Free The Scarlet Ruse by John D. MacDonald Page A

liked the genuine big-girl hunger with which she stashed away the medium-adequate meal. I liked the way the black hair had a coarse, healthy gloss and the way she tossed and swung it back out of her way.
    "Okay," I said, "you are no longer on the suspect list."
    "Are you sure you want to do me such a big favor?"
    "I know how impressed you must be."
    "Are you suspicious of practically everybody?"
    "Practically."
    "That must be a hell of a way to go through life, fellow."
    "It's only when I'm working. The rest of the time I'm an amiable, trusting, innocent slob."
    "Isn't it steady work?"
    "It could be, but I don't let it. When I get a few bucks ahead, I retire. Retirement is more fun at my age than it would be later."
    "You've got a point. Also, you don't look married. Which makes it easier, huh?"
    "Just one thing about you raises a question."
    "Such as?"
    "You have a sedentary job, Mary Alice, and from what you said, I guess you work at home too. But I know good conditioning when I see it. You walk around on springs."
    She grinned, clenched her fist, and made a muscle. At her invitation I reached over and prodded it with a thumb. "Very substantial," I said.
    "I have to live with it, Trav, or give up. I’m big, and I've got good coordination. I ran with a pack of boys from the time I could run. I played all their games and all the girl-games too. I can win canes and boxes of taffy at those weight-guessing places. What would you guess me at? Don't try to flatter me."
    "Hmmm. Between a hundred and thirty-five and a hundred and forty?"
    "One fifty-six this morning, stripped, on my very good scales. I've got big heavy bones, and I grew a lot of muscle tissue at all the games. So I'm in training always, because if I let things go, they really go. The muscles turn to lard, and everything starts to sag and wobble around, very nasty. I do the Canadian thing. And I make all my points-men's points, by the way-every week of my life. I've done it so long, I love it."
    "I dog it. I get soft enough so that it bothers me, and then I have to go to work on it."
    "You look in real good shape, you know?"
    "I've been working on it."
    We looked at each other. The blue eyes seemed to get bigger, just big enough to let me in. I had the feeling I was reaching down into that blueness, to where something had gone click, startling both of us. I heard her breath catch, and then she took a deep deep breath, looking away as she did so, breaking the unexpected contact. I signaled the waiter, making a writing motion in the palm of my hand. He nodded and came toward the table, sorting through his checks.
    We walked back side by side and about twenty inches apart.
    "Thank you for a very nice lunch, Travis."
    "You are most welcome, Mary Alice."
    "Like Hirsh said, I want to help you any way I can."
    "You've been a lot of help."
    "Have I?"
    "That estimate of the time it would take to change the items in the stock book was useful. It helps me see the whole picture."
    "I'm glad."
    "Perhaps when we get back to the store, you can let me inspect one of those books."
    "Of course."
    "My car is over there in that lot. Would you like to look at it?"
    She stopped and frowned at me. "Why should I want to look at your car?"
    "Maybe because it is older than you are."
    "It is?"
    "It's a pickup truck."
    "Really?"
    "Do you want to look at it?"
    "Why not?"
    As we neared it, I pointed it out. "Yecht," she said, "what a frightful shade of blue." And then she said, "But it's a home-made pickup truck!" And then she said, "My God, it's a Rolls-Royce." Then she braced herself against it and laughed. No silvery little tinkly giggle. Haw ho haw hah haw. Oh God. Oh ho haw! A bray. A contralto bugling.
    "If you think this is funny, you should see my house boat, where I live."
    "Whu-whu-whu-what's funny about that?"
    "I can't explain it. I have to show you."
    "Yuh-yuh-you do that. Oh dear." She found her kleenex and wiped her eyes and blew her nose. We headed for the office.
    "Is it really