1965 - The Way the Cookie Crumbles (9 page)

Joy listened, thinking gratefully it could be so much worse, but shrinking a little when she realized this man she loved had now a seventeen-year old daughter who was living in his house, probably doing all those things to make him comfortable that Joy had hoped to do and pushing him still further from her by her companionship and love.

‘Well, there you are,’ Mel concluded. ‘It’s a sordid thing, isn’t it? I suppose it is bound to leak out sooner or later. I can trust Terrell and Brewer. Terrell’s men won’t talk, but this dwarf worries me. If he wasn’t in the know, I would be much happier.’

‘But if he is fond of your daughter, why should he make mischief?’ Joy asked.

‘I know. I’ve thought of that, but I instinctively don’t trust him.’ Mel shrugged irritably. ‘But that needn’t worry us now. It’s two weeks since the inquest. Nothing’s been said about either Norena or myself. So we must wait and hope.’ He sat back, gripping the arms of his chair. ‘But it’s Norena.’ He looked at Joy, then shrugged helplessly. ‘I guess I kidded myself. It gave me a terrific bang when Terrell told me that Norena was found after all this time. The thought of having her back and all mine, really did things to me.’ He smiled ruefully. ‘I guess I was overoptimistic. I suppose it’s natural enough that she’s on the defensive, not to say hostile. She has been brought up to believe I made her mother’s life so unbearable that she left me. It’s going to take some living down if I ever do live it down. The fact is, after having her in my home now for two weeks, we’re still complete strangers.’

Joy shook her head sympathetically.

‘You must be patient, Mel. I understand how you’re feeling, but you have to consider her feelings too.’

‘I do. She’s so unlike what I imagined my daughter would be,’ Mel said. ‘Frankly, if she wasn’t so amazingly like Muriel, it would be hard to believe she was my daughter.’

‘What’s she doing with herself?’

‘That’s the trouble. She doesn’t seem to show any interest in anything. She spends a lot of time in her room, listening to pop records that frankly drive me scatty.’ He smiled ruefully. ‘I guess I asked for that. I gave her a record player and money and she’s been buying these damned records ever since. I wanted her to come to the club and get coached for tennis, but that was square. I wanted her to take up riding, but that was also square. I haven’t dared suggest golf.’

‘But, Mel dear, she’s not a boy. Perhaps she isn’t interested in sport. A lot of girls aren’t.’

‘Yes, I guess that’s right. I thought it would be fun to play tennis with her and go riding. Yes, I put my foot wrong there.’

‘What else does she do?’

‘Well, I gave her a car and she goes over to Seacombe a lot.’ Mel stared down at his hands. ‘She’s seeing too much of that damned dwarf. She’s much fonder of him than she is of me. There’s something unhealthy and unpleasant about him. I’m thinking of putting a stop to her seeing him.’

Joy lifted her dark eyebrows.

‘How will you do that, Mel?’

‘Well, I’ll tell her not to see him.’

‘And if she wants to know why?’

He looked sharply at her.

‘You don’t think I should stop her seeing him?’

‘Look at it this way,’ Joy said. ‘This little man knew her mother well. At the moment he is Norena’s feeling of security. She’s been suddenly transplanted into comfort and wealth with a man she knows is her father, but who doesn’t mean a great deal to her. It’s natural she should want to see Edris. is that his name?’

‘But he’s a dwarf! There’s something about him . . . I don’t know what it is but I don’t like him! Why should a seventeen-year old girl want to spend so much of her time with a dwarf!’

‘You leave home at half-past eight and you get back at six-thirty. It’s a long day for her to sit at home listening to pop records. Who else is there for her to talk to?’

‘If she would come to the club, she would find someone.’

‘Oh, no, Mel, be sensible. The women at the club are either married with children or like me, too old to bother with a teenager.’

Mel sat back in his chair and spread out his hands.

‘All right. All my ideas are wrong. Suppose you make a suggestion.’

‘I should have thought the obvious solution was for her to get a job. That way she will meet people of her own age. She’ll be occupied and she won’t feel like a fish out of water.’

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake! I don’t want my daughter to work! Why should she? I have all the money either of us need. As a matter of fact she did say something about getting a job at the bank. It’s ridiculous. Why should a pretty girl bury herself in this bank?’

‘Could you get her in, Mel?’

‘It wouldn’t be easy. Yes, I guess I could. As V.P. I could arrange it. But I’m not going to do it. I don’t want her to go out to work.’

