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〃Ask at the house； Jack。〃
〃I done asked。 They done shut the door in mah face。〃
〃You're breaking my heart； Jack。〃
〃How about Mrs。 Morny？〃
〃Same answer； Jack。 I just work here。 Selling something？〃 I held my card so that he could read it。 It was a business card this time。 He put the sponge down on the running board； and the hose on the cement。 He stepped around the water to wipe his hands on a towel that hung at the side of the garage doors。 He fished a match out of his pants； struck it and tilted his head back to light the dead butt that was stuck in his face。
His foxy little eyes flicked around this way and that and he moved behind the car； with a jerk of the head。 I went over near him。
〃How's the little old expense account？〃 he asked in a small careful voice。
〃Fat with inactivity。〃
〃For five I could start thinking。〃
〃I wouldn't want to make it that tough for you。〃
〃For ten I could sing like four canaries and a steel guitar。〃
〃I don't like these plushy orchestrations；〃 I said。
He cocked his head sideways。 〃Talk English； Jack。〃
〃I don't want you to lose your job； son。 All I want to know is whether Mrs。 Momy is home。 Does that rate more than a buck？〃
〃Don't worry about my job； Jack。 I'm solid。〃
〃With Mornyor somebody else？〃
〃You want that for the same buck？〃
〃Two bucks。〃
He eyed me over。 〃You ain't working for him； are you？〃
〃Sure。〃
〃You're a liar。〃
〃Sure。〃
〃Gimme the two bucks；〃 he snapped。
I gave him two dollars。
〃She's in the backyard with a friend；〃 he said。 〃A nice friend。 You got a friend that don't work and a husband that works； you're all set； see？〃 He leered。
〃You'll be all set in an irrigation ditch one of these days。'
〃Not me； Jack。 I'm wise。 I know how to play 'em。 I monkeyed around these kind of people all my life。〃
He rubbed the two dollar bills between his palms； blew on them； folded them longways and wideways and tucked them in the watch pocket of his breeches。
〃That was just the soup；〃 he said。 〃Now for five more〃
A rather large blond cocker spaniel tore around the Cadillac； skidded a little on the wet concrete； took off neatly； hit me in the stomach and thighs with all four paws； licked my face； dropped to the ground； ran around my legs； sat down between them； let his tongue out all the way and started to pant。
I stepped over him and braced myself against the side of the car and got my handkerchief out。
A male voice called： 〃Here； Heathcliff。 Here； Heathcliff。〃 Steps sounded on a hard walk。
〃That's Heathcliff。〃 the chauffeur said sourly。
〃Heathcliff？〃
〃Cripes； that's what they call the dog； Jack。〃
〃Wuthering Heights？〃 I asked。
〃Now you're double…talking again；〃 he sneered。 〃Look outpany。〃
He picked up the sponge and the hose and went back to washing the car。 I moved away from him。 The cocker spaniel immediately moved between my legs again； almost tripping me。
〃Here； Heathcliff；〃 the male voice called out louder； and a man came into view through the opening of a latticed tunnel covered with climbing roses。
Tall； dark； with a clear olive skin； brilliant black eyes； gleaming white teeth。 Sideburns。 A narrow black mustache。 Sideburns too long； much too long。 White shirt with embroidered initials on the pocket； white slacks； white shoes。 A wrist watch that curved halfway around a lean dark wrist； held on by a gold chain。 A yellow scarf around a bronzed slender neck。
He saw the dog squatted between my legs and didn't like it。 He snapped long fingers and snapped a clear hard voice：
〃Here； Heathcliff。 e here at once！〃
The dog breathed hard and didn't move； except to lean a little closer to my right leg。
〃Who are you？〃 the man asked； staring me down。
I held out my card。 Olive fingers took the card。 The dog quietly backed out from between my legs； edged around the front end of the car； and faded silently into the distance。
〃Marlowe；〃 the man said。 〃Marlowe； eh？ What's this？ A detective？ What do you want？〃
〃Want to see Mrs。 Morny。〃
He looked me up and down； brilliant black eyes sweeping slowly and the silky fringes of long eyelashes following them。
〃Weren't you told she was not in？〃
〃Yeah； but I didn't believe it。 Are you Mr。 Morny？〃
〃No。〃
〃That's Mr。 Vannier；〃 the chauffeur said behind my back； in the drawled； over…polite voice of deliberate insolence。 〃Mr。 Vannier's a friend of the family。 He es here quite a lot。〃
Vannier looked past my shoulder； his eyes furious。 The chauffeur came around the car and spit the cigarette stub out of his mouth with casual contempt。
