Read Online Till Death Do Us Part by Louis Trimble - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Louis Trimble
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of coffee in the booth by the front window of the drugstore and went across the street to Rosanne’s office.
Amalie was there. She looked pretty good; someone had painted out her bruises. Her eyes went wide when she saw mine. “Oh
señor
, I did not realize the fight was so bad yesterday.”
I said, “This was another one,
chica
. But you look good.”
She pouted. She was very cute when she pouted. She made me want to pat her head and wipe her nose again. “You did not come to see if I was bad hurt.”
I said, “I was going to,” I said. “I swear it. But someone put me to sleep on a pile of garbage and when I woke it was too late.”
Her eyes got even wider as she digested what I’d said. “This is true?”
I said, “I never tell anything but the truth. Now can I see your gorgeous boss?”
“You make the joke of me,” she said. “And you cannot see her until you promise to come and see me first.”
I thought she was being flirtatious until I had a good look at the expression on her face. I felt myself flushing a little. The kid had a crush on me, probably because I’d “rescued” her from Delman.
I said, “I don’t think your boyfriend would like my coming to see you,
chica.”
She looked so blank that I added, “Ignacio.”
“Oh, him!” She began to giggle. “But he is small and you are big. And he is only some of the time. You too can be some of the time.”
I began to wonder if the business of a crush was an act, and if Nace hadn’t steered her onto getting me alone and pumping me. But those calf eyes of hers were awfully convincing.
I said, “Soon. I promise. And we’ll do up the town. Both towns.”
“All right, now you can see her. But she is not so gorgeous, that
rubia.”
“As blonds go, I’ve seen better,” I conceded. “Tell me, Amalie, did a piece of paper really blow off your desk and land in front of the
señora’s
door?”
“Señor!”
I grinned. She was too indignant. She jerked open the door to Rosanne’s office. I walked in. Amalie shut the door firmly.
Rosanne looked me over, said, “A drunken brawl?” and dismissed the whole matter of my appearance.
I said, “I came to tell you that I’m earning my money. Pachuco hasn’t checked out of the hotel yet.”
“A telephone call would have brought me that information.”
She was being frosty this morning. I decided to begin my new campaign. I said, “By the way, what’s with you and Navarro?”
I caught her flat-footed on that one. She had no time to duck or even to spar with me. She sat bolt upright and the frost got thicker. I ignored it. I said, “You didn’t seem eager to talk about him yesterday; yet he’s your partner in two businesses. Do you think he’s connected with Pachuco?”
“You’re being absurd!”
I’d hit a tender spot. I put my thumb on it and pressed hard. “Navarro seems to think you hired Pachuco to check on him,” I lied.
The color left her cheeks. She was almost whispering when she said, “You talked to him about my bringing you here?”
I said, “Not before I resigned from this job.” I tossed the money she’d given me to date on her desk. She let it lie.
I said, “I don’t like the runaround. And that’s what I’ve been getting from you. As far as I can tell, this business about Pachuco and his telephone call is so much crap.”
Something was worrying her. She had started to gnaw on her lower lip. It was too thin for her to lose very much of it. She stopped gnawing and began pushing the money around the desk top with the tip of a manicured finger. I decided that she was having some kind of argument between greed and self preservation.
I just waited.
Finally, she said, “Just what do you want, Mr. Blane?”
I said, “I want some answers. You know a lot more than you’ve told me. Pachuco’s threat wouldn’t have caused you to part with the money to hire me unless there was something behind it—something you were afraid of.”
She gnawed at her lip
Amalie was there. She looked pretty good; someone had painted out her bruises. Her eyes went wide when she saw mine. “Oh
señor
, I did not realize the fight was so bad yesterday.”
I said, “This was another one,
chica
. But you look good.”
She pouted. She was very cute when she pouted. She made me want to pat her head and wipe her nose again. “You did not come to see if I was bad hurt.”
I said, “I was going to,” I said. “I swear it. But someone put me to sleep on a pile of garbage and when I woke it was too late.”
Her eyes got even wider as she digested what I’d said. “This is true?”
I said, “I never tell anything but the truth. Now can I see your gorgeous boss?”
“You make the joke of me,” she said. “And you cannot see her until you promise to come and see me first.”
I thought she was being flirtatious until I had a good look at the expression on her face. I felt myself flushing a little. The kid had a crush on me, probably because I’d “rescued” her from Delman.
I said, “I don’t think your boyfriend would like my coming to see you,
chica.”
She looked so blank that I added, “Ignacio.”
“Oh, him!” She began to giggle. “But he is small and you are big. And he is only some of the time. You too can be some of the time.”
I began to wonder if the business of a crush was an act, and if Nace hadn’t steered her onto getting me alone and pumping me. But those calf eyes of hers were awfully convincing.
I said, “Soon. I promise. And we’ll do up the town. Both towns.”
“All right, now you can see her. But she is not so gorgeous, that
rubia.”
“As blonds go, I’ve seen better,” I conceded. “Tell me, Amalie, did a piece of paper really blow off your desk and land in front of the
señora’s
door?”
“Señor!”
I grinned. She was too indignant. She jerked open the door to Rosanne’s office. I walked in. Amalie shut the door firmly.
Rosanne looked me over, said, “A drunken brawl?” and dismissed the whole matter of my appearance.
I said, “I came to tell you that I’m earning my money. Pachuco hasn’t checked out of the hotel yet.”
“A telephone call would have brought me that information.”
She was being frosty this morning. I decided to begin my new campaign. I said, “By the way, what’s with you and Navarro?”
I caught her flat-footed on that one. She had no time to duck or even to spar with me. She sat bolt upright and the frost got thicker. I ignored it. I said, “You didn’t seem eager to talk about him yesterday; yet he’s your partner in two businesses. Do you think he’s connected with Pachuco?”
“You’re being absurd!”
I’d hit a tender spot. I put my thumb on it and pressed hard. “Navarro seems to think you hired Pachuco to check on him,” I lied.
The color left her cheeks. She was almost whispering when she said, “You talked to him about my bringing you here?”
I said, “Not before I resigned from this job.” I tossed the money she’d given me to date on her desk. She let it lie.
I said, “I don’t like the runaround. And that’s what I’ve been getting from you. As far as I can tell, this business about Pachuco and his telephone call is so much crap.”
Something was worrying her. She had started to gnaw on her lower lip. It was too thin for her to lose very much of it. She stopped gnawing and began pushing the money around the desk top with the tip of a manicured finger. I decided that she was having some kind of argument between greed and self preservation.
I just waited.
Finally, she said, “Just what do you want, Mr. Blane?”
I said, “I want some answers. You know a lot more than you’ve told me. Pachuco’s threat wouldn’t have caused you to part with the money to hire me unless there was something behind it—something you were afraid of.”
She gnawed at her lip
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