What was the doll-faced blonde doing mixing herself up in this? Where did she fit in? She was scared, too. When he had said the job wasn’t impossible, she had flinched as if he’d hit her. Before he committed himself he would have to find out something about these two, and if he could, find out who the top man was and why he wanted this man in jail kidnapped.
There might be even more than ten grand to pick up if he kept his ears and eyes open. The job seemed full of possibilities.
He reached the garage, got into the battered Ford and drove over to the walk-up apartment house where Anita rented her room.
He left the car a hundred yards or so beyond the entrance to the house, walked back and paused to look up at the top window. It was in darkness, and he grimaced, sure now she was asleep.
There were still a number of people in the street and sitting at open windows, and he felt their eyes on him. Two men sat on the doorstep to the apartment house, smoking, and as he came up the steps they looked curiously at him. One of them was Toni, and Baird gave him a hard, menacing stare.
Toni shifted quickly to one side to give Baird room to pass. Baird saw the scared look that came into Toni’s eyes, and he felt like taking Toni by his mop of black hair and banging his head against the wall until his brains spilled out.
But he kept on, walking into the smelly, dimly lit lobby, and began to mount the stairs, aware that Toni and his companion were staring after him.
He walked up the five flights of stairs until he came to Anita’s landing. He paused outside the door, listening. Then he went back to the banister rail and looked down to make sure no one was coming up or watching him. He saw no one, and he returned to the door and rapped softly.
‘Who is it?’
The sound of her voice sent a little prickle up his spine, surprising him.
‘Baird,’ he said, his mouth close to the door. ‘I want to talk to you.’
He leaned against the doorway and waited. He heard the light click on, the pad of bare feet on the floor, then the door opened.
She stood looking up at him, her dark eyes unafraid and enquiring. She had pulled on her shabby overcoat. Beneath it he caught a glimpse of her plain white nightdress he had seen her in so often.
‘What do you want?’ she said sharply. ‘I was asleep.’
He experienced a pang of disappointment that she wasn’t pleased to see him, but he wasn’t going to be put off.
‘I guessed you would be,’ he said. ‘I’ve just got in from New York. I thought I’d see how you were getting on.’ He moved forward, riding her back into the room.
‘I don’t want you in here,’ she said, stepping away from him. ‘Not at this hour.’
‘Take it easy,’ he said, moving around her to the sagging armchair. ‘You’re not scared of me, are you?’
‘Why should I be? I just don’t want you here so late.’
He sat down, his eyes searching her face. No, she wasn’t afraid of him. He could tel that by looking at her.
‘Get into bed,’ he said. ‘I won’t keep you long.’
‘No.’ She sat on the edge of the bed and ran her fingers through her hair. She looked tired and pale, and he noticed her lips were whitish without the lipstick camouflage. ‘I’m dead beat. I wish you’d go. I don’t want you here.’
He felt a wave of irritation run through him, but he controlled it.
‘I shouldn’t have gone off like that without saying goodbye,’ he said uneasily. ‘I’ve had you on my mind. I’ve stil got that money. I’d like to lend it to you.’
She sat for a long moment looking at him. She saw his embarrassed uneasiness, and she felt sorry for him. Suddenly she smiled. She looked pretty when she smiled, and Baird found himself smiling stiffly back at her. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had smiled at him. He felt as if he had been given a costly and unexpected present.
‘Why do you want to lend it to me?’ she asked.
‘Because you’re such a damned mug you won’t take it as a gift,’ he said, sitting forward. ‘I owe you plenty, and it gives me the belly-ache to know you’re short of dough when I could help you.’
‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I appreciate that, but I can’t take money from you. I guess I am a mug, but that’s the way it is. I don’t suppose you’l understand, but I must stand on my own feet. I can’t see you borrowing money if you were in a jam. You would want to be independent. Well, I guess I’m like that, too.’
He studied her.
‘But if a guy owes me something, I’d expect to be paid,’ he said. ‘And I owe you plenty.’
‘Can’t you forget that? It just happened you were lucky to come here. I would have done the same for anyone else. I always side with the one against many. It’s the way I’m made.’
He didn’t like that. He had hoped that she had helped him because of himself, not because of some cock-eyed kink about helping one against many. His expression changed, and his eyes became hostile.
‘You can’t expect me to keep on begging you to take the dough,’ he said roughly. ‘If that’s the way you feel about it…’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said quickly. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you. I do appreciate…’
‘Ah, the hel with it!’ he said in disgust, and got to his feet. What had promised to be a pleasant and unusual evening was turning sour. He stood staring at her, then blurted out, ‘I don’t mean a thing to you, do I?’
He could read the answer in her surprised expression. The idea of caring for him had never entered her head.
‘Why…’ she began, and stopped.
‘Skip it,’ he said. ‘I’m get ing soft in the head. The trouble with me is I’m not used to dealing with a girl like you. The women I mix with would take the gold out of my teeth if I give them the chance.
You’re different. I was beginning to get ideas about you. You’re the first woman I’ve ever met who hasn’t been scared of me. Even my old lady was scared of me when I was a kid.’
‘She wasn’t afraid for herself,’ Anita said, looking straight at him. ‘She was afraid for you.’
Baird frowned. He had never thought of it in that way.
‘Maybe you’re right,’ he said uneasily. ‘She was the worrying kind.’
She drew her coat closer about her and moved her bare feet on the threadbare mat.
Watching her, Baird felt a sudden pang of desire shoot through him. He would have given a lot for her to have made a sign of encouragement, but she didn’t. She didn’t seem to realise he could reach out and grab her, and she wouldn’t have the strength to protect herself against him. He felt a sick disgust with himself for even thinking of this.
‘I guess I’l go,’ he said thickly. ‘Want to change your mind about that dough?’
She looked up and saw at once what was going on in his mind. Even then she showed no fear. She stood up and put her hand on his arm.
‘I can’t take it. Thanks for the offer. I’m sorry I’m not like your other women friends, if that’s what you want.’
He smiled crookedly and pulled her to him.
‘You’re okay as yourself.’
Her hands on his chest stopped him from kissing her. She didn’t push at him, but the pressure was firm, as if her hands were asking him not to do it.
He released her and stepped away.
‘I guess I’m get ing soft,’ he said. ‘Wel , so long. I guess we won’t see each other again, but if you’re ever in a jam you’l find me at 223 Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street. It’s not more than five minutes walk from here. Up on the top floor. Any time you’re in trouble and want help, come and see me.’ He opened the door, turned to look hard at her. ‘I owe you plenty. Don’t forget the address. You never know. You might need me one of these days.’