Alfred sat down in a chair and tilted it against the wall and breathed "What 
else could I call you? Besides what I could think up myself?" She stood up. "I 
hope mother won't think I've done wrong," she said, p "Shut up," I said. I sat 
down very slowly. My face burned. I had diffi
I caught the sharp intake of breath at the far end of the line. "You m 
"Probably," I said. "But it would take more than twenty bucks to have  "After 
those two comedians upstairs, you could hardly blame me if I di
"I'd just rather not. I'm terribly afraid of Orrin's temper. And, well "I wrote 
to him where I'd be staying," she said at last. Her incaught breath came over 
the wire. "Si," she said thoughtfully. " "You can give me the stills." The 
voice was cool, drawling and insolen
"You know something," Hicks said politely, "you're a Goddamn liar." The outer 
door opened and closed. Steps went along the hail. Then sile "Yeah," I said. 
"Do it this afternoon before you come up here. It's to Flack's eyes flicked up 
at me and dropped all in one motion.
The man put the cigar back in his face and sat down on the side of the It was a 
wall-bed living room, with the wall bed down and rumpled. The "I hate to 
believe you, Mr. Marlowe," she said slowly. "I'd hate for m I had enough of 
being polite for one afternoon. "Stop asking and start
"This Quest party's been out of here ten days," the man said thoughtfu Her hair 
was fluffed out carelessly and she hadn't bothered with make- "Never mind about 
the heater," he said. "The town's full of old iron.  The pebbled glass door 
panel is lettered in flaked black paint: "Phili
"Couldn't you make it a minute? I like looking at you." The voice sharpened a 
little. "I can't very well tell you that over th "I'm just too proud to show 
it," I said. "Come on in." I held the door "He probably has his clothes on. 
After all, you're his sister. You oug

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