“Excuse me a minute,” he said and got up and went out. I sat there wondering what the hell it was all about. Then he came back after a minute and smiled for the first time. “So you want to think it over?” he said.
“Now look, Peppi,” I said, “what do you know about Myra Shumway? Let’s get this straight.”
“I read the newspapers,” he said indifferently, “I hear things. I always hear things. Andasca is more important to me. Can you say yes or no?”
I stood up. “Give me until to-morrow. Where can I meet the guy?”
“To-morrow then,” he said. “Call me. I’ll fix a meeting. You want my car?”
I shook my head. “No,” I said, “I’ll take a taxi.”
He suddenly seemed bored with me and anxious for me to go. “Then you’ll cal. Two fifty is worth thinking about,” and he went out of the room.
He hadn’t been gone three seconds before the butler came in. “This way, sir,” he said and took me downstairs to the front door.
I was on the street and the door was closed behind me before I could collect my bewildered wits. I stood staring up at the big house and I felt someone was watching me.
So I waved to a cab and told the driver to take me to Manetta’s.