It is doubtful whether Zoie's continued laughter might not have provoked Jimmy to desperate measures, had not the 'phone at that moment directed their thoughts toward worse possibilities. After the instrument had continued to ring persistently for what seemed to Zoie an age, she motioned to Jimmy to answer it. He responded by retreating to the other side of the room.
“It may be Aggie,” suggested Zoie.
For the first time, Jimmy became aware that Aggie was nowhere in the apartment.
“Good Lord!” he exclaimed, as he realised that he was again tete-a-tete with the terror of his dreams. “Where IS Aggie?”
“Gone to do what YOU should have done,” was Zoie's characteristic answer.
“Well,” answered Jimmy hotly, “it's about time that somebody besides me did something around this place.”
“YOU,” mocked Zoie, “all YOU'VE ever done was to hoodoo me from the very beginning.”
“If you'd taken my advice,” answered Jimmy, “and told your husband the truth about the luncheon, there'd never have been any 'beginning.'”
“If, if, if,” cried Zoie, in an agony of impatience, “if you'd tipped that horrid old waiter enough, he'd never have told anyway.”
“I'm not buying waiters to cover up your crimes,” announced Jimmy with his most self-righteous air.