experienced character like that get me drunk anda and lure me to his room for immoral purposes. After all, I seem to be susceptible to slick characters, and what does it matter now? At least he was honest, Harold. At least he said nothing about love!a I would have liked to listen to them longer, but they were being pretty loud and somebody in a neighboring room might get tired of the noise and call the manager. Iad learned about as much as I could hope for. I stirred, therefore, groaned, and opened my eyes. I sat up dazedly. Olivia helped me. I looked up at the man who had slugged me.

He was in his late twenties or early thirties with a roughhewn touch of Lincoln or Gregory Peck about the physiognomy, carefully cultivated. It was obvious that regardless of what might have come between them lately, he and Olivia were born to be soulmates. His tweeds were every bit as tweedy as hers, and his gla.s.ses were no less thick and black in the rims. They gave him a sincere and earnest look.

aIf youad only let me explain!a he was saying.

She wasnat looking at him any more. aAre you all right, Paul?a she asked.

aYouare making a terrible mistake,a Harold protested. aIf youad only listen, darling! You completely misunderstood what you heard in the office that day. Miss Darden and I were only-a She didnat turn her head. aHavenat you done enough? Do you have to wake the whole hotel, too? You canat persuade me there was any misunderstanding. You and your nurse made it all perfectly plain. I could hear you clear out m the waiting room, every word. You should really close the door before you indulge in private jokes with your employees, Harold!a aIt wasnat what you thought-a aI heard my name quite plainly.a Her voice was harsh. aThe GLP complex, you called it, meaning grateful lady patient. Apparently itas a recognized syndrome and one of which unscrupulous medical pract.i.tioners sometimes take advantage, as you did. Well, this lady patient is no longer grateful, Dr. Mooney. Goodbye!a She helped me to my feet. The guy was still standing there, still protesting, but she never looked at him. She just led me into my room and closed the door behind us. Then she turned and locked it carefully. Finally she faced me again and raised both hands to her hair, smoothing it back from her temples wearily.

aPhew!a she said softly. aWell, there you have my private reason for not receiving telephone calls, Mr. Corcoran. I hope you approve of the performance I put on for him.a aA little more practice and weall have you in the movies,a I said.

I stepped up to the door and listened. There was no sound outside. Presently I heard the elevator doors clang shut far down the hall. I turned back to Olivia to find that shead gone over to sit in the big chair with which my room, like hers, was provided.

aDr. Harold Mooney,a I said. aDoctor of what?a aObstetrics and gynecology,a she said. aHeas a specialist in womenas diseases. Also, Iam afraid, in women. Heas quite a specimen, isnat he? Genus Casanova, species phony. Heas come all the way from Pensacola to plead for forgiveness, he says, but what heas really frightened of is that Iall make a scandal and ruin his profitable practice. As if Iad want to let people know what a fool Iave been!a She drew a long, uneven breath, fished for her gla.s.ses in her pocket, and put them back on. After a moment, she unb.u.t.toned her jacket, unfastened the snug round collar of her silk blouse, sighed with relief, leaned back comfortably, and stuck her legs out in front of her, a little apart. Her att.i.tude was mildly defiant as if she was aware that this pose was neither graceful nor ladylike and to h.e.l.l with it. She looked up and saw me rubbing my jaw.

aI thought you people were supposed to be able to take care of yourselves,a she murmured with a touch of malice. I said, aWhat did you want me to do, pitch him out of a fifth-floor window with a judo throw, or crack a couple of vertebrae with a karate chop to the neck? Besides leaving us the problem of disposing of a body, those are hardly techniques youad attribute to a dissipated lecherous Denver reporter. Besides, thereas the possibility that we may want the guy alive.a She frowned quickly. aWhat do you mean?a I looked down at her. Her relaxed posture allowed a lot of leg to show. There was even some lingerie on display, a nice bit of cream-colored slip with darker, coffee-colored lace, pretty and provocative and completely out of character-but then, so was a love affair with a handsome doctor. Somebody had obviously slipped, digging out her background; shead managed to keep some things well concealed. There was obviously more to Dr. Olivia Maria.s.sy than her plain, tweedy, unpromising exterior had seemed to indicate.

aWhere did you meet this guy?a I asked.

aIn his office. Although weare kind of attached to the Naval Air Station and use their facilities, we donat officially rate attention from the Navy doctors, and being a doctor myself I detest people who try to scrounge free medical service theyare not ent.i.tled to. Later, I met Dr. Mooney at a c.o.c.ktail party in town. He remembered me, which was flattering. Most men donat, as a person, although they may remember me as a scientist.a She spoke in a dry, detached voice. aWe talked about medicine and other things. We had dinner together that night and other nights. You can guess the rest.a aSure.a I crossed the room to the phone, and activated the New Orleans-Denver-Was.h.i.+ngton circuits for the second time that night. aNever mind switching me upstairs,a I said to the girl when I got the number. aJust have them run a fast check on Mooney, Harold-M.D. in obstetrics and gynecology and donat ask me how to spell it. Home base, Pensacola, Florida. Let me have it here in the morning, whatever you can get at once; in the meantime tell them to put somebody to really digging for dirt. Check his home, his office, everything. Any word on Karl Kroch yet?a There wasnat, which was odd. Generally they can run down a man with a record in the business pretty fast, and I was willing to bet Krochas record was long and gaudy. I hung up. Olivia hadnat moved.

