Free Johnnie by Dorothy B. Hughes

didn’t remain with them. He sidled back to the buffet, stuffed his pocket with salted nuts, lifted a last chocolate éclair and finished it in three bites. He was well pleased with himself. All this how business. All you had to do was use your head. Nothing to it.
    It didn’t do any good to try to get in the car with Trudy. The setup was as it had been earlier. Even to the cordon trudging off on foot. Johnnie had the same uncomfortable jump seat.
    Rudolph was doing the talking just as he had on the trip over but he was more jittery now. “How do you know there were F. B. I. agents at Ferenz’s party, Magda? How do you know they were there? How do you know they aren’t following us?”
    Magda had known how to use her head too. Nothing to it. Johnnie grinned and lit a smoke. He blew it toward Janssen, sitting there stiff as a ramrod.
    Magda said, “Never mind how I know it. It’s my business to know. And they aren’t following. We didn’t parade out of the house, did we? We melted away quietly. Even if they were following, the boys have orders to give them the slip.”
    “How do you know they won’t come to Dorp’s house when they see I’m missing? How do you know they won’t follow us there?”
    She didn’t say, “Stupid,” but her voice implied it. “Dorp is a respectable professor of languages at Columbia University. No one is going to break into his house. And if they did, what would they find? A respectable house. That downstairs would fool anyone. It’s hideous.”
    “Suppose they came upstairs? Suppose they—”
    Janssen snarled, “Make him stop it, Magda. He’s getting me nervous. I can’t afford to be caught by the F. B. I. It’s all right for the rest of you but I can’t afford it. You know I was enrolled in the party before I got away. I couldn’t help it but I was. They’d find it out and shoot me. How do you know we’re safe, Magda?”
    Magda said wearily, “For God’s sake, Louie, don’t I have enough on my hands without you going to pieces? If you and Rudo can’t take my word for it, I’ll get out of this car right now and you can stew in your own juices. Now shut up both of you. You make me excruciatingly ill.”
    “But Magda,” Rudolph whimpered.
    “Light me one of your cigarettes, Johnnie,” Magda interrupted. “Or are your hands shaky?”
    “I’m not afraid of man nor beast,” Johnnie drawled. “Or the F. B. I.” He almost swallowed that one with a gulp. If the F. B. I. really were on the trail, how was Private Johnnie Brown going to explain wearing this monkey suit instead of his G. I. uniform? He passed the cigarette to her. There wasn’t any F. B. I. That was her contribution to spiriting Rudolph back to Dorp’s.
    Rudolph stammered, “I wish I were back in Mexico.”
    Magda didn’t say, “So do I.” She merely began to hum, “Get Out of Town.”
    The car pulled up in the quiet side street, stopped short.
    Rudolph quavered, “Where are we? What is it?”
    “Dorp’s,” Magda said.
    “Where is Dorp? Where’s Trudy?”
    “They’re already here. We came roundabout purposely. I told you that.”
    Rudolph backed into the corner. “How do you know they’re—”
    She drew a breath. “I say they’re here. They’re here. Now get out.”
    “Before I beat your brain in,” Johnnie murmured to himself. He helped her to the street. She rushed ahead up the stairs. He stuck with her. The rest pattered after them. It wasn’t Theo who opened the door; it was Trudy, sparkling white in the dim hallway.
    “Hiya, Babe,” Johnnie greeted her.
    “Go right on up.” Her mouth was grim. “I’m waiting for the squad to get here.”
    Johnnie followed Magda. Dorp was pacing up and down, his short arms behind his back, his fat face red as the velvet throne. Theo was standing in the corner chewing his fingernails. Dorp waited only until the five, trailed by a wheezing Ottomkopf, were inside. Then he exploded. “Theo has lost the papers!”
    Ottomkopf fell back.