Part 14 (2/2)
”When I met you,” I said, ”I figured you'd have dogs.”
”I'd rather go to them than have them. What made you think I was a dog person?”
”Well, the shop.”
”The Poodle Factory?”
”Yeah.”
”Well, what choice did I have, Bernie? I couldn't open a cat-grooming salon, for Christ's sake. Cats groom themselves.”
”That's a point.”
I read a little more of the book. Something bothered me. I flipped back to the flyleaf and read the handwritten inscription to H. Rider Haggard. I pictured Kipling at his desk in Surrey, dipping his pen, leaning over the book, inscribing it to his closest friend. I closed the book, turned it over and over in my hands.
”Something wrong?”
I shook my head, set the book aside, dispossessed Archie, stood up. ”I'm like the cats,” I announced, ”and it's time I set about grooming myself. I'm going to take a shower.”
A while later I was sitting in the chair again. I was wearing clean clothes and I'd had a nice close shave with my own razor.
”I could get a paper,” Carolyn offered. ”It's after eleven. The Times Times must be out by now. The first edition.” must be out by now. The first edition.”
We'd just heard the news and there wasn't anything about the Porlock murder. I pointed out that there wouldn't very likely be anything in the paper, either.
”Our ad'll be in, Bern. In the Personals.”
”Where's the nearest newsstand open at this hour?”
”There's one on Greenwich Avenue but they don't get the early Times Times because they close around one or two. There's an all-night stand at the subway entrance at Fourteenth and Eighth.” because they close around one or two. There's an all-night stand at the subway entrance at Fourteenth and Eighth.”
”That's too far.”
”I don't mind a walk.”
”It's still raining and it's too far anyway, and why do we have to look at the ad?”
”To make sure it's there, I suppose.”
”No point. Either somebody'll see it or they won't, and either the phone'll ring or it won't, and all we can do is wait and see what happens.”
”I suppose so.” She sounded wistful. ”It just seems as though there ought to be something active we can do.”
”The night's been active enough for me already.”
”I guess you're right.”
”I feel like a little blissful inactivity, to tell you the truth. I feel like sitting here feeling clean. I feel like having maybe one more drink in a few minutes and then getting ready for bed. I don't even know if people really read Personal ads in the Times, Times, but I'm fairly sure they don't race for the bulldog edition so they can read about missing heirs and volunteers wanted for medical experiments.” but I'm fairly sure they don't race for the bulldog edition so they can read about missing heirs and volunteers wanted for medical experiments.”
”True.”
”I'm afraid so. The phone's not going to ring for a while, Carolyn.”
So of course it picked that minute to ring.
We looked at each other. n.o.body moved and it went on ringing. ”You get it,” she said.
”Why me?”
”Because it's about the ad.”
”It's not about the ad.”
”Of course it's about the ad. What else would it be?”
”Maybe it's a wrong number.”
”Bernie, for G.o.d's sake...”
I got up and answered the phone. I didn't say anything for a second, and then I said, ”h.e.l.lo.”
No answer.
I said h.e.l.lo a few more times, giving the word the same flat reading each time, and I'd have gotten more of a response from Archie. I stared at the receiver for a moment, said ”h.e.l.lo” one final time, then said ”Goodbye” and hung up.
”Interesting conversation,” Carolyn said.
”It's good I answered it. It really made a difference.”
”Someone wanted to find out who placed the ad. Now they've heard your voice and they know it's you.”
”You're reading a lot into a moment of silence.”
”Maybe I should have picked it up after all.”
”And maybe what we just had was a wrong number. Or a telephone pervert. I didn't hear any heavy breathing, but maybe he's new at it.”
She started to say something, then got to her feet, popping up like a toaster. ”I'm gonna have one more drink,” she said. ”How about you?”
”A short one.”
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