By the time I got around to the other door Helen had it open and was getting out. Her feet on the ground, she turned to speak.
“I don’t want any part of this, Lila. I do not! I wish to God I’d gone with Walt instead of staying with you!”
Lila was trying to get a word in, but Helen wasn’t interested. She turned and trotted off toward the gate and the street. I climbed in and pulled the door shut.
“She’ll tell Walt,” Lila said.
I nodded. “Yeah. But does she know where we’re going?”
“No.”
“Then let’s go.”
She started the engine, levered to reverse, and backed the car. “To hell with friends,” she said, apparently to herself.
6
Under ordinary circumstances she was probably a pretty good driver, but that night wasn’t ordinary for her. As we swung right into 155th Street, there was a little click at my side was we grazed the fender of a stopped car. Rolling up the grade of Coogan’s Bluff, we slipped between two taxis, clearing by an inch, and both hackmen yelled at her.