Six months ago a crack like that would have made me laugh, but now I pondered before answering him. “Yeah,” I said at last, “I guess there's somethin' in that.”
He was silent for a little while, then he went on, “When you find the girl, I'm going to give you this place.”
Didn't I tell you this guy smothered me? I sat up sharply. “You be careful what you're saying,” I said, “I might take you seriously.”
He smiled a little. “I reckon it would be a bit heavy for you to carry, anyway,” he said. “There's a hell of a lot of upkeep that goes with it. But this I will promise you. When you get married, you can use this place as often as you like. I'm getting out pretty soon. I want to go to China. Maybe I'll be away a number of years. So when you're fixed up, let me know.”
I said it was mighty white of him and we let the matter drop. All the same, I kept thinking of Mardi, and I kept thinking what a surprise it would be for her to come here for our honeymoon. I kept thinking about it until I got restless. I told myself that I'd been there too long. My eye and nose were back to normal and I was anxious to get away.
The following morning I broke the news to him. He just grinned. “I believe you've got a girl, after all,” he said.
I nodded. “You're right. It's just a matter of fixing things up.” Although I spoke like that, I was wondering how long it would take to get Mardi on the dotted line. Maybe I would come unstuck. Anyway, it was worth a try.
I got back to town the next afternoon. And I rang up the Mackenzie Fabrics right away. “I want to speak to Miss Mardi Jackson,” I said to the operator.
“Hold on a minute,” she snapped. I heard a faint plopping as she jerked out the plug and connected it somewhere else. Then she came back over the line again. “Miss Jackson no longer works here,” she said, and cut off.
I put the telephone down very thoughtfully. So Mardi wasn't working any more for the Mackenzie Fabrics. Why? Had she walked out on them, or had they given her the bird? How long had she been gone? I suddenly felt annoyed with myself for staying with Kennedy so long. If I'd 'phoned her on the day Ackie took me out, I might have caught her.
Now where was I going to find her? I hopefully checked the telephone-book, but she wasn't in that. Maybe she stayed with her people or in a boarding-house. There were about a thousand Jacksons to choose from.
I suddenly remembered that on the day we had first met, Katz had seen us together. Did that mean anything? Had Katz scrammed back to Spencer and told him that I had contacted her? Was that why she no longer worked there? I remembered Ackie saying that Katz was as dangerous as a rattlesnake, and I began to get a little hot and bothered. Did Mardi know anything? Had they got her out of the way? It was no use sitting around asking myself dumb questions. I'd got to find out.
I grabbed my hat and left my apartment at a run. A taxi took me to the Hoffman Building quickly. I paid him off and checked the time. It would be one o'clock in ten minutes or so. I went into the nearby drug-store and bought myself a drink. The guy behind the counter looked like he might have some brains. After I had finished the Scotch I ordered another.
“I'm lookin' for a dame,” I said confidentially to this guy, as he put the glass on the counter.
“Ain't we all?” he said, putting his elbows on handles of the soda jerker and resting himself.
I said, “You're right. Maybe you can help me.”
He looked interested. “Sure,” he said, “Anythin' I can do.”
“I'm looking for a dame who works at the Mackenzie Fabrics. I've just heard that she's been fired out an' I want to know where she's gone.”
He looked sort of dreamy. “They've got some swell dames workin' in that joint,” he said wistfully. “They're high steppers. I can't get to the first base with any of 'em.”
“Do they come in here to eat?” I asked.
“Sure. The rush starts right now.”
I took a five-dollar bill from my vest-pocket and pushed it across to him. “Suppose you let me know when one of them comes in. If I could get her talkin' maybe I could learn where this dame's gone to.”
He grabbed the fin. “I'll do that okay,” he said. “You just sit around.”
A little after one o'clock the place began to fill up. Almost immediately he jerked his head at me. A tall, blonde doll was just settling herself on a stool, preparing to put on the nose-bag. She'd got a friendly look about her, and I thought I'd get places with her if I handled her in the right way.
I let her settle down, then I left my place and took the stool next to hers. She was against the wall, so we were more or less isolated from the others.
She glanced at me and then went on packing a club sandwich away. The guy behind the counter came over and gave me one, too. He winked at me, and then took himself off to deal with a rush at the far end of his beat.
I said cautiously, “You'll pardon me, but I guess you could tell me something about Miss Jackson.”
She jerked round like a virgin at bay. Her eyes popped a little and I thought she was going to get tough. “What did you say?” she asked.
“I'm looking for Miss Mardi Jackson,” I explained, putting on my best manners. “I was told you work for the Mackenzie Fabrics, and I thought maybe you could tell me.”
The startled expression died out of her eyes, and she swung herself round on the stool so that she faced me. “Are you a friend of hers?” she asked.
I took a chance. “I'm her boy friend,” I said.
“Really? Now isn't that a scream?” she exclaimed. “You know, I always knew Mardi was deep... I told the other girls.... Not that they didn't think so themselves... you know how it is, don't you? A girl like Mardi ought to have a boy friend... it's only natural, isn't it? She never said anything about having one... she kept to herself a lot... don't think we didn't like her... we did. We were all struck in a heap when she left——”
I blinked. “Listen, lady,” I broke in. “Maybe you can tell me what happened? I've been away for a few days, an' I've got some news to catch up on.”
“Why, surely.” She was ready to give me the whole set-up. I could see that. The trouble was that when a dame like this once got started, it was difficult to stop her. Anyway, I told myself, I'd got the whole day, so I should worry.
“You go right ahead an' tell me all about it,” I said, lighting a cigarette and giving her one.
Her eyes grew big again. “Well, I don't know if I ought... but you being her boy friend... well, it's different, isn't it? I mean to say... I wouldn't tell anyone... what I mean is I don't go talking about people to anyone.... Well, I guess you can read character... you can tell that, can't you?”