You Live Once Part 27

She flushed.

"Yes. Oh, yes. You know, they came to the plant and go't me. Captain Kruslov said awful things to me. About helping you. Mr. France was there too. He was terribly angry at you. You chipped one of his teeth. I talked to Mr. France afterward, I asked him if his a.s.signment was over and he said he thought it was. I asked him if he'd work for you. I didn't think he would he was so angry, but he said he would, and I'm going to pay him."

"I don't want you trying to pay his fees."

"I want to. When I run out of money, you can pay him.

But I want somebody trying to help you, Clint. Captain Kruslov is so certain it was you that it scares me."

"You know it wasn't."

"Yes. I know, darling."

"Don't ever doubt it. Don't ever wonder about me."

"I couldn't. Don't talk like that." She looked directly at me.

"And don't you doubt me. Nothing will ever change.

I'll wait for you. I'll work to get you free."

They warned us that we could have but two more minutes together. She said she would be at the office the next morning, Sat.u.r.day morning, to clean up odds and ends and the phone in my office would be on one of the night circuits if I could get a chance to phone her. She said she would come and see me on Sat.u.r.day afternoon and bring a change of clothing and toilet articles for me. She had something else to tell me, too, she said, but there wasn't time to explain it. She had to leave then and they took me back to a cell that was colder, barer, more frightening, after the chance I had had to hold my tall warm girl in my arms and hear her voice and look into her eyes. Somebody has to believe in you, all the way.

Somebody has to give a d.a.m.n about you. You have to be important to somebody. Or life is just a routine of going through the motions.

They released me at ten-fifteen on Sat.u.r.day morning.

Hyers stood impatiently while I put the laces back in my shoes, put my belt through the loops, tied my tie around the collar of the dirty shirt. I ripped open the manila envelope, recovered wallet, keys, lighter, change, cigarettes.

"What's up?" I asked Hyers.

"Let's have some coffee down the street."

I was glad it was a small dingy place. With a four day beard and dirty shirt, I looked like a b.u.m. We took a booth near the back of the place.

Jerry Hyers ordered doughnuts and coffee and said to me, "They would have let you stay there all week end.

Too d.a.m.n much trouble to go through the red tape and get you out."

"Would somebody kindly tell me what the h.e.l.l is going on?"

"Don't you know yet? They found Raymond this morning.

Early. A couple of kids were cutting across the Pryor farm, going out on an all day hike. His car was on one of the farm roads. He'd taken his tow rope, climbed up on the roof of the car, heaved the rope over a limb, made it fast, tied it around his neck and swung off the car. The kids couldn't reach the rope even if they'd felt like it. They left him hanging there and ran to the farm. He had the Olan girl's pocketbook in one pocket and the missing key to your apartment in the other. Kruslov got hold of Mrs. Raymond right away. When she found out what had happened she admitted that she had lied about the night when the Olan girl was killed. Apparently Raymond was out until five in the morning. And she told Kruslov that Raymond, as your boss, had fixed you up with dates with the Olan girl so he could see her oftener. She told Kruslov that she was positive her husband had rented a room or apartment somewhere where he could have been seeing the Olan girl. Here's a note. Turn it in at the police garage on Fourth Street and they'll release your car to you. Charges against you have been dropped."

"I thought of Dodd, but I couldn't believe that..."

"Nice guy. If his nerve hadn't broken, you'd be holding the big bag, young man. Your check for three hundred will take care of my activities in your behalf."

"I'll mail it Monday."

"Thank you. I have to be off." We shook hands and he hurried out, important and busy.

I finished my coffee, paid the check and found the police garage. After a bored look at the note they told me my car was around in back. Just go down the alley, mister. I drove back to the apartment and phoned my office.

Toni answered, "Mr. Sewell's office."

"This is Mr. Sewell, Miss Mac Rae I phoned to tell you I won't be in this morning."

"Clint! Is it true then? There's a rumor around that Mr. Raymond..."

"Are there enough people there to cook up a rumor?"

"Clint, tell me and stop fooling. Are you out?"

"I'm out, and you shouldn't be working on Sat.u.r.day.

This is a picnic type day. Where will we go?"

"Clint!"

"Look, darling. I won't be able to pick you up at the plant. I've got to get cleaned up and then I'm going to go see Nancy Raymond. Suppose I pick you up at your place at about two."

"Where are you phoning from?"

"My apartment."

"Well... you see, dear, I live there."

"What?"

"Mrs. Timberland threw me out, with harsh words. I had a long talk with Mrs. Speers. That was what I didn't have time to tell you. We thought it would be simpler if"

"Mrs. Speers is knocking on my door right now, it so happens."

"She'll tell you then. I'll see you, dear."

I let Mrs. Speers in. Staring awed at my whiskers, she said, "I heard it over the radio. About Mr. Raymond. I told those stupid... ah... flatfeet that you hadn't killed that girl. She came from a fine old family, but she was no good. All that' drinking

"I certainly appreciate your att.i.tude."

"It horrifies me to think that anyone would hide a body in my house. Mr. Sewell, I had a long talk with your Miss Mac Rae That Timberland biddy threw her out, bag and baggage. We talked about you, Mr. Sewell. She's a splendid girl. We decided that it would be easiest if she would live here while we... made every attempt to aid you in your predicament."

"She told me that over the phone."

"Oh, you've talked to her! That makes it easier. I didn't want you to think I'd been too free in letting her use this apartment. Naturally you can't both stay here. I won't have that sort of thing going on. You'll have to take a hotel room until she can find other accommodations, Mr. Sewell."

"Yes I..."