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I gobbled a dry martini and hurried back through the reed curtain to the dining room。
The eighty…five cent dinner tasted like a discarded mail bag and was served to me by a waiter who looked as if he would slug me for a quarter； cut my throat for six bits； and bury me at sea in a barrel of concrete for a dollar and a half； plus sales tax。
35
It was a long ride for a quarter。 The water taxi； an old launch painted up and glassed in for three…quarters of its length； slid through the anchored yachts and around the wide pile of stone which was the end of the breakwater。 The swell hit us without warning and bounced the boat like a cork。 But there was plenty of room to be sick that early in the evening。 All the pany I had was three couples and the man who drove the boat； a tough…looking citizen who sat a little on his left hip on account of having a black leather hip…holster inside his right hip pocket。 The three couples began to chew each other's faces as soon as we left the shore。
I stared back at the lights of Bay City and tried not to bear down too hard on my dinner。 Scattered points of light drew together and became a jeweled bracelet laid out in the show window of the night。 Then the brightness faded and they were a soft orange glow appearing and disappearing over the edge of the swell。 It was a long smooth even swell with no whitecaps； and just the right amount of heave to make me glad I hadn't pickled my dinner in bar whisky。 The taxi slid up and down the swell now with a sinister smoothness； like a cobra dancing。 There was cold in the air； the wet cold that sailors never get out of their joints。 The red neon pencils that outlined the Royal Crown faded off to the left and dimmed in the gliding gray ghosts of the sea； then shone out again； as bright as new marbles。
We gave this one a wide berth。 It looked nice from a long way off。 A faint music came over the water and music over the water can never be anything but lovely。 The Royal Crown seemed to ride as steady as a pier on its four hawsers。 Its landing stage was lit up like a theater marquee。 Then all this faded into remoteness and another； older； smaller boat began to sneak out of the night towards us。 It was not much to look at。 A converted seagoing freighter with scummed and rusted plates； the superstructure cut down to the boat deck level； and above that two stumpy masts just high enough for a radio antenna。 There was light on the Montecito also and music floated across the wet dark sea。 The spooning couples took their teeth out of each other's necks and stared at the ship and giggled。
The taxi swept around in a wide curve； careened just enough to give the passengers a thrill； and eased up to the hemp fenders along the stage。 The taxi's motor idled and backfired in the fog。 A lazy searchlight beam swept a circle about fifty yards out from the ship。
The taximan hooked to the stage and a sloe…eyed lad in a blue mess jacket with bright buttons； a bright smile and a gangster mouth； handed the girls up from the taxi。 I was last。 The casual neat way he looked me over told me something about him。 The casual neat way he bumped my shoulder clip told me more。
〃Nix；〃 he said softly。 〃Nix。〃
He had a smoothly husky voice； a hard Harry straining himself through a silk handkerchief。 He jerked his chin at the taximan。 The taximan dropped a short loop over a bitt； turned his wheel a little； and climbed out on the stage。 He stepped behind me。
〃No gats on the boat； laddy。 Sorry and all that rot；〃 Mess…jacket purred。
〃I could check it。 It's just part of my clothes。 I'm a fellow who wants to see Brunette； on business。〃
He seemed mildly amused。 〃Never heard of him；〃 he smiled。 〃On your way； bo。〃
The taximan hooked a wrist through my right arm。
〃I want to see Brunette；〃 I said。 My voice sounded weak and frail； like an old lady's voice。
〃Let's not argue；〃 the sloe…eyed lad said。 〃We're not in Bay City now； not even in California； and by some good opinions not even in the U。S。A。 Beat it。〃
〃Back in the boat；〃 the taximan growled behind me。 〃I owe you a quarter。 Let's go。〃
I got back into the boat。 Mess…jacket looked at me with his silent sleek smile。 I watched it until it was no longer a smile； no longer a face； no longer anything but a dark figure against the landing lights。 I watched it and hungered。 The way back seemed longer。 I didn't speak to the taximan and he didn't speak to me。 As I got off at the wharf he handed me a quarter。
〃Some other night；〃 he said wearily； 〃when we got more room to bounce you。〃
Half a dozen customers waiting to get in stared at me； hearing him。 I went past them； past the door of the little waiting room on the float； towards the shallow steps at the landward end。
A big redheaded roughneck in dirty sneakers and tarry pants and what was left of a torn blue sailor's jersey and a streak of black down the side of his face straightened from the railing and bumped into me casually。
I stopped。 He looked too big。 He had three inches on me and thirty pounds。 But it was getting to be time for me to put my fist into somebody's teeth even if all I got for it was a wooden arm。
The light was dim and mostly behind him。 〃What's the I matter； pardner？〃 he drawled。 〃No soap on the hell ship？〃
〃Go darn your shirt；〃 I told him。 〃Your belly is sticking out。〃
〃Could be worse；〃 he said。 〃The gat's kind of bulgy under the light suit at that。〃
〃What pulls your nose into it？〃
〃Jesus； nothing at all。 Just curiosity。 No offense； pal。〃
〃Well； get the hell out of my way then。〃
〃Sure。 I'm just resting here。〃
He smiled a slow tired smile。 His voice was soft； dreamy； so delicate for a big man that it was startling。 It made me think of another soft…voiced big man I had strangely liked。
〃You got the wrong approach；〃 he said sadly。 〃Just call me Red。〃
〃Step aside； Red。 The best people make mistakes。 I feel one crawling up my back。〃
He looked thoughtfully this way and that。 He had me into a corner of the shelter on the float。 We seemed more or less alone。
〃You want on the Monty？ Can be done。 If you got a reason。〃
People in gay clothes and gay faces went past us and got into the taxi。 I waited for them to pass。
〃How much is the reason？〃
〃Fifty bucks。 Ten more if you bleed in my boat。〃
I started around him。
〃Twenty…five；〃 he said softly。 〃Fifteen if you e back with friends。〃
〃I don't have any friends；〃 I said； and walked away。 He didn't try to stop me。
I turned right along the cement walk down which the little electric cars e and go； trundling like baby carriages and blowing little horns that wouldn't startle an expectant mother。 At the foot of the first pier there was a flaring bingo parlor； jammed full of people already。 I went into it and stood against the wall behind the players； where a lot of other people stood and waited for a place to sit down。
I watched a few numbers go up on the electric indicator； listened to the table men call them off； tried to spot the house players and couldn't； and turned to leave。
A large blueness that smelled of tar took shape beside me。 〃No got the dough…or just tight with it？〃 the gentle voice asked in my ear。
I looked at him again。 He had the eyes you never see； that