When he had gone, Raven turned away savagely. He knew that as soon as he stopped paying the rat dough he’d squeal. That type always did. All right, when he was ready to pull out he’d fix him.
He went and sat by his window, keeping just behind the dirty white curtain, and looked across at Marie Leroy’s room. The empty window made him more lonely than he’d ever felt, and he just sat there smoking, waiting for her to come back.
When Goshawk brought him his lunch he was still sitting there. A pair of tinted glasses and a bottle of peroxide was also on the tray.
Raven ate his meal moodily, every now and then glancing at the window. His active mind was already making plans. After lunch he sat down and wrote a letter. He spent some time in composing it, and when he had finished he sat back and read it through.
Dear Miss Leroy,
I understand you are interested in a chance to get to Hollywood. I’m going there myself. Shall we go together? I’ve got a car and the expense of the trip is in my hands. This is entirely a business proposition and I’m asking you to accompany me on the trip as it is essential for me to travel with someone like yourself. I’ll explain more fully when I meet you, which I propose to do in a few days’ time.
Yours sincerely,
James Young.
He put the letter in an envelope and put it on the tray. When Goshawk came to take the tray away he told him to mail it.
“Whorin’ by mail now, huh?” Goshawk said.