Part 39 (1/2)

”Don't gimme that,” Irving laughed. ”But I promise to forget you're keeping it a secret if you'll gimme a knockdown to the missus when she comes back to town. I seen some pitchers of her from the studio and she's a beauty.”

Johnny felt pleased at the flattery. ”I'll do that,” he promised.

”I'll hold you to that, Johnny,” Bannon laughed. ”Now I can wish you luck, and may all your troubles be little ones.”

Johnny winced at the old wheeze. ”Thanks, Irv,” he said. ”I'll tell my wife you called. She'll be pleased. I told her a lot about you.”

”Wait'll she hears what I got to tell her about you,” Irving laughed. ”Good-by, Johnny, and the very best to you both again.”

”Thanks, Irv. Good-by.” Johnny hung up the phone, smiling. He guessed there must be a great deal of curiosity about Dulcie around the office. When she got back and they settled down, he would have to give a party and have her meet the gang.

He picked up the phone again. ”Get me George Pappas,” he told Janey.

He waited. George's voice came on the phone. ”Hallo, Johnny.” It sounded pleased. ”Congratulations.”

”Thanks, George,” he said.

”When I read in the papers you were married, my brother Nick and me we said: 'Just like Johnny to get married where his friends can't make excitement for him,' so instead we decide to wait till you come back. How it happen?”

Johnny laughed. ”Don't ask me, George,” he replied. ”I still can hardly believe it myself. I'm just a lucky guy, I guess.”

”You sure lucky,” George agreed. ”Your wife, she's one beautiful woomans.”

A thrill of pleasure ran through Johnny. Everybody said that. He felt proud of the fact that he had been able to win a woman whom everybody admired. ”Thanks again, George,” he said, changing the subject. ”I spoke to Peter and I've got news for you.”

George chuckled. He was still thinking about Johnny's sudden marriage. What a pretty girl! She must be nice, too, or Johnny wouldn't have married her. ”What news?” he asked absently.

”Peter doesn't want to sell the theaters,” Johnny answered.

George was silent for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was businesslike. ”Then what he want to do, Johnny?” he asked.

”He would like you to continue the joint operation of the theaters.”

”And if not?” George asked.

”Then he wants to buy your share if the price can be arranged,” Johnny said.

George thought about what Johnny meant by ”if the price can be arranged.” Did he mean the price they had paid? That would be foolish. It wouldn't only be foolish, it would be bad business. The theaters were worth more now than when they had bought them. Peter must know that. ”The price can be arranged,” he said cautiously, ”based on the present market values, of course.”

”You know they're inflated,” Johnny said.

”Sure,” George agreed readily. ”But that's what they're worth today.”

Johnny laughed suddenly. ”Look, George, we're old friends, so we can stop kidding each other and talk honestly. We got a million and a half that we can afford to sh.e.l.l out for your share of stock in those theaters. We'll pay all the legal expenses in connection with the transfer, and that will leave you a half million to the good.”

George hesitated. The offer was fair enough based on what he had invested, but the properties were worth much more than that right now. Besides, he needed more than that to embark on the theater-building program he contemplated. He had some ideas that would cut the present costs of building theaters almost in half. ”Make it a million and three quarters and it's a deal,” he said.

”Done,” replied Johnny promptly. ”I'll have the lawyers go to work on it immediately.” He felt good. Peter would be pleased that he had been able to save that two hundred and fifty thousand. It was more than he expected.

George was satisfied too. Actually he felt he had got more than the theaters were worth and enough to provide him with a safe margin for his future plans.

They agreed to meet for lunch on the next day and discuss it further; then they hung up.

Johnny pressed the buzzer on his desk, and Jane came in. ”Where's Rock?” he asked.

She looked at him puzzled. ”I don't know,” she answered. She started for the door. ”I'll call Bannon,” she said. ”Maybe he stopped in there after parking the car.”

Johnny was bewildered. ”Parking the car?” he asked. ”What car?”

Jane turned and looked at him. She had a sudden premonition that something was wrong. Maybe it was the look on Johnny's face. She didn't know. ”Your car. After he dropped you off,” she said, her heart pounding inside her.

”My car?” Johnny's voice was incredulous. ”I came down by cab.”

She could feel the color running out of her face. ”Didn't he bring you down?” she asked, her voice trembling.

”No,” Johnny answered. ”He wasn't home when I got there last night. I haven't seen him since my wedding day, when he left for New York.”

”Left for New York?” Jane's voice was suddenly weak. Suddenly she knew what had happened. Rocco had quit, just as he said he would. The tears began to come to her eyes. ”He hasn't come in here.” She seemed to stagger slightly.

Johnny sprang from his chair and caught her. Her body was shaking. ”Wait a minute,” he said, suddenly realizing that there was a strong emotion affecting her. ”What's going on here?”

She hid her face on his shoulder. ”Don't you know?” she asked without looking up.

He stood there dumbfounded for a moment; then he looked down at her. ”You and Rocco?” His voice was filled with surprise.

She nodded her head.

”Well, I'll be-” he breathed half to himself, not finis.h.i.+ng his sentence. What a fool he was! If he had half an eye he would have noticed. Here he was thinking of himself while it had meant a great deal more to her. He looked down again. There was a new sympathy in his voice. ”Maybe he decided to take himself a vacation,” he suggested hesitantly. ”He hasn't seemed to-” He stopped abruptly. He had been about to say that Rock hadn't been too well lately, but that would only make matters worse. Now he didn't know what to say.

She seemed to gain control over herself. She stepped back. Automatically her hand went to her hair. ”I must look a fright,” she said.

In spite of himself Johnny smiled. Trust a woman to worry about her looks at a time like this. He walked over to his desk and took out a bottle and two gla.s.ses. ”What you need is a drink,” he said.

He filled her gla.s.s and handed it to her, then filled his own. ”L'chaim,” he said, remembering Peter's drinking toast. It meant ”good luck.” She would need it.

She swallowed the drink, and the color began to flow back into her face. ”That's better,” she said.

”All right now?” he asked anxiously.

She nodded her head. She even managed a tight little smile. ”I'm okay.”

He smiled back at her. ”We're probably worrying over nothing,” he told her more confidently than he felt. ”Rock probably decided to take himself a vacation like I said, and since he didn't expect me back so soon he didn't show up.”

She looked at him for a moment, not answering. She began to feel a little sorry for him. He just didn't understand what had happened. But it wasn't up to her to tell him; he would have to find out in his own way. The phone rang in her office. ”The phone,” she said quickly, and left, closing the door behind her.