Chapter 26
''I got a car," she said. ''It's not much. An ol' Jew-ett. But it runs. We can split the drivin' an' the expenses."
He puffed on the cigar for a moment. ''But what about your job?"
"I kin git a job like this anywhere. They don' pay me no salary, jes' tips."
"Family?"
"None. My las' husband took off in a cloud of smoke the minute he found out he didn' like pay in' bills. I divorced him las' year."
"What about those brothers you told me about?"
"n.o.body left. They're all scattered. Ain't much work aroun' here."
He nodded thoughtfully. "Got any money?"
" 'Bout two hundred cash. Got a man wants to buy my house. Give me four hundred cash if'n I th'ow in the fumis.h.i.+n's."
He was silent again. His eyes peered at her. "How old are you?"
"Twenty-six."
"You ain't gonna be no movie star," he said.
She smiled. "I don' expec' to be one. I jes' want to fin' a place where I kin live decent."
He leaned back in his chair. "How soon can you leave?"
"Today," she said. "I kin pack my things, see the man, git my money an' we kin be on the road this afternoon."
He smiled suddenly, his whole face lightening. He held out his hand. "Okay. California, here we come."
She laughed. Then the touch of his hand ran up through her arm, and suddenly she found herself blus.h.i.+ng. "California, here we come."
Still holding her hand, he looked up at her. ''I don't even know your name."
'Tess Rollins."
"Pleased to meet you, Tess. My name's Daniel. Daniel B. Huggins."
The doctor straightened up and snipped off the end of the suture. ''As fine a job of sewing as my missus ever laid down on her Singer. Take a look."
Daniel peered into the mirror the doctor held for him. What had been a wide gash was now a pencil-thin line with tiny black dots over and under where the sutures surfaced. The only thing that seemed different was that the eyebrow below seemed sUghtly raised. He touched it. "Will the eyebrow stay like that?"
"It'll come down a bit when the st.i.tches come out. After about a year it will be like the other."
Daniel got out of the chair.
"Wait a minute," the doctor said. "I want to put a bandage over it." He worked quickly. "Important to keep it clean. Change the bandage every day. Come back in six days and we'll take the st.i.tches out."
"I won't be here," Daniel said.
The doctor finished the bandage and fastened it neatly into place with thin strips of Johnson & Johnson. "You can get it done at any hospital or clinic. Just make sure you keep it clean until then."
Daniel reached into his pocket. "How much do I owe you. Doc?"
"Two dollars too much?" the doctor asked hesitantly.
"Two dollars is fine," Daniel said. He took out a roll of bills from his pocket and counted out the two bills. "Thank you, Doc." He saw the doctor looking at the bills. "Anything wrong. Doc?"
The doctor smiled, shaking his head. "No. I was just thinking that you were the first cash patient I've had in two months."
Daniel laughed. ''Well, don't go gittin' n.i.g.g.e.r-rich with it."
The doctor laughed. "Don't worry. Might just frame it to remind myself what money really looks like."
He followed Daniel into the waiting room, where Tess was seated. She got to her feet. "Was it bad, Doc?"
The doctor smiled. "I've seen lot worse. Just make sure he keeps it clean."
She nodded. "I'll do that."
Daniel went out to her car. It was a Jewett touring car with the winter celluloid s.h.i.+elds fastened. He got into the car. She walked around to the driver's side.
"Now where?" he asked when she got behind the wheel.
"Down to the bank so I kin sign the papers an' transfer the mortgage. Then we go out to the house an' give the new owner the keys."
He stuck a cigar in his mouth. "Sure you want to do it?" he asked. "You can still change your mind. After the papers is signed you got no druthers."
"My mind's made up," she said.
At the bank, the lawyer advised her to leave the money in the bank and send for it when she reached California. She looked at Daniel.
"It's a good idea," he said. "No telling what might happen on the road when you have all that money with you."
"How much cash do you think I might need?"
"Maybe a hundred. Probably less. But that should do us. Besides, if we have any problems, I have money with me. We can straighten up after."
"Okay," she said to the lawyer.
They started after lunch and drove all afternoon and into the late evening. When they pulled off
They stopped in front of an old house that had a sign, ROOMS FOR RENT, Ughted by a single electric bulb. They got out of the car, knocked on the door and went inside.
An old man, smoking a pipe, looked up at them. "Howdy, folks. What kin I do fer you?"
'*A room for the night," Daniel said.
'^Including breakfast?"
Daniel nodded.
'*Got a right nice one fer you. Big double bed. One dollar fifty with breakfast," he said, adding, "in advance."
"Okay," Daniel said, reaching into his pocket. "Any place around here we can get supper?"
"tfyer not lookin' fer anythin' fancy, my missus kin fix somethin' fer you. That'll be an extra fifty cents each."
Daniel counted out the money. The old man got to his feet. "Need any help with yer bags?"
"I can manage," Daniel said.
The old man took a key from a bureau drawer and gave it to him. "It^s the first room at the top o' the stairs," he said. "Meanwhile I'll go tell the missus to fix yer supper. It'll be ready by the time you wash up an' come down."
