按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
She reached for a cigarette and waited while I held the match for her。 〃Jo…Ann can play outside when the weather is good and I don't have to worry about her being hurt in the city streets。 And I can afford it。 It's much more reasonable than the city。〃
〃From what I hear； you're doing all right。 If you want to live in the suburbs； why don't you move up to Westchester？ It's nicer up there。〃
〃It's still too expensive；〃 she said。 〃I don't make that kind of money。 I'm only the office manager at the magazine。 I'm not an editor yet。〃
〃You look like an editor。〃
She smiled。 〃I don't know whether you mean that as a pliment or not。 But at Style； we try to look the way our readers think we should。〃
I stared at her for a moment。 Style was one of the most successful new fashion magazines aimed at the young matron。 〃How e you're not an editor yet？〃
She laughed。 〃I'm one step away。 Mr。 Hardin's an old…fashioned businessman。 He believes that every editor should put in some time on the practical side。 That way； they learn something about the business problems involved in getting out a magazine。 He's already hinted that the next editorial opening is mine。〃
I knew old Hardin。 He was a magazine publisher from way back。 He paid off in promises； not in dollars。 〃How long has he been promising？〃
〃Three years；〃 she said。 〃But I think it will happen soon。 He's planning a new movie magazine。 A slick。 Something on the order of the old Photoplay。 We'd have been on the presses； only the finances are holding it up。〃
〃What would you do on it？〃
〃Feature editor；〃 she said。 〃You know； arrange stories about the stars； that sort of thing。〃
I glanced at her。 〃Wouldn't you have to be out in Hollywood for that？〃
She nodded。 〃I suppose so。 But Hardin hasn't got the money yet so I'll cross that bridge when I e to it。〃
Monica put her coffee cup down and smiled at me。 〃It's been a perfectly lovely dinner； Jonas； and you've been a charming host。 Now tell me why。〃
〃Does there have to be a reason？〃
She shook her head。 〃There doesn't have to be；〃 she said。 〃But I know you。 When you're charming； you want something。〃
I waited until the waiter finished holding a match for her cigarette。 〃I just got back from England；〃 I said quietly。 〃I ran into your mother over there。〃
A kind of veil dropped over her eyes。 〃You did？〃
I nodded。 〃She seems very nice。〃
〃I imagine she would be； from what I can remember of her；〃 Monica said； a slight edge of bitterness in her voice。
〃You must have a very good memory。 Weren't you about Jo…Ann's age？〃
The violet eyes were hard。 〃Some things you don't forget；〃 she said。 〃Like your mother telling you how much she loves you； then disappearing one day and never ing back。〃
〃Maybe she couldn't help it。 Maybe she had a good reason。〃
〃What reason？〃 she asked scornfully。 〃I couldn't leave Jo…Ann like that。〃
〃Perhaps if you wrote to your mother； she could tell you。〃
〃What could she tell me？〃 she said coldly。 〃That she fell in love with another man and ran away with him？ I can understand that。 What I can't understand is why she didn't take me with her。 The only reason I can see is that I didn't matter。〃
〃You may not know your mother； but you do know your father。 You know how he can hate when he feels someone has crossed him。〃
Her eyes looked into mine。 〃Someone like you？〃
I nodded。 〃Someone like me；〃 I said。 〃That night； when you both came up to the hotel in Los Angeles … was he thinking about you or was he thinking about how much he wanted to get even with me？〃
She was silent for a moment； then her eyes softened。 〃Was it like that with my mother； too？〃
I nodded again。 〃Something like that；〃 I said quietly。
She looked down at the tablecloth silently。 When she looked up at me； her eyes were clear once more。 〃Thank you for telling me； Jonas。 Somehow； I feel better now。〃
〃Good。〃 The waiter came by and refilled our coffee cups。 〃By the way；〃 I said； 〃seen anything of your father lately？〃
She shook her head with a wry smile。 〃About two years ago； he came out to dinner and borrowed a thousand dollars。 That's the last I saw of him。〃
〃Do you have any idea where he might be？〃
〃Why？〃
〃I've got a good job for him up in Canada； but he seems to have dropped out of sight。〃
A strange look came into her eyes。 〃You mean you'd give him a job after what he did to you？〃
〃I haven't much choice；〃 I said reluctantly。 〃I don't especially like the idea but there's a war on。 I need a man like him。〃
〃I had a letter from him about a year ago。 He said something about taking over as manager of the Teterboro Airport。〃
