“What do you want him for?” The question suddenly shot out like the forked tongue of a snake.
“I wouldn’t take up your time,” I said, pushing myself away from the table. “It’s nothing that’d interest you.”
He said, “Don’t go. Sit down.” There wasn’t any invitation in his voice. It was an order. Well, I had nothing to lose, so I sat down in a big armchair and relaxed.
He fidgetted with the cord of his dressing gown and I could see he was thinking about something.
“You’ve left the Recorder?” he said abruptly.
I inclined my head, “Yep,” I said. “Maddox tossed me out. That’s gratitude, after all…”
“What are you doing now?” he broke in.
“Living on my wits and capital,” I said carelessly. “I’ll get by. Why the interest?”
“I could give you something.”
I looked at him. The frog-like face, the blue stoney eyes, the bald glistening head told me nothing. All the same, I didn’t like it. I knew the kind of racket Peppi went in for. It wasn’t my line, but I had to be careful how I told him.