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x months。 She got married。〃
〃You haven't seen her in six months？〃
〃That's what I said； big boy。 What do you want to know for？〃
〃Just a private enquiry I'm making。〃
〃About what？〃
〃About a confidential matter；〃 I said。
〃Just think；〃 the blond said brightly。 〃He's making a private enquiry about a confidential matter。 You hear that； Lou？ Busting in on total strangers that don't want to see him is quite all right； though； isn't it； Lou？ On account of he's making a private enquiry about a confidential matter。〃
〃Then you don't know where she is； Mrs。 Morny？〃
〃Didn't I say so？〃 Her voice rose a couple of notches。
〃No。 You said you didn't think you had seen her in six months。 Not quite the same thing。〃
〃Who told you I shared an apartment with her？〃 the blond snapped。
〃I never reveal a source of information； Mrs。 Morny。〃
〃Sweetheart； you're fussy enough to be a dance director。 I should tell you everything； you should tell me nothing。〃
〃The position is quite different；〃 I said。 〃I'm a hired hand obeying instructions。 The lady has no reason to hide out； has she？〃
〃Who's looking for her？〃
〃Her folks。〃
〃Guess again。 She doesn't have any folks。〃
〃You must know her pretty well； if you know that；〃 I said。
〃Maybe I did once。 That don't prove I do now。〃
〃Okay；〃 I said。 〃The answer is you know； but you won't tell。〃
〃The answer；〃 Vannier said suddenly； 〃is that you're not wanted here and the sooner you get out； the better we like it。〃
I kept on looking at Mrs。 Morny。 She winked at me and said to Vannier： 〃Don't get so hostile； darling。 You have a lot of charm； but you have small bones。 You're not built for the rough work。 That right； big boy？〃
I said： 〃I hadn't thought about it； Mrs。 Morny。 Do you think Mr。 Morny could help meor would？〃
She shook her head。 〃How would I know？ You could try。 If he don't like you； he has guys around that can bounce you。〃
〃I think you could tell me yourself； if you wanted to。〃
〃How are you going to make me want to？〃 Her eyes were inviting。
〃With all these people around；〃 I said； 〃how can I？〃
〃That's a thought；〃 she said； and sipped from her glass； watching me over it。
Vannier stood up very slowly。 His face was white。 He put his hand inside his shirt and said slowly； between his teeth： 〃Get out； mugg。 While you can still walk。〃
I looked at him in surprise。 〃Where's your refinement？〃 I asked him。 〃And don't tell me you wear a gun with your garden clothes。〃
The blond laughed； showing a fine strong set of teeth。 Vannier thrust his hand under his left arm inside the shirt and set his lips。 His black eyes were sharp and blank at the same time； like a snake's eyes。
〃You heard me；〃 he said； almost softly。 〃And don't write me off too quick。 I'd plug you as soon as I'd strike a match。 And fix it afterwards。〃
I looked at the blond。 Her eyes were bright and her mouth looked sensual and eager； watching us。
I turned and walked away across the grass。 About halfway across it I looked back at them。 Vannier stood in exactly the same position； his hand inside his shirt。 The blond's eyes were still wide and her lips parted； but the shadow of the umbrella had dimmed her expression and at that distance it might have been either fear or pleased anticipation。
I went on over the grass； through the white gate and along the brick path under the rose arbor。 I reached the end of it； turned； walked quietly back to the gate and took another look at them。 I didn't know what there would be to see or what I cared about it when I saw it。
What I saw was Vannier practically sprawled on top of the blond； kissing her。
I shook my head and went back along the walk。
The red…eyed chauffeur was still at work on the Cadillac。 He had finished the wash job and was wiping off the glass and nickel with a large chamois。 I went around and stood beside him。
〃How you e out？〃 he asked me out of the side of his mouth。
〃Badly。 They tramped all over me；〃 I said。
He nodded and went on making the hissing noise of a groom rubbing down a horse。
〃You better watch your step。 The guy's heeled；〃 I said。 〃Or pretends to be。〃
The chauffeur laughed shortly。 〃Under that suit？ Nix。〃
〃Who is this guy Vannier？ What does he do？〃
The chauffeur straightened up； put the chamois over the sill of a window and wiped his hands on the towel that was now stuck in his waistband。
〃Women； my guess would be；〃 he said。
〃Isn't it a bit dangerousplaying with this particular woman？〃
〃I'd say it was；〃 he agreed。 〃Different guys got different ideas of danger。 It would scare me。〃