aKarl Kroch?a she said. aIs that the man-a aThe one who was watching us in the bar downstairs, earlier this evening. The one who was so mean to the little girl in pink. The one we wanted, I thought. Now Iam not so sure.a aBecause of Harold?a Her eyes followed me as I came back across the room. aYouare wrong, Mr. Corcoran. I can see your line of reasoning, of course, but youare wrong.a I said, aWe put on an act, Doc. We met cute, we got drunk cute, we indicated we were going to make love cute, just to see whoad be interested. Well, there were distractions, but a fish finally took the bait, didnat he? Your friend Mooney had obviously been watching us off and on. He admits he even checked on me at the desk.a She was still lying back in the big chair, relaxed and surprisingly careless about what showed and what didnat, considering where she was and what she was. I reminded myself that I was no longer quite sure what she was. The longer this night went on, it seemed, the less sure I was about anything.

aItas plausible,a she said thoughtfully, aitas plausible, but itas wrong. The man whoas watching me is supposed to be a trained professional killer, isnat he? Well, Harold couldnat commit that kind of crime if his life depended on it. He hasnat got the nerve, Mr. Corcoran. Swinging a fist at a man who isnat looking is just about his limit. Heas a a a handsome phony. I know.a She grimaced. aNow I know.a I said, aStill, he apparently made a point of getting acquainted with you in Pensacola. He followed you here. We canat ignore him just because you think heas a lightweight. Itas standard procedure, Doc, for an agent to act dumber and more scared than he is.a aWell, Iam sure youare mistaken.a She sighed, giving up the argument, and surveyed the room lazily. aOnly one bed? Do we toss for it? I suppose I have to spend the night here, whatas left of it, and slip back to my room about dawn looking suitably mussed and made-love-to. Oh, dear, and when I think of the way I sneaked around trying to keep people from knowing about Harold and me!a She laughed. aWell, itas going to be a refres.h.i.+ng change, being brazen about it. What happens afterward?a I said, aIn the morning, true love having blossomed during the wee hours, we head for Alabama on our way to Pensacola and home. Your home.a aWhy Alabama?a aThereas no waiting period in Alabama. You just take a blood test and see the judge.a She looked quickly but didnat speak at once. Then she said, aI suppose thatas still necessary.a aMore than ever, Iad say. Now we have to see which one of them comes after you; and weave got to keep up the act for Mooneyas sake, if not for Krochas.a aHarold lives in Pensacola, donat forget. It will prove nothing if he follows us there.a aThe roundabout way weall drive, itall prove something,a I said. aHere are two things for you to keep in mind, Doc. One, like Orpheus and Eurydice, you donat look back.a I grinned at her expression. aDonat act so surprised. It isnat polite. Us undercover types often read the cla.s.sics to improve our minds when weare not dealing with murder and mayhem. Some of us do, anyway. Donat be an intellectual sn.o.b.a She flushed slightly. aI didnat meana . Well, maybe I did. Sorry.a aYou donat look back,a I went on. aIall do the looking. You have no doubts, no suspicions. Youare just a lady in love, bringing home a brand-new husband-one you married on the rebound, true, but that just makes you more determined to show people itas all perfectly lovely.a aWell, Iall try to look blissfully ignorant and a and appropriately amorous.a She hesitated. aYou said two things. Whatas the other.a I reached down deliberately and gave a jerk to the hem of her skirt. aNumber two,a I said, ais, you keep your d.a.m.n skirt down where it belongs.a It brought a gasp from her. It brought her upright in the chair. aReally a!a I said, aIam not an impressionable kid, but Iam not so d.a.m.n ancient I donat react to normal stimuli, Doc. Now we both know you have attractive legs, nice nylons, and a pretty slip. We both know, too, that youare no longer quite the prim spinster lady youave been pretending to be. Well, whatever you learned from Mooney, please donat try it on me, doll. In public, weall carry the lovey-dovey routine as far as necessary, but in private, like this, nix. You keep a reasonable amount of clothes on the body, and you keep them where they count.a I stared at her in a hard way. aThat is, of course, a.s.suming that you want to keep it strictly business between us.a She was on her feet now, tugging her suit straight and b.u.t.toning her blouse with hands that werenat quite steady. aIam sorry a !a Anger choked her briefly. aIam very sorry if Iavea disturbed you, Mr. Corcoran! Itas late and Iam tired and just a bit tight; I didnat realize I was straining your self-control. It wasnat deliberate, I a.s.sure you!a aMaybe it wasnat,a I said. aAnd then again, maybe it was. You donat look to me like a dame who shows a guy the view past the tops of her stockings without knowing it, drunk or sober. I donat quite follow the reasoning behind the tempting display, but it doesnat look like any gambit I read in the copy of Capablanca you so kindly lent me.a I drew a long breath. aWhat Iam saying, Doc, is that if you want me to keep this love-and-marriage stuff on a business basis, you keep it that way, too. If you want to play, weall play, and youall find yourself flat on your back with your dress up and your girdle down so fast itall make your head swim. Do I make myself perfectly clear?a It was pretty crude; but the whole unb.u.t.toned, inviting, leggy bit had been too far out of character for me to let it pa.s.s unchallenged. A woman who, alone, would read about infinity fully dressed without a hair out of place wasnat going to lounge untidily and suggestively about a manas room without some purpose. The notion that came to mind was so crazy I had to check it out, even at the cost of being rude.

