Kells put his leg down carefully, stood up. He held out his arm to Beery. “Give me a hand to the donnaker, Shep,” he said.
Beery helped him across the room.
When Kells came back, Borg said: “The Doc called. He says he’s sending over some crutches for you — an’ for you to keep off that leg.”
Beery helped Kells back to the big chair. He sat down and put his leg up on the other chair, muttered: “I don’t want any crutches.”
Then he turned his head to smile at Granquist. “Isn’t it about time you brought us all a drink, baby?”
Granquist got up and went into the kitchen.
Kells asked: “What time is it?”
Beery was standing beside Kells’ chair. He glanced at his watch, held it down for Kells to see: eleven-five.
At eleven-twenty Woodward was announced. Granquist went into the bedroom and closed the door, and Borg let Woodward in.
Woodward’s eyes were excited behind his wide-rimmed tortoise-shell glasses. He bowed nervously to Beery and Borg, sat down in the chair near Kells at Kells’ invitation.