〃I told the shamus the boss wasn't here； Mr。 Vannier。〃
〃I see。〃
〃I told him Mrs。 Morny and you was here。 Did I do wrong？〃
Vannier said： 〃You could have minded your own business。〃
The chauffeur said： 〃I wonder why the hell I didn't think of that。〃
Vannier said： 〃Get out before I break your dirty little neck for you。〃
The chauffeur eyed him quietly and then went back into the gloom of the garage and started to whistle。 Vannier moved his hot angry eyes over to me and snapped：
〃You were told Mrs。 Morny was not in； but it didn't take。 Is that it？ In other words the information failed to satisfy you。〃
〃If we have to have other words；〃 I said； 〃those might do。〃
〃I see。 Could you bring yourself to say what point you wish to discuss with Mrs。 Morny？〃
〃I'd prefer to explain that to Mrs。 Morny herself。〃
〃The implication is that she doesn't care to see you。〃
Behind the car the chauffeur said： 〃Watch his right； Jack。 It might have a knife in it。〃
Vannier's olive skin turned the color of dried seaweed。 He turned on his heel and rapped at me in a stifled voice： 〃Follow me。〃
He went along the brick path under the tunnel of roses and through a white gate at the end。 Beyond was a walled…in garden containing flowerbeds crammed with showy annuals； a badminton court； a nice stretch of greensward； and a small tiled pool glittering angrily in the sun。 Beside the pool there was a flagged space set with blue and white garden furniture； low tables with position tops； reclining chairs with footrests and enormous cushions； and over all a blue and white umbrella as big as a small tent。
A long…limbed languorous type of showgirl blond lay at her ease in one of the chairs； with her feet raised on a padded rest and a tall misted glass at her elbow； near a silver ice bucket and a Scotch bottle。 She looked at us lazily as we came over the grass。 From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class。 From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away。 Her mouth was too wide； her eyes were too blue； her makeup was too vivid； the thin arch of her eyebrows was almost fantastic in its curve and spread； and the mascara was so thick on her eyelashes that they looked like miniature iron railings。
She wore white duck slacks； blue and white open…toed sandals over bare feet and crimson lake toenails； a white silk blouse and a necklace of green stones that were not square cut emeralds。 Her hair was as artificial as a night club lobby。
On the chair beside her there was a white straw garden hat with a brim the size of a spare tire and a white satin chin strap。 On the brim of the hat lay a pair of green sun glasses with lenses the size of doughnuts。
Vannier marched over to her and snapped out： 〃You've got to can that nasty little red…eyed driver of yours； but quick。 Otherwise I'm liable to break his neck any minute。 I can't go near him without getting insulted。〃
The blond coughed lightly； flicked a handkerchief around without doing anything with it； and said：
〃Sit down and rest your sex appeal。 Who's your friend？〃
Vannier looked for my card； found he was holding it in his band and threw it on her lap。 She picked it up languidly； ran her eyes over it； ran them over me； sighed and tapped her teeth with her fingernails。
〃Big； isn't he？ Too much for you to handle； I guess。〃
Vannier looked at me nastily。 〃All right； get it over with； whatever it is。〃
〃Do I talk to her？〃 I asked。 〃Or do I talk to you and have you put it in English？〃
The blond laughed。 A silvery ripple of laughter that held the unspoiled naturalness of a bubble dance。 A small tongue played roguishly along her lips。
Vannier sat down and lit a gold…tipped cigarette and I stood there looking at them。
I said： 〃I'm looking for a friend of yours； Mrs。 Morny。 I understand that she shared an apartment with you about a year ago。 Her name is Linda Conquest。〃
Vannier flicked his eyes up； down； up； down。 He turned his head and looked across the pool。 The cocker spaniel named Heathcliff sat over there looking at us with the white of one eye。
Vannier snapped his fingers。 〃Here； Heathcliff！ Here； Heathcliff！ e here； sir！〃
The blond said： 〃Shut up。 The dog hates your guts。 Give your vanity a rest； for heaven's sake。〃
Vannier snapped： 〃Don't talk like that to me。〃
The blond giggled and petted his face with her eyes。
I said： 〃I'm looking for a girl named Linda Conquest； Mrs。 Morny。〃
The blond looked at me and said： 〃So you said。 I was just thinking。 I don't think I've seen her in six months。 S