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Authors: Sandra Scoppettone
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another ancient jobbie, and I hoped he’d be a smoother driver than the one at NYU. He was. He pulled in tight at the tenth.
This was one of those deals that had only two apartments to a floor. And I didn’t know which one it was. But then the door on the left side opened, and there stood a girl in a gray maid’s outfit right down to the white apron and starched white headdress.
“Miss Quick?”
“That’s me.”
“Madam is waiting for you.”
She stepped aside as I entered. We were in a foyer with a marble floor, a couple a mean-looking chairs, and some potted plants. I waited until she closed the door, then followed her as she led me to a large living room.
I suppose it was Louis somebody furniture, but I wasn’t up to snuff on my antiques. All I knew was that it looked uncomfortable. I also knew that the intricate patterned rugs were probably Oriental. Put it all together and it spelled plenty of lettuce. Everything was in its place except for Madam, who was nowhere in sight.
“Please take a seat, and Madam will be right in.”
“Thanks.”
I looked around trying to figure which would be the most comfy seat, sorta a losing battle in this case. Before I could decide, Myrna West was entering with a man who was not Porter.
“Hello, Miss Quick. This is my brother, Cornell Walker.”
We greeted each other. Walker was obviously a younger brother. He had brown hair and blue eyes like his sister’s and was wearing a Marine uniform. Perfect features made him a looker if ya liked that type. He even had a cleft chin.
“I’m sorry to barge in on ya this way,” I said.
“That’s all right. I presume you have a good reason.”
I didn’t answer.
Myrna motioned to the stiffest-looking chair in the place, so there was no way out of taking it, which I did.
They both sat on the couch.
“Cornell is home on leave,” the missus said.
This I could see. “And where’s home, Captain Walker?” I knew my ranks.
“When on leave I live here with my sister.” He smiled crookedly.
“And her husband.”
“Of course,” he said.
This wasn’t that unusual an arrangement. But I wondered why he didn’t live with his parents if he wasn’t married, and I assumed he wasn’t. Or why he didn’t have a place of his own.
“You never told me where your parents live, Mrs. West.”
“No, I didn’t. They live in Connecticut. Madison.”
This meant nothing to me. Except to say Walker would rather stay in New York than Connecticut. Me, too. But it was possible he didn’t get along with the old folks at home.
Myrna bent toward a silver box on the glass coffee table, opened it, and took out a cigarette. By the time she leaned back, Walker held out a light for her.
I took my cigs from my pocketbook.
“Forgive me,” Myrna said. “My manners. I should have offered you one.”
“That’s okay. I like my own.”
Walker was up and giving me a light before I knew what was happening.
“Thanks.”
When he returned to his seat, Myrna said, “Do you have some news for us, Miss Quick?”
“Call me Faye.” I didn’t know how much to say in front of the brother. I glanced his way purposely.
“You can say anything in front of Cornell.”
“You’re sure?”
“Of course.”
“I was thinkin your husband would be here, but then I realized he’s probably at work.”
“Yes.” She took a deep draw on her cigarette and let the smoke dribble out.
“It’s not so much that I have any news, it’s more that I wanna ask you some questions.”
“We told you everything we know.”
“Did you?”
“Is that an accusation?”
“It’s a question.”
Cornell took his sister’s hand. “Now Myrna, don’t get upset.”
“I just don’t know what she means.” She sounded whiny.
“Miss Quick is making sure you haven’t forgotten anything, isn’t that right?”
“Ya could put it that way.”
He eyed me real close. “What other way could you put it?”
I ignored his question and said, “Mrs. West,
This was one of those deals that had only two apartments to a floor. And I didn’t know which one it was. But then the door on the left side opened, and there stood a girl in a gray maid’s outfit right down to the white apron and starched white headdress.
“Miss Quick?”
“That’s me.”
“Madam is waiting for you.”
She stepped aside as I entered. We were in a foyer with a marble floor, a couple a mean-looking chairs, and some potted plants. I waited until she closed the door, then followed her as she led me to a large living room.
I suppose it was Louis somebody furniture, but I wasn’t up to snuff on my antiques. All I knew was that it looked uncomfortable. I also knew that the intricate patterned rugs were probably Oriental. Put it all together and it spelled plenty of lettuce. Everything was in its place except for Madam, who was nowhere in sight.
“Please take a seat, and Madam will be right in.”
“Thanks.”
I looked around trying to figure which would be the most comfy seat, sorta a losing battle in this case. Before I could decide, Myrna West was entering with a man who was not Porter.
“Hello, Miss Quick. This is my brother, Cornell Walker.”
We greeted each other. Walker was obviously a younger brother. He had brown hair and blue eyes like his sister’s and was wearing a Marine uniform. Perfect features made him a looker if ya liked that type. He even had a cleft chin.
“I’m sorry to barge in on ya this way,” I said.
“That’s all right. I presume you have a good reason.”
I didn’t answer.
Myrna motioned to the stiffest-looking chair in the place, so there was no way out of taking it, which I did.
They both sat on the couch.
“Cornell is home on leave,” the missus said.
This I could see. “And where’s home, Captain Walker?” I knew my ranks.
“When on leave I live here with my sister.” He smiled crookedly.
“And her husband.”
“Of course,” he said.
This wasn’t that unusual an arrangement. But I wondered why he didn’t live with his parents if he wasn’t married, and I assumed he wasn’t. Or why he didn’t have a place of his own.
“You never told me where your parents live, Mrs. West.”
“No, I didn’t. They live in Connecticut. Madison.”
This meant nothing to me. Except to say Walker would rather stay in New York than Connecticut. Me, too. But it was possible he didn’t get along with the old folks at home.
Myrna bent toward a silver box on the glass coffee table, opened it, and took out a cigarette. By the time she leaned back, Walker held out a light for her.
I took my cigs from my pocketbook.
“Forgive me,” Myrna said. “My manners. I should have offered you one.”
“That’s okay. I like my own.”
Walker was up and giving me a light before I knew what was happening.
“Thanks.”
When he returned to his seat, Myrna said, “Do you have some news for us, Miss Quick?”
“Call me Faye.” I didn’t know how much to say in front of the brother. I glanced his way purposely.
“You can say anything in front of Cornell.”
“You’re sure?”
“Of course.”
“I was thinkin your husband would be here, but then I realized he’s probably at work.”
“Yes.” She took a deep draw on her cigarette and let the smoke dribble out.
“It’s not so much that I have any news, it’s more that I wanna ask you some questions.”
“We told you everything we know.”
“Did you?”
“Is that an accusation?”
“It’s a question.”
Cornell took his sister’s hand. “Now Myrna, don’t get upset.”
“I just don’t know what she means.” She sounded whiny.
“Miss Quick is making sure you haven’t forgotten anything, isn’t that right?”
“Ya could put it that way.”
He eyed me real close. “What other way could you put it?”
I ignored his question and said, “Mrs. West,
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