eighteen years ago and even today I’m not sure I got all the way back to where I was. And I’m tougher than most. There isn’t one man out of fifty—and understand, I’ve seen these figures work—who is ever worth a damn after a thorough professional beating. They have rabbit blood for the rest of their lives. You’re doing the right thing.”
“There isn’t any chance they might kill him by accident?”
“These are professionals, Bowden!”
“I know that. But it could happen.”
“Once in ten thousand times. Even so, we’re clear. The orders go through too many channels. Even if anybody gavea damn, which they won’t, it couldn’t be tracked back to you.”
“Do I give you a check?”
“Good God, no! Cash. When can you put it up?”
“Tomorrow, as soon as the banks open.”
“Bring it here at the same time tomorrow. I’ll begin to move on it tonight.”
“When do you think it will happen?”
“Tomorrow night or Wednesday night. No later.” He finished his drink, put his glass down and slid out of the booth.
Sam looked up at him and smiled crookedly and said, “Does this sort of thing happen often? I’m pretty naïve, I guess.”
“It happens. People get too wise. They have to be straightened out, and sometimes this is the only way you can give them the word.”
“That’s one of Cady’s favorite expressions.”
“Then he’ll be real pleased.”
“At what?”
“To get the word.”
He saved all three stories until both the boys were in bed and Nancy was in her room studying for her last exam of the year. Carol listened, her face quite still and remote. They sat side by side on the living-room couch. She sat with her legs folded under her, her round warm knee pressing against his thigh. She kept turning her silver bracelet around and around on her wrist.
“So you’re going to pay three hundred dollars to have him beaten to within an inch of his life.”
“Yes. I am. But don’t you see, it’s the only—”
“Oh, darling, don’t try to explain or apologize. I don’t mean it that way. I’m gloating. I feel wonderful about it. I’d mow lawns and do other people’s laundry to get that three hundred dollars.”
“I guess women are more primitive.”
“This one is. This one definitively is.”
He stood up restlessly. “It’s still a wrong thing to do. It’s wrong that it should be possible to do a thing like this.”
“How?”
He shrugged. “Suppose a disappointed client decided I needed similar treatment? If he had the right contacts, he could get the job done. It makes the world sound like a jungle. There’s supposed to be law and order.”
She followed him and linked her arms around his waist and looked up at him. “Poor Samuel! Darling, maybe it is a jungle. And we know there’s an animal in the jungle.”
“I can’t make myself clear. If this
is
the right way to handle it, then the foundations of my life are pretty creaky.”
She made a face. “I’m creaky?”
“Only in places. I mean my professional life.”
“Can’t you see, you great goose, that this isn’t a logical situation? Logic leads you to a dead end. In a thing like this you proceed on instinct. And that’s woman’s best tool. And I know you did exactly the right thing. I would have done it. I wish I could have arranged it instead of you. You are a very good man, darling.”
“I am hearing that just a little bit too often.”
“You don’t have to
growl
at me!”
“All right. I’m a good man. I’m paying three hundred dollars to put another man in the hospital.”
“And you’re still a good man. You suffer so much. Stopall the philosophical theories. Just help me rejoice because now I’m not afraid any more. And it is a very good thing not to be afraid. I’m a little bit afraid because it hasn’t happened yet, but after it does, I am going to be the gayest wife in town. If that makes me a bloodthirsty witch, so be it.”
After Carol was asleep he got quietly out
“There isn’t any chance they might kill him by accident?”
“These are professionals, Bowden!”
“I know that. But it could happen.”
“Once in ten thousand times. Even so, we’re clear. The orders go through too many channels. Even if anybody gavea damn, which they won’t, it couldn’t be tracked back to you.”
“Do I give you a check?”
“Good God, no! Cash. When can you put it up?”
“Tomorrow, as soon as the banks open.”
“Bring it here at the same time tomorrow. I’ll begin to move on it tonight.”
“When do you think it will happen?”
“Tomorrow night or Wednesday night. No later.” He finished his drink, put his glass down and slid out of the booth.
Sam looked up at him and smiled crookedly and said, “Does this sort of thing happen often? I’m pretty naïve, I guess.”
“It happens. People get too wise. They have to be straightened out, and sometimes this is the only way you can give them the word.”
“That’s one of Cady’s favorite expressions.”
“Then he’ll be real pleased.”
“At what?”
“To get the word.”
He saved all three stories until both the boys were in bed and Nancy was in her room studying for her last exam of the year. Carol listened, her face quite still and remote. They sat side by side on the living-room couch. She sat with her legs folded under her, her round warm knee pressing against his thigh. She kept turning her silver bracelet around and around on her wrist.
“So you’re going to pay three hundred dollars to have him beaten to within an inch of his life.”
“Yes. I am. But don’t you see, it’s the only—”
“Oh, darling, don’t try to explain or apologize. I don’t mean it that way. I’m gloating. I feel wonderful about it. I’d mow lawns and do other people’s laundry to get that three hundred dollars.”
“I guess women are more primitive.”
“This one is. This one definitively is.”
He stood up restlessly. “It’s still a wrong thing to do. It’s wrong that it should be possible to do a thing like this.”
“How?”
He shrugged. “Suppose a disappointed client decided I needed similar treatment? If he had the right contacts, he could get the job done. It makes the world sound like a jungle. There’s supposed to be law and order.”
She followed him and linked her arms around his waist and looked up at him. “Poor Samuel! Darling, maybe it is a jungle. And we know there’s an animal in the jungle.”
“I can’t make myself clear. If this
is
the right way to handle it, then the foundations of my life are pretty creaky.”
She made a face. “I’m creaky?”
“Only in places. I mean my professional life.”
“Can’t you see, you great goose, that this isn’t a logical situation? Logic leads you to a dead end. In a thing like this you proceed on instinct. And that’s woman’s best tool. And I know you did exactly the right thing. I would have done it. I wish I could have arranged it instead of you. You are a very good man, darling.”
“I am hearing that just a little bit too often.”
“You don’t have to
growl
at me!”
“All right. I’m a good man. I’m paying three hundred dollars to put another man in the hospital.”
“And you’re still a good man. You suffer so much. Stopall the philosophical theories. Just help me rejoice because now I’m not afraid any more. And it is a very good thing not to be afraid. I’m a little bit afraid because it hasn’t happened yet, but after it does, I am going to be the gayest wife in town. If that makes me a bloodthirsty witch, so be it.”
After Carol was asleep he got quietly out
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