〃Thanks；〃 I said。 〃I'll look out there。〃
Her hand suddenly came across the table and pressed mine。 I looked at her in surprise。 She smiled。 〃You know； Jonas； I have the strangest feeling you're going to make a much better friend than husband。〃
5
MCALLISTER WAS WAITING FOR ME IN THE HOTEL WHEN I GOT BACK THE NEXT AFTERNOON。 〃You find him？〃 he asked。
I shook my head。 〃He only stayed out there long enough to pass a bum check for five hundred bucks on some poor jerk。〃
〃That's pretty far down the ladder for him。 Any idea where he went next？〃
〃No；〃 I said。 I threw my topcoat across a chair and sat down。 〃For all I know； he's in jail in some hick town we never heard of。 Bum check … Jesus！〃
〃What do you want me to do？〃 Mac asked。
〃Nothing；〃 I said。 〃But I promised Roger I'd try to find him。 We better put an agency on the job。 If they can't turn him up； at least Roger will know I tried。 You call Hardin？〃
Mac looked at me curiously。 〃Yes。 He'll be here any minute now。 Why do you want to see him？〃
〃We might go into the publishing business。〃
〃What for？〃 Mac asked。 〃You don't even read the papers。〃
I laughed。 〃I hear he's thinking of putting out a movie magazine。 I'm making a picture。 The best way I know to grab space is to own a magazine。 I figure if I help him out with the movie magazine； he'll give us a plug in his others。 That adds up to twelve million copies a month。〃
Mac didn't say anything。 The doorbell rang and Robair went to open it。 It was S。 J。 Hardin； right on time。 He came into the room； his hand outstretched。 〃Jonas； my boy；〃 he wheezed in his perennially hoarse voice。 〃It's good to see you。〃
We shook hands。 〃You know my attorney； Mr。 McAllister？〃 I said。
S。 J。 gave him the glad eye。 〃It's a real pleasure； sir；〃 he said； pumping Mac's hand enthusiastically。 He turned back to me。 〃I was surprised to get your message。 What's on your mind； boy？〃
I looked at him。 〃I hear you're thinking about putting out a movie magazine。〃
〃I have been thinking about it；〃 he admitted。
〃I also hear that you're a little short of cash to get it started。〃
He spread his hands expressively。 〃You know the publishing business； boy；〃 he said。 〃We're always short of cash。〃
I smiled。 To hear him； one would think he didn't have a pot to piss in。 But S。 J。 had plenty； no matter how much he cried。 The way he raided his own pany made old Bernie Norman look like a Boy Scout。
〃I'm about to make my first movie in eight years。〃
〃Congratulations； Jonas；〃 he boomed。 〃That's the best news I've heard in years。 The movies can use a man like you。 Remind me to tell my broker to pick up some Norman stock。〃
〃I will； S。 J。〃
〃And you can be sure my magazines will give you a big play；〃 he continued。 〃We know what makes good copy。〃
〃That's what I wanted to talk to you about； S。 J。 I think it's a shame your chain has no movie magazine in it。〃
He fixed me with a shrewd glance。 〃I feel the same way； Jonas。〃
〃How much would it take to get one on the stands？〃 I asked。
〃Oh； two； maybe three hundred thousand。 You've got to make sure of a year's run。 It takes that long for a magazine to catch on。〃
〃A magazine like that depends on the kind of editor you have； doesn't it？ The right kind of editor and you got it made。〃
〃That's entirely correct； boy；〃 he said heartily。 〃And I have the finest group of editors in the business。 I see you know the publishing business； Jonas。 I'm always interested in a fresh point of view。 That's what makes the news。〃
〃Who's going to be your feature editor？〃
〃Why； Jonas；〃 he said in wide…eyed innocence。 〃I thought you knew。 The little lady you had dinner with last night； of course。〃
I started to laugh。 I couldn't help it。 The old bastard was smarter than I figured。 He even had spies planted in 〃21。〃
After he left； I turned to McAllister。 〃I don't really have to stay here to sign those Engel papers； do I？〃
He looked at me sharply。 〃I don't suppose so。 Why？〃
〃I want to go to the Coast；〃 I said。 〃Here I'm about to make a picture。 What am I doing in New York； getting nothing done？〃
〃David and Bonner are here。 They've been waiting for a call from you。〃
〃Get David on the phone for me。〃 A moment later； he handed me the telephone。 〃Hello； David。 How's Rosa？〃
〃She's fine； Jonas； and very happy。〃
〃Good；〃 I said。 〃I just wanted to tell you what a great job I thought you did on that stock bit。 Look； I don't feel right hanging around New York while I'm trying to get The Sinner ready。 I'm going to shove off for the Coast。〃
〃But； Jonas。 I brought Bonner into New York。〃
〃That's fine；〃