“You don’t think Jerry killed Clarissa, do you?”
“Of course I don’t!”
“Then quit sticking out your neck to protect him.”
Bina caught her breath, evading Marge’s eyes. “I don’t know anything that—”
“I know what you know. I’m afraid I started Clarissa on that witch hunt about Jerry, because my ex, Wally, had played ducks and drakes with my money and he was seeing a lot of the Moresbys. But since then, I found I was wrong. It was just a woman Wally was lavishing my money on.”
“Marge, I’ve got to—”
“Now all that sneaking off of Jerry’s that bothered Clarissa was probably a girl. You know how determined Clarissa was about his marrying ‘the right girl’”
Toto’s knock rescued Bina. She brought in the tray of coffee and poured Marge a cup.
“Two lumps,” Marge instructed, “with no cream. You shouldn’t use cream and sugar. Cream is all right, or sugar. I know you felt it was innocent, and were trying to protect Jerry when you didn’t even mention he’d always sat with the Moresbys at those parties. And I’m sure now they’re harmless.”
“They are, Marge.”
“But this girl, whoever she is. She may not be so innocent. She may have thought marrying Jerry was pretty hopeless with Clarissa in the picture. I’d like to have that girl found. Because Clarissa was older, but still one of my closest friends. That’s something I’ll never want to forget.”
Bina pulled her hat low over her eyes, collected purse and gloves. Then she faced Marge determinedly. “Marge, please believe me. Clarissa was my friend, too. If she was killed, I’ll find the one who did it.”
“It wasn’t any girl in our crowd,” Marge said. “Most of them were after Jerry, but none of them made the grade. That secretary of his guarded him like—” She broke off to stare at Bina abruptly. “That Lorraine was with him back in Boston, wasn’t she? He sent for her.”
Bina nodded dumbly.
“Clarissa never liked her. Always felt she was up to something.”
Bina’s fingers clamped hard into the soft leather of her purse. “Lorraine was out of town the week Clarissa — died. I’m going to find out why.”
“Darling, you’d better let the police look into it. If she did—”
“I can take care of myself, Marge. And if Lorraine is in the clear, why should she or Jerry be dragged through this any further. I’ll try to get the investigation stopped. Maybe the bracelet was mine. I got panicky and denied it.”
“Now wait! You can’t go off half cocked.”
“I won’t. You’ll see. We’ll work it out.”
The ringing doorbell sent a charge of fear through her. Marge’s eyebrows lifted questioningly. “The police?”
Bina could only stare, her lips whitening.
They heard Toto’s feet padding up the hall. And Marge went into action. She moved to the door with her swift, sure walk and whispering quickly to the passing houseboy. “I’ll see him, Toto! Mrs. Crevellin is not here!”
“Yiss, Missa Norris.”
Through a crack in the hall door, they watched Toto repeating the message to two policemen.
“I’ll hold them till you get away.” Marge whispered.
As Bina made her way stealthily across the kitchen, she could hear Marge’s calm voice saying, “Good morning, officers! Did you want Mrs. Crevellin, too? Toto tells me she’s gone house-hunting. Sounds gruesomely lengthy, still it’s harrowing, and she might give it up any minute. We might as well wait long enough for some coffee. Toto, would you be a doll? Make yourselves comfortable, gentlemen, and I’m dying to hear about that new evidence.”
VII
As her car slid out past the empty police car Bina’s strained features relaxed a little. She’d have a good half hour before the two officers could escape from the spell of Marge’s skillfully arranged hospitality. There was a hypnotic quality about Marge’s managing. Even Clarissa had tired of it periodically; but always returned for more. Bina was lucky, she thought, to have Marge on her side. And she herself was lucky, for she had a good excuse now for getting Lorraine to talk. A new job opening she’d just heard about should be of interest to Lorraine and possibly loosen her tongue.
Her watch told her it was one o’clock when she was a few blocks from Jerry’s office. She swung into a gas station and dialed. Lorraine’s cool, deep voice said, “Jerry D. Crevellin, Company.”
“Hi, Lorraine,” Bina said, trying to sound gaily casual. “Has Jerry left for his lunch date?”
“Yes, he has — Mrs. Crevellin.”
“Good. The name is still Bina. And you’re having lunch with me.”
“I’m sorry, Bina, but—”
“You can do those letters after lunch. This is terribly important, Lorraine.”
“Well—”
“I’ll pick you up in front of the office in — can you be down in five minutes?”
“All right.”
They drove to an Italian place near Hollywood, where Bina was sure they wouldn’t be interrupted by friends.
Against the avocado green leather of the booths, Lorraine’s proud, small-featured-face resembled a finely-chiseled cameo. A strange thought drifted through Bina’s mind. Had Jerry been aware of Lorraine’s beauty?
Over her guest’s protests, Bina ordered Chianti with their lasagna. “This is an occasion.”
“Oh?” There was a startled, guarded glow in Lorraine’s dark eyes.
Bina took a breath. She smiled at the girl across the table wryly. “Did you know I always envied you?”
As she had hoped, the words jolted Lorraine. Her voice warmed with surprise. “Envied me?”
Bina nodded. “The way you answered the phone. It... well, it gave Jerry’s office prestige. The way you looked in the office, too, so glamorous. The way Jerry felt about you...”
“The way Jerry felt about me?” The girl’s vitality leaped out from behind a fast-lifted guard
This was the hard part. Bina forced her voice on to fresh depths of confidence, her eyes to a wider candor. “Yes — that his whole business revolved around you, depended on you.”
“Oh.” The dark head relaxed back against the green booth. The corner of the full lips lifted in secret humor.
“Just before Mrs. Crevellin’s death, when you left town for a fortnight he was so concerned about you that his aunt teased him about it.”
Lorraine’s slim body had stiffened again. She picked up her Chianti and sipped it, avoiding Bina’s eyes. “I had the flu,” she said shortly. “Jerry drove me out to my sister’s.” Her gaze flicked down to her watch. “You said something about an occasion?”
Bina laughed. “I’m sorry! I forgot how short a lunch hour is! I’ll be brief. For years there’s been a job — a city job — I’ve had my eye on. The woman was about to retire, then changed her mind. I took the secretary job with Mrs. Crevellin while I waited. Yesterday, I learned the job is open. I think I could help you get it.”
For a minute, the dark eyes opposite flashed brooding shock. “Did you — mention this to Jerry?”
Bina managed a shaky laugh. “Heavens, no! He’d shoot me on sight for even thinking of it. But it’s almost twice your salary, and a real executive spot. You could handle it perfectly. It’s really a quite exceptional opportunity.”
Lorraine finished her lasagna before she looked up again. Then she said quietly, “Thanks, Bina. It was nice of you to think of me.”
“But you don’t want it?”
Lorraine smiled. “No. My job with Jerry is not the top, maybe. But it’s taking me where I want to go.”