It doesn’t take much to turn a tough broad into a soft one. You take all their defenses away when you grab them by the collar and rip the clothes off their back. I hooked my fingers in the waistband of her slacks and with one wrench tore them loose with the pink things underneath. The spitting, clawing tiger became a sobbing, frightened woman in seconds.
She was beautiful, a terrified, beautiful animal with black hair and tawny skin and big, round eyes filled with horror — not so much at what she thought was going to happen to her, but at the mistake she had made.
I said, “You could have caught more flies with honey than with vinegar, baby.”
Then, instantly, the woman touch was there again and she saw her out. Give a little, get a little, she was thinking.
“But not this time, baby.” I grabbed her by the arm, dragged her off the bed and hustled her to the door. I gave her a shove outside where the scream she started broke off into a gasp when she realized she was naked in the world.
I laughed, locked the door and went back inside. I found the .38, stuck it in my pants hanging on the back of a chair and sat on the edge of the bed. She’d be back. You don’t do things like that to a broad who comes calling with a gun without her coming back.
Outside, the wind had picked up a little. It felt good rolling across my chest. I pulled the sheet up and went back to sleep grinning.
Hell of a thing. Two of them almost back-to-back, Lois and Sharon. I was throwing away more than most guys ever got.
Chapter 4
At 7:30, I had breakfast and went over to the operations building. Charlie Traub was already there with Del Reed and Lieutenant Trusky. When I nodded to Charlie he came over, both hands jammed in his coverall pockets.
“These clowns been poking around ever since dawn,” he said.
“I told them they could.”
“Not in my private office. They got two men over there now cleaning up the mess they made. I won’t stand for that crap. You know what they’re looking for?”
“How would I? Hell, let them look. The sooner they get done the sooner they’re out of my hair.”
“Sure, but you better talk to Trusky.”
“Why?”
“You’ll find out.”
I told Charlie to get back to the hangars and walked to the files. Everything from them was spread across the counter while Del Reed fingered each sheet carefully.
“Find what you’re looking for?” I asked.
Del Reed put down a folder. “Not yet, Mr. Fallon, but we will.”
“If Tuck ever went to Cuba, I doubt if he’d file a flight plan.”
This time both of them stopped at once and turned toward me. “You seem to know a lot, Mr. Fallon,” Del smiled. There was no friendliness there, just the smile of a lawyer baiting a witness.
It took Trusky to break through the ice. “Knock it off, Del. He’s played too many of these games.” His eyes glued themselves to mine. “Suppose you try talking a little bit, Fallon. Like where your information comes from.”
“Back issues of the Miami papers,” I lied. “Interesting articles about your partner here and his pet activities... the Cuban bit. That’s all he touches... that’s all he’s assigned to. Right?”
“Go on.”
“So it figures, Lieutenant. Tucker had planes and an airfield. He had an interest in politics. He’s suddenly dead and the Cuban expert turns up to go through his records. Now let’s tighten things up a little. Let’s go into my office where you two can talk to me. If I like what you say, I won’t throw up any roadblocks. You’re here at my convenience, and I can crowd you out any time I like. Try subpoenaing anything and the story comes out. I don’t think you want that just yet. Okay, now what do we do?”
Trusky looked at Reed. The little man glared at me and nodded.
“Clean up the mess first,” I said, “then meet me in my office.”
Later, over Reed’s objections, Trusky laid it out. He said, “You know the background on the Cuban deal. Right now the ticklish part is that anti-Castro people ready for an armed attack are here in Florida. It’s something that should be dealt with on a national level, but because of the peculiar circumstances and the proximity of Cuba, it’s all centered in the end of one state. Our people have put up with it and are better qualified in most cases to deal with things.
“However, all the anti-Castro bunch aren’t Cubans. Plenty of U.S. types are right there with them. We suspect your former buddy Tuck was one of them.”
“So what?” I said. “I feel the same way. What’s wrong with that?”
Del Reed stood up impatiently. “Wrong? I’ll tell you what’s wrong. If it’s played out politically or economically that’s one thing, but when it comes to any acts of violence it could touch off a hot war. Don’t you realize the Reds are just waiting for us to make a move so they’ll have some excuse to come to the aid of Castro? Don’t you think they’d have a beautiful piece of propaganda going for them if one of our citizens got caught up in an international mess?”
Reed leaned on the desk, his face livid. “Tucker Stacy was reported to have made numerous unauthorized flights out of the country. He was reported seen in the company of several well-known anti-Castro people on several occasions.”
“Reported,” I reminded him, “not proven. And if you do prove it, what can you do? He’s dead.”
“Exactly.” His face was bright with sweat now. “And supposing his death was not accidental and it gets out. Do you realize the stink our own people will make? You realize how much closer that can push us to all-out war?”
“Maybe it’s about time,” I said.
Del rubbed his hands together until he regained his composure. “Don’t be stupid. Nobody wins with a war.”
“Maybe not, but you could still be doing this wrong.”
“Then you tell us,” Trusky said.
“Let it die. No harm is done.”
Reed’s face showed his contempt for my suggestion. “Unfortunately, the damage might already be done. Tucker Stacy was a brilliant promoter. There’s no way of telling how far he went or what was involved. One thing we’re sure of. Your friend was in the hottest juggling act that’s come up so far. All we know is that something big was underway and he was part of it. We have to know what it was. Do we have your cooperation?”
“Sure,” I said, “only you have a time limit. Three days. That ought to be cooperation enough.”
“Well?” Trusky asked.
Del Reed nodded. “That will do it.”
Before they could leave, there was a rap on the door. It swung open and Charlie Traub poked his head in. “Some broad here for you, Cat.”
“Send her in.”
The request was almost useless. Lois Hays came sweeping past Charlie before he could ask her. I grinned, waiting to see the malice in her face, but there was none. “Well, hello, sugar,” I said. “Meet Mr. Reed and Lieutenant Trusky.”
Something happened to Del’s face. It seemed to freeze up. “We’ve met before, Mr. Fallon.”
“Yes, in a courtroom, wasn’t it?”
“Quite. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Mr. Fallon, we’ll get on with things.” He nodded curtly to Lois, and walked to the door with Trusky behind him. The cop’s eyes were half closed, and I could sense his mind working. Halfway out, Reed paused and said over his shoulder, “I can expect a confidence between us, can’t I?”
“I wouldn’t worry,” I told him.
Lois had seated herself behind the desk and was sucking gently on a cigarette. Her eyes were laughing at me now. She answered my question before I could ask it. “No, I’m not mad. In fact, I think you were kind of cute. Anybody else would have gone all the way.”