Dinner was simple. Pan-fried chicken and potatoes. Canned green beans and com. Hot bread and coffee. "Breakfast is at seven sharp," the old man said as they went up the stairs.
They went into the room. Daniel looked around the room, then took off his jacket and hung it over the back of a chair. "Next town we come to," he said, "I got to buy me some s.h.i.+rts, socks, underwear, a suit and another pair of shoes.''
"Okay," she said.
He began to unb.u.t.ton his s.h.i.+rt, then stopped and looked at her. "You undressing?"
She nodded. "Thought I'd wait until you went to the bathroom. I'll go after you. It takes me more time. You know, take off my makeup an' things."
"Okay," he said. He walked out of the room, the tops of his B.V.D.'s sticking up white over his pants, and down the hall to the open bathroom. He was back in less than ten minutes.
She had undressed and wore a white bathrobe. "Why don't you stretch out a bit an' rest? I'll try not to be too long."
He nodded and took off his pants and stretched out on the bed in his underwear. He looked up at the ceiling. Life had a way of dealing the cards from the bottom of the deck. A week ago in Kansas City, he had had a fine suite in the best hotel in town. All he'd had to do was pick up the phone and he had anything he wanted. The finest whiskey, the best c.u.n.t. And breakfast was served whenever he wanted it.
Twenty minutes later, she came back into the room. "I didn't mean to,take so long," she said. He didn't answer. Then she noticed he was fast asleep. "Daniel," she said.
He didn't move.
Silently she took off her robe and placed it on the foot of the bed. She looked down at herself. d.a.m.n! she swore silently. She had put on her s.e.xiest nightgown.
She pressed the wall switch and the room went dark. She walked around the bed to the other side and slid between the sheets. Tentatively, she reached across the bed and touched him.
He still didn't move.
She drew back her hand and peered at him through the dark. His face was relaxed. He looked much younger when he was sleeping. Much more vulnerable.
Suddenly she smiled to herself. With all the guys at the stop trying to get into her pants, the first guy she went for since her husband left her fell asleep on their first night together.
Impulsively, she leaned across the bed and kissed his cheek. "I hope it takes us a long time to git to California," she whispered. Then she drew back to her side of the bed and closed her eyes. Before she knew it, she was asleep.
side entrance of the hotel as possible. He cut the engine. ''Doesn't look bad," he said.
"Let's git inside," she said. 'Tm freezin'."
They dashed from the car into the doorway. The lobby was small and plain but looked clean and neat. The clerk stood behind the desk as they approached. The sign over the key rack on the wall behind him was very simple: no n.i.g.g.e.rs or Indians allowed. ''Yes, sir?" the clerk said.
"Got a double?" Daniel asked.
The clerk looked down at his room chart. "Do you have a reservation, sir?"
Daniel just looked at him.
The clerk was suddenly fl.u.s.tered. "Yes, sir. Would you like a deluxe double with bath in the room for one dollar or a regular double with bath in the hall for six bits?"
"We'll take the deluxe," Daniel said.
"Thank you, sir," the clerk said, pus.h.i.+ng the register toward him. "Please sign the register." He punched the bell for the bellman. "That'll be one dollar, payable in advance."
Daniel glanced at Tess, then signed the register, Mr. and Mrs, D, B, Mugginsy Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C., as the bellman came up. The clerk gave the bellman the key. "Room 405, sir," he said politely, glancing down at the register. "I'm sure you'll like it, Mr. Huggins. It's a nice comer room. The boy will help you with your luggage."
Daniel turned to the bellman. "Show us up to the room first; then you can get our bag from the car. It's the Jewett just outside the door."
They followed the bellman to the elevator and then to the room. The room clerk was not wrong. Tess made for the bathroom as soon as they entered. Daniel turned to the bellman. "After you get the bag, what's chances to get a big pot of coffee and a bottle of whiskey?"
The bellman's face was impa.s.sive. "This is a dry county, sir."
Daniel pulled a dollar bill from his pocket. He held it up.''Still dry?"
The bellman nodded. "Yes, sir."
Daniel added another dollar. "Still dry now?"
The bellman grinned, taking the two dollars. "We'll see what we can do. I'll be right back. Thank you, sir."
The door closed behind him as Tess came out of the bathroom. "Jesus," she said. "Fer a minute there I thought the dam was about to bust."
He laughed. "I know just what you mean. I'm right behind you."
The bellman was back in less than ten minutes with everything. The valise, the pot of coffee, a pint bottle of whiskey, gla.s.ses, ice water and cups and saucers. "Anything else, sir?"
"Good restaurant around here?" Daniel asked.
"Right next door. You get a complete three-course luncheon for thirty-five cents until two thirty."
Daniel tossed him a quarter. He picked up the bottle of whiskey and broke the seal, then pulled the cork from the bottle with his teeth. He looked at Tess. "It'll warm the gizzards."
"Jest a taste," she said. "I git tipsy real quick."
He poured a little into her gla.s.s, then a good shot for himself. "Down the hatch." He swallowed the whiskey in one gulp, then another shot while she finished her first. He put down his gla.s.s and poured tte coffee. They sipped slowly.
"Feel better now?" he asked.