Эд Макбейн - Strangers When We Meet

“Looks like a nice crowd,” Betty Anders said. The trumpet wailed into the room mournfully.

“It’s awfully hot in here, isn’t it?” Doris Ramsey asked.

A man rushing back to his table dropped a bottle of ginger ale. It hit the floor and shattered. Wild applause and cheering congratulated his clumsiness.

Fran Levy said, “I think they ought to have these things more often.”

“That’s a good idea,” Betty said. “We ought to suggest it to the Civic Association.”

“We need more ice,” Felix said, and he rose and left the table.

“I think this is going to be a big bore,” Doris said suddenly. She smiled. “Present company excluded, of course.”

“What the hell,” Max Levy said. “We’ll make our own fun.”

“We’ll have to,” Doris said.

“Everything is what you make it” Max said judiciously.

“We passed by a new development yesterday,” Arthur Garandi said. “Oakdale Acres. Mostly split-levels. They’ve got it laid out nice. Winding roads. Nice.”

“How much is the house?” Paul Ramsey asked.

“I think it’s sixteen nine-nine,” Arthur said. “I’m not sure. We didn’t stop.”

“That’s a lot of money,” Doris said.

“It always kills me when they say nine-nine,” Ramsey said. “What they really mean is seventeen thousand. Why don’t they say so?”

“It sounds cheaper the other way,” Mary Garandi said.

Felix came back to the table with a bucket of ice.

“Do you know what a lot of people are doing?” Max said. “They’re buying those big estates on the shore. Getting them for a song.”

“What’s a song?” Betty asked.

“Forty thousand. Something like that.”

“That’s a song, huh? Sing to me a little.”

“Those are white elephants,” Mary said. “Cost a fortune to heat.”

“Yes,” Felix said, entering the conversation, “but you get an awful lot of land and a really big house. Nineteen, twenty rooms.”

“Who needs so many rooms?” Mary asked. “Besides, why is everybody talking about other houses? Is anybody moving?”

“I guess it’s on everybody’s mind,” Felix said. “Now that Eve’s put up the house for sale.”

“That’s different,” Mary said. “What do you expect her to do? Stay here with the two kids? Without a man?”

“Let’s not talk about it,” Betty said. “It gives me the shivers.”

“Do you think she’ll be able to sell the house?” Max asked.

“No question,” Felix said. “These houses have a very good resale value. She’ll probably make a little money on the deal.”

“It’s a shame,” Mary said. “That poor woman. You never know when something like that is going to happen, do you? That poor woman.”

“Let’s not talk about it,” Betty said.

Ramsey cleared his throat. “I’ve heard a little talk about Larry,” he said. “Not that I want to spread any rumors.”

“What kind of talk?” Max asked.

“Oh, just about what he was doing out in that storm,” Ramsey said.

“What do you mean?” Fran asked.

“Well, just talk,” Ramsey said, “and I don’t want to spread any rumors. But there was some mention of another woman.”

“You’re crazy,” Felix said immediately.

“I’m only saying what I heard.”

“Well, what you heard is wrong. I think I knew Larry better than any of you. Isn’t that right, Betty?”

“They spent a lot of time together,” Betty confirmed.

“And a straighter guy never existed,” Felix said. “I’d like to know who told you a thing like that, Paul.”

“What difference does it make? I just heard it around.”

“If I knew who told you that, I’d go over and tell that guy a thing or two, you can bet on that.”

“Forget it,” Ramsey said. “I just heard it around.”

“This was a real sweet man,” Felix said, “I’m not kidding you. I’ve met a lot of people in my life, but Larry Cole was one of the genuine real sweet men. I’d have done anything for that guy. All he had to do was ask. I’m not kidding. I mean it.”

“I didn’t know you were such close friends,” Max said.

“Well, who talks about friendship? It’s either there or it isn’t. But it burns me up how people can change a legitimate business trip — he was out in that damn storm on his way to see a client — into something with... with... hints of another woman! It just burns me up! Boy, sometimes I wonder where everybody’s mind is!”

“Well, forget it,” Ramsey said. “It was only something I heard.”

“You know how hard that guy worked? Do you think it’s easy to sit there on your own, without that steady salary coming in every week? He had to hustle for every cent he ever made. That’s what he was doing in that damn hurricane! Lining up another client so he could feed his family. You should have heard him when he talked about Eve and the kids. You should have seen his face! This guy was devoted! One of the real sweet people, believe me.”

“I always liked him,” Max said.

“It’s a shame,” Mary said. “A thing like that. Such a young man.”

“Listen, it makes no difference to me one way or the other,” Ramsey said. “I mean whether he was fooling around or not. Everybody else is doing it, anyway.”

“Oh, shut up, Paul,” Doris said.

“Well, he’s not exactly wrong, Doris,” Max said.

“Sex is here to stay.” Ramsey said, shrugging. “Let’s admit it.”

“That’s the right idea.” Max agreed, trying to raise the party out of the mud of morbidity.

“The right idea,” Fran scoffed. “My husband. The sex machine.”

“Who?” Max said, pretending to be offended.

“The sex machine with the missing part.”

“ Who’s got a missing part?”

“Well, maybe not missing. But hard to find.”

Everyone laughed, and the laughter seemed to dispel any remaining remnants of the previous talk.

“Those people in Massachusetts who had those key parties knew what they were doing,” Ramsey said.

“How about it, Felix?” Doris said, winking. “You want my key?”

“Sure, sure,” Felix said.

“Take her up on it, Felix,” Betty said, grinning.

“Sure, sure.”

“Listen, I’m available,” Max said.

“Ask him, Doris,” Fran said. “He’ll run a mile.”

“Go ahead try me,” Max said.

“Nope. Either Felix or nobody,” Doris said, winking at Betty this time.

“Look out there on the floor,” Ramsey said. “Everybody dancing with everybody else’s wife. That’s the only reason they come to these affairs.”

“Speak for yourself, John,” Felix said.

“I’m only making an observation,” Ramsey said. “Look at them. Cheek to cheek. Who’s more honest? Those sneak thieves on the dance floor out there or the ones in Massachusetts who swapped keys?”

“The ones in good old Mass,” Max agreed instantly.

“Certainly.”

“I don’t think so,” Felix said.

“Felix is very moral,” Betty said solemnly. “Really. He is.”

“It’s not that I’m a prude, but I’ve got old-fashioned ideas about marriage. Adultery is dishonest. And immoral. And illegal.”

“I’ll bet you,” Ramsey said slowly, “that half those guys out there who are dancing with another man’s wife would like to take her to bed.”

“Now watch it, Paul,” Felix said seriously. “That’s no kind of talk to—”

“I’m only trying to make a point.”

“Then make it, and let’s talk about something else.”

“All I want to know is this. What’s more honest? A flirtation? Or an affair?”

“He’s got a good point,” Max said.

“I fail to see it,” Felix answered bluntly.