“How can I? I don’t know shorthand or typing, haven’t any business experience, and am damned if I’ll go out and scrub floors and do housework for some woman who wants to keep her hands pretty so she can waste the afternoon playing bridge.”
“There are lots of jobs open to a woman who has a pleasing personality and good looks.”
“Yeah, I know. You see the want ads in the paper every once in a while. I followed up a couple of those leads. That’s a worse racket than this.”
Mildreth studied her and noticed the bitterness, the first faint lines about the eyes and lips. “I didn’t mean that,” she said. “There are jobs that are on the square. I hire girls every once in a while, girls who are attractive, pleasing, are able to keep their tempers, and know how to handle the public.”
There was sudden hope in Esther Dilmeyer’s eyes as she looked up at the woman across the table, then the hope faded. “Yeah, I know,” she said. “Some people buy tickets on the sweepstakes and get their pictures in the paper. It happens every little while.”
“That’s a beautiful gown you have,” Mildreth said.
“Like it?”
“Very much.”
“It isn’t so expensive. When you’re in this game, you have to keep looking well, but you don’t have a fortune to throw away on clothes. After a while, you learn how to shop.”
“An orchid corsage would go wonderfully well with that color.”
“Yes, probably it would. However, people don’t send me corsages very often, and I’m not buying any orchids.”
“I’ve got some I’m going to send over for you,” Mildreth said.
“You have?”
“Yes. Some orchids I ordered for a customer who came down with the flu and couldn’t use them. Are you going to be here for a while? If you are, I’ll send them up.”
“That’d be swell. Thanks a million... You’re sure it wouldn’t bother you?”
“Not at all. I’ll be glad to. What name do I put on them?”
“Esther.”
“Simply Esther?”
“They know me here. Well, you could make it Esther Dilmeyer. What’s your name?”
“Mildreth.”
“That’s a pretty name.”
“Thanks.”
The waiter brought their drinks. “Here’s luck,” Mildreth said over the rim of the glass.
“I’m going to need it.”
Abruptly Mildreth said, “How badly do you want to get out of here, Esther?”
“You mean out of this racket?”
“Yes.”
“Plenty bad. Oh, I’ll give you the low-down. I’ve played it for what it was worth. I’ve been at it five years. I sit up nearly all night, drinking too much, smoking too much, and not getting enough fresh air. I’m beginning to show it. That’s when it hurts.”
Mildreth nodded.
“You look at other people and you can see that they are showing signs of age, but you just don’t think that could ever happen to you. Then, all of a sudden, the boy friend throws you over for someone a little younger... Nuts! I’d chuck this racket in a minute if I could get a decent opportunity.”
“You seem pretty bitter about it.”
Esther Dilmeyer sipped her cocktail. “Know why?”
“No.”
“My boy friend, the one you saw me riding with in the car, is friendly with the boss. Lately, he’s picked up someone else. He tried to keep me from finding out about it, but I finally took a tumble just this afternoon. He’s trying to get this new girl into my job, and ease me out of the picture.
“They think I don’t know about it. I’m sitting here working while they’re going around behind my back. Sindler Coll’s out with her right now. Harvey Lynk, one of the men who runs the place, has gone out to a little cabin he has in Lilac Canyon. By one or two o’clock in the morning, it’ll all be fixed up. Can you blame me for feeling bitter?”
Mildreth Faulkner shook her head.
“Show me a chance to make an honest living so that I can beat ’em to the punch, and I’d walk out of here so fast it would make your head swim,” Esther said vehemently.
“How would you like to work in a flower shop?”
“Gosh, that would be swell. Is that what you do?”
“Yes. I run the Faulkner Flower Shops.”
Esther Dilmeyer had been raising her glass to her lips. She lowered it again to the table. “Then you’re — you’re Bob’s sister-in-law. You knew him all the time... that accident.”
Mildreth met her eyes and said, “Yes. I came here to try and find out something about what was going on. I intended to try and pump you, but after I saw you, I realized that you weren’t an enemy of mine — just a woman trying to get along in the world.”
“Then you were stringing me along about that offer?”
“Don’t be silly, Esther.”
“How do I know it isn’t just a scheme to try and pump me?”
“Because, you goose, I told you my name. Otherwise, I’d have handed you a line and tried to get what I could.”
Esther Dilmeyer fumbled with a cigarette.
“Yes,” she admitted, “that’s right.”
“Do you want to work for me?”
“What do I have to do in order to get the job?”
“Just give the business the best that’s in you, try and get along with the customers, build up good will and...”
“No, I mean how much do I have to tell you?”
“Not a thing unless you want to.”
Esther Dilmeyer thought that over for a few seconds, then said, “No, that wouldn’t work. I’ve been mixed up in giving you a double cross. I could never work for you unless I told you the whole thing and you said it was all right after you knew what had happened.”
“Do you want to do that?”
“I’m not particularly crazy about doing it, but it’s the only way I could ever go to work for you.”
“Well, if you want to do it, you can have the job. You can have it without that.”
“No. I’d come clean.”
“Do you know where Lynk is right now?” Mildreth asked abruptly.
“Yes, at his cabin waiting for that little trollop to...”
“But do you know where the cabin is?”
“Sure,” she said, and laughed bitterly. “I’ve been there. All of the girls who worked here went there.”
Mildreth said, “I have to go telephone. While I’m gone, make a note of the address of the cabin and give it to me, will you?”
Esther nodded.
Mildreth went over to the telephone booth and once more put in a call for Mason’s night number.
“I think you can get him at his office if you call right now,” she was advised. “He said he was going to be there for a couple of hours, and that was only about an hour ago.”
Mildreth dialed Mason’s office, heard Della Street’s voice on the other end of the line. “This is Miss Faulkner again, Miss Street. I’m in a very precarious position. I have to see Mr. Mason tonight.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry. Mr. Mason is working on an important brief right now, and won’t finish the dictation until midnight. He simply can’t see anyone.”
“Could he see me after midnight?”
“I’m afraid not. He has to sleep, you know.”
“Listen, this is very important. I’m willing to pay any amount within reason. I’m afraid that tomorrow morning may be too late.”
“Why? What’s the matter?”
“I’ve just learned that my sister, who’s an invalid, has turned over all of her securities to her husband. Apparently he’s put those up as security on some gambling debts. Among these securities is a block of stock in the flower stores I operate. I’ll know a lot more about it by midnight, and... Oh, couldn’t you please persuade Mr. Mason...”