Part 43 (2/2)
He sniffed at a gla.s.s, filled it a third full of whiskey, put it down in a gulp.
”So you had to tip the louse off,” he said somberly, looking down into the empty gla.s.s he held.
Francine Ley said: ”Yes. I had to phone him. What happened?”
”You had to phone the louse,” De Ruse said in exactly the same tone. ”You knew d.a.m.n well he was mixed up in it. You'd rather he got loose, even if he cooled me off doing it.”
”You're all right, Johnny?” She asked softly, tiredly.
De Ruse didn't speak, didn't look at her. He put the gla.s.s down slowly and poured some more whiskey into it, added charged water, looked around for some ice. Not finding any he began to sip the drink with his eyes on the white top of the desk.
Francine Ley said: ”There isn't a guy in the world that doesn't rate a start on you, Johnny. It wouldn't do him any good, but he'd have to have it, if I knew him.”
De Ruse said slowly: ”That's swell. Only I'm not quite that good. I'd be a stiff right now except for a comic hotel d.i.c.k that wears a Buntline Special and a bullet-proof vest to work.”
After a little while Francine Ley said: ”Do you want me to blow?”
De Ruse looked at her quickly, looked away again. He put his gla.s.s down and walked away from the desk. Over his shoulder he said: ”Not so long as you keep on telling me the truth.”
He sat down in a deep chair and leaned his elbows on the arms of it, cupped his face in his hands. Francine Ley watched him for a moment, then went over and sat on an arm of the chair. She pulled his head back gently until it was against the back of the chair. She began to stroke his forehead.
De Ruse closed his eyes. His body became loose and relaxed. His voice began to sound sleepy.
”You saved my life over at the Club Egypt maybe. I guess that gave you the right to let handsome have a shot at me.”
Francine Ley stroked his head, without speaking.
”Handsome is dead,” De Ruse went on. ”The peeper shot his face off.”
Francine Ley's hand stopped. In a moment it began again, stroking his head.
”The Candless frau was in on it. Seems she's a hot number. She wanted Hugo's dough, and she wanted all the men in the world except Hugo. Thank heaven she didn't get b.u.mped. She talked plenty. So did Zapparty.”
”Yes, honey,” Francine Ley said quietly.
De Ruse yawned. ”Candless is dead. He was dead before we started. They never wanted him anything else but dead. Parisi didn't care one way or the other, as long as he got paid.”
Francine Ley said: ”Yes, honey.”
”Tell you the rest in the morning,” De Ruse said thickly. ”I guess Nicky and I are all square with the law... Let's go to Reno, get married... I'm sick of this tomcat life... Get me 'nother drink, baby.”
Francine Ley didn't move except to draw her fingers softly and soothingly across his forehead and back over his temples. De Ruse moved lower in the chair. His head rolled to one side.
”Yes, honey.”
”Don't call me honey,” De Ruse said thickly. ”Just call me pigeon.”
When he was quite asleep she got off the arm of the chair and went and sat down near him. She sat very still and watched him, her face cupped in her long delicate hands with the cherry-colored nails.
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler was born in 1888 and published his first story in 1933 in the pulp magazine Black Mask Black Mask. By the time he published his first novel, The Big Sleep The Big Sleep (1939), featuring, as did all his major works, the iconic private eye Philip Marlowe, it was clear that he had not only mastered a genre but had set a standard to which others could only aspire. Chandler created a body of work that ranks with the best of twentieth-century literature. He died in 1959. (1939), featuring, as did all his major works, the iconic private eye Philip Marlowe, it was clear that he had not only mastered a genre but had set a standard to which others could only aspire. Chandler created a body of work that ranks with the best of twentieth-century literature. He died in 1959.
OTHER BOOKS BY.
RAYMOND CHANDLER.
AVAILABLE AS VINTAGE eBOOKS .
The Big Sleep
The High Window
Farewell, My Lovely
The Lady in the Lake
The Little Sister
Trouble Is My Business
The Long Goodbye
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