She stared at me for a moment, her eyes furious, her pale lips tightly compressed; then she laughed. It was a surprising laugh, for her, a real laugh, a womanas laugh, soft and throaty and triumphant.

aCorcoran,a she murmured, ayouare bluffing like h.e.l.l!a I looked at her sharply, and everything changed, as it does. It had been a long, complicated night, but everything was suddenly very plain and simple and I realized at last who-behind all the doubletalk and drinking and fancy acting-had actually been seducing whom.

aYouare bluffing!a she breathed.

aDonat count on it,a I said stiffly.

aYouare bluffing!a she whispered. aYou talk big but you wonata wonat touch me. You donat dare!a It had been a long time since Iad done anything because somebody dared me, but Iad already been strong-minded once that night, and I could see no good reason for it here. To be sure, Mac had warned me to be diplomatic, but under the circ.u.mstances it was a little hard to say where true diplomacy lay.

I reached out and took her gla.s.ses off for the second time that night. This time I really looked at her. The face was all right, once you started looking at it as the face of a woman instead of a genius and made allowance for the lack of lipstick. The eyes were fine without the gla.s.ses, a little bold but also, I was glad to see, a little scared, as if she didnat quite know what she was getting herself into besides a bed. Well, that made two of us.

I said, aThe reception was poor at first, Doc, but now I read you loud and clear. Brief me. Do we lead up to the subject with a little breathless talk about love, or do we simply adjourn to the bed, approximately five feet away.a She licked her lips. aLetas not be hypocritical. Youave probably gathered Iave heard quite enough talk about love. I vote a I vote the meeting be adjourned as specified, before aa There was a shaky little pause. aa before the lady loses her nerve!a

X.

I WOKE UP to hear her crying in the darkness beside me.

I didnat ask why. Presumably she was crying in a general way for lost innocence and shattered illusions. Itas a common complaint.

Presently she whispered, aAre you awake, Corcoran?a aYes.a aDid I wake you?a aIt doesnat matter.a aIam sorry,a she breathed. aI a itas just so cheap and dirty, thatas all.a aThanks,a I said. aAll testimonials gratefully accepted.a aI didnat mean you. I just meant, well, life in general.a aWhat you really meant was that for years youave been saving yourself for a great, sweet, tender pa.s.sion like in the movies, and now you find yourself lying in a hotel bed in your underwear beside a strange man you donat particularly like.a She said, aDonat be sarcastic, d.a.m.n you.a aDonat swear,a I said. aIall do the swearing around here. Youare the intellectual type, remember?a She laughed bitterly. aI donat feel very intellectual. I donat suppose Iad look very intellectual, either, if you could see me. The funny thing is, I donat think I even really know why I did it, why I badgered you intoawell, into bed, d.a.m.n it. And Iall swear all I want. To h.e.l.l with you, Corcoran.a aFor a girl who didnat know why she was doing it, you did it pretty well.a aI suppose I was really a I guess I was deliberately desecrating a shrine that had been sacred to a false G.o.d, if you know what I mean.a aDesecrating,a I said. aShrine. Such fancy words to use in bed at four in the morninga . Ouch.a aWhatas the matter?a aYour false G.o.d throws a mean punch. Do you feel like telling me? Just what did he do to bring the heavens cras.h.i.+ng down?a She started to speak sharply and checked herself. Then she was silent for a little. At last she laughed in the darkness and said, aYouare being sarcastic again, but your description is pretty accurate, unfortunately. But when a woman is fool enough to wait until thirty to learn about s.e.x and love, I guess sheas asking for a major catastrophe. It was like a dream at first. Iad never experienced anything like it. Iad never experienced much of anything along those lines. He brought me flowers. He bought me little presents-perfume, stockings, lingerie. He a he made me feel like a woman, Corcoran. He even made me feel like a beautiful woman. It had never happened to me before.a Her frankness was a little embarra.s.sing, even in the dark. I said, aBuy yourself a lipstick and it could happen again. Youare not really nauseating, you know.a aThanks,a she murmured. aThanks for the charming compliment, charmingly phrased. Iall treasure it always.a aNo charge,a I said. aLetas get to the point where he lowered the boom.a aIt was a Friday, I think,a she said. aYes, Iam sure it was a Friday, the end of the week, at ten in the morning. I had an appointment. I was still seeing him, well, professionally too. They were laughing,a she said in a flat Voice.

