“Just waiting for a shave,” I told him. “I’m an old customer here. Ask Purley.”
Purley came over and verified me, but Cramer checked with Ed himself. Then he drew Purley aside, and they mumbled back and forth a while, after which Cramer summoned Philip and escorted him around the end of the partition.
Janet seated herself in the chair next to mine. She looked even better in profile than head on, with her nice chin and straight little nose and long home-grown lashes. I felt a little in debt to her for the mild pleasure I had got occasionally as I sat in Ed’s chair and glanced at her while she worked on the customer in the next chair.
“I was wondering where you were,” I remarked.
She turned to me. She wasn’t old enough to have wrinkles or seams but she looked old enough then. She was putting a strain on every muscle in her face, and it certainly showed.
“Did you say something?” she asked.
“Nothing vital. My name’s Goodwin. Call me Archie.”
“I know. You’re a detective. How can I keep them from having my picture in the paper?”
“You can’t if they’ve already got it. Have they?”
“I think so. I wish I was dead.”