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Jennie looked up at me。 〃I think it's more than that；〃 she said。 〃He feels like he's burning up with fever。 I think we'd better get him home。〃
〃O。K。；〃 I said。 I took out a roll and threw a hundred…dollar bill down on the bar。 〃That's for my table。〃 I looked up and saw the redhead staring at me； a mascara track of tears streaming down her cheeks。 I peeled off another hundred and pressed it into her hand。 〃Go dry your tears。〃
Then I bent down and picking Amos up in my arms； started for the door。 I was surprised at how light he was。 Vitale got our coats from the hat…check girl and followed me outside。
〃He lives just a couple of blocks away；〃 he said as I put Amos into the car。
It was a dirty gray rooming house and two cats stood on open garbage cans in front of the door； glaring at us with their baleful yellow night eyes。 I looked up at the building from the car window。 This was no place for a man to be sick in。
The chauffeur jumped out and ran around to open the back door。 I reached out and pulled the door shut。 〃Go back to the Drake； driver；〃 I said。
I turned and looked down at Amos； stretched out on the back seat。 Just because he was sick didn't make me feel any different about him。 But I couldn't get over the feeling that if things had turned out a little differently； it might have been my own father lying there。
9
THE DOCTOR CAME OUT； SHAKING HIS HEAD。 Jennie was right behind him。 〃He'll be all right when he wakes up in the morning。 Somebody fed him a slug of sodium amytal。〃
〃What？〃
〃Knockout drops；〃 Jennie said。 〃A Mickey。〃
I smiled。 My hunch was right。 Vitale had left nothing to chance。 I wanted Amos； he saw to it that I got him。
〃He's very run down；〃 the doctor added。 〃Too much whisky and too little food。 He has some fever but he'll be all right with a little care。〃
〃Thank you； doctor；〃 I said； getting up。
〃You're wele； Mr。 Cord。 I'll stop by in the morning to have another look at him。 Meanwhile； Miss Denton； give him one of those pills every hour。〃
〃I'll do that； doctor。〃
The doctor nodded and left。
I looked at Jennie。 〃Wait a minute。 You don't have to sit up all night taking care of that slob。〃
〃I don't mind；〃 she said。 〃It won't be the first time I sat up with a patient。〃
〃A patient？〃
〃Of course。〃 She looked at me quizzically。 〃Didn't I ever tell you I graduated from nursing school？〃
I shook my head。
〃St。 Mary's College of Nursing； in San Francisco；〃 she said。 〃Nineteen thirty…five。 I worked as a nurse for a year。 Then I quit。〃
〃Why'd you quit？〃
〃I got tired of it；〃 she said； her eyes masking over。
I knew better than to push。 It was her own business； anyway。 〃Want a drink？〃 I asked； going over to the bar。
She shook her head。 〃No； thanks。 Look； there's no sense in both of us staying up all night。 Why don't you go to bed and get some rest？〃
I looked at her questioningly。
〃I'll be O。K。 I can catch up on my sleep in the morning。〃 She came over and kissed me on the cheek。 〃Good night； Jonas。 And thank you。 I think you're a very nice man。〃
I laughed。 〃You didn't think I'd let you walk around Chicago in a light coat like that？〃
〃For the coat； too。 But not only for the coat；〃 she said quickly。 〃I heard what he said about you。 And still you brought him here。〃
〃What else could I do？ I couldn't just leave him lying there。〃
〃No； of course not；〃 she said； her eyes wide。 〃Now go to bed。〃
I turned and walked into the bedroom。 It was a dark and crazy night。 In my dreams； Amos and my father were chasing me around a room； each trying to make me do what he was shouting at me。 But I couldn't understand them … they were speaking a kind of gibberish。 Then Jennie； or maybe Rina； came into the room dressed in a white uniform and the two of them began running after her。 I tried to stop them and finally； I managed to get her out of the room and shut the door。 I turned and took her in my arms but it turned out to be Monica and she was crying。 Then somebody slammed me back against the wall and I stared into the face of the bouncer at La Paree。 He began to shine a flashlight in my eyes and the light grew brighter and brighter and brighter。