〃Where does he live？〃
〃Sherman Oaks。 She goes over there。 She'll go once too often。〃
〃Ever run across a girl named Linda Conquest？ Tall； dark； handsome； used to be a singer with a band？〃
〃For two bucks； Jack； you expect a lot of service。〃
〃I could build it up to five。〃
He shook his head。 〃I don't know the party。 Not by that name。 All kinds of dames e here； mostly pretty flashy。 I don't get introduced。〃 He grinned。
I got my wallet out and put three ones in his little damp paw。 I added a business card。
〃I like small close…built men；〃 I said。 〃They never seem to be afraid of anything。 e and see me some time。〃
〃I might at that； Jack。 Thanks。 Linda Conquest； huh？ I'll keep my ear flaps off。〃
〃So long；〃 I said。 〃The name？〃
〃They call me Shifty。 I never knew why。〃
〃So long； Shifty。〃
〃So long。 Gat under his armin them clothes？ Not a chance。〃
〃I don't know；〃 I said。 〃He made the motion。 I'm not hired to gunfight with strangers。〃
〃Hell； that shirt he's wearing only got two buttons at the top。 I noticed。 Take him a week to pull a rod from under that。〃 But he sounded faintly worried。
〃I guess he was just bluffing；〃 I agreed。 〃If you hear mention of Linda Conquest； I'll be glad to talk business with you。〃
〃Okay； Jack。〃
I went back along the black driveway。 He stood there scratching his chin。
6
I drove along the block looking for a place to park so that I could run up to the office for a moment before going on downtown。
A chauffeur…driven Packard edged out from the curb in front of a cigar store about thirty feet from the entrance to my building。 I slid into the space； locked the car and stepped out。 It was only then that I noticed the car in front of which I had parked was a familiar…looking sand…colored coupé。 It didn't have to be the same one。 There were thousands of them。 Nobody was in it。 Nobody was near it that wore a cocoa straw hat with a brown and yellow band。
I went around to the street side and looked at the steering post。 No license holder。 I wrote the license plate number down on the back of an envelope； just in case； and went on into my building。 He wasn't in the lobby； or in the corridor upstairs。
I went into the office； looked on the floor for mail； didn't find any； bought myself a short drink out of the office bottle and left。 I didn't have any time to spare to get downtown before three o'clock。
The sand…colored coupé was still parked； still empty。 I got into mine and started up and moved out into the traffic stream。
I was below Sunset on Vine before he picked me up。 I kept on going； grinning； and wondering where he had hid。 Perhaps in the car parked behind his own。 I hadn't thought of that。
I drove south to Third and all the way downtown on Third。 The sand…colored coupé kept half a block behind me all the way。 I moved over to Seventh and Grand； parked near Seventh and Olive； stopped to buy cigarettes I didn't need； and then walked east along Seventh without looking behind me。 At Spring I went into the Hotel Metropole； strolled over to the big horseshoe cigar counter to light one of my cigarettes and then sat down in one of the old brown leather chairs in the lobby。
A blond man in a brown suit； dark glasses and the now familiar hat came into the lobby and moved unobtrusively among the potted palms and the stucco arches to the cigar counter。 He bought a package of cigarettes and broke it open standing there； using the time to lean his back against the counter and give the lobby the benefit of his eagle eye。
He picked up his change and went over and sat down with his back to a pillar。 He tipped his hat down over his dark glasses and seemed to go to sleep with an unlighted cigarette between his lips。
I got up and wandered over and dropped into the chair beside him。 I looked at him sideways。 He didn't move。 Seen at close quarters his face seemed young and pink and plump and the blond beard on his chin was very carelessly shaved。 Behind the dark glasses his eyelashes flicked up and down rapidly。 A hand on his knee tightened and pulled the cloth into wrinkles。 There was a wart on his cheek just below the right eyelid。
I struck a match and held the flame to his cigarette。 〃Light？〃
〃Ohthanks；〃 he said； very surprised。 He drew breath in until the cigarette tip glowed。 I shook the match out； tossed it into the sand jar at my elbow and waited。 He looked at me sideways several times before he spoke。
〃Haven't I seen you somewhere before？〃
〃Over on Dresden Avenue in Pasadena。 This morning。〃
I could see his cheeks get pinker