aWho was laughing?a aI came into the office a little early. I really wanted to be late to show hima . Well, I just wanted to stroll in casually a few minutes late. You know, so it wouldnat look as if seeing him was very important in my life. But when I got out of the elevator it was still a few minutes early. I just couldnat help myself. Iad seen him the night before but I still couldnat help myself. You know how it is.a aSure,a I said. aI know how it is. I guess.a aThe reception room was empty. I started back there and heard them. They were talking about me in the examining room, Harold and the nurse, or receptionist, an obvious, well-developed little blonde in one of those white nylon uniforms, you know the kind I mean, the kind that are practically transparent, worn over something pink, always. Miss Darden was the way I knew her, the way head always referred to her, but now he was calling her Dottie. The way they were talking made the relations.h.i.+p between them absolutely clear. Theyad come to an understanding long ago. You know. She was so sure of herself and of him that she wasnat even jealous; his extracurricular activities merely amused her. Do I have to tell you exactly what they said about me? What he said?a aNo,a I said, abut in fairness youave got to remember that there arenat many things a man can say to one woman heas sleeping with when discussing another. Heas practically got to make it sound as if the only reason he has anything to do with the second dame is for money, influence, or laughs.a aLaughs!a she breathed. aHow did you know? It was a hilarious joke they shared. I was. Something to t.i.tter about together while waiting for me to arrive so they could greet me looking very sober and professional. I want to vomit when I think of it, Corcoran. I was such an idiot about him. It was as if Iad been hypnotized to do mad things and couldnat help myselfa And then to hear them laughing! I wanted to kill myself.a aInstead of which,a I said, ayou marched right down and said youad take the crazy a.s.signment youad refused earlier. The idea of having the U.S. government arrange a whirlwind love affair for you, and provide a husband you could get rid of after head served your purpose, suddenly looked real good. It was a way of telling Dr. Harold Mooney he hadnat hurt you a bit; it was a way of showing him he wasnat the only bird in the bush.a aYes,a she said. aYes, of course.a aMy chief kind of wondered what made you change your mind,a I said. aI wondered myself, a bit. You didnat look like somebody whoad take on a job like this just for kicks. Well, now youad better get out of here before the place wakes up.a I switched on the light and looked at her. She sat up and hastily pulled up a strap of the pretty slip shead retained while shedding the rest of her clothes-a present from Mooney, the romantic flowers-and-lingerie dispenser, I guessed, now. I wondered if it had given her some kind of perverse satisfaction to wear his intimate gift to bed with another man. Her bare shoulders were square and strong-looking, but smooth and white.

aWell, you donat have to stare!a she protested, blus.h.i.+ng, I grinned. aNow she gets modest,a I said. aNow what are you doing?a aMy hair-a aWhat do you want to do, spoil the effect after weave gone to all this trouble to make it authentic?a She glanced at me quickly. After a moment she smiled. aOh, is that what we were doing? I didnat know.a I said, aWell, you donat want to look as if youad been doing research in the Library of Congress, Doc. If Handsome Harold is lurking outside, you want to confirm his darkest suspicions, donat you? Just pull on your skirt and blouse, stick your feet into your shoes, make a bundle of everything else, and dash for the stairs. Call me the minute you reach your room, so Iall know youare okay. The coffee shop opens at six. Iall meet you there for breakfast.a A minute or so later she was standing at the door rather uncertainly, hesitating to show herself outside like that, disheveled and not completely dressed. The funny thing was, she looked kind of young and pretty with her severe hairdo tumbling about her face and the color of embarra.s.sment in her cheeks.

aCorcoran?a aYes?a aI want you to know it wasnat premeditated. I had every intention of keeping you at a very proper distance. Please believe me.a aSure,a I said.

If she wanted to lie for the sake of her self-respect, I wasnat going to argue; and maybe shead just happened to be wearing pretty stuff under the tweed tonight, even though it did seem like kind of a coincidence.

aIt was seeing him and hearing him trying to tell me about misunderstandings in that smooth, patronizing way. I just had to do something to erase, well, certain memories. I hope youare not disgusted ora or offended.a aOffended?a I said. aDonat be silly, Doc. lt. beats h.e.l.l out of chess.a She looked startled and fled. Two minutes later the phone rang; shead made it safely. I acknowledged her report and lay for a little while looking at the ceiling, while daylight stole into the room. She wasnat the only one with memories to erase. At last I grimaced at my thoughts and got up to shave. I had half my face lathered when the phone rang. I went back into the bedroom and picked it up.

