Part 39 (2/2)
Daniel looked at him ”I didn't know that people were so interested in me What other talk did you hear?”
Sandy was es”
”Give ot the drink, he took the two glasses in his hand ”C'mon, Sandy, let's sit down”
The steelworker followed him to a booth and sat down opposite hilass of whiskey toward him ”Cheers” They drank ”We've been friends, Sandy,” he said ”You can tellabout”
Sandy stared into his glass, then looked up at hi”
Daniel was silent
Sandy took another sip of his drink ”They said you were against the strike an' that you were very cozy with someone in the Girdler fa you in headquarters”
Daniel nodded toward the men at the bar ”What do they think?”
Sandy's voice was conteers They don't kno to think They beheve what they're told”
''And they're told that I'm not to be trusted?”
It was Sandy's turn to be silent, Daniel gestured for refills When the drinks came, he sed another shot ''How does it look from the line?” he asked ”Theat about forty percent A lot of men were afraid to come out after Girdler said that no striker would ever be rehired” He took a sip frolass ”How does it look from headquarters?”
”I spoke to Murray today,” Daniel answered ”He feels it's beginning to swing our way He's counting on the demonstrations across the country on Me public pressure on the steel co scheduled for that day All of us out of the Republic mill will be there We expect a turnout of maybe three hundred people over at Sa hall we used before?”
Sandy nodded and lifted his glass ”I'd feel better if you were back here with us”
”So would I,” Daniel said
”This guy Davis they sent down to replace you He's a bookkeeper type Collegea shovel in his life” Sandy finished his drink ”I know he's supposed to be good He says all the right things But I have the feeling that they're all things he learned in school soht send you back?”
Daniel got to his feet ”I don't know,” he said heavily ”I really don't knohat they're going to do” He held out his hand ”Good luck”
”Good luck to you too,” Sandy said
Daniel crossed the street in the rain to his car and opened the door Threeand came toward hihten
They stopped a few feet fro Dan?”
''Yes,” he said
”Don't come back here,” one of them said ”We don't like finks or stoolies”
”I',” Daniel said ”And ive a shi+t,” thespy who sold us out for a piece of Girdler pussy We don't need pricks like you around”
They began to un froht there,” he said quietly ”Unless you'd like to get your balls blown off”
The o back across the street to the other side,” he said ”And don't do anything you ht be sorry for”
He watched the men cross the street, and as they went up onto the sidewalk, he got into the car and started the engine
They turned as they heard the motor and ran out into the street after hi ”Fink! cuntlapper!” Then he turned the comer and he could hear no more
The steel ht picket line was only a few ates were the uniforuards, smart and dry in their rainproof slickers He counted at least twenty guards to the four men on the picket line He turned at the next coo
He was about to insert the key in his apart open even before he touched it He pushed it the rest of the way open and stepped inside, his gun again in his hand
Chris's voice came from the kitchen ”Where the, hell have you been, Daniel? I've been trying to keep this dinner warm for you for almost three hours”
naked ”You don't have a robe, and I didn't bring one with ht He had never owned a bathrobe, nor a pair of paja, it was his BVD's 'Take one of my shi+rts”
The shi+rt fell to her knees ''I feel ridiculous”
”Better than catching cold” He poured another drink''Want one?”
She shook her head and waited until he sed the whiskey ”What is it, Daniel? I've never seen you like this”
”It's like I suddenly became the invisible man,” he said
”Is it the new job?” she asked
He stared at her ”You know about it?”
”Yes, of course”
”How did you find out about it?”
”The sa From the confidential files in s like that?”
”They keep a record on everything and everybody,” she said
”He knows about us?”