I opened my eyes and blinked them。 The sunlight was pouring in the window and it was eight o'clock in the morning。
Jennie was sitting in the living room with a pot of coffee and some toast in front of her。 〃Good morning。 Have some coffee？〃
I nodded； then walked over to Amos' room and looked in。 He was lying on his back； sleeping like a baby。 I closed his door； walked over to the couch and sat down beside her。 〃You must be tired；〃 I said； picking up my coffee cup。
〃A little。 But after a while； you don't feel it any more。 You just keep on going。〃 She looked at me。 〃He talked quite a bit about you。〃
〃Yeah？ Nothing good； I hope？〃
〃He blames himself for breaking up your marriage。〃
〃All of us had a little to do with it；〃 I said。 〃It was no more his fault than it was mine … or hers。〃
〃Or Rina Marlowe's？〃
〃Most of all； not Rina's；〃 I said quickly。 I reached for a cigarette。 〃Mainly； it was because Monica and I were too young。 We never should have got married in the first place。〃
She picked up her coffee cup and yawned。 〃Maybe you better get some rest now；〃 I said。
〃I thought I'd stay up until the doctor came。〃
〃Go on to bed。 I'll wake you when he es。〃
〃O。K。；〃 she said。 She got up and started for the bedroom。 Then she turned and walked back； picking up her mink coat from the chair。
〃You won't need it；〃 I said。 〃I left the bed nice and warm。〃
She nuzzled her face against the fur。 〃Sounds nice。〃
She went inside； closing the door behind her。 I filled my coffee cup again and picked up the telephone。 Suddenly； I was hungry。 I told room service to send up a double order of ham and eggs and a fresh pot of coffee。
Amos came out while I was eating breakfast。 He had a blanket wrapped around him like a toga。 He shuffled over to the table and looked down at me。 〃Who stole my clothes？〃
In the daylight； he didn't look as bad as he had the night before。 〃I threw them out；〃 I said。 〃Sit down and have some breakfast。〃
He remained standing。 He didn't speak。 After a moment； he looked around the apartment。 〃Where's the girl？〃
〃Sleeping；〃 I said。 〃She was up all night； taking care of you。〃
He thought about that。 〃I passed out？〃 It was more a statement than a question。 I didn't answer。
〃I thought so；〃 he said； nodding。 Then he groaned。 He raised his hand to his forehead； almost losing his blanket。 〃Somebody slipped me a Mickey；〃 he said accusingly。
〃Try some food。 It's supposed to have vitamins。〃
〃I need a drink；〃 he said。
〃Help yourself。 The bar's over there。〃
He shuffled over to the bar and poured himself a shot。 He drank it swiftly； throwing it down his throat。 〃Ah；〃 he said。 He took another quick one。 Some color flooded back into his gray face。
He shuffled back to the table； the bottle of whisky still in his hand； and slumped into the chair opposite me。 〃How'd you find me？〃
〃It was easy。 All we had to do was follow the trail of rubber checks。〃
〃Oh；〃 he said。 He poured another drink but left this one standing on the table in front of him。 Suddenly； his eyes filled with tears。 〃It wouldn't be so bad if it was anyone but you。〃
I didn't answer； just kept on eating。
〃You don't know what it is to get old。 You lose your touch。〃
〃You didn't lose it；〃 I said。 〃You threw it away。〃
He picked up the whisky glass。
〃If you're not interested in my proposition；〃 I said； 〃just go ahead and drink that drink。〃
He stared at me silently for a moment。 Then he looked at the small； amber…filled glass in his hand。 His hand trembled slightly and some of the whisky spilled on the tablecloth。 〃What makes you such a do…gooder all of a sudden？〃
〃I'm not；〃 I said。 I reached for my coffee cup and smiled at him。 〃I haven't changed at all。 I still think you're the world's champion prick。 If it was up to me； I wouldn't touch you with a ten…foot pole。 But Forrester wants you to run our Canadian factory。 The damn fool doesn't know you like I do。 He still thinks you're the greatest。〃
〃Roger Forrester； huh？〃 he asked。 Slowly the whisky glass came down to the table。