"What did you do?"
"It was a meeting. Call it a board of directors meeting and you'd be
close. We--"
"Board of directors of what?" The questions came quickly, unbidden
almost, to Jeanne-Marie's lips. She felt suddenly very quick-minded and
very capable.
"Well, call it a syndicate."
"The national syndicate of crime? Is that what you mean? Are you one of
the directors?"
He nodded slowly and said admiringly, "Baby, you're not only beautiful,
you've got a mind like a trip-hammer."
"Go on."
"There was the last thing such a board of directors would ever want. A
fight."
"Someone was hurt?"
"Killed."
"Oh, I see." But she did not see. The words came automatically. What
did Jeanne-Marie--or Mary-Jean--know of murder?
"I was fingered," Lucky said.
"You did it?"
"I say I didn't do it. Who do you believe?"
"I don't believe anyone," Jeanne-Marie said, the words coming quickly
to her, apparently plucked from air. "I never believe anyone. What's
the difference?"
"Plenty of difference. Because I'm getting out of here. But I'll never
get out alone. They're looking for a single man. I can get out with
you, I think."
Just then, before Jeanne-Marie could answer, he leaned forward quickly
and kissed her. Jeanne-Marie stiffened and then relaxed for a moment,
then stiffened again. She pushed him away gently, saying curtly, "Don't
try that again."
"I can't figure you out," he said. "One minute you talk like a woman
who's been around, the next like some dilly of a housewife from
suburbia. What do you think I kissed you for? Just because you're
beautiful? Hell, I've seen beautiful girls before. Plenty of them, and
some as beautiful as you. Well, almost, anyway," he added, and they
both smiled. "I kissed you because one of the cops drifted through.
Listen, baby. Will you be my passport out of here?"
"Why should I be?" Jeanne-Marie asked him coolly.
"Because I'm asking you. Because maybe fate meant we should meet like
this tonight--"
"Oh, now, really," Jeanne-Marie said. "You don't mean that and you know
you don't. One sure way _not_ to get me to do anything for you is to
throw me a line like that."
Lucky shrugged. "O.K., baby. If you were in my place, what would you
do?"
"Umm-mm. I see what you mean. But I wouldn't throw you such an obvious
line if I threw you a line at all."
"Can I force you to come with me?"
"I don't know. Can you?"
"O.K.," Lucky smiled. "Let's try it. I've got a gun in my pocket, baby."