In the Best Families

That afternoon, when Max Christy called to get the report as usual, and sat to look it over, I had papers on my desk which kept me so busy that I wasn't even aware if he sent me a glance when he got to the middle of the second page, where my personal contribution began. I looked up only when he finally spoke.

“So you had a talk with him, huh?

I nodded. “Have you read it?

“Yes. Christy was scowling at me.

“He seemed so anxious that I thought it would be a shame not to oblige him. It's my tender heart.

“You took his money.

“Certainly. He was wild to spend it.

“You told him you're working for Mrs Frey. What if he takes a notion to ask her?

“He won't. If he does, who will know who to believe or what? I warned him about me. By the way, have I ever warned you?

“Why did you play him?

“It's all there in the report. He knew he had a tail, how could he help it, already on guard, after eight days of it? I thought I might as well chat with him and see what was on his mind. He could have said something interesting, and maybe he did, I don't know, because I don't know what you and your friends would call interesting. Anyway, there it is. As for his money, he practically stuffed it in my ear, and if I had refused to take it he would have lost all respect for me.

Christy put the report in his pocket, got up, rested his fingertips on the desk, and leaned over at me. “Goodwin, he asked, “do you know who you're dealing with?

“Oh, for God's sake, I said impatiently. “Have I impressed you as the sort of boob who would jump off a building just to hear his spine crack? Yes, brother, I know who I'm dealing with, and I expect to live to ninety at least.

He straightened up. “Your chief trouble, he said, not offensively, “is that you think you've got a sense of humour. It confuses people, and you ought to get over it. Things strike you as funny. You thought it would be funny to have a talk with Rackham, and it may be all right this time, but some day something that you think is funny will blow your goddam head right off your shoulders.

Only after he had gone did it occur to me that that wouldn't prove it wasn't funny.

I had a date that Saturday evening with Lily Rowan, but decided to call it off.