Part 45 (1/2)

He paid the check and walked out into the lobby. He looked at his watch. It was half past one. Maybe Rock wasn't busy and could take him a little early.

He walked into the barber shop. Rock was there. The porter took his coat and he walked toward Rocco's chair.

Rock smiled at him. ”You're early.”

Johnny nodded. ”I took a chance you wouldn't be busy.” He sat down in the chair. ”I've only time for a shave.”

Rock tilted the chair back and began to lather his face. ”How've you been, Johnny?” he asked.

”All right,” Johnny answered.

”Janey said you had a whopper of a cold.”

”I got over it,” Johnny answered shortly.

They were silent while Rocco worked. When he had finished, Johnny got out of his chair and began to knot his tie in front of the mirror.

Rocco watched him silently. ”You look tired,” he said.

”I've been pretty busy, Rock,” he answered, turning to face him. ”You look good, though.”

Rock smiled. ”Why shouldn't I? I got everything I want.”

Johnny looked at him for a moment. ”Yeanh,” he said with a slight touch of envy in his voice. ”I guess you have.” He turned back to the mirror to finish knotting the tie. ”I wish I could say the same.”

A look of sympathy flashed across Rocco's face for a moment and then was gone. ”Guess who came in here today?” he asked, trying to change the subject.

Johnny patted the tie. At last he had it right. ”Who?” he asked casually.

Rock smiled at him. ”Bill Borden. Boy, was he surprised to see me!”

Johnny grinned at him. ”I'll bet he was. What did he have to say?”

”Not much,” Rocco answered, ”but he looked good, though. He said they were planning to enlarge their theater chain.”

For a second Johnny's mouth hung open and he stared at Rock. Then suddenly he began to smile. What a fool he was to have forgotten! Last year Borden had wanted to buy their theaters, but Peter had refused to sell them. That was the way out. He threw his arms about Rocco's shoulders and hugged him. ”Rock,” he said happily, ”you're the best d.a.m.n barber in the world and I love you!”

He ran to the door and took his hat and coat and hurried out without paying his check.

The manager came over to Rock. ”What's the matter with that guy?” he asked, nodding his head after Johnny. ”Is he crazy?”

Rock grinned at him. ”Crazy like a fox,” he said affectionately.

”He certainly is,” called out the cas.h.i.+er, who had heard Rock's reply. ”He just stuck you for the check!”

Rocco shook his head as he walked toward her to pay it. Johnny hadn't changed a bit. You never knew what he would do next.

He came into the office, his face flushed and excited. ”Get me Bill Borden,” he told Janey, and went into his office without taking off his hat and coat.

A few seconds later the phone rang and he picked it up. ”h.e.l.lo, Bill?” he asked.

”Yes, Johnny,” came Borden's familiar voice. ”How are you?”

”Okay,” said Johnny. ”I just called to ask if you're still interested in our theaters?”

”Sure,” replied Borden promptly. ”Why? Did Peter change his mind?”

”No,” Johnny answered, ”Peter didn't, but I was thinking he might.”

”What do you mean?” Borden asked.

”Well, I'm going out there and I was thinking I could get him to change his mind,” Johnny answered.

”Do you think you could?” Borden asked curiously. He wanted those theaters, but he knew how stubborn Peter could be.

”I think I could,” Johnny said. He hesitated a moment. ”Especially if I could wave your check under his nose.”

Borden cleared his throat. ”It's most irregular,” he said. ”Giving you a check for six million dollars and not knowing whether it will be accepted or not. If the stockholders heard about it, they wouldn't like it. I got them to consider too. I just can't do anything I want to.”

”n.o.body will have to know about it,” Johnny said persuasively. ”If Peter says no, I'll return it and n.o.body'll be any the wiser. If he says yes, which I think he might, then you'll be a hero to them.” He stopped for a moment. ”Don't forget those theaters are worth almost eight million bucks the way things are today,” he added.

Borden's mind was made up. Johnny was right. If Peter accepted his offer, the Borden Theaters Company would be the biggest theater chain in the world. ”What time are you leaving?” he asked.

”Not later than five o'clock,” Johnny answered quickly.

”I'll have the check in my office,” Borden told him. ”Will you arrange to pick it up?”

”I'll pick it up myself,” Johnny replied.

He hung up the phone and walked out into Jane's office. He still had his hat and coat on. ”Get me through tickets to the coast on any train from five o'clock on,” he told her, ”I want to get out today.” He walked back into his office and closed the door.

She was still looking at the closed door in surprise when her phone rang. She picked it up. ”Mr. Edge's office.”

It was Rock. ”What's the matter with your boss, baby?” he asked. ”He beat it outta here without payin' my check?”

”I don't know,” she answered bewilderedly. ”He just came out and told me to get tickets to the coast for him right away.”

Just then Johnny's light flashed on. ”Hold on a minute,” she said to Rock, ”he's buzzing for me.” She pressed down the switch that disconnected Rock and brought Johnny on. ”Yes, Johnny?” she asked.

”Call Chris at my apartment and tell him to pack a bag for me right away and bring it down here.”

”All right,” she answered. ”Is there anything else?”

”No,” he said, and the hung up the phone. He leaned back in his chair and lighted a cigarette. It was Friday afternoon. If he could get the five o'clock train out of here today, he would be in Chicago about four in the morning. That would put him in Los Angeles about eleven o'clock Sunday night.