aYouare up early, friend,a said the voice of the local man whoad given me instructions before, the one Iad never seen. aOr were you up?a aDo you care?a aIf Iam not allowed to sleep, why should anyone else be? Iam supposed to transmit a report on a Harold Mooney, M.D. Nothing.a aNothing?a aWell, nothing significant. Bacheloras, Hopkins. M.D., Hopkins. Interns.h.i.+p, Chicago. Private practice, Pensacola since fifty-nine. Doing all right financially. Well, he should be. Apparently heas got the bedside looks and manner, and heas no worse a butcher than anybody else, I guess. But heas clean as new-fallen snow. At least on a preliminary check. Theyare still digging.a There was a little pause. aThatas as far as security is concerned. Weare not interested in his morals. Or are we?a aWe might be.a aThere are indications heas something of an all-around medical charm boy, or just very, very susceptible. His office nurses arenat picked entirely for their academic records, letas say, and thereas a high turnover. And there have been whispers about the doctor-patient relations.h.i.+p in certain instances. Just whispers.a aI see,a I said. aBut thereas no chance of his being offbeat in other ways, say politically? No chance of anybodyas having got to him?a aYou supply the crystal ball, Iall read it,a said the voice on the phone. aChance? Sure thereas a chance. Thereas always a chance. They may come up with something on thorough investigation. But this guyas just interested in money and women as far as I can see; heas not the kind to go haywire politically. And the material looks unpromising if youare hunting a potential killer.a I said, aAfter youave cut up enough dead bodies in medical school, I shouldnat think a live one would bother you much. And doctors have access to very convenient drugs, and ways of covering things up that arenat available to the layman. The man weare looking for doesnat necessarily have to be a pineapple and tommy-gun artist, you know.a aStill, thereas better homicidal stuff around,a the voice said.

aKroch?a aThey finally found him for you. You were right, heas a pro all right, but they were checking the wrong lists. They were looking for someone Grandpa Taussig would be likely to recruit, someone from the regular herd, close at hand. This one is a stray from another ranch entirely.a I said, aMeaning what?a aHold onto your hat,a said the voice on the phone. aKroch used to be one of Reinhard Heydrichas n.a.z.i strong-arm boys. An angry young man with a club, but his specialty was the pistol. He went in for small calibers, quiet and precise. Not what youad expect from the crude physical characteristics, is it? Heydrich had great faith in young Kroch, it says here, and used him frequently. After the British elimination team got the Hangman, Kroch disappeared. Yours is the first report on him since the war. It was thought he was dead.a aWell, he isnat,a I said. aSo heas an ex-Gestapo bully-boy. Those former n.a.z.is keep cropping up all over these days, donat they? I had to go down into Mexico after one just last summer, a gent named Von Sachs who was going to establish a Fourth Reich over here, or something. He was a regulation sonofab.i.t.c.h, fascist style, but he handled a machete real pretty for a while.a I frowned. aAny theories on how Kroch comes to be working for the Communists, if he really is?a aItas not unusual. A lot of those lads didnat care who they swung a blackjack for as long as they were paid. And Taussig would be needing a lot of manpower for a scheme as ambitious as this one. A trained goon like Kroch could set his own price, almost. Was.h.i.+ngton likes Kroch better than Mooney, friend. They want you to put the show on the road as soon as possible. If Kroch follows and the other one doesnat, nab him.a aSure,a I said. aAnd what if they both follow? Or neither does?a aDonat borrow trouble. Start driving and use the mirror, first. See what comes along behind. But watch yourself. This boyas no rabbit; itall take more than a figure-four trap to catch and hold him.a aItall take more than a harsh word to make him talk, too,a I said.

aThatas not your worry unless you want it to be. You present the body, breathing, and experts will take it from there. Theyall get it out of him. Any more questions?a I hesitated. aOne. Antoinette Vail. Is she being watched?a aSheas covered. She hasnat shown yet this morning. Why?a aNo reason,a I said.

I didnat really know why Iad asked the question. Toni didnat belong in the case, except that Iad dragged her in for a diversion. n.o.body would thank me for being concerned about a kid who was just an irrelevant nuisance, not even the kid herself.

XI.

THE COFFEE SHOP had a white tiled floor and old-fas.h.i.+oned-looking tables and chairs, but no booths or jukebox. I seated Olivia at a corner table, acting as if wead just happened to meet in the doorway by accident.

She was wearing a dress this morning, I noticed. It wasnat much to cheer about, one of the fas.h.i.+onably loose, baggy, blousy jobs that look very smart on a model built like a broomstick, which she wasnat. It was some kind of brownish jersey. They tell me that knitted stuff is very practical for traveling. Iam glad to hear itas good for something. Decoration-wise, it always looks like a variation of burlap to me.

Still, it was a dress and it wasnat tweed. There were other changes.

aFor G.o.das sake,a I said.

aWhat is ita . Oh.a She blushed a little and looked selfconscious. It was pink and innocuous, but it was real lipstick. Pretty soon shead break down and powder her nose and everything. It gave me a funny feeling. I mean, after all, it was just a job for me. I didnat really want the responsibility of guiding the woman to a new view of life.

Iad had enough of personal feelings on this job. I could still hear Antoinetteas voice: Why, I really liked you! And you set me up for this! Dr. Olivia Maria.s.sy was just another decoy, I reminded myself firmly. Unlike Toni, she knew she was being used, but G.o.d only knew what Iad have to set her up for in the end.

