Sinful Woman Read Free

anything. It’s just—”
    “Bad news, hey?”
    “I had no idea he was here.”
    “He trying to block your divorce?”
    “I don’t think so. I don’t see how he can.”
    “Maybe wants money.”
    “I imagine it’s nothing but some foolish last-minute stunt to get me to change my mind, and incidentally sign a new contract with that picture company I’ve been trying to break away from for the past two years. Something silly, but nothing serious. But, I don’t want him around! I don’t want him around the hotel. I don’t want him around my sister. I—”
    Tony’s eye caught the slip of paper in her hand, and he gave a little clk of surprise. “You know that number, Miss Shoreham?”
    “No, I don’t.”
    “That’s the Galloping Domino.”
    “Oh, on the road west.”
    “ My other place.”
    “ Your —What’s he doing out there?”
    “Looks funny.”
    They peered at the slip, and he said: “I tell you what we’ll do. I’ve got to go out there anyway, so you come with me, talk to him, see what he wants. Then if it’s bad you stall him and I’ll slip back to town. Hazel and I will move you out of the hotel to my house, and you’ll be there where nobody can reach you with a subpoena, a camera, or anything at all.”
    “Oh, dear, I’ve asked somebody to lunch.”
    “O. K., my wife’ll serve the lunch. And you’ll love my little daughter Maxine. She’s just about Hazel’s age, acts in all our productions here in town, crazy to get in pictures—”
    But at this Sylvia’s smile became a little glassy: picture people are usually wary of girls crazy to get in pictures. Quickly she said. “I’d just love it, Tony. I’ve seen Maxine and I think she’s the sweetest thing in this town. But—first of all, let’s find out what he’s up to.”
    They drove out the main highway to a place that looked like a cross between a country club and a Kentucky thoroughbred farm. It was a rambling white building surrounded by trees, with a low, shingled roof, green shutters, and brass doorknobs. Inside, it was a replica of the place they had left, except that it was smaller, and a little gaudier, and a little more cut-rate.
    As they turned in at the gate, Sylvia pointed to a green car out front, and he drove around back. They entered through a side door that led into Tony’s office, which was exactly like the one in town except that it had green leather chairs instead of red. In the door at the other end of the room was a little metal slot, the kind that speakeasies used to have. Tony opened it, peeped out. Sylvia peeped, and her face hardened as she spotted a lone player at one of the blackjack tables, who handled his cards with nonchalance and chatted flirtatiously with the pretty dealer. Tony looked incredulously at Sylvia. “Not that guy?”
    “Of course. Why?”
    “He’s been in every night for a week.”
    “ Here? At the Galloping Domino?”
    “He’s a regular.”
    The bartender went by with bottles. Opening the door, Tony called him, and he came in. “Jake, that guy over there, the one playing blackjack with Ethel—you know anything about him?”
    Jake looked and said: “Sure, he comes in.”
    “What names does he go by?”
    “Search me. He’s some kind of a foreigner. He said call him Vic, so that’s how we left it.”
    “What’s he do?”
    “Fishes most of the time, I think. Took a shack by the river, couple miles up the line. He’s got plenty of dough.”
    “Send him in, Tony.”
    Jake and Tony went into the casino and Sylvia sat on the edge of the big desk, her face set, her eyes narrow. In a moment a burst of waltz music entered the room, transformed itself into a man, took her hand as though it were a water lily, brushed a kiss upon it, wafted it gently to her knee again, and stood murmuring her name, as though such a vision of loveliness were more than human fortitude could endure. He was a rather large man, but made with such grace that he almost seemed small. About his lean