From the chair by the cocktail table, Drake said suddenly, "What about Lardner? Did Mary know where he went?"
Puffy, his job completed, slumped across the bed.
"That guy Lardner is off on another trip." He started to slip his shoes off, thought better of it, and tied the laces again. "Mary says he gave the employees all a month's pay and said he'd be back in time to keep them in cash next month."
Through a cloud of pipe smoke, Drake was placing more pieces into the jigsaw of Sylvia Fanton's life.
"Any idea where he's going?" he asked.
Puffy shook his head.
"Not the slightest," he admitted. "Mary says her boss is tighter than a bum's pocketbook when it comes to information."
Drake had enough pipe smoke. He put it away carefully and stood up.
"I see you didn't get the shoes off after all," he said a little slyly. "Going somewhere?"
Puffy arose, took a suitcase from the closet shelf and started tossing clothing into it.