Read Online The Expendable Man by Dorothy B. Hughes - Free Book Online Page B

someone’s wedding. It couldn’t have been Stacy’s, he was ringbearer at that one in a velvet suit. It must have been Uncle Wood’s, he married late.
    â€œOne glass, Edward,” he put in his oar.
    â€œOne glass then. And sip it.”
    Hale winked at Hugh. Handsome and perfumed in her gray lace, Hugh’s mother came from the bedroom corridor. Stacy followed, slim as a girl in her gold chiffon. And as nervous as if it were her own wedding, not that of her grown-up little girl. “We’d better get on our way. There are always last-minute things to do even with caterers.”
    â€œJust wait until I call Exchange, let them know where they can reach me.” Edward finished his cocktail.
    â€œOh, Edward,” she groaned. “Not at your daughter’s bridal dinner.”
    He spoke as he dialed. “I’m a little worried about that hospital case. Besides, I have two little mothers waiting, none too patiently, for labor to commence. After nine months with me I don’t think they’d settle for a substitute.” He spoke briefly into the phone, then cradled it. “Just keep all of your fingers crossed that those babies don’t decide to come out at four tomorrow afternoon.”
    The girls were approaching, the flutter of their voices preceding them. Hugh was surprised at himself; he awaited with the nervous excitement a boy was supposed to have only on his first date. Clytie came first, Celeste followed. Ellen was the last of the three, and Hugh’s breath caught. With three sisters, he was usually up on female styles, but the honey-colored sheath which she wore, of some dull clinging material the exact color of her flesh, left him floundering. It could only be a French original, something the girls were always swooning over in the pages of Vogue , something you didn’t find in L.A., only in Paris. Instead of the inevitable mink stole, Ellen carried a matching scarf, fully twelve feet long, lined in lynx. She told him it was lynx when he asked.
    He helped her into the car and took the wheel. But he couldn’t find words to entertain her. Once in the car his anxiety recurred. He’d been without news for too long. He wanted to turn up the muted radio but he was afraid of what might have developed in the past hour.
    His anxiety heightened as he reached The Palms and turned into the driveway. The private dining room was on the side of the quadrangle furthest from his room. He didn’t think the police would be waiting here, and they weren’t. But he wondered how long it would take them to trace him to the dinner party. Particularly with the Cadillac parked outside the building.
    He helped Ellen from the car. “You’re very quiet tonight,” she said.
    Only then did he realize how withdrawn he’d been during the entire drive. He smiled and quoted lightly, “Problems. Always problems.”
    â€œHave I caused them?”
    He touched her elbow. “You know, it must be awfully nice never to have to worry about that.”
    Her eyes slanted at him. “You don’t know me very well.”
    â€œI don’t know you at all.” Her arm was satin, her perfume violets in cool rain. Cars were arriving in tiers. He saw no strangers among the wedding guests.
    â€œAre you looking for someone?” Ellen questioned.
    He didn’t know he’d been that obvious. He must stop dwelling on it. There was no reason to think that the police would be searching for him tonight. Iris hadn’t been identified. The last he’d heard she hadn’t been identified. Until she was, it was a local story. Nothing to be reported in Blythe or Indio.
    He smiled down at Ellen. “The Air Force,” he told her. “I’m ready to take them all on tonight.”
    He doubted that she believed him, but she smiled in return. And they entered the safety of the private dining room. It was filled with guests and music and lifted voices.