She poured herself out another Scotch. This dame certainly liked her liquor. “Yes, darlin’,” she said, all honey. “You’re the boss.”
“While we’re on the subject,” I went on, “I reckon I’ve told you before. That ‘darlin’’ of yours gives me a pain. You ain’t on business now.”
She came over and put her arms round my neck. “I could be,” she said, digging down into her box of tricks and putting on a swell act-
It only made me nervous. I got rid of her arms none too gently and pushed her into the chair. “Relax,” I said. “I wantta catch up some sleep some time. It’s gettin’ late.”
For a moment she looked as if she was goin’ to get mad again, then she thought better of it.
“Now what’s the story behind all this?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I guess Earl’s a little tired of having me around. This is the sort of hint that guy hands out when he wants you to take a powder.”
Not quite right. One of those difficult answers, half-truth and half-lie. If I was going to get anywhere with this dame, I’d got to lead her along carefully.
“Those three thugs work for Katz?”
She nodded. “That’s right.”