About ten minutes later she saw Denny signal the waiter for his bill and she got to her feet. She walked over to the office and pushed open the door. The attendants were watching this little scene with puzzled grins, but she took no notice of them. She stepped into the office, but couldn’t see anyone there. She called, “Come on, you two, he’s on his way.”
She waited a minute, her eyes searching the room impatiently, then called again. The foreman came through a door at the rear of the office. He was breathing heavily, and she could see the blood-congested veins on his neck. She smiled at him very contemptuously. “Go out an’ fix that ride, Mr. Sheik,” she said. “An’ fix it good.”
He went past her without a word, and she went to look into the room beyond. “Never mind about those,” she said impatiently. “Take them off and leave them here. We’re about to pull out. For God’s sake, don’t cry or you’ll spoil everything.” She turned back to the office again, her face angry and her eyes viciously cold.
Denny Merlin walked over to his car and nodded his satisfaction. The boys had certainly made a good job of it. He felt satisfied and good after his meal. He tossed a big leather and silver flask full of Scotch on to the front seat. He looked at the foreman and winked. “Got to have a little help on the way,” he said. “What do I owe you?”
The foreman told him and Denny paid, giving him a five-dollar bill. “Split the change amongst the boys. I guess they’ve done a nice job.”
The foreman licked his lips and said awkwardly: “There are a couple of dames in my office looking for a lift as far as Miami. Nice kids. Do you feel like giving them a hand?”
Denny looked at him, startled. “I guess not,” he said abruptly; “no riders in this car. I don’t want a couple of dames hanging around. What should I do with two of them?”
“Sure, I just asked, sir,” the foreman said. “If they hadn’t been something special I wouldn’t have mentioned it. Maybe you’d like to see ’em first?”
Denny got into the car. He thought the foreman had got a hell of a crust. “No, I’m sorry, but I don’t take riders,” he said firmly.
Stella came out of the office as he slammed the car door shut. She came down the concrete path into the sunshine.