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〃Haven't I seen you somewhere before？〃
〃Over on Dresden Avenue in Pasadena。 This morning。〃
I could see his cheeks get pinker than they had been。 He sighed。
〃I must be lousy；〃 he said。
〃Boy； you stink；〃 I agreed。
〃Maybe it's the hat；〃 he said。
〃The hat helps；〃 I said。 〃But you don't really need it。〃
〃It's a pretty tough dollar in this town；〃 he said sadly。 〃You can't do it on foot； you ruin yourself with taxi fares if you use taxis； and if you use your own car； it's always where you can't get to it fast enough。 You have to stay too close。〃
〃But you don't have to climb in a guy's pocket；〃 I said。 〃Did you want something with me or are you just practising？〃
〃I figured I'd find out if you were smart enough to be worth talking to。〃
〃I'm very smart；〃 I said。 〃It would be a shame not to talk to me。〃
He looked carefully around back of his chair and on both sides of where we were sitting and then drew a small； pigskin wallet out。 He handed me a nice fresh card from it。 It read： George Anson Phillips。 Confidential Investigations。 212 Senger Building； 1924 North Wilcox Avenue； Hollywood。 A Glenview telephone number。 In the upper left hand corner there was an open eye with an eyebrow arched in surprise and very long eyelashes。
〃You can't do that；〃 I said； pointing to the eye。 〃That's the Pinkerton's。 You'll be stealing their business。〃
〃Oh hell；〃 he said； 〃what little I get wouldn't bother them。〃 I snapped the card on my fingernail and bit down hard on my teeth and slipped the card into my pocket。
〃You want one of mineor have you pleted your file on me？〃
〃Oh； I know all about you；〃 he said。 〃I was a deputy at Ventura the time you were working on the Gregson case。〃
Gregson was a con man from Oklahoma City who was followed all over the United States for two years by one of his victims until he got so jittery that he shot up a service station attendant who mistook him for an acquaintance。 It seemed a long time ago to me。
I said： 〃Go on from there。〃
〃I remembered your name when I saw it on your registration this a。m。 So when I lost you on the way into town I just looked you up。 I was going to e in and talk； but it would have been a violation of confidence。 This way I kind of can't help myself。〃
Another screwball。 That made three in one day； not counting Mrs。 Murdock； who might turn out to be a screwball too。
I waited while he took his dark glasses off and polished them and put them on again and gave the neighborhood the once over again。 Then he said：
〃I figured we could maybe make a deal。 Pool our resources； as they say。 I saw the guy go into your office； so I figured he had hired you。〃
〃You knew who he was？〃
〃I'm working on him；〃 he said； and his voice sounded flat and discouraged。 〃And where I am getting is no place at all。〃
〃What did he do to you？〃
〃Well； I'm working for his wife。〃
〃Divorce？〃
He looked all around him carefully and said in a small voice： 〃So she says。 But I wonder。〃
〃They both want one；〃 I said。 〃Each trying to get something on the other。 ical； isn't it？〃
〃My end I don't like so well。 A guy is tailing me around some of the time。 A very tall guy with a funny eye。 I shake him but after a while I see him again。 A very tall guy。 Like a lamppost。〃
A very tall man with a funny eye。 I smoked thoughtfully。 〃Anything to do with you？〃 the blond man asked me a little anxiously。
I shook my head and threw my cigarette into the sand jar。 〃Never saw him that I know of。〃 I looked at my strap watch。 〃We better get together and talk this thing over properly； but I can't do it now。 I have an appointment。〃
〃I'd like to；〃 he said。 〃Very much。〃
〃Let's then。 My office； my apartment； or your office； or where？〃
He scratched his badly shaved chin with a well…chewed thumbnail。
〃My apartment；〃 he said at last。 〃It's not in the phone book。 Give me that card a minute。〃
He turned it over on his palm when I gave it to him and wrote slowly with a small metal pencil； moving his tongue along his lips。 He was getting younger every minute。 He didn't seem much more than twenty by now； but he had to be； because the Gregson case had been six years back。
He put his pencil away and handed me back the card。 The address he had written on it was 204 Florence Apartments； 128 Court Street。
I looked at him curiously。 〃Court Street on Bunker Hill？〃
He nodded； flushing all over his blond skin。 〃Not too good；〃 he said quickly。 〃I haven't been in the chips lately。 Do you mind？〃
〃No； why would I？〃