‘I think you should.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘Will you come back to dinner? I know father would like to see you.’

‘I would like to see him, but I can’t. I can’t leave Norena all this time alone. I’m a bit tied up now, Joy. You can see that.’

‘I won’t suggest she should come too. An eighty-year old Judge and a middle-aged spinster wouldn’t be much fun for her.’

‘Where do you get this middle-aged spinster stuff from?’

Joy laughed.

‘You will have to do something. You must let her work here. I am sure it will solve the problem. You usually take my advice. Will you please make arrangements for her to come here as soon as possible?’

‘You really think it would work?’

‘I’m sure of it.’

He hesitated, then nodded.

‘Maybe you’re right. I’ll talk with her. I’ll have to consult Crawsure. He looks after the staff. He won’t like it, but I’ll pull my rank on him.’

Joy got to her feet.

‘It’s my first night back, Mel. Father expects me. I must go. When do we meet?’

‘Tomorrow night? Let’s have dinner at the club.’

‘And Norena?’

‘She’ll be out. She’s out most evenings.’

‘Why not ask her to come with you?’

‘She won’t. She thinks the Club’s square.’

Joy lifted her shoulders. She knew she should press this, but she didn’t. She wanted to have Mel on his own.

‘She’s probably right. Then tomorrow at the Club. Don’t worry too much. It’ll work out. You’ll see.’

When she had gone, Mel sat for some moments thinking. He had always found Joy’s advice sound. Maybe if she had an occupation, Norena would be less hostile. He decided, after further thought, that it was worth a try.

* * *

A little after ten o’clock the following morning, Ticky Edris came out of the shower room, wrapping himself in his dressing gown. He trotted into the kitchenette and plugged in the coffee percolator, then he went to the front door to collect the milk and papers. He paused as the elevator doors swished back and Phil Algir stepped out.

‘Hi, buddy-boy,’ he said and picked up the milk. ‘You’re early. Want to see me?’

Immaculately dressed as usual, Algir pushed past him into the apartment. There was a bad-tempered scowl on his face and Edris could see he was working himself into a rage.

‘Who else do you imagine I want to see?’ Algir demanded, throwing his hat on a chair.

Edris shut the front door and trotted into the living room.

‘Have some coffee? It’s just made.’

‘Stuff it!’ Algir snarled and sat down. He took out a pack of cigarettes and lit a cigarette with an unsteady hand.

‘Something wrong?’

‘How much longer do you imagine I can go on like this?’ Algir demanded, sitting forward and staring at Edris, his pale eyes glittering.

‘I’ll be right back,’ Edris said calmly and trotted into the kitchenette. He returned after a few moments with the coffee things which he set on the table. He sat down and began pouring coffee into his cup.

‘What’s this bitch doing? Algir snarled.

‘She’s getting established,’ Edris returned, sipping his coffee. ‘What’s eating you, Phil?’

‘I’m skint. It’s all very well for you, you’ve got a job. I can’t stick around here forever without money. Just when do we start operating?’

‘Now look,’ Edris said, his voice sharpening. ‘I warned you this couldn’t be rushed, didn’t I? We make one false move and the whole thing blows up.’ He leaned forward and tapped the table with his stumpy finger. ‘I’ve been dreaming and planning this job now for five years. I’ll wait two more years if I have to to get this thing perfect. She’s got to get into the bank. She’s working on it. That girl’s smart! She’s handling it dead right. The whole trick of this is for her to get in there and become part of the bank’s background. Do you expect that to happen in a couple of days? If she doesn’t become part of the bank’s background, we can’t pull the job. It’s as simple as that. Once she’s in and she’s found out their system, then we start, but not before.’

‘This could take months! What am I going to do for eating money? You’ve got to give me some dough, Ticky! The hotel is pressing me.’

‘I gave you two hundred bucks last week.’ Edris’ face hardened. ‘Do you imagine I’m made of money?’

‘I want another two hundred bucks. You’ll get it back after we’ve pulled the job.’

‘You’ll get a hundred and not a dime more, and you’ll make it last at least two weeks,’ Edris said. He went to his bureau drawer and opened it.

Moving swiftly, Algir got up, crossed the room, gave Edris a hard shove that sent him reeling and dipped into the drawer. He took out a bundle of twenty dollar bills.

‘I’ll help myself, Ticky,’ he said, grinning. ‘You’ll get it back.’