aIt isnat nice to stare,a she said. aIt isnat nice to make fun of me.a aWhoas making fun?a aI thought a bride-to-be would naturally pretty herself up a little,a she said defensively aWeare still getting married today, arenat we? Wasnat that the plan?a aThatas still the plan,a I said. aIn fact weave got orders from Was.h.i.+ngton to put it into execution as soon as possible. They want us to separate the sheep from the goats, or the sheep from the goat, singular. Whichever of the two follows, weare supposed to take him and turn him over to the wrecking crew p.r.o.nto.a She glanced at me quickly. aThe wrecking crew?a aThe I-team,a I said. aThe interrogation team. The experts. That is, unless we want to ask the questions ourselves.a She s.h.i.+vered slightly. aIt isnat very nice, is it?a aNot very.a aI wish there were some other way. I donat think itall be a nice thing to remember, that I was a party to it and helped lure him into the trap. Whichever one of them it is. No matter if his job is to kill me, it wonat be pleasant. Is this man Taussig really so important? Whatas he like?a aIave never met him socially,a I said. aI gather, if you met him on the street, you might think you were looking at Albert Einstein. Well, Emil is kind of a genius, too, in his own field. As for his importance, thatas not a question youare supposed to ask, Doc. What do you want, a long patriotic speech about how the lives of innocent people and the fate of nations all depend on somebodyas getting to Taussig in time?a She sighed. aI know, some things you just have to accept. Iam not always happy about the uses to which science is being put these days, but I donat stop my research for that reason.a She paused and said in the same tone of voice, aTalking about sheep-a aWhat?a aTalking about sheep and goats, we have company, Mr. Corcoran.a She was looking beyond me. She leaned forward and covered my hand with hers. aPaul,a she said, adarling-a I got the idea. aSweetheart!a I said, looking into her eyes with adoration.

Then Mooney was standing there with his hornrims and heavy tweeds, looking as if he hadnat had much sleep. Despite his haggardness, I noticed, he was smoothly shaved. I caught a whiff of some masculine-smelling lotion as I got to my feet. He raised his hand quickly.

aPlease! Iam nota . I just came to apologize. I just wasnat myself last night.a I said aggressively, aWhoever you were, that guyas got a couple of punches coming.a Olivia was still holding my hand. She pulled me back. aPlease, darling. Itas such a lovely morning, letas not spoil it. If Harold wants to apologize, why donat you let him?a Her voice was smooth. She smiled at Mooney. aGo on, Harold. Apologize. Tell Paul youare sorry you hit him when he wasnat looking.a I said, aHead be a d.a.m.n sight sorrier if head hit me when I was looking!a aPaul! Youare not being nice. Please, darlinga . Go on, Harold.a She smiled at him sweetly until he mumbled something; then she made us shake hands like two quarrelsome boys. Finally she asked him to pull up a chair and join us. It wasnat the most pleasant breakfast Iave ever eaten, but she enjoyed it thoroughly. She had a fine time making him squirm. It was a side of her character I hadnat seen before, and it made me feel better. A girl with that much acid in her system wasnat going to be hurt as easily as Iad feared.

Finally she pushed back her chair and patted my hand. aYou finish your coffee, darling. Iam going upstairs to pack.a She turned to Harold. aWhy donat you come up and watch me, Harold. Thereas something I want to tell you.a, I watched them rise together. Being just a slob of a Denver reporter, I didnat get up. aIall be along as soon as Iave finished,a I said.

She leaned over and kissed me on the mouth, aDonat hurry,a she said, laughing, aand donat be jealous, darling. Iam perfectly safe with Harold, arenat I, Harold?a Harold didnat answer. He was taking in the kiss and the endearments. Head already spotted the unaccustomed lipstick and the way she couldnat seem to keep her hands off me, and he was obviously wis.h.i.+ng head taken the opportunity to jump up and down on me with both feet last night. Whether he was truly jealous, or whether I was interfering with plans that had nothing to do with love, remained to be seen.

I watched them leave together. Olivia was prattling away happily, making him wait for the big news until they were alone. She obviously had no doubt about the nature of his feelings, and she was getting a big kick out of being able to announce her forthcoming marriage to him and tell him that he really hadnat hurt her a bit. Quite the contrary, head helped her, like the ugly duckling, to discover her true, swanlike self in marriage to a fine man like me.

Well, she had it coming. It was her payment for helping us. Shead probably earn every happy, s.a.d.i.s.tic moment of it before she was through. But it was also revealing, and I couldnat help thinking wryly that Olivia Maria.s.sy was turning out rather different from the cool, detached, scientific personality with whom Iad been expecting to work.

The waitress refilled my coffee cup, but it just wasnat my morning to finish anything, shaving or eating, for that d.a.m.n instrument invented by Alex G. Bell. Iad just taken a couple of sips when a phone buzzed in the corner. The girl who answered it looked around, spotted me sitting there alone, and came over.

aAre you Mr. Corcoran? Youare wanted on the house phone.a I went over fast, but not fast enough to keep from realizing that Iad slipped badly. Daylight and Krochas continued absence had made me careless, and Iad let Olivia go upstairs without protection, unless you wanted to count Mooney, who might be just the opposite.

aYes?a I said into the mouthpiece. aCorcoran here.a aPaul?a It was Oliviaas voice, but very different from the gay, bright, malicious tone shead been using when last heard. aPaul, come up to my room right away, please!a aSure.a I took the stairs rather than wait for the elevator. I had the little knife in my hand as I approached the door. Itas not a switchblade, but there are ways of opening it fast, one-handed, just the same. I knocked on the door and went through it fast and hard when it started to open.

