“We won’t talk about Gilda just yet,” O’Brien said, “We’ll talk about you. How are you, Johnny?”
“Before that nigger knocked me around I was fine,” Johnny said. “You don’t imagine you’re going to get away with this, do you?”
“I get away with most things,” O’Brien returned. “I hear the doctors have given you a clean bill of health.”
“So what? They would have given it to me before only they wanted to make as much out of me as they could,” Johnny said with a sneer. “They’re all alike. All they think about is what they can get out of me.”
“I was under the impression your sister was paying the bills,” O’Brien said quietly. “Nice of you to show so much interest.”
Johnny laughed.
“That cat won’t jump,” he added. “Gilda’s got all the money she wants at the moment; I haven’t. If she had to go into a nuthouse, I’d take care of her. Besides, she’s going to marry you, isn’t she? She’ll have millions. It’s not too much to expect her to pay my doctor’s bills, is it?”
O’Brien had to make an effort to control his temper.
“You’re a nasty little rat, aren’t you, Johnny?” he said. “I’m damned glad you’re not my brother.”
“But I’m going to be your brother-in-law,” Johnny jeered. “That is if Gilda will take you after what you’ve done to me. You must have been crazy to pull a stunt like this, but maybe I-won’t say anything about it. It’ll cost you ten grand for me to keep my mouth shut. I don’t suppose you’ll find any trouble in raising ten grand, will you?”