Edris recovered his balance. His face had gone white. His small eyes were like flat bits of black glass. He backed away as Algir counted out three hundred dollars.

‘I’ll make it three,’ Algir said, grinning. ‘That’ll leave you a hundred. That’s enough for you, Ticky. A little guy like you hasn’t the expenses a big guy like me has.’

Ticky was now leaning against his miniature desk. He slid open a drawer and took from it a tiny pistol with a rubber bulb in place of a butt.

‘Put it back!’ he said in a soft, hissing voice. ‘Every damn dollar, Algir! Unless you want a squirt of ammonia in your face!’

Algir stared at the pointing gun, and then looked into Edris’ eyes. He stood there motionless, the money in his hands, his lips moving, as he silently cursed Edris.

‘Put it back!’ Edris repeated.

Algir threw the money into the drawer and moved away.

‘Okay, you stinking freak,’ he snarled, ‘keep your money!’

‘I’m going to,’ Edris said and dropped the pistol into his pocket. ‘Don’t try tricks with me, Philly-boy. I know how to look after myself.’ He went to the drawer, counted out a hundred dollars and tossed the roll on the table.

‘That’s all you’re going to get, make it last!’

The front door bell rang as Algir picked up the money.

Edris shut the bureau drawer, turned the key and put the key in his pocket, then he bounced into the hall and opened the door.

Ira Marsh stood in the corridor. She was wearing a man’s shirt, the tails worn outside her dark blue jeans. There was an expression of excitement in her blue eyes as she came into the apartment.

Algir glared at her.

‘What’s happening?’ he demanded. ‘How much longer are you fooling around doing nothing?’

She ignored him. Crossing over to the coffee things, she poured a cup of coffee, then she smiled at Edris as she said, ‘I start work at the bank tomorrow.’

Edris lost colour.

‘You wouldn’t kid about a thing as important as that?’ he asked huskily.

‘I start work at the bank tomorrow.’

Edris took in a deep breath and suddenly grinned. He clapped his hands together and threw back his head and let out a piercing yell. He sprang up onto his desk, and from the desk, he took a flying leap onto the table and then back onto the floor. He began running round the room as if he were demented, screaming, ‘Yipeeeee! Yipeeeee!’ until Algir, grinning with excitement, grabbed hold of him and threw him into an armchair.

‘Shut up, you crazy bastard,’ he said. ‘You’ll have the cops up here.’

Edris, panting, grinned at Algir, his little eyes sparkling.

‘I told you, didn’t I? I told you she was smart! I told you she was right for the job.’ He sprang up and grabbed Ira around her waist and waltzed her round and round the room. Algir, still grinning, got out of their way. Finally, exhausted, they fell onto the settee. Framing Ira’s face with his stumpy hands, Edris bestowed a smacking kiss on her forehead.

Giggling, she shoved him away and sat up.

‘You beautiful doll!’ Edris exclaimed, sitting on the floor and gazing up at her. ‘So you’ve done it! Tell me. How did you fix it so fast?’

‘It was easy. Poor Papa has a lovesick spinster chasing him,’ Ira explained. ‘He takes his troubles to her. After I had spent nearly two weeks in a mood, playing pop records and being thoroughly bloody minded, poor Papa begins to worry. So he calls in the spinster, and believe it or not, she said just what I knew she would say.’ Ira jumped to her feet and pointed dramatically at Edris. ‘That girl needs occupation. Put her to work in the bank, ol’ pal, ol’ pal. That’s what the girl needs: occupation and companions of her own age. Papa fell for it. He said if I really wanted to work in the bank, he would fix it. If it would make me happy, I could start tomorrow.’ She made a grimace, distorting her face. ‘Work! Why do these squares always harp on work?’

Edris howled with laughter.

‘But it will make you happy, baby! You’ll be close to all that beautiful money! Oh, doll, how I wish I were you! Think of it! Nine to six every day surrounded by billions and billions of lovely, crinkly money!’ He sprang to his feet and rushed at her, throwing his stumpy arms around her waist, he pushed his face against her breasts. ‘Baby, I love you like I love myself,’ he crooned.

Ira shoved him away so violently, he lost his balance and sprawled on the floor.

‘Keep your hands to yourself!’ she snapped. ‘And keep your distance!’

He blinked up at her, then forcing a rueful grin, he got slowly to his feet.

‘I didn’t mean anything, baby,’ he said, going to his armchair and sitting down. His fall had shaken him a little. ‘I was only fooling. It’s just my way.’