"You were lucky you took the attitude you did. You can't pay off, it only makes matters worse."
"I don't know, Mike; as much as he hated me I certainly didn't want that to happen to him."
"He's better off."
"Perhaps."
I reached for another cigarette. "You want me to find out what he left then, that's it."
"If there is anything to be found, yes."
When I filled my lungs with smoke I let it go slowly, watching it swirl up toward the ceiling. "Lee," I said, "you don't know me so I'll tell you something. I hate phonies. Suppose I do find something that ties you up into a nice little ball. Something real juicy. What do you think I should do with it?"
It wasn't the reaction I expected. He leaned forward across the desk with his fingers interlocked. His face was a study in emotions. "Mike," he said in a voice that had the crisp clarity of static electricity, "if you do, I charge you to make it public at once. Is that clear?"
I grinned and stood up. "Okay, Lee. I'm glad you said that." I reached out my hand and he took it warmly. I've seen evangelists with faces like that, unswerving, devoted to their duty. We looked at each other then he opened his desk drawer and brought out a lovely sheaf of green paper. They had big, beautiful numbers in the corners.
"Here is a thousand dollars, Mike. Shall we call it a retainer?"
I took the bills and folded them tenderly away. "Let's call it payment in full. You'll get your money's worth."
"I'm sure of it. If you need any additional information, call on me."
"Right. Want a receipt?"
"No need of it. I'm sure your word is good enough."
"Thanks. I'll send you a report if anything turns up." I flipped a card out of my pocket and laid it on his desk. "In case you want to call me. The bottom one is my home phone. It's unlisted."
We shook hands again and he walked me to the door. On the way out the cud-chewing switchboard sugar smiled between chomps then went back to her magazine. The receptionist said so-long and I waved back.
Before I went to the office I grabbed a quick shave, a trim around the ears and took a shower that scraped the hide off me along with the traces of Ethel's perfume. I changed my shirt and suit but kept old Betsy in place under my arm.
Velda was working at the filing cabinet when I breezed in with a snappy hello and a grin that said I had money in my pocket. I got a quick once-over for lipstick stains, whisky aromas and what not, passed and threw the stack of bills on the desk.
"Bank it, kid."
"Mike! What did you do?"
"Lee Deamer. We're employed." I gave it to her in short order and she listened blankly.
When I finished she said, "You'll never find a thing, Mike. I know you won't. You shouldn't have taken it."
"You're wrong, chick. It wasn't stealing. If Oscar left anything that will tie Lee up, wouldn't you want me to get it?"
"Oh, Mike, you must! How long do we have to put up with the slime they call politics? Lee Deamer is the only one . . . the only one we can look to. Please, Mike, you can't let anything happen to him!"
I couldn't take the fear in her voice. I opened my arms out and she stepped into them. "Nobody will hurt the little guy, Velda. If there's anything I'll get it. Stop sniffling."
"I can't. It's all so nasty. You never stop to think what goes on in this country, but I do."
"Seems to me that I helped fight a war, didn't I?"
"You shouldn't have let it stop there. That's the matter with things. People forget, even the ones who shouldn't forget! They let others come walking in and run things any way they please, and what are they after--the welfare of the people they represent? Not a bit. All they want is to line their own pockets. Lee isn't like that, Mike. He isn't strong like the others, and he isn't smart politically. All he has to offer is his honesty and that isn't much."
"The hell it isn't. He's made a pretty big splash in this state."
"I know, and it has to stick, Mike. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
"Promise me you'll help him, Mike, promise me your word."
Her face turned up to mine, drawn yet eager to hear. "I promise," I said softly. "I'll never go back on a promise to you, nor to myself."
It made her feel better in a hurry. The tears stopped and the sniffling died away. We had a laugh over it, but behind the laughter there was a dead seriousness. The gun under my arm felt heavy.
I said, "I have a job for you. Get me a background on Charlie Moffit. He's the one Oscar Deamer bumped."
Velda stopped her filing. "Yes, I know."
"Go to his home and his job. See what kind of a guy he was. Pat didn't mention a family so he probably didn't have any. Take what cash you need to cover expenses."
She shoved the drawer in and fingered the bills on the desk. "How soon?"
"I want it by tonight if you can. If not, tomorrow will do."
I could see her curiosity coming out, but there are times when I want to keep things to myself and this was one of them. She knew it and stayed curious without asking questions.
Before she slipped the bills inside the bank book I took out two hundred in fifties. She didn't say anything then, either, but she smelt a toot coming up and I had to kiss the tip of her nose to get the scowl off her puss.
As soon as Velda left I picked up the phone and dialed Ethel Brighton's number. The flunky recognized my voice from last night and was a little more polite. He told me Ethel hadn't come in yet and hung up almost as hard as he could but not quite.
I tapped out a brief history of the case for the records, stuck it in the file and called again. Ethel had just gotten in. She grabbed the phone and made music in it, not giving a damn who heard her. "You beast. You walked right out of the cave and left me to the wolves."
"That bearskin would scare them away. You looked nice wrapped up in it."
"You liked . . . all of me, then. The parts you could see?"
"All of you, Ethel. Soft and sweet."
"We'll have to go back."
"Maybe," I said.
"Please," softly whispered.
I changed the subject. "Busy today?"
"Very busy. I have a few people to see. They promised me sizable . . . donations. Tonight I have to deliver them to Com. Henry Gladow."
"Yeah. Suppose I go with you?"
"If you think it's all right I'm sure no one will object."
"Why me?" That was one of the questions I wanted an answer to.
She didn't tell me. "Come now," she said. "Supposing I meet you in the Oboe Club at seven. Will that do?"
"Fine, Ethel. I'll save a table so we can eat."
She said so-long with a pleasant laugh and waited for me to hang up. I did, then sat there with a cigarette in my fingers trying to think. The light hitting the wall broke around something on the desk making two little bright spots against the pale green.
Like two berries on a bush. The judge's eyes. They looked at me.
Something happened to the light and the eyes disappeared. I picked the phone up again and called the Globe. Marty was just going out on a story but had time to talk to me. I asked him, "Remember the Brighton family? Park Avenue stuff."
"Sure, Mike. That's social, but I know a little about them. Why?"
"Ethel Brighton's on the outs with her father. Did it ever make the papers?"
I heard him chuckle a second. "Getting toney, aren't you, kid? Well, part of the story was in the papers some time ago. It seems that Ethel Brighton publicly announced her engagement to a certain young man. Shortly afterwards the engagement was broken."