Harris’s eyes brightened. “Let’s have it,” he said quickly.
Jay gave him the money. “Look, go into his apartment and get that cigarette−case of mine. Snap into it.”
Harris returned in a few minutes, holding the case. “Here it is. Now what?”
“Just hang around the corridor until he comes back. You’d better make a good show or else that guy will do things to you.” Jay left him and went back to Sadie. She was lying on the bed. Although she was still very white, she looked stronger.
Jay locked the door and came over to her. “I’m Jay Ellinger, late of the St. Louis Banner,” he said. “You’re Mrs. Perminger, ain’t you?”
Sadie sat up, once more terrified. “Nono! You’ve made a mistake. I’m Mrs. Cruise,” she said.
Jay sat down on the bed. He took out a packet of cigarettes and offered her one. “Go on,” he said, when she refused. “It’ll steady you.”
She took it nervously, looking at him all the time. Sitting close to her, he could see the ravishes of time and horror stamped on her face. He could see the hard lines, the frightened eyes, and he knew that she’d been through some terrible experiences.
When he had lighted the cigarettes he said, “This is your chance to get out of this mess. I know you’re Mrs.
Perminger. I was talkin’ to your husband a while ago.”