William Haggard - The New Black Mask (No 5)

Phil tumbles backwards into the arms of Nick, who, with Nora, is coming up the stairs. Nick says, “Mmmm! Big confetti they throw here.”

Dancer exclaims, “Ah, Mr. Charles! I’m sorry!” and starts down the stairs.

Phil snarls at Nick: “Why don’t you look where you’re going, you big clown?” He twists himself out of Nick’s arms and goes downstairs out of the place.

Dancer is apologizing again.

Nick: “Hello, Dancer. This your place? A neat way you have of getting rid of the customers.”

Dancer smiles professionally: “Just a kid that hangs around because his sister works here. I get tired of him sponging on Polly sometimes.”

Nick: “I felt a gun under his arm when I caught him.”

Dancer, contemptuously: “Just breaking it in for a friend, I guess.” He ushers them upstairs.

Outside the Lichee, Phil finds a dark doorway from which the club can be watched and plants himself there. Nick’s car is parked near the doorway. Both Harold and a taxi driver who is talking to him see Phil, but neither pays much attention to the boy. Harold is chewing gum and listening with a bored air to the taxi driver, who is telling him.

“And I said to him, ‘You ain’t going to give me a ticket, you big flatfoot, and you know it,’ I said. I said, ‘I got a right to turn there, and you know it,’ I said, ‘and I ain’t got all night to be sitting here gassing, so go polish your buttons and leave me be on my way, you fat palooka,’ I said.”

Harold, wearily: “I know, and then you busted out crying.”

Upstairs in the Lichee, Nick is checking his hat and coat while Nora looks interestedly around the place. Suddenly she grabs Nick’s arm, says, “There’s Robert!”

Robert and Polly are going into the restaurant.

Nick: “The night’s bulging with your family.”

Nora starts to pull him toward Robert: “Come on.”

Dancer to Nick: “Is Mr. Landis a friend of yours?”

Nick, as Nora drags him off: “On the contrary, a relation.”

Dancer stares thoughtfully after them.

By the time Nick and Nora reach Robert, he and Polly are sitting at a small table near the orchestra. Nora holds out a hand to Robert, saying, “Hello, Robert,” with a great show of cordiality. He rises drunkenly, mumbling, “Hello, Nora; hello, Nick,” and shakes their hands. Then he introduces Polly: “Miss Byrnes, Mr. and Mrs. Charles.” Nick immediately sits down and begins to talk to Polly, giving Nora a chance to speak aside to Robert.

Nick: “Anything for a laugh.”

Nora, in a low voice to Robert: “You oughtn’t to stay away like this.”

Robert: “I know, but Selma’s not easy to get along with, and sometimes I simply have to break loose.”

Nora: “But you should let her know that you’re all right.”

Robert: “You’re right, of course. But sit down. You can talk in front of Polly. She knows about Selma.”

Polly, aside to Nick: “Tell Mrs. Charles not to worry about him. I’ll see that he gets home tonight.” She moves her foot under the table and touches Robert’s. He starts to laugh, then covers his mouth with his hand. He asks, “Is — is Selma all right?”

Nora, indignantly: “You know she’s not, and now with the police bothering her—”

Robert: “The police?” He and Polly both look alarmed.

Nora: “Yes, the idiots. A gardener we used to have was killed. Remember Pedro Dominges?”

Before Robert can reply, Polly exclaims: “Killed? Why, he’s—” She breaks off with a hand to her mouth.

Nick prompts her: “He’s what?”

Polly, to Nora: “What was his name?”

Nora: “Pedro Dominges.”

Polly: “Oh! I thought you said Peter Dominger — a fellow I used to know.”

Nick looks at her skeptically.

Robert: “What’s that got to do with Selma?”

Nick: “Ask the police. They don’t know. I wonder if our table’s ready.” He stands up.

Polly whispers, “I’ll see he gets home all right.”

Nick: “Thanks. Pleased to have metten up with you.” He and Nora move off to where Dancer is beckoning them.

Polly leans over to Robert, speaking swiftly: “Honey, could you get hold of that guy Graham and see if you can get the money right away?”

Robert: “Maybe. Why?”

Polly: “I was thinking there’s no sense in waiting until tomorrow. I’ll tell Dancer I don’t feel well and get the night off and we’ll blow town right away. Would you like that?”

A waiter comes up with fresh drinks as Robert says, “I’ll try him on the phone now.”

[ Dancer shows Nick and Nora to their own table on the other side of the room, and there are comic encounters with New Year's Eve revelers. Polly sings on stage. ]

After her performance, Dancer goes to the table where Polly is now sitting alone and asks, “What’s the setup?”

Polly: “They’re Bobbie’s cousins by marriage and think he ought to go home to his wife.”

Dancer purses his lips thoughtfully for a moment then says, “It’s all to the good, them seeing him here plastered, but I guess we can’t take a chance on them tipping off the wife and having her bang in. Give the customers one song and knock off for the night. Take him up to your place.”

Polly: “I’m getting kind of tired of him.”

Dancer: “It’s only till tomorrow night. You can turn him loose then. Put a pill in his drink when you get him home so he’ll be sure to stay safe asleep while you run out to do that little errand in the morning.” He pats her shoulder.

Polly, without enthusiasm: “All right.” She gets up to sing.

Robert, at the telephone talking to David: “That money you promised me tomorrow. Give it to me tonight and I’ll be half across the country by daylight.”

David: “I told you I couldn’t raise it till tomorrow.”

Robert, snarling: “How’d you like it if I changed my mind between now and tomorrow?”

David: “But, Robert, I—” He breaks off as he thinks of something, then says, “I’ve got the bonds I was going to raise the money on — if you’ll take them.”

Robert: “They’re negotiable? There’s no foolishness about them?”

David: “Certainly they’re negotiable! Do you think I’d—?”

Robert: “I don’t think anything about you. How soon can you turn them over?”

David: “As soon as you can get here.”

Robert: “I won’t come there for them.”

David: “All right. Where are you ?”

Robert: “At the Lichee.”

David: “Then I can meet you at the corner of… and… in ten minutes.”

Robert: “OK, but don’t keep me waiting, or I might change my mind.”

David: “And you’ll give me your word you’ll—”

Robert: “I’ve got to go home and pack a bag, but I won’t bother your sainted Selma. I won’t even see her if I can get out of it.” He slams the receiver on the hook, says “Boy Scout!” at it, and returns to his table. (Throughout this scene, waiters, etc. have been passing and repassing Robert at the phone, but none seems to have paid any attention to his conversation.)

Nick and Nora are at their table listening to Polly singing. Dancer, intent now on keeping them comfortable until Polly and Robert are safely away, comes to the table and asks, “Everything all right, Mr. Charles?”

Nick, shuddering at his first taste of his drink and frowning at the glass: “It’s all something.”

Dancer laughs with professional heartiness and addresses the waiter: “Ling, no check for this table. Anything they want is on the house.”

Nick: “I can't let you do that.”

Dancer: “But I insist. You must be my guest.”

Nick, at this point seeing the approach of a group of thugs and realizing that somebody’s going to be stuck for a lot of drinks, says quickly, “We accept with thanks. That’s mighty good of you, Dancer.” He shakes Dancer’s hand as the thugs arrive and says, “Meet the rest of my party.”