out that way. I do special work at the apartment for Baynard. One of the extra bedrooms is set up as an office now. This is a very busy time for all of us. But… you could give me a ring. At the office would be best."
I ordered us another round. The drinks were getting to her slightly, but they did not make her any less evasive when I tried to swing the conversation around to Charlie Armister.
Finally I said, "How much did Terry offer you to send Charlie back to Joanna?"
She bit her lip. "I suppose Terry would tell you anyway. Fifty thousand dollars. Isn't that absurd?"
I shrugged. "She's got it. And she loves her sister. Too bad you couldn't send him back."
"Charlie is a generous employer."
"Not that generous, is he?"
"No. But I have more than enough for my needs, Trav."
"Your expensive tastes?"
She smiled. "Clothes and furs. And nice surroundings. But if I had millions, I think I'd keep working. It's my life."
"Power hungry?"
"It's my weakness, dear. I love to have the little people jump when I want them to jump. I have an earnest little secretary of my own. Miss Angela Morse. She's a fat humble little thing, and she strives so hard to please. She gets all sweaty when I speak to her. But in a few years I might be able to really turn her into something."
I filed that away. A little later I was able to take another hack at Charlie-lore. She left a small opening and I said, "When he had his nervous breakdown, did he come right back and move into the apartment?"
"What nervous breakdown, dear?"
"All right. When he was sick."
"Yes, he wanted to stay in town. Baynard found the apartment. We moved in and got it all ready for him. He was very pleased with it."
"And then you and he had your little fling."
"Darling, you're going to make me terribly sorry I ever mentioned that. He couldn't spend much time at the office. I took things back for his signature and so on. And, as I said, it was proximity. Terry acted as if I were some horrible little slut trying to snag myself a rich man. I have more pride than that."
"That's obvious."
"Why do we keep talking about Charlie?"
"Maybe I'm jealous."
She took hold of my wrist, a firm pressure in her small plump hand. "You shouldn't be, dearie. It's been over for months. And I have been a veritable nun ever since."
"And Charlie has been a monk?"
"Hardly!"
"You sound very positive."
"Didn't I tell you he's recovering from a life of repression? He has whole acres of wild oats all saved up. So poor Baynard, to keep Charlie from making a fool of himself, or to keep some bitch from blackmailing him, has been… well, arranging things for him."
"Ladies of the evening?"
"It distresses poor Baynard. But from what little I have seen of a couple of them, they seem quite presentable. I guess if you pay enough they would be. They look like college girls who do some modeling on the side. I don't know what the source is, but apparently it's inexhaustible. Harris goes and picks them up in the Lincoln and brings them up the service elevator. They leave in the morning the same way. I imagine they are perfectly trustworthy. And it does keep him out of trouble. It seems so strange that…" She stopped abruptly and released my wrist. She stared at me. "I must be getting drunk, Trav. I shouldn't be saying these things."
"You're among friends."
She drew herself up. "Am I? Perhaps you're pumping me. How do I know that Terry Drummond didn't arrange this so you could pump me, dear?"
"You're getting to be paranoid."
"Hardly. I'm just naturally cautious. And very loyal. I told you how loyal I am. I am very very loyal to the man I work for. And I am very very loving to the man I don't work for."
"Baynard?"
"Don't be a dope. I meant it abstract."
"But you are a nun, you said."
"Yes, indeed. Tragic, isn't it? But that's the way the ball bounces sometimes. Did I ask for this drink? How many does this make? Is it sinful to get smashed on Sunday, dear?"
"It's the best day."
She beamed and
I ordered us another round. The drinks were getting to her slightly, but they did not make her any less evasive when I tried to swing the conversation around to Charlie Armister.
Finally I said, "How much did Terry offer you to send Charlie back to Joanna?"
She bit her lip. "I suppose Terry would tell you anyway. Fifty thousand dollars. Isn't that absurd?"
I shrugged. "She's got it. And she loves her sister. Too bad you couldn't send him back."
"Charlie is a generous employer."
"Not that generous, is he?"
"No. But I have more than enough for my needs, Trav."
"Your expensive tastes?"
She smiled. "Clothes and furs. And nice surroundings. But if I had millions, I think I'd keep working. It's my life."
"Power hungry?"
"It's my weakness, dear. I love to have the little people jump when I want them to jump. I have an earnest little secretary of my own. Miss Angela Morse. She's a fat humble little thing, and she strives so hard to please. She gets all sweaty when I speak to her. But in a few years I might be able to really turn her into something."
I filed that away. A little later I was able to take another hack at Charlie-lore. She left a small opening and I said, "When he had his nervous breakdown, did he come right back and move into the apartment?"
"What nervous breakdown, dear?"
"All right. When he was sick."
"Yes, he wanted to stay in town. Baynard found the apartment. We moved in and got it all ready for him. He was very pleased with it."
"And then you and he had your little fling."
"Darling, you're going to make me terribly sorry I ever mentioned that. He couldn't spend much time at the office. I took things back for his signature and so on. And, as I said, it was proximity. Terry acted as if I were some horrible little slut trying to snag myself a rich man. I have more pride than that."
"That's obvious."
"Why do we keep talking about Charlie?"
"Maybe I'm jealous."
She took hold of my wrist, a firm pressure in her small plump hand. "You shouldn't be, dearie. It's been over for months. And I have been a veritable nun ever since."
"And Charlie has been a monk?"
"Hardly!"
"You sound very positive."
"Didn't I tell you he's recovering from a life of repression? He has whole acres of wild oats all saved up. So poor Baynard, to keep Charlie from making a fool of himself, or to keep some bitch from blackmailing him, has been… well, arranging things for him."
"Ladies of the evening?"
"It distresses poor Baynard. But from what little I have seen of a couple of them, they seem quite presentable. I guess if you pay enough they would be. They look like college girls who do some modeling on the side. I don't know what the source is, but apparently it's inexhaustible. Harris goes and picks them up in the Lincoln and brings them up the service elevator. They leave in the morning the same way. I imagine they are perfectly trustworthy. And it does keep him out of trouble. It seems so strange that…" She stopped abruptly and released my wrist. She stared at me. "I must be getting drunk, Trav. I shouldn't be saying these things."
"You're among friends."
She drew herself up. "Am I? Perhaps you're pumping me. How do I know that Terry Drummond didn't arrange this so you could pump me, dear?"
"You're getting to be paranoid."
"Hardly. I'm just naturally cautious. And very loyal. I told you how loyal I am. I am very very loyal to the man I work for. And I am very very loving to the man I don't work for."
"Baynard?"
"Don't be a dope. I meant it abstract."
"But you are a nun, you said."
"Yes, indeed. Tragic, isn't it? But that's the way the ball bounces sometimes. Did I ask for this drink? How many does this make? Is it sinful to get smashed on Sunday, dear?"
"It's the best day."
She beamed and
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