Fast Buck

‘I shouldn’t have gone off like that without saying goodbye,’ he said uneasily. ‘I’ve had you on my mind. I’ve stil got that money. I’d like to lend it to you.’

She sat for a long moment looking at him. She saw his embarrassed uneasiness, and she felt sorry for him. Suddenly she smiled. She looked pretty when she smiled, and Baird found himself smiling stiffly back at her. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had smiled at him. He felt as if he had been given a costly and unexpected present.

‘Why do you want to lend it to me?’ she asked.

‘Because you’re such a damned mug you won’t take it as a gift,’ he said, sitting forward. ‘I owe you plenty, and it gives me the belly-ache to know you’re short of dough when I could help you.’

‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I appreciate that, but I can’t take money from you. I guess I am a mug, but that’s the way it is. I don’t suppose you’l understand, but I must stand on my own feet. I can’t see you borrowing money if you were in a jam. You would want to be independent. Well, I guess I’m like that, too.’

He studied her.

‘But if a guy owes me something, I’d expect to be paid,’ he said. ‘And I owe you plenty.’

‘Can’t you forget that? It just happened you were lucky to come here. I would have done the same for anyone else. I always side with the one against many. It’s the way I’m made.’

He didn’t like that. He had hoped that she had helped him because of himself, not because of some cock-eyed kink about helping one against many. His expression changed, and his eyes became hostile.

‘You can’t expect me to keep on begging you to take the dough,’ he said roughly. ‘If that’s the way you feel about it…’

‘I’m sorry,’ she said quickly. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you. I do appreciate…’

‘Ah, the hel with it!’ he said in disgust, and got to his feet. What had promised to be a pleasant and unusual evening was turning sour. He stood staring at her, then blurted out, ‘I don’t mean a thing to you, do I?’

He could read the answer in her surprised expression. The idea of caring for him had never entered her head.

‘Why…’ she began, and stopped.

‘Skip it,’ he said. ‘I’m get ing soft in the head. The trouble with me is I’m not used to dealing with a girl like you. The women I mix with would take the gold out of my teeth if I give them the chance.

You’re different. I was beginning to get ideas about you. You’re the first woman I’ve ever met who hasn’t been scared of me. Even my old lady was scared of me when I was a kid.’

‘She wasn’t afraid for herself,’ Anita said, looking straight at him. ‘She was afraid for you.’

Baird frowned. He had never thought of it in that way.

‘Maybe you’re right,’ he said uneasily. ‘She was the worrying kind.’

She drew her coat closer about her and moved her bare feet on the threadbare mat.

Watching her, Baird felt a sudden pang of desire shoot through him. He would have given a lot for her to have made a sign of encouragement, but she didn’t. She didn’t seem to realise he could reach out and grab her, and she wouldn’t have the strength to protect herself against him. He felt a sick disgust with himself for even thinking of this.

‘I guess I’l go,’ he said thickly. ‘Want to change your mind about that dough?’

She looked up and saw at once what was going on in his mind. Even then she showed no fear. She stood up and put her hand on his arm.

‘I can’t take it. Thanks for the offer. I’m sorry I’m not like your other women friends, if that’s what you want.’

He smiled crookedly and pulled her to him.

‘You’re okay as yourself.’

Her hands on his chest stopped him from kissing her. She didn’t push at him, but the pressure was firm, as if her hands were asking him not to do it.

He released her and stepped away.

‘I guess I’m get ing soft,’ he said. ‘Wel , so long. I guess we won’t see each other again, but if you’re ever in a jam you’l find me at 223 Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street. It’s not more than five minutes walk from here. Up on the top floor. Any time you’re in trouble and want help, come and see me.’ He opened the door, turned to look hard at her. ‘I owe you plenty. Don’t forget the address. You never know. You might need me one of these days.’

He went downstairs quickly, cutting off her reply. Toni and his companion still sat on the steps. They made way hurriedly as Baird came through the lobby.

He ran down the steps, and walked quickly along the sidewalk to his car.

***

Jack Burns, who had been lolling against a lamp standard, reading a newspaper, watched him drive away. Then he headed for a nearby drug store. He got Harmon Purvis on the phone after a delay.

‘Burns reporting,’ he said, pushing back his hat and speaking rapidly. ‘Baird left Roxburgh House at eleven-five. Rico didn’t come out with him. Baird’s been cal ing on a girl who has a room on the top floor of an apartment house on Twenty-fifth Street. He stayed about a quarter of an hour. It’s my bet he holed up with this girl when the cops were hunting for him.’

‘Who is she?’ Purvis asked.