Free The Lonely Lady by Harold Robbins

way.”
    “Not much. Besides it’s no trouble.”
    “Okay.”
    “I’ll get the guys,” Walt said and went back into the cocktail lounge.
    Fred looked at her. “You got a thing for that boy?”
    JeriLee thought for a moment. “I thought I did. But not now.”
    “He’s angry with you,” Fred said.
    She was puzzled. “How do you know?”
    “I feel it. But I could be wrong. He also don’t like me much. But that might be because he don’t like black folk in general.”
    “I hope you’re wrong. He might be a little spoiled but I wouldn’t want to think that about him.”
    It was time for the orchestra to go back to work. Fred looked at her. “See you on the weekend?”
    “Sure.” She nodded. “Sing pretty for the people.”
    He smiled. “I always do.”
    “Good night, Fred.”
    “Night, JeriLee.”
    The sound of music began to drift through the doors just as Walt came out.
    “Okay, JeriLee. Let’s go.” He started down the terrace steps. “We can cut across here to the parking lot.”
    “What about your friends?”
    “They already went to the car with Marian Daley.”
    She followed him down the steps and they crossed the tennis courts to the parking lot. She could hear the laughter coming from his car. “Sure I wouldn’t be spoiling anything?” she asked. “I can still make the bus. I don’t mind.”
    “I said it was okay, didn’t I?” He sounded annoyed.
    “Okay,” she said.
    Silently they walked the rest of the way to the car. It was an open convertible. Marian and two boys were already in the back seat. “What took you so long?” one of the boys called as they came up.
    “I had to sign the bar check,” Walt said. He opened the door of the car. “Fellows, this is JeriLee. JeriLee, Joe and Mike Herron. They’re brothers. You now Marian.”
    JeriLee nodded. “Hi.”
    Marian seemed cool, but both boys smiled and one of them held a bottle up to JeriLee. “Join the party,” he said. “Have a drink.”
    “No, thank you,” JeriLee said.
    “I’ll have one,” Walt said. He took the bottle and held it to his mouth. He took a long swallow, then handed the bottle back to the boy. “That’s good rum.”
    “It should be.” The boy laughed. “Your father has nothing but the best.”
    Walt closed the door and got in behind the wheel. He started the motor and gunned the car out of the parking lot. They turned down the highway in the direction that led away from her house.
    JeriLee looked at him. “We’re going the wrong way.”
    “I thought I’d drop them off before I took you home,” he said.
    She didn’t answer. A sound of laughter came from the back seat. She turned around. Both boys were trying to unbutton Marian’s blouse and she was giggling while slapping their hands away. “Not fair.” She laughed. “It’s two against one.”
    JeriLee turned back in the seat. She glanced at the speedometer. The needle was up around seventy. “Better slow down,” she said. “The highway patrol is on the road tonight.”
    “I can handle them,” Walt said grimly.
    There was no sound from the back seat now. She glanced into the rearview mirror. Marian seemed to have disappeared. Involuntarily she turned and looked into the back seat. Marian had her head in Joe’s lap. It was a moment before she realized what the girl was doing. She was holding Joe’s penis in her hand and taking it in her mouth.
    She turned back quickly, a curiously sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Somehow she knew this was not the way it should be. She knew what girls and boys did in cars but this was not at all what she had imagined. She couldn’t wait until Walt dropped them off and took her home.
    Walt pulled the car into the driveway and cut the motor. “Okay,” he said. “Everybody out.” He opened his door and came around to her side.
    “You said you were going to take me home.”
    “I will,” he said. “What’s the big deal? Last time you couldn’t wait.”
    “Last time was different. You