“Well, that’s what I meant by ‘regardless,’ ” Hank said. “Duke took out a motorboat and cut his friend’s boat in half. Ran him down. He said he didn’t see him in the dark.”
Belle drew a sharp breath. “I’ve never heard of anything so terrible.”
“But Duke got what he wanted. His friend lost all of his tackle, plus his record fish. And he almost lost his life. But Duke got the twenty-five bucks. So it made sense to Duke. Other people might not see it that way, of course.”
“Kids are always pulling damn-fool stunts like that.” Grant said. “How old was he then?”
“About twenty-three,” Hank said quietly.
Grant let out his breath slowly and turned back to the windows. He stared at the gravel road that wound past the house. The sun was stronger now, sparkling on the dew in the fields.
“Eddie?”
He turned and looked at her. She was very pale and her fingers moved nervously along the sides of her dress. “Well, what?”
“Oh, nothing.”
He swore softly and turned back to the window. Belle smiled tentatively at Hank, as if entreating him to ignore Grant’s bad manners. “This is going to be a nice day. isn’t it?” she said.
Hank glanced at the sun-bright windowpanes. “They picked a good morning for their shopping,” he said. “Half the country probably has the same idea.”
“That’s right,” Belle said slowly. She glanced at Grant’s tense shoulders, a worried little frown on her face. “The stores will be crowded, I suppose.”
Hank nodded. “Mobbed.”
Twelve
Crowley tapped lightly on Mrs. Bradley’s door and when she said, “Yes?” he hesitated for a second, wishing to God there was some way of avoiding this session. It would be difficult for him, and painful for her — but it had to be faced. “This is Crowley,” he said. “I need to talk to you for a minute.”
“Please come in,” she said.
Crowley opened the door and stepped into her darkened room. He didn’t see her at first; the shades were drawn, and only a night lamp gleamed above the tufted crimson bedspread; its reflection shone on the face of an illuminated clock and struck splinters of brilliance from a bracelet on the dressing table. Then she said, “I’m over here,” and he turned and saw that she was sitting in a lounge chair near the windows, her arms folded tightly over her breasts. A bar of light from the blinds touched her sleek blonde head, but her face and eyes were in darkness.
“We’ve got what may be a lead,” Crowley said quietly. “Three weeks ago last Thursday a man came here to check your telephones. That’s what he told the nurse. But he wasn’t sent by the telephone company. We want to find that man, and we need your help.”
“I haven’t been much help so far, have I?”
“There’s been nothing you could do.”
“I might have kept quiet.” She looked up at him and he saw the misery in her eyes. “I don’t know why I took it out on Dick and his father. But I can’t think straight — I know the men who took Jill won’t bring her back. I’ve been through her room. They didn’t take the things she’ll need. Clothes, blankets, powder and oil-they didn’t touch them. They just took her.”
“They would have the things she’d need ready in advance, Mrs. Bradley. They wouldn’t bumble around the nursery, collecting them.”
“But I can’t hope, I can’t even pray. That’s the terrible thing.”
“I can understand that. I have a daughter, too. I can guess how you feel, believe me.”
“She’s home with her mother. There’s — a difference.”
Crowley wet his lips. “No, she’s in the hospital. She — she’s been having headaches, and the doctor thought a few tests might show up the trouble.”
“But what’s wrong with her?”
“They don’t know.”
“But that’s impossible.” Her voice was puzzled. “They’d know right away unless—” She stopped and made a futile little gesture with her hands. They looked at each other in silence.
“Sure,” he said finally. “They’d know right away unless it’s cancer or a tumor maybe.”
“I’m sorry.” A reflection of light touched her face and when she looked up at him he saw that she was crying. “Why aren’t you with her? Why aren’t you home with your wife?”
“Oh, Christ!” Crowley said. “I didn’t want to get started on my troubles. All I want you to understand is that I’m not just an adding machine sent out here to keep score. Look, how about a cigarette?”
“No — no thanks.”
Crowley lit his own and then stared at the lighter, turning it around slowly in his big hand. “I spent last night talking to your husband. About his schools, friends, business associates, your marriage. But I got a better picture of you than I did of him. You’re tougher than he is. Maybe stronger is a better word. You’ve worked for things all your life. That’s something I understand. Maybe there’s no particular credit due people like us. It just happened. But it didn’t happen to them. This is the first jolt they’ve ever taken that their money can’t fix. They’ve got to get their help somewhere else.”
“From me?”
“You’re all they’ve got. It’s your job.”
“What can I do?”
“Help me,” Crowley said. “I need a line on that fake repairman. Did Kitty talk to you about him? Think hard.”
She raised her head slowly and he knew from the expression in her eyes that she was coming over to his side. “I–I’ll try,” she said.
“Good,” Crowley said, sitting down beside her.
Ellie’s mental processes had been trained and molded by years in the business world. Her thinking habits were organized and precise. Within a minute or so she had pinpointed the day the repairman had been in the house.
“Yes, it was Thursday,” she said, and then, frowning slightly, she recreated the day in terms that had little or no meaning for Crowley. “There was a staff meeting on the Milburn account that morning, then a layout conference, lunch with the fashion group. I talked to a space salesman from New — let’s see, Dick called and we had cocktails at the Algonquin. We went on to dinner at a place in the Fifties. We were home around ten at the latest.”
“Did you talk to the nurse when you came in?”
“I — let’s see. I know I went up the nursery. Yes, Kitty was giving Jill a bottle. I took the baby and Kitty stayed to talk for a while.” Ellie rubbed her fingers over her forehead. “It — it was about the baby. I can’t remember anything specific.”
Crowley didn’t press her. He waited, hoping, but finally she shook her head helplessly. “I’ m no help, I’m afraid.”
“Did Kitty have any particular men friends?”
“No, I don’t believe so. There was a young man last winter — his name was Delancey, Bill Delancey — she saw him quite regularly. But it wasn’t anything serious. He was a lieutenant in the army and on his way to Germany, I think it was.”
“Has she any relatives in the city?”
“No. Her family is in Ireland.”
“I see. Did she have any close girl friends?”
“Several, I think. I can find you their names if you think it’s important.”
“I wish you would, please. Was Kitty attached to Jill? I mean, did you ever think she was too fond of her perhaps?”
“She loved Jill, of course.” Ellie turned away from him and shook her head quickly. “No, Kate wouldn’t do this.”
“There was no sign of a struggle,” Crowley said. “No locks forced. But she’s packed and gone.”
“No—” Ellie shook her head again. “She’s loyal and kind and good. We — knew her perfectly. She was like a younger sister to me. I knew all about her family, her younger brothers and sisters. They made little presents for Jill — colored post cards, wooden animals on wheels — you know. She isn’t involved in this. You can’t tell me she is.”