按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
A scattering of women held down the barstools； deliberately spaced out to give the stags room to operate； knowing they were the objects of attention and the possible prizes。 The one on the end was nearly obscured by the cluster of trim young men jockeying for position； but for some reason the back of her head and the way her hair tumbled around her shoulders was strangely familiar to me。 She swung around to say something and laugh at the one behind her who was holding out a lighter to fire up her cigarette when her eyes reached out between the covey of shoulders and touched mine。
And Heidi Anders smiled and I smiled back。
The two young men turned and they didn't smile because they were Woody Ballinger's two boys； Carl and Sammy； and for one brief instant there was something in their faces that didn't belong in that atmosphere of joviality and the little move they instinctively made that shielded them behind the others in back of them was involuntary enough to stretch a tight…lipped grin across my face that told them I could know。
Could。
From away back out of the years I got that feeling across my shoulders and up my spine that said things were starting to smell right and if you kept pushing the walls would go down and you could charge in and take them all apart until there was nothing left but the dirt they were made of。
So I made a little wave with my forefinger and Heidi Anders said something to her entourage； put her glass down on the bar and came to me through the path they opened for her and when she reached me said； 〃Thank you； Mike。〃
〃For what？〃
〃Yelling at me。 I looked in the mirror。 It's worse than the camera。 It tells you the truth without benefit of soft lighting； makeup men and development techniques。〃
〃Sugar；〃 I asked her； 〃when did you last pop one？〃
〃You were there。〃
〃And it was cold turkey all the way？ Kid； you sure don't look like you're in withdrawal。〃
A flash of annoyance tugged at her eyes and that beautiful mouth tightened slightly。 〃I had help； big man。 I went for it right after you left。 Dr。 Vance Alien。 You've heard of him？〃
I nodded and studied her。 Vance Alien wasn't new to me。 He was a longtimer in the field of narcotic rehabilitation。 Some of his measures were extreme and some not yet accepted into general practice； but his results had been extremely significant。
〃Hurt any？〃
〃At first。 You're looking at an experiment with a new medication。 In a way I'm lucky。 I wasn't hooked as badly as you thought。〃
〃Who put you on it？〃
〃That's one of those things I'd rather not talk about。 In time it will be taken care of。 Meanwhile； I'm working at being unhooked。〃
I shook my head and looked past her。 〃Not yet。 Right now you're nibbling at another line。〃
Heidi tilted her face and squinted at me； not understanding。
〃That pair you're with are a couple of hoods。〃
〃Oh 。 。 。 don't be silly。〃 She gave me a disgusted grimace。 〃They work for Mr。 Ballinger and Mr。 Ballinger 。。。〃
〃。。。 is a legitimate businessman；〃 I finished for her。 〃One day try old issues of the newspapers 。 。 。 about July； four years ago； or check into your nearest friendly precinct station。 The desk sergeant will fill you in on his background。〃
〃I don't believe 。 。。〃
〃You got any reason not to believe me？〃
〃No。〃 But her voice was hesitant。
〃Somebody tried to kill me last night。〃 I looked past her to the bar again and she almost turned to follow my gaze。
〃But 。 。。〃
〃When you go back there；〃 I said； 〃tell your friends that I'll be looking them up。 Right after I see their boss。 We have a little business to discuss too。〃
Some of the color drained out of her face and she gave an annoyed toss of her head； her lower lip pinched between her teeth。 〃Damn！ You men。。。〃
〃Just tell them； Heidi。〃
〃I don't know why。。。〃
〃Tell them。 And have the message passed on to Larry Beers too。〃
I winked at her and left her standing there a moment watching me before she walked back； that wild hip…swaying walk reflecting her annoyance。 Carl and Sammy weren't going to be too happy with the news。 They'd been too used to doing the chasing and calling the shots when and where they wanted them。
The maitre d' and headwaiter had seen Woody Ballinger earlier； but he had left about an hour ago。 His office secretary had called a little while back looking for him； so he wouldn't be there。 I just told them that they could tell Woody Mike Hammer was looking for him on a 〃business matter〃 and if he didn't find me I'd find him。 Let Woody sweat a little too。
Between three and four in the afternoon the New York cabbies change shifts。 It's bad enough on a nice day trying to fight the women shoppers and the early muters for one； but in the rain； forget it。 You could stand in the street and get splashed by their wheels or try walking； but either way you'd get soaked。 For once the weathermen had been right and they were predicting three more days of the same。 Intermittent heavy rain； occasional clearing； windy and cool。 It was a hell of a time to be on the streets。
A girl walked by the store entranceway I was nestled in； head lowered into the slanted rain； her plastic coat plastered to her body； outlining her scissoring thighs as she doggedly made her way to the corner to make a green light。 At least she reminded me of something。 I went inside the store； bought a pack of cigarettes； walked back to the phone booth； put a dime in the slot and dialed a number。
The secretary told me to hold； checked me out； then put Renie Talmage on the line。 She chuckled once and said； 〃Hello； teaser。〃
〃But fun； kid。〃
〃Too frustrating； but yes。。。fun。 At least different。 Where are you？〃
〃A couple blocks away and soaking wet。〃
〃There's a nice little bar downstairs in the building where you can dry out while we have a drink。〃
〃Fine；〃 I told her。 〃Five minutes。〃
It was closer to fifteen and she was part of the way through a cocktail； totally engrossed with the bartender in a discussion about the latest slump in the stock market； When I got there。 I tossed my soggy trench coat and hat on the back of a chair and climbed on the barstool next to her。 〃Must be great to be intelligent。 Bring me a beer；〃 I told the bartender。
She stopped in the middle of Dow…Jones averages and tilted her head at me。 〃And I thought you had class。 A beer。 How plebian。〃
〃So I'm a slob。〃 I took the top off the beer and put the glass down with a satisfied burp。 〃Good stuff； that。 You have to raise your hand to get out of class？〃
〃Recess time。〃 She laughed and sipped her cocktail。 〃Actually； the day is done。 William is socializing with the wheels of the world and I'm left to my own devices for the time being。〃
〃You got nice devices； kid；〃 I said。 The dress she had on wasn't exactly office apparel。 The vee…neckline plunged down beside the naked swell of her breasts to disappear behind a four…inch…wide leather belt。 〃Don't you have anything on under that？〃 I asked her。
〃We women are exercising our newfound freedom。 Haven't you heard about the brassiere…burning demonstrations？〃
〃Yeah。 I heard。 Only I didn't figure on being this