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e of them。
〃Newton is okey；〃 I said。 〃His type don't run with hoodlums。 That's just guessing； though。 How about the footman？〃
She thought and remembered； then shook her head。 〃He didn't see me。〃
〃Anybody ask you to wear the jade？〃
Her eyes instantly got more guarded。 〃You're not fooling me a damn bit；〃 she said。
She reached for my glass to refill it。 I let her have it； even though it still had an inch to go。 I studied the lovely lines of her neck。
When she had filled the glasses and we were playing with them again I said； 〃Let's get the record straight and then I'll tell you something。 Describe the evening。〃
She looked at her wrist watch； drawing a full length sleeve back to do it。 〃I ought to be…〃
〃Let him wait。〃
Her eyes flashed at that。 I liked them that way。 〃There's such a thing as being just a little too frank；〃 she said。
〃Not in my business。 Describe the evening。 Or have me thrown out on my ear。 One or the other。 Make your lovely mind up。〃
〃You'd better sit over here beside me。〃
〃I've been thinking that a long time；〃 I said。 〃Ever since you crossed your legs； to be exact。〃
She pulled her dress down。 〃These damn things are always up around your neck。〃
I sat beside her on the yellow leather chesterfield。 〃Aren't you a pretty fast worker？〃 she asked quietly。
I didn't answer her。
〃Do you do much of this sort of thing？〃 she asked with a sidelong look。
〃Practically none。 I'm a Tibetan monk； in my spare time。〃
〃Only you don't have any spare time。〃
〃Let's focus；〃 I said。 〃Let's get what's left of our minds…or mine…on the problem。 How much are you going to pay me？〃
〃Oh； that's the problem。 I thought you were going to get my necklace back。 Or try to。〃
〃I have to work in my own way。 This way。〃 I took a long drink and it nearly stood me on my head。 I swallowed a little air。
〃And investigate a murder；〃 I said。
〃That has nothing to do with it。 I mean that's a police affair； isn't it？〃
〃Yeah…only the poor guy paid me a hundred bucks to take care of him…and I didn't。 Makes me feel guilty。 Makes we want to cry。 Shall I cry？〃
〃Have a drink。〃 She poured us some more Scotch。 It didn't seem to affect her any more than water affects Boulder Dam。
〃Well； where have we got to？〃 I said； trying to hold my glass so that the whiskey would stay inside it。 〃No maid； no chauffeur； no butler； no footman。 We'll be doing our own laundry next。 How did the holdup happen？ Your version might have a few details Marriott didn't give me。〃
She leaned forward and cupped her chin in her hand。 She looked serious without looking silly…serious。
〃We went to a party in Brentwood Heights。 Then Lin suggested we run over to the Troc for a few drinks and a few dances。 So we did。 They were doing some work on Sunset and it was very dusty。 So ing back Lin dropped down to Santa Monica。 That took us past a shabby looking hotel called the Hotel Indio； which I happened to notice for some silly meaningless reason。 Across the street from it was a beer joint and a car was parked in front of that。〃
〃Only one car…in front of a beer joint？〃
〃Yes。 Only one。 It was a very dingy place。 Well； this car started up and followed us and of course I thought nothing of that either。 There was no reason to。 Then before we got to where Santa Monica turns into Arguello Boulevard； Lin said； 'Let's go over the other road' and turned up some curving residential street。 Then all of a sudden a car rushed by us and grazed the fender and then pulled over to stop。 A man in an overcoat and scarf and hat low on his face came back to apologize。 It was a white scarf bunched out and it drew my eyes。 It was about all I really saw of him except that he was tall and thin。 As soon as he got close…and I remembered afterwards that he didn't walk in our headlights at all…〃
〃That's natural。 Nobody likes to look into headlights。 Have a drink。 My treat this time。〃
She was leaning forward； her fine eyebrows…not daubs of paint…drawn together in a frown of thought。 I made two drinks。 She went on：
〃As soon as he got close to the side where Lin was sitting he jerked the scarf up over his nose and a gun was shining at us。 'Stick…up；' he said。 'Be very quiet and everything will be jake。' Then another man came over on the other side。〃
〃In Beverly Hills；〃 I said； 〃the best policed four square miles in California。〃
She shrugged。 〃It happened just the same。 They asked for my jewelry and bag。 The man with the scarf did。 The one on my side never spoke at all。 I passed the things across Lin and the man gave me back my bag and one ring。 He said to hold off calling the police and insurance people for a while。 They would make us a nice smooth easy deal。 He said they found it easier to work on a straight percentage。 He seemed to have all the time in the world。 He said they could work through the insurance people； if they had to； but that meant cutting in a shyster； and they preferred not to。 He sounded like a man with some education。〃
〃It might have been Dressed…Up Eddie；〃 I said。 〃Only he got bumped off in Chicago。〃
She shrugged。 We had a drink。 She went on。
〃Then they left and we went home and I told Lin to keep quiet about it。 The next day I got a call。 We have two phones； one with extensions and one in my bedroom with no extensions。 The call was on this。 It's not listed； of course。〃
I nodded。 〃They can buy the number for a few dollars。 It's done all the time。 Some movie people have to change their numbers every month。〃
We had a drink。
〃I told the man calling to take it up with Lin and he would represent me and if they were not too unreasonable； we might deal。 He said okey； and from then on I guess they just stalled long enough to watch us a little。 Finally； as you know； we agreed on eight thousand dollars and so forth。〃
〃Could you recognize any of them？〃
〃Of course not〃
〃Randall know all this？〃
〃Of course。 Do we have to talk about it any more？ It bores me。〃 She gave me the lovely smile。
〃Did he make any ment？〃
She yawned。 〃Probably。 I forget。〃
I sat with my empty glass in my hand and thought。 She took it away from me and started to fill it again。
I took the refilled glass out of her hand and transferred it to my left and took hold of her left hand with my right。 It felt smooth and soft and warm and forting。 It squeezed mine。 The muscles in it were strong。 She was a well built woman； and no paper flower。
〃I think he had an idea； she said。 〃But he didn't say what it was。〃
〃Anybody would have an idea out of all that；〃 I said。
She turned her head slowly and looked at me。 Then she nodded。 〃You can't miss it； can you？〃
〃How long have you known him？〃
〃Oh； years。 He used to be an announcer at the station my husband owned。 KFDK。 That's where I met him。 That's where I met my husband too。〃
〃I knew that。 But Marriott lived as if he had money。 Not riches； but fortable money。〃
〃He came into some and quit radio business。〃
〃Do you know for a fact he came into money…or was that just something he said？〃
She shrugged。 She squeezed my hand。
〃Or it may not have been very much money and he may have gone through it pretty fast。〃 I squeezed her hand back。 〃Did he borrow from you？〃
〃You're a little old…fashioned； aren't you？〃 She looked down a