Read Online The Long Lavender Look by John D. MacDonald - Free Book Online
Authors: John D. MacDonald
Tags: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Private Investigators, Hard-Boiled, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.), McGee; Travis (Fictitious character)
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black stubble from his swollen and discolored face. He turned and said, "Don't make me laugh, please."
"How bad is it?"
"It will add up to a good dental bill. The thing that worries me is a persistent headache, dizziness, some double vision. And something seems to grate in my cheek. Lennie is going to fly me back to Lauderdale and I'll go in for observation."
"Who did it?"
Page 23
"A large fellow with big cheekbones and small dark eyes and very long sideburns. I wondered why he was putting a leather glove on. You'd mentioned a few useful things one could do under those circumstances. I tried them and they didn't work very well."
"Who was there at the time?"
"Deputy Cable. Objecting."
"Making any physical attempt to stop him?"
"Finally, yes. But at first I would say he was merely whining at the fellow, something about Mister Norm getting upset. He called the sideburned fellow Lew. I discovered the whole name later on. Deputy Lew Arnstead."
"Where was Sturnevan? The big sloppy one."
"He had stepped out. Lew didn't take long. It seemed long. Maybe fifteen or twenty seconds. By then I wasn't aware of whether Sturnevan came back or not, but I think he was one of the two men who helped me to the cell."
"Meyer?"
"Mmmm?"
"I'm sorry about this."
He turned and looked solemnly at me, puffy eyes staring out of the big yellow-blue-green-purple face. "Where is any man's immunity from the unexpected, McGee? I could deny myself the pleasure of your friendship, and decrease the chance of the unexpected. But there is a case on record of a woman in her own bed being struck on the thigh by a bounding chunk of red hot iron, a meteorite that came whistling in from God only knows what corner of the galaxy. I value that night hike, Travis. And the way the dawn looked, and the feeling of beIng alive after being shot at. I am a grown-up, making choices. And sufficiently grown up to live with the choices I make. My face hurts and my head aches, and I would like to kill that sideburned fellow with anything I could lift. I feel outraged, humiliated, and very very tired. But I'm glad I came along."
"You do go on."
"Do us both a favor and get out of that garment." He was ready and I was almost ready when Sturnevan came to get us. He clucked and turned Meyer toward the light and gave him a close inspection. "And you weren't very pretty to start with, Professor."
"King," I said, "I might get a chance to strike up an acquaintance with Lew Arnstead when he's off duty."
"Which is now sort of one hundred percent of the time, I hear. You serious, McGee?"
"Serious enough to ask you how to do it."
"He's a strong boy. He likes all the odds his way. With somebody your size, he'd try to fix the odds fast, like a quick kick in the balls. What you do is, you make it look as if he can get away with it. He's right-handed. He'll kick with his right leg. Watch for the weight shift, sidestep the kick and get his ankle, and swing it on top. Then if you can hurt him fast anough and bad enough, he'll be all through."
"Thanks, King."
"Mister Norm is waiting on you fellows."
No guard just inside the door this time. Just Lennie Sibelius and Sheriff Hyzer, and some exhibits on the bare desk top.
Lennie slouched, smiling, in a wooden armchair. Hyzer sat at attention behind his desk. He asked us to sit. He said to Meyer, "I assure you that what happened to you is against the policy of this department."
"My client accepts that," Lennie said quickly.
"Arnstead was not officially on duty at the time of the ... incident," Hyzer said. "He had no business being here. His act was without official sanction or official knowledge. He has been dismissed with prejudice, booked for aggravated assault, and released on bond pending trial.
Deputy Cable has been fined and reprimanded for permitting it to happen. Please accept my personal apology."
Page 24
"I accept it," Meyer said.
"Mr. Sibelius has suggested that any dental or medical bills be sent here to my attention.
"How bad is it?"
"It will add up to a good dental bill. The thing that worries me is a persistent headache, dizziness, some double vision. And something seems to grate in my cheek. Lennie is going to fly me back to Lauderdale and I'll go in for observation."
"Who did it?"
Page 23
"A large fellow with big cheekbones and small dark eyes and very long sideburns. I wondered why he was putting a leather glove on. You'd mentioned a few useful things one could do under those circumstances. I tried them and they didn't work very well."
"Who was there at the time?"
"Deputy Cable. Objecting."
"Making any physical attempt to stop him?"
"Finally, yes. But at first I would say he was merely whining at the fellow, something about Mister Norm getting upset. He called the sideburned fellow Lew. I discovered the whole name later on. Deputy Lew Arnstead."
"Where was Sturnevan? The big sloppy one."
"He had stepped out. Lew didn't take long. It seemed long. Maybe fifteen or twenty seconds. By then I wasn't aware of whether Sturnevan came back or not, but I think he was one of the two men who helped me to the cell."
"Meyer?"
"Mmmm?"
"I'm sorry about this."
He turned and looked solemnly at me, puffy eyes staring out of the big yellow-blue-green-purple face. "Where is any man's immunity from the unexpected, McGee? I could deny myself the pleasure of your friendship, and decrease the chance of the unexpected. But there is a case on record of a woman in her own bed being struck on the thigh by a bounding chunk of red hot iron, a meteorite that came whistling in from God only knows what corner of the galaxy. I value that night hike, Travis. And the way the dawn looked, and the feeling of beIng alive after being shot at. I am a grown-up, making choices. And sufficiently grown up to live with the choices I make. My face hurts and my head aches, and I would like to kill that sideburned fellow with anything I could lift. I feel outraged, humiliated, and very very tired. But I'm glad I came along."
"You do go on."
"Do us both a favor and get out of that garment." He was ready and I was almost ready when Sturnevan came to get us. He clucked and turned Meyer toward the light and gave him a close inspection. "And you weren't very pretty to start with, Professor."
"King," I said, "I might get a chance to strike up an acquaintance with Lew Arnstead when he's off duty."
"Which is now sort of one hundred percent of the time, I hear. You serious, McGee?"
"Serious enough to ask you how to do it."
"He's a strong boy. He likes all the odds his way. With somebody your size, he'd try to fix the odds fast, like a quick kick in the balls. What you do is, you make it look as if he can get away with it. He's right-handed. He'll kick with his right leg. Watch for the weight shift, sidestep the kick and get his ankle, and swing it on top. Then if you can hurt him fast anough and bad enough, he'll be all through."
"Thanks, King."
"Mister Norm is waiting on you fellows."
No guard just inside the door this time. Just Lennie Sibelius and Sheriff Hyzer, and some exhibits on the bare desk top.
Lennie slouched, smiling, in a wooden armchair. Hyzer sat at attention behind his desk. He asked us to sit. He said to Meyer, "I assure you that what happened to you is against the policy of this department."
"My client accepts that," Lennie said quickly.
"Arnstead was not officially on duty at the time of the ... incident," Hyzer said. "He had no business being here. His act was without official sanction or official knowledge. He has been dismissed with prejudice, booked for aggravated assault, and released on bond pending trial.
Deputy Cable has been fined and reprimanded for permitting it to happen. Please accept my personal apology."
Page 24
"I accept it," Meyer said.
"Mr. Sibelius has suggested that any dental or medical bills be sent here to my attention.
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