The Criminal by Jim Thompson

said. "I know how you must feel about me."
    "Why, Don"-I forced a grin and stood up-"I had no idea you cared. As a matter of fact, I love you like a brother. Come along, huh? Come with me to the composing room."
    "I guess not," he said. "You don't need me, Bill."
    "Sure, I do," I said. "What the hell? Two heads are better than one any old day."
    "I'd better go home," he said. "My wife… my wife is pretty sick."

9
    RICHARD YEOMAN
    The d.a. locked the door on the kid, and handed me a five. Two fifty for me and two fifty for Charlie Alt. He said we should get our supper, and not to take all night about it.
    "And no gabbing, understand?" he said. "You don't know a thing about the Talbert boy."
    "What about him?" I said. "You want we should bring him a sandwich or something?"
    "No," he said. "When he's ready to eat, he can say so."
    "We could bring him a malt or something," I said. "Something cold to drink maybe."
    "He can have something to drink," he said, "whenever he wants it."
    "Well, I was just asking," I said.
    "He can have anything he wants," the d.a. said. "Just as soon as he comes to his senses."
    Me and Charlie figured the Chinaman's was the best deal, being close and pretty reasonable and all, so we went downstairs and headed across the street. Charlie was kind of mumbling to himself and counting on his fingers. Finally, he got it figured out.
    "Small steak, french fries, peas, pie, two cups of coffee," he said. "Two fifty exactly, Dick."
    "Yeah," I said, "but what about the tip?"
    "H--," he said, "what you want to tip Chinamen for? They got a lot more money than you have."
    "Oh, I don't know," I said. "I guess maybe I shouldn't, but I always feel kind of funny. Don't you tip 'em, Charlie?"
    "Well, I ain't going to tonight," he said.
    We got to the Chinaman's and I told Charlie to go on back and get us a booth. I had to give my old lady a ring.
    "I guess I ought to call my daughter, too," he said, giving me a kind of funny look. "You go ahead and I'll wait for you."
    ***
    “No, you better go get a booth,” I said. “You hold it until I’m through, and then I’ll hold it while you’re talking.”
    “Well, H-,” he said. “There’s plenty of d--d booths.” But he went on back.
    I called Korry at his office but I didn’t get any answer, and he wasn’t at home either. Finally I got him at US Federal where they was having a night immigration hearing.
    “Dick Yeoman, Mr. Kossmeyer,” I said. “Mr. Kossmeyer, ain’t you counsel in the Talbert case?”
    "Talbert?" he said. "Tal-oh, yeah. Sure, Dick. They let the kid go."
    "No, they ain't let him go," I said. "It don't look like they're going to either, if you know what I mean. I was going to call you earlier, Mr. Kossmeyer, but I didn't have a chance and-"
    "S- of a b--h!" he said. "I supposed he was home in bed. I haven't had a peep out of his folks."
    "I've been doing everything I can for that boy, Mr. Kossmeyer," I said. "But frankly that ain't very much. It ain't something I got a lot of control over, if you follow my meaning."
    "Sure," he said, quickly. "I appreciate that, Dick. You- stop by my office tomorrow. Where-"
    "Oh, that's not necessary" I said. "What time, Mr. Kossmeyer?"
    "Any time, any time!" he said. "Where've you got him, Dick?"
    "At county, Mr. Clinton's office," I said. "But I kind of got a hunch we're moving him."
    "J--s!" he said. "You know what the angle is, Dick, why- Never mind. Where are you burying him, any idea?" "I honestly don't know, Mr. Kossmeyer," I said. "The d.a. ain't saying very much, if you know what I-" "Son of a b--h!" he said. "Those G-d D--d dimwitted Talberts! I ought to sue 'em for mopery!" "Some people is certainly stupid all right," I said. "But I guess in a kind of crisis like this they're probably kind of out of their minds." "They ain't got any G-d D--d minds!" he said. "Hold him there, Dick. Stall it some way. Just give me a couple of hours-an hour. You do that, and I'll appreciate it. I'll appreciate it,