Dan Marlowe - Shake a Crooked Town

Her hands came down upon his shoulders as he bent over her. She pulled mightily, and, overbalanced, he plunged forward upon her, his weight forcing her backward. Her smothered laughter was electric in its sexual excitement. Her resilient, perfumed flesh filled his nostrils.

The fire in his brain enfeebled the firelight on the walls.

Afterward, they lounged in the same chair before the dying fire renewed brandy glasses in hand. For a long time there was a minimum of conversation, but finally Jessamyn spoke after a preliminary clearing of her throat. “Goodness, I don't know what's happened to my voice, do you?”

“Yes. When you get-”

“Never mind,” she said hastily. “The time for conversation is before, not afterward.” She dropped her head on his shoulder. “Jim called me before you came over about what happened at his office. He was furious. You make it awfully hard for me to defend you.”

“Thanks for tryin' but it shouldn't be necessary,” Johnny said lazily. The air around him was pleasantly heady with the scent of woman and brandy. “Daddario can get rid of me in fifteen minutes. Less, if he makes up his mind.”

Her head came up from his shoulder. “He can? How?”

“By lettin' me talk to Micheline Thompson.”

“Are you in love with her?” she pouted.

“I've seen her twice in better'n fifteen years,” he said truthfully.

“Well? What's so important, then?”

“The first time was kind of special,” he explained. “I got wound up in this thing before I knew it, an' I do mean wound up. I got a thousand dollar axe of my own to grind but if the kid's in trouble I'd kind of like to straighten things out for her before I cut out of the deal.”

“You're a great deal more likely to be pushed out. Why should you feel an urge to straighten things out, as you say?”

“I can tell you but I don't know if you'll understand. A few thousand nights ago the kid an' I were caught in a real downdraft. By some very unpleasant people, who had their hands on her first. She was only fourteen but she knew what to expect, still she did her best to warn me so I could get out. I don't forget that kind of thing. If she needs a hand, I'm it.”

“Very noble, I'm sure.” He could feel her eyes upon him. “But are you sure it's worth it? Woman is an adaptable animal. She-Micheline, I mean-might have made adjustments of which you have no idea.”

“So let her tell me. Herself.”

She tried a new tack. “What makes you think it's Jim who is keeping her from talking to you?”

“Because he never let us out from under his eye in New York. An' because of what I can see goin' on in this town.”

“Such as?”

“I figure Jim Daddario an' Dick Lowell are milkin' this place dry. I figure you know it, too. Know it an' participate in it. When you cut Daddario loose emotionally you still retained a financial rootin' interest, didn't you?”

“You're very-blunt,” she said slowly. “Yet oddly delicate, too. We both know that it was Jim who cut me loose. He expects to go on to bigger things politically. He decided that I didn't have the qualifications to 'grow' with him.” Johnny could hear the bitterness in her voice.

“But he shut you up about what you knew by cuttin' you in on the take. You couldn't live like this on what you take home from the library.” He waited for her to speak.

“I'm not underpaid there. And I have no extraordinary expenses.” Her voice was low. “Of course you realize you're only repeating what the townspeople have been saying right along. It used to hurt, but I've developed an immunity.”

“Look, Jessie, if that's your story, good luck to you. I think there's somethin' you've forgotten, though. Jim Daddario hasn't forgotten it. He was in New York when Carl Thompson was killed. When the dirt starts comin' out from under the rug he could wind up charged with murder.”

“Jim would never do a thing like that.” Jessamyn said it confidently.

“Can you say the same for the people around him?” He waited but she was silent. “If he gets charged as an accessory, even, don't you end up as a tail on the kite?”

“You're just trying to talk me into something.” She sat up straight on his knees, trying to see his face. “Aren't you? What is it you expect me to say? Or do?”

“Tell me where I can find Micheline Thompson.”

“But I don't know!” She said it just a shade too quickly, Johnny thought. “Even if all you say should be true, which it isn't by any means, what makes you think Jim would confide in me?”

“Maybe because-”

“And don't say it's because he feels he can trust me.” Her words were staccato. “He jilted me, remember?” He could hear a distinct swallowing sound as her throat worked. “Jim Daddario trusts no one.”

“An' he has a real blast furnace of a temper,” Johnny suggested.

“Yes, he does,” she said before she thought. Her voice tightened as if she resented the inference. “But he's not a killer.”

“Did he throw you over because he was takin' up with Micheline?”

“Don't be ridiculous.” Her tone was sharp. “Why do you ask that?”

“I've heard it mentioned.”

“People will say anything.” An audible sniff conveyed her impression of people. “Next you'll be saying Jim had Thompson killed so he could marry the widow.”

“You think people aren't sayin' that, too?”

“It's doubly ridiculous. Jim Daddario is a hard-headed, practical politician. He and I might have known each other a little too well. The-bloom rubbed off. We split up. But Jim did a lot for me, and I'm grateful.”

“Suppose that some of the things you knew should all of a sudden be an anchor around the neck of this hard-headed politician? What would he do then, Jessie?”

“You're just trying to upset me!” She bounced up from his knees. “And I'm not going to let you.” Her voice softened. “We had a nice evening. Don't spoil it.”

“I wouldn't think of spoilin' it, baby.” He reached out and patted a plump hip. “I'm lookin' forward to others.”

“Do you say that to all the girls?”

He stood up from the chair and stretched mightily. “Only to the ones who combine enthusiasm with their know-how.” He reached out a casual arm and pulled her up against him. “You're all right, kid. More bounce to the ounce.”

She freed herself gently. “It's getting late. I won't turn on the light in the hall when I let you out. Goodnight, Johnny.”

“Goodnight, Jessie.” At the door he gave her arm a silent squeeze and walked quietly down the dimly lighted hallway.

He found that he wasn't surprised to discover Valerie Peterson waiting up for him when he let himself in with his key. “She rose from the chair in which she had been doing sentry duty, still swathed in the man's bathrobe he had seen previously. She wasted no time on preliminaries. “I'm sorry to have to say this but I'm-”

“You're goin' to have to ask me to remove my high-voltage carcass from the premises,” Johnny finished for her.

“You're right. I am. I'm not saying right this minute or even tomorrow, but I wish you'd look for another place.”

Johnny shrugged. “You're the doctor. Any particular pressure on you to have me move out?”

“No. It's just that there's too much lightning playing around your head. I've got a daughter to raise and a living to make. I can't afford to be in the middle on something like this.” Her eyes on his were steady. “Personally, I rather like you, but I know trouble ahead when I see it. I don't want any.”

“It's your house,” Johnny agreed. “I'll find a berth tomorrow.” He headed for the stairs.

Her voice stopped him. “You had a telephone message just a few minutes ago.” Johnny turned to her, his interest fired. “A man named Rudy said to be sure to let you know the big fish were biting.”