I stood up and held a hand out。 He shook it and dropped it and I pushed it down into my hip pocket and rubbed the palm against the handkerchief I had there。 Looking at his face more closely I saw that there was a line of moisture across his upper lip and more of it along the side of his nose。 It was not as hot as all that。
I started to move off and then I turned back to lean down close to his face and say： 〃Almost anybody can pull my leg； but just to make sure； she's a tall blond with careless eyes； huh？〃
〃I wouldn't call them careless；〃 he said。
I held my face together while I said： 〃And just between the two of us this divorce stuff is a lot of hooey。 It's something else entirely； isn't it？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said softly； 〃and something I don't like more every minute I think about it。 Here。〃
He pulled something out of his pocket and dropped it into my hand。 It was a flat key。
〃No need for you to wait around in the hall； if I happen to be out。 I have two of them。 What time would you think you would e？〃
〃About four…thirty； the way it looks now。 You sure you want to give me this key？〃
〃Why； we're in the same racket；〃 he said； looking up at me innocently； or as innocently as he could look through a pair of dark glasses。
At the edge of the lobby I looked back。 He sat there peacefully； with the half…smoked cigarette dead between his lips and the gaudy brown and yellow band on his hat looking as quiet as a cigarette ad on the back page of the Saturday Evening Post。
We were in the same racket。 So I wouldn't chisel him。 Just like that。 I could have the key to his apartment and go in and make myself at home。 I could wear his slippers and drink his liquor and lift up his carpet and count the thousand dollar bills under it。 We were in the same racket。
7
The Belfont Building was eight stories of nothing in particular that had got itself pinched off between a large green and chromium cut rate suit emporium and a three…story and basement garage that made a noise like lion cages at feeding time。 The small dark narrow lobby was as dirty as a chicken yard。 The building directory had a lot of vacant space on it。 Only one of the names meant anything to me and I knew that one already。 Opposite the directory a large sign tilted against the fake marble wall said： Space for Renting Suitable for Cigar Stand。 Apply Room 316。
There were two open…grill elevators but only one seemed to be running and that not busy。 An old man sat inside it slack…jawed and watery…eyed on a piece of folded burlap on top of a wooden stool。 He looked as if he had been sitting there since the Civil War and had e out of that badly。
I got in with him and said eight； and he wrestled the doors shut and cranked his buggy and we dragged upwards lurching。 The old man breathed hard； as if he was carrying the elevator on his back。
I got out at my floor and started along the hallway and behind me the old man leaned out of the car and blew his nose with his fingers into a carton full of floor sweepings。
Elisha Morningstar's office was at the back； opposite the firedoor。 Two rooms； both lettered in flaked black paint on pebbled glass。 Elisha Morningstar。 Numismatist。 The one farthest back said： Entrance。
I turned the knob and went into a small narrow room with two windows； a shabby little typewriter desk； closed； a number of wall cases of tarnished coins in tilted slots with yellowed typewritten labels under them； two brown filing cases at the back against the wall； no curtains at the windows； and a dust gray floor carpet so threadbare that you wouldn't notice the rips in it unless you tripped over one。
An inner wooden door was open at the back across from the filing cases； behind the little typewriter desk。 Through the door came the small sounds a man makes when he isn't doing anything at all。 Then the dry voice of Elisha Morningstar called out：
〃e in； please。 e in。〃
I went along and in。 The inner office was just as small but had a lot more stuff in it。 A green safe almost blocked off the front half。 Beyond this a heavy old mahogany table against the entrance door held some dark books； some flabby old magazines； and a lot of dust。 In the back wall a window was open a few inches； without effect on the musty smell。 There was a hatrack with a greasy black felt hat on it。 There were three long…legged tables with glass tops and more coins under the glass tops。 There was a heavy dark leather…topped desk midway of the room。 It had the usual desk stuff on it； and in addition a pair of jeweller's scales under a glass dome and two large nickel…framed magnifying glasses and a jeweller's eyepiece lying on a buff scratch