She said, “It’ll take us weeks to get to Hollywood.”
“Not after tonight it won’t,” he said with a little grin. “Time’ll go fast enough after tonight.”
She looked at him uneasily, but said nothing. A few minutes later they drove into Odessa.
Raven stopped at a petrol station and had his tank filled. He asked where a hotel was, and then drove in the direction indicated.
As they got out of the car he said, “Mr. and Mrs. Young, baby, an’ don’t forget it.”
She walked into the lobby without answering. A negro came out at a run and took their bags. Raven went over and signed the register. The clerk blotted the ink, looked at the name, gave a little start, and glanced up at Raven searchingly.
“Anythin’ wrong?” Raven asked, his eyes suddenly going hard.
The clerk shook his head. “Quite okay, sir,” he said. “You’ve omitted to say where you’ve come from.”
Raven took up the pen and scribbled “Jefferson City", then he turned away.
“A double room?” the clerk asked.