I could have saved myself the melodrama. There were only two people inside, Olivia and Mooney. She was the one whoad let me in. There was blood on her hands. He was lying on the bed with his coat off and his s.h.i.+rt-sleeve ripped away. His face was gray. There was a hotel towel under his bare arm to catch the blood that dripped from a bullet hole in his biceps.

XII.

OLIVIA closed the door gingerly, leaving smears on the k.n.o.b nevertheless.

I said, aSo heas a heel. You didnat have to shoot him.a She glanced at me irritably. aDonat be silly. Where would I get a gun?a I could have told her. She hadnat been far from the one I carry in my suitcase on several occasions during the night. But even supposing she could have swiped it for purposes of vengeance or something, one blast from that sawed-off regulation cannon would have aroused the whole hotel. It also would have nearly torn Mooneyas arm off. Head obviously been shot with something considerably smaller and quieter than a .38 Special. I remembered that there was a man around who specialized in small-caliber weapons, according to the report Iad just received that morning.

aOlivia a !a That was Mooneyas voice, weak and panicky.

aItas all right, Harold. Youare not really losing much blood. Let it wash itself out.a She turned to me. aHelp me off with my dress, please. Be careful, my hands are kind of messy. I donat want to get blood all over it.a She waited while I unfastened the belt and zipper and worked the dress down her arms and, cautiously, over her hands; then she stepped out of it while I held it low. aHang it over that chair and get my bag out of the closet, a brown leather bag,a she said.

I glanced toward Mooney. aHadnat he better have a tourniquet or something?a She said, aGet the bag, Paul. Leave the practice of medicine to me, please.a aSure.a She was in charge, there was no doubt about it. There was no seductive lingerie today, just a white slip without frills. Although a little bare on top, it could have been a surgeonas gown the unselfconscious way she wore it. By the time Iad got the bag, she was sitting on the edge of the bed, examining the wound. Mooney gasped with pain and she shook her head irritably.

aDonat be such a baby, Harold.a She glanced at me as I came up. aJust put it down there and open it. Then follow my directions carefullya aWait a minute!a I said, remembering that, as far as Mooney was concerned, I was supposed to be a reasonably law-abiding character, as least where serious matters like gunshot wounds were concerned. aWait a minute. I donat know what the h.e.l.l happened in here, but hadnat we better call the police?a aIt was a man,a Mooney whispered. aA big, bald man with protruding ears. Iad recognize him anywhere. He was hiding in the bathroom. I told hima I protestedaa Olivia said, with a meaningful glance at me, aThatas right, Paul. It was a prowler. I havenat had time to see if anything is missing, and I havenat anything worth stealing anyway. I canat imagine what he was doing here, maybe just working from room to room.a Her voice was cool and matter of fact. She was pretty d.a.m.n good, I had to admit. She might have been clumsy yesterday evening but she was catching on fast.

I said in my innocent role, aSure, but what about the cops? They like to be notified in cases like this. Itas a notion they have.a She looked at the man on the bed. Her voice was tart. aI donat really think Harold wants the folks back in Pensacola to read in the papers that be was shot in my hotel room in New Orleans, no matter how innocently he happened to be there.a Mooney shook his head quickly. aNo. Please. If we can avoid publicity-a aIam quite capable of fixing up a little bullet hole,a Olivia said. aNow please open my bag, Paul, and get the bottle of peroxide, hydrogen peroxide, and the applicators Oh, and twist up a towel or something for Harold to bite on when he feels like screaming, will you? Weare going to have to do this without anesthesia, and Harold is rather sensitive about pain, arenat you, Harold? I mean, his own pain, of course.a Her face was expressionless, but the peroxide bubbled viciously as it hit the raw flesh of the wound. Actually it doesnat really sting, not like iodine or Merthiolate, but watching it youad think you were being consumed alive. Mooney started by watching the proceedings bravely enough, but he quickly turned his face away, looking sick.

aSo much for the preliminaries,a Olivia said calmly. aNow weare going to have to go in and clean it thoroughly. Fortunately the bullet went clear through, but it may have carried along dirt or sc.r.a.ps of clotha . All right, Paul.a She made a sharp little gesture. I was in position; I had the twisted towel in both hands, like a garrote. I got it between his teeth as he opened his mouth to yell, and I held it there. It wasnat the first time Iad helped patch up a guy when silence was necessary. Presently he fainted, which was nice for everybody.

aThere,a Olivia said at last, completing a neat white dressing that covered both entry and exit holes. She grimaced. aI look as if Iad been sticking pigs, donat I?a Her voice was light.

I said, aCut it out. You donat have to impress me, and heas out cold. I donat like working with screwb.a.l.l.s, Doc. Donat let this vengeance kick get out of hand.a She looked at me across the bed. aWhat do you mean?a she asked innocently.

aWhatas this about not having any anesthetic? I bet you could have squirted something into him to make it easier if youad wanted to.a She turned away and went to the bathroom door and looked hack. aWhy should I want to make it easy for him, my dear?a she asked quietly. aBring him to and get him out of here. Heas doctor enough to know how to treat it while it heals, I hope. Tell him I hope he has the decency not to try to see me or speak to me again. Not that decency is a word Iad normally a.s.sociate with him!a She went into the bathroom and pulled the door closed behind her.

