XV
I SET HER DOWN inside the door and kicked it shut behind me. There wasn't anybody in here we needed to put on an act for, and the jangling telephone bell would have killed romance in any case, so I just stepped back and glanced at my watch. It read two o'clock. The little Renault was no sports machine and there had been some delays and detours so we hadn't made nearly the time covering the distance between New Orleans and Pensacola that young Braithwaite had managed in his racing Healey.
Olivia smoothed down her dress and went to the phone while I went back out for the suitcases. When I returned, she held the instrument out to me. I put my load down and took it.
"How's the honeymoon coming?" It was the familiar voice of the New Orleans contact I'd never met.
"Well," I said, "there's an old saw about three being a crowd, if you know what I mean.".
"Who's your shadow, the great stone face?"
"That's right."
"Good. That just about clinches it. His being in New Orleans could have been some kind of coincidence, I suppose, but his trailing the lady across four states didn't happen by accident. He's our man, all right." There was a pause. "Is he around right now?"
"Well, he's not standing beside me," I said, "but I'd guess he's not too far away."
"That's nice," the man in New Orleans said. "That's nice because you're going to have to pick him up, it says here."
I didn't like the way he put it. I said carefully, "Sure, I know. As a matter of fact, I gave it half a try this afternoon, but Kroch's very cagey. I'm going to have to wait and set it up more carefully. Besides, the way the guy is acting bothers me. Half the time he's an experienced old pro and the other half he's a reckless, boastful punk. I'd like to find out what's behind his corny melodrama before I take him."
"You can ask him all the questions you want after you take him," said the voice on the phone. "But he followed Mariassy and nobody else did. Or did they?"
"Then he's the man you take, and you take him now. The Taussig matter is becoming urgent. Immediate action is requested, not to say commanded. Got it?"
I drew a long breath. "Sure. I got it."
"You take him. That's the word. I've got more good news for you. That little artist girl, the one with the attic studio and the black eye, came to the Montclair Hotel about half an hour after you left. She was looking for you."
"Antoinette Vail? What did she want?"
"She had a letter for you. When she was told at the desk that you'd checked out, she wanted to have it sent after you, but you'd left no forwarding address and we hadn't anticipated this possibility and tipped off the desk clerk, so he wouldn't take it. So we still don't know what the communication was, but by the looks of things you'll soon have an opportunity to find out."
"I will?" I said. "How?"
"While she was trying to learn how to reach you, who should appear but a certain Dr. Mooney, looking pale and favoring his left arm. Who's responsible? Your report is eagerly awaited. Anyway, he heard her asking questions about you. He had an idea. He approached her. She started to brush him off, but something he said caught her interest and they went up to his room to talk. A little later, very friendly, they drove off together in his car-a light blue Chrysler convertible, if it matters. She was driving, presumably because of his arm. Time of departure, ten-fifteen. Course, due east, Pensacola-wards. Speed, excessive. So you can expect company soon, you lucky boy."
"I see." I frowned. "And you have no idea what it is the girl wants to tell me."
"Not any."
"Damn," I said. "Can you have her picked up?"
"For what reason? On what charge?"
"Hell, have the cops pick them both up on the Mann Act or something. They'll be crossing plenty of state lines between there and here."
"And this will accomplish what?"
"It will get the fool kid off the street before she gets herself clobbered again," I said.
"I don't think Washington is interested in getting fool kids off the street, friend," said the man in New Orleans. "Not enough to risk the publicity involved in pulling in a respectable Pensacola physician for associating with a pretty New Orleans artist. Can't you see the papers? And the girl has kept her mouth shut so far, but who knows what she'll do if we put her face to face with a lot of policemen and reporters asking questions. No, better let her come through. You handle her when she gets there. And find out what her urgent message is. After all, if it's important enough for her to write you a letter, it's important enough for us to know. Maybe she's remembered something about Kroch from last night, something she forgot to tell you."
He was right, of course. I said, "All right. But it's going to be a hell of a honeymoon."
The man in New Orleans laughed. "Your wife will understand. That's more than mine does. Well, you're out of my territory now. I'm switching you over to local control. You'll make contact at the Flamingo Lounge. Your bride can tell you where, or consult the city directory. Use the men's room routine. The urge to wash your hands will strike you at five-thirty sharp. The time is now two-oh-four."
I checked my watch. "Description?"
"You'll know him when you see him," said the voice on the phone. "There's an I-team standing by. Your contact will tell you how to whistle them up when you have the patient ready for the operation. Or you can do the work yourself, but rockface is to be captured, taken apart, and made to talk, soon. That's the word marked final."
There was nothing for me to say except, "Transmission received and acknowledged."
I heard a click and put the phone down, wondering if I'd ever met the man who'd called. Probably not. I looked up to see Olivia watching me, obviously puzzled and disturbed by what she'd heard.
"The Flamingo Lounge," I said.
"It's in the middle of town," she said.
"Driving time?"
"You'd better give yourself at least half an hour. Pensacola is bigger than it looks from the road we arrived on.,'
"Do you know the place?"
"Well… yes, I know it," she said after a brief hesitation. "It's right around the corner from Harold's office. We sometimes used to meet there for lunch or a drink before dinner."
"Can you tell me where the men's room is located?"
She glanced at me sharply to see if I was joking. She said, "Both rest rooms are to the left as you come in, back in the corner. You're going to meet somebody there?" When I nodded, she asked, "Am I going with you?"
"Not to the final rendezvous," I said. "It might cause comment. But as far as the lounge itself, yes. I wouldn't leave my bride home alone on our wedding night, would I? Besides, the last time we separated you wound up facing a man with a gun." I shook my head irritably. ". wish I knew for sure that Kroch is really as cocky am irresponsible and erratic as he acts."
Olivia was watching me steadily. "What's wrong, Paul' What did that man tell you on the phone?"
"Everything's wrong," I said. "Time seems to be running out on us, for one thing. Washington is jittery and screaming for immediate action; I've got orders to pick up Kroch at once, regardless. Well, as soon as I've conferred with some local guy I'm to meet at five-thirty. And just to make things real complicated, Antoinette Vail, the girl who got mussed up last night because I bought her dinner, is heading this way with a mysterious letter in her hot little hand, intended for me. She's driving your friend Mooney's car, and he's right beside her. What he thinks he's doing, God only knows, but I'm sure it's clever as hell. I'm getting damn sick and tired of devious and clever people, Doc. I wish I could meet just one direct, stupid slob on this job-besides me, I mean."