Джордж Хиггинс - The New Black Mask (No 4)

“Wait a minute,” I said. “Hold it right there. Regardless of how well I look or don’t look, I’m under strict orders not to leave the house.”

“But I called here several times when you were out. At least Mrs. Olmstead told me you were. Of course...” Manny paused, frowning. “Of course, that could have been her way of saying that you just didn’t want to talk to me...”

“There’d never be a time when I didn’t want to talk to you. You should know that.”

“I know. But...” She hesitated again. “Perhaps it wasn’t Mrs. Olmstead. I thought it was, and she said it was but— Do you suppose it could have been what’s-her-name, your nurse?”

“I’ll find out,” I said. “I know they’ve been feuding, and they just might have — one of them might have — tried to drag me into the quarrel.” I pondered the matter a moment, then sighed and threw up my hands. “Hell, I’ll never find out. Both of them are entirely capable of lying.”

“Poor Britt.” Manny laughed softly. “Well, it doesn’t matter, dear. It doesn’t bother me now that I know you haven’t been going out at all.”

“I haven’t been. That’s the truth, Manny.”

“I believe you.”

“The only time I’ve left the house was when I walked to your car with you last Friday.”

“Well...” She smiled at me, her golden head tilted to one side. “Since it’s been so long, maybe you should walk to my car with me again today.”

“Well...”

“Well?” Her smile faded, began to draw in around the edges. “You’re afraid to, is that it? You still don’t trust me.”

“I haven’t said that,” I said. “You gave me your word that I had nothing more to fear from you, and I’m more than anxious to believe you. I could probably say something more positive if I wasn’t a little bewildered.”

“Yes? About what?”

“About your visit here this afternoon. I thought you were here to discuss my manuscript. But we’ve talked about practically nothing except my mishandled telephone calls and my walking to your car with you.”

Manny’s expression cleared, and she apologized hastily. “I’m sorry, dear. You have every right to be puzzled. But I like the manuscript better than ever, and Pat thinks it’s a fine job too. He agrees that you should make a book out of it, and there won’t be any problem about the money. We’ll call it square for the right to do a digest.”

“That’s very generous of you,” I said, “and I’m very grateful.”

“We consider it a privilege to be associated with the project. I just wish I could be here to see it through to the end — not that you need my help, of course. But I can’t be. T-that’s w-why—” she averted her head suddenly. “That’s why I made such a big thing of being outside the house with you. Even for a little while.”

“I don’t understand,” I said. “What do you mean you can’t be here until the work is finished?”

“I mean, this is the last time I’ll see you. I’m leaving the company and going back East.”

“B-but—” I stared at her, stunned. “But, why?”

“I’m getting married.”

I continued to stare at her. I shook my head incredulously, unable to believe what I had heard.

“You’re the only person I’ve told, so please keep it to yourself. I don’t want anyone else to know just yet.”

Married! My Manny getting married!

“But you can’t!” I suddenly exploded. “I won’t let you!”

“Oh?” She smiled at me sadly. “Why not, Britt?”

“Well, all right,” I said doggedly. “I can’t marry you. Not now, anyway. Maybe never. But why the big hurry? We’d got everything straightened out between us, and I thought that... that—”

“That we could pick up where we left off? I’d’ve been willing to settle for that, at least until something better could be worked out. But it just isn’t possible.” She stood up and held out her hand. “Good-bye and good luck, Britt.”

“Wait a minute.” I also stood up, and I took her hand and held on to it. “Who is this guy anyway?”

“You wouldn’t know him. I knew him in the East a long time ago.”

“But why are you suddenly rushing into marriage with him?”

“Why do you think I’m rushing? But never mind. It’s settled, Britt, so please let go of my hand.”

I let go of it.

She turned toward the door, and I started to accompany her. But she gestured for me to remain where I was.

“I’m afraid I’m pretty stupid, darling. It’s the police who’ve ordered you to stay in the house, isn’t it? And your nurse is one of them?”

“Yes,” I said. “To both questions.”

“That’s what Pat figured. He remembered her from somewhere, and it finally dawned on him that he’d seen her in uniform.”

“All right,” I said. “She’s a cop, and I’m under orders not to leave the house. But I did it once, and since this is a pretty special occasion — the last time we’ll see each other—”

“No!” she said sharply. “You’ll stay inside as you’ve been told to!”

I said I’d at least walk to the front door with her, and I did. She held out her hand to me again, a firm little smile on her face, and I took it and pulled her into my arms. There was the briefest moment of resistance, then she came to me almost violently, as though swept on a wave of emotion. She embraced me, kissed me over and over, ran her soft, small hands through my hair.

And Kay Nolton cleared her throat noisily and said, “Well, excuse me!”

Manny drew away away from me, giving Kay an icy look. “How long were you watching us?” she demanded. “Or did you lose track of the time?”

“Never you mind, toots. I’m paid to watch people!”

“You should be paying,” said Manny. “You get so much fun out of it.”

And before Kay could come up with a retort, she was out of the house and slamming the door of the car. Kay said something obscene, then turned angrily on me. She said it was a darned good thing that Manny wasn’t coming back to the house, and that she, Kay, would snatch her bald-headed if Manny ever did.

I accused her of snooping, listening outside the door while Manny and I were talking. She said I was doggone right she’d been listening, and if I didn’t like it I could do the next best thing. I went into my office and closed the door, and at dinnertime she brought a tray in to me, also bringing a cup of coffee for herself.

She sat down across from me, sipping from her cup as I ate. I complimented her on the dinner, and made other small talk. In the midst of it she broke in with a curt question.

“Why isn’t Miss Aloe coming here to the house anymore, Britt? I know she isn’t, but I don’t know why.”

“You mean you missed part of our conversation?” I said.

“Answer me! I’ve got a right to know.”

I lifted the tray from my lap and set it on a chair. I shook out my napkin and dropped it on top of the tray. Then I leaned back in my chair, and looked thoughtfully out the window.

“Well?” she said sullenly.

“I was just mulling over your remark,” I said, “about your having a right to know. I don’t feel that you have a right to know anything about my personal affairs. But I can see how you might, and I suppose it’s my fault that you do. So, to answer your question: Miss Aloe is giving up her position here and going back East. That’s why I won’t be seeing her again.”

Kay said “oh” in a rather timid tone. She said that she was sorry if she’d said or done anything that she shouldn’t have.

I shook my head, brushing off her statement. Not trusting myself to speak. I was suddenly overwhelmed by my sense of loss, the knowledge of how much Manny had meant to me. And I jumped up and went over to the window. Stood there staring out into the gathering dusk.