Duffy hesitated, then got off the bed. He looked at her for a moment, smiled, then went into the other room. He took the receiver off the prong.
“What is it?” he said sharply.
“Gleason talking,” came the harsh purring voice.
Duffy pulled a chair up and sat down. His eyes and mouth were suddenly hard. “Okay,” he said, “I didn’t expect you so soon.”
“I’ve been ringing for some time.” There was just a hint of nerves in Gleason’s voice.
“Well, you got me now.”
“I’ll buy that thing from you for fifteen grand,” Gleason said with a rush.
Duffy grinned into the ’phone. “I must be getting deaf,” he said. “It sounded like you said fifteen grand.”
Gleason was silent for a minute, then he said, “I can’t go higher than that. Fifteen grand.”
“What the hell kind of a cheap punk are you? Ain’t you aching to get that list back? The list is worth that much as State evidence.”