“You keep out of it,” Ackie agreed. “Give her my love, an’ look after her, you tramp—she’s a grand girl.”
“You’re tellin’ me,” I said. “’Bye, pal, an’ watch yourself,” and I hung up.
I ran upstairs and into the bedroom. Mardi was sitting up in bed, waiting for ma. I could see something was wrong by the tense expression in her eyes. I didn’t say anything about it, but began to get undressed.
“I’ve had a talk with Ackie,” I said, pulling off my shirt. “He’s crazy with excitement. The whole thing’s blown up an’ Spencer’s in jail. Everyone’s in jail, an’ you an’ I don’t have to worry any more.”
She said, “Is Lee Curtis in jail?”
I stopped, holding my trousers in one hand, and stared at her. “Lee Curtis? Why worry about him? Ackie said they were all in jail.”
“But did he say Lee Curtis was in jail?” Her voice was almost hard.
I came over and sat on the bed. “What makes you ask about him… more than the others?”
She looked at me in an odd way, and shook her head. “I just wanted to know.”
There was something behind this, but I didn’t want to press it. “He didn’t mention Curtis, but he’s being taken care of, all right.”