I cleaned up around the place, wiping the phone and doork.n.o.b where shead left traces, and making a bundle of the stained towels. They presented no problem. Everybody swipes hotel towels. Finally I took a careful look around and saw where the bullet had ended up in the plaster wall after pa.s.sing through Mooneyas arm. I dug it out with my knife, fingered it-a .22-and dropped it into my pocket. By the time 1 was through, the patient was beginning to stir uneasily. I went over to him. He opened his eyes to look at me.

aShe says youall live, much to her regret,a I said. aLetas get your jacket on and Iall see you to your room. But first Iad like a rundown on what happened. You say there was a man in the bathroom?a Mooney licked his lips. aYes. Olivia went in there for her toothbrush or something. I heard her gasp; then she was backing out stiffly as if shead just missed stepping on a snake. This man followed her in. He had a little tiny pistol. It looked like a toy. He had tremendous hands.a aGo on,a I said.

aHe was a big man,a Mooney said. aHe made us stand against the wall over there. He looked at me and asked who the h.e.l.l I was. He seemed very annoyed with me for being there. I told him my name and I told him a well, I protested against his manner. He was really very rude and overbearing. I told him aa He stopped.

I looked at the man on the bed wearily. He still smelled of that virile, masculine shaving lotion. Nowadays we men are supposed to smell pretty, too. I remembered a number of good men Iad known whoad generally smelled of sweat or horses or fast-car lubricants, sometimes of smokeless powder or that acrid variation the British call cordite. I felt old and tired.

aI know,a I said gently. aOh, I know. You told him he couldnat get away with it.a Mooney looked startled. aWhy, yes! How did you know?a aBecause thatas how d.a.m.n fools always get themselves shot, trying to sound brave at the point of a gun,a I said. aIf youad kept your trap shut, you probably wouldnat have got hurt. They ought to have a high-school course in not talking back to a man with a gun. It might save more lives than driving lessons.a aI couldnat believe head be crazy enough to really shoot!a Mooney protested. aI mean, it was so pointless. What did it gain him?a I said, aWell, for one thing, it shut you up, didnat it?a Kroch had obviously been on edge. Listening to the pompous grandstanding of an amateur hero had been too much. Well, it showed that the opposition was subject to nerves and irritability like anybody else; it also showed he didnat kid around much. But it didnat explain his motive for being there. Obviously Mooneyas presence had surprised and annoyed him. The question was, had he been waiting for Olivia, hoping to catch her alone, or had he hoped to catch me, too?

I picked up Mooneyas jacket. The holes were almost invisible in the thick tweed, and what blood there was, was on the inside.

aOn your feet,a I said. aLetas get this on you so you look respectable. Our prowler friend didnat happen to indicate what he was looking for in here, did he?a aNo. No, he didnat give any intimationa . Ahh, that hurts!a I had to steady him and work the jacket on gently; then, when we reached his room, I had to help him off with it again. I looked at him sitting on the edge of the hotel bed, pale and sick in his stained, half-sleeveless s.h.i.+rt, and I knew Iad been wrong about him. He wasnat our man.

I donat mean weare all heroes; I donat mean weare all iron men. But he wasnat acting and he hadnat been acting-he wasnat that good; and they use a little harder material for agents than Dr. Harold Mooney had displayed this morning. This wasnat a man youad send out to run the terrible risks involved in committing murder on signal. Olivia had been right. He was just a handsome phony.

I said, aOlivia says she doesnat want to see or hear from you again. Weare getting married, you know.a aYes.a He licked his lips. aYes, she told me. Just before that man-a aIn case youare wondering,a I said, ain case you have the remotest little idea resembling, shall we say, blackmail or anything like that, Iad better tell you that I know all about it, you and her. Thereas nothing you can threaten her with, because sheas already told me everything. I know Iam getting something pretty good, and I know Iam getting it on the rebound, and I donat give a d.a.m.na .aa Well, you can complete the parting speech for yourself. I was the sterling character willing to forgive the poor girl one mistake; I was also the dissipated rounder reformed by a womanas love. Maybe it was inconsistent but it sounded swell. We parted on a very high plane indeed.

When I got back to Oliviaas room, she was scrubbed and dressed and her bags were packed.

aHow is he?a she asked.

I said, aIam sorry I kept you waiting, but it took a little time to find the pliers.a She frowned quickly. aPliers?a aSure,a I said. aTo pull out his fingernails and toenails by the roots. Wasnat that what you wanted? I had the iron heating while I did it so I wouldnat waste any time burning out his eyes afterwards-a ad.a.m.n you,a she said. aWhat are you talking about? I didnat hurt him deliberately. Well, not much.a I didnat say anything. She looked down. aPaul,a she whispered.

aYes, Doc?a aI still love him. You know that, donat you?a aSure,a I said, abut the way you show it, I hope to h.e.l.l I can keep you hating me. Come on, weave got a date to get married, remember?a

XIII.