Tiger By The Tail

Ken felt his heart turn a somersault, and for one ghastly moment he had to fight against a mad impulse to turn around and bolt back indoors. But he kept hold of himself with an effort, and stared at the car, his heart thudding.

Parker, red-faced and cheerful, waved to him from the car.

"Hello, sport," he said. "Thought I'd pick you up. One good turn deserves another. Come on - hop in."

Ken opened the gate and crossed the sidewalk to the car, aware that his knees felt weak and the muscles in his legs were fluttering. He opened the car door and got in.

"Thanks," he muttered. "I didn't know you were driving up this morning."

"I didn't know myself until I got home," Parker said gloomily. He took out his cigarette-case and offered it to Ken. "My ma-in-law's coming to spend a few days with us. Why the old cow can't take a taxi instead of expecting me to meet her beats me. It's not as if she's hard up, although the way she acts you'd think she was on relief. I told Maisie not to invite her, but she never does what I want."

Ken took the cigarette and accepted a light from Parker.

"Hello," Parker said, lifting his eyebrows, "so the lawn didn't get cut after ai I

Ken had forgotten about the lawn.

"No; it was too hot," he said hurriedly.

Parker engaged gear and pulled away from the kerb.

"I thought you'd have better sense than to waste your time cutting a lawn." He gave Ken a dig in the ribs with his elbow. "How did you get on, you dirty dog?"

"I got on very well," Ken said, trying to sound casual. "I spent the evening weeding and went to bed early."

Parker gave a hoot of laughter.

"Tell that to your grandma," he said with a leer. "Have you seen your face this morning? Boy! Do you look washed out! Did you visit my little friend?"

"What little friend?" Ken asked, staring fixedly through the windshield at the line of traffic ahead.

"Come on, Holland, don't be cagey with me. You know you can trust me to keep my mouth shut. How did you like her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ken said curtly.

"Well damn it! I gave you her telephone number. You called her, didn't you?"

"I've told you already; I stayed at home last night and weeded the rose bed."

Parker lifted his eyebrows.

"Well, okay, if that's your story, I guess you're stuck with it, but you don't kid me. But since I gave you the introduction you might at least admit she's a damn fine girl."

"I wish you'd shut up!" Ken snapped. "I stayed home last night. Can't you get that bit of information into your thick skull and stop all this nonsense?"

"I was only pulling your leg," Parker said, a little startled by the anger in Ken's voice. "I was doing you a good turn. If you're such a mug not to take advantage of my introduction, that's your funeral. Fay's sensational. When Hemingway put me on to her, he saved my life. I admit I took a chance, but I'm damned glad now."

"I wish you would get off this subject," Ken said. "Can't you talk about something else?"

"What else is there to talk about?' Parker said, and sniggered. "Well, okay, if that's the way you feel: tell me, what have you got in those two parcels?"

Ken had been expecting Parker to ask that question, and he was ready for it.

"Just some things Ann asked me to take to the cleaners."

"I don't know why it is but wives always find some errands for us guys to run. Maisie has given me a shopping list as long as my arm. I guess I'll have to get one of the girls in the office to handle it for me." Parker drove a couple of blocks without speaking: his plump red face thoughtful. "You know, I think I'll drive over to Fay's place in my lunch hour. It doesn't look as if I'll see much of her while my ma-in-law's with us. She's a regular old ferret, and if I stayed out late, she'd start putting a flea in Maisie's ear."

Ken felt a chill crawl up his spine.

"This afternoon? Is she likely to see you so early?"

"That's not early," Parker returned and laughed. "I once called on her at eight o'clock in the morning."

The thought of Parker going to that top-floor apartment and walking into the police turned Ken cold.

"You'll telephone her first?"

"Oh, sure. She might have someone there. But lunch-time is usually a good time to catch her in."

Ken began to breathe again.

"I should have thought it was damned risky to go to a place like that in daylight."

"Nothing to worry about at all. There's a parking lot not far from the house, and the street is screened by trees," Parker said airily. "You should try it one day, if you haven't tried it already, you sly dog."

"Keep your mind on your driving," Ken said, his voice sharp. "You nearly hit that truck."

II

Soon after half-past ten, when the first rush of business over, Parker closed his till, and giving Ken a wink, said he was going to call Fay.

"Shan't be five minutes. Keep an eye on things for me."

Ken watched him cross the hall of the bank to a pay booth installed for the customers' convenience.