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I looked around the lobby as I walked back to the elevators。 The General should be somewhere around。 From what I had seen of his attitude toward Forrester； I figured there had to be more than just Army and airplanes between them。
I spotted him as he crossed the lobby to the men's room next to the nearest bank of elevators。 He was scowling and his face was flushed。 He looked like a man who needed more relief than he could find where he was going。
I waited until the door swung shut behind him before I walked over to the elevators。 For the first time since I'd landed the CA…4 at Roosevelt Field； I began to feel better。 Everything was falling into place now。
I wasn't worried any more。 The only problem that remained was how many planes the Army would buy。
3
WHAT I WANTED MOST WAS TO GRAB A SHOWER AND TAKE A NAP。 I hadn't got to sleep until five o'clock that morning。 I dropped my clothes on a chair and walked into the stall shower； turning on the needle spray。 I could feel the tightness leave my muscles under the soothing warmth。 The telephone rang several times while I was in the shower。 I let it ring。
When I came out； I picked up the phone and told the operator I didn't want any calls put through until four o'clock。
〃But Mr。 McAllister told me to call him the moment you e in；〃 she wailed。 〃He said it was very important。〃
〃You can get him for me at four o'clock；〃 I said。 I put down the phone； dropped on the bed and went to sleep like a baby。
The ring of the telephone woke me。 I looked at my wrist watch as I reached for the receiver。 It was exactly four o'clock。
It was Mac。 〃I've been trying to get you all afternoon；〃 he said。 〃Where the hell have you been？〃
〃Sleeping。〃
〃Sleeping！〃 he shouted。 〃We have a board meeting over at the Norman offices。 We're due there right now。〃
〃You never told me。〃
〃How in hell could I； when you wouldn't answer your phone？〃
〃Get General Gaddis for me；〃 I told the operator。 〃I think he's registered here。〃
I lit a cigarette while I waited。 The receiver crackled in my ear。 〃General Gaddis speaking。〃
〃General； Jonas Cord here；〃 I said。 〃I'm in my apartment。 Thirty…one fifteen in the Towers。 I'd like to talk with you。〃
The General's voice was cold。 〃We have nothing to discuss。 You're an unconscionably rude young man… 〃
〃It's not my manners I want to discuss； General；〃 I interrupted。 〃It's your wife。〃
I heard him sputter through the telephone。 〃My wife？ What's she got to do with our business？〃
〃A great deal； I believe； General；〃 I said。 〃We both know whom she met in Peacock Alley today at one o'clock。 I can't believe that the War Department would look favorably at a personal animosity being the basis for rejecting the CA…4。〃
There was a silence over the telephone。
〃By the way； General；〃 I asked； 〃what do you drink？〃
〃Scotch；〃 he answered automatically。
〃Good； I'll have a bottle here； waiting for you。 Shall we say in about fifteen minutes？〃
I hung up before he could answer and called room service。 While I was waiting for an answer； a knock came at the outer door。 〃e in；〃 I yelled。
From the bed； I saw Mac and Dan Pierce enter。 When they came into the bedroom； Mac's face wore its usual worried look but Dan's was wreathed in smiles。 He was on the verge of getting everything he ever wanted。
Room service finally came on。 In the background； I could hear the clatter of dishes and suddenly I was hungry。 I hadn't eaten since breakfast。 I ordered three steak sandwiches； a bottle of milk； a pot of black coffee； a bottle of Scotch； two bottles of bourbon and a double order of French fries。 I put down the telephone and looked up at them。 〃Well； how'd it go？〃
〃Bernie squealed like a stuck pig。〃 Pierce grinned。 〃But we had him by the short hairs and he knew it。〃
〃What about his stock？〃
〃I don't know； Jonas；〃 Mac said。 〃He wouldn't talk to Dan。〃
〃I spoke to Dave Woolf； though；〃 Dan said quickly。 〃I told him to get the old man in a selling mood or we'd throw the pany into bankruptcy。〃
〃You got the Section Seven Twenty…two ready？〃 I asked Mac。 He knew what I was talking about … a petition to appoint a receiver in bankruptcy。
〃In my brief case。 Before the meeting this morning； I had a brief discussion with our attorneys here。 They feel they could swing a favorable appointment as receiver。〃
I stared at him。 〃You don't sound happy about it。〃
〃I'm not；〃 he said。 〃Norman's a crafty old man。 I don't think you'll bluff him that easily。 He knows you stand to lose as much as anyone if you bankrupt the pany。〃
〃He's a real greedy old bastard； too。 And he won't take the chance of losing what he's got just for the satisfaction of keeping me pany。〃
〃I hope you're right。〃
〃We'll find out soon enough。〃 I turned to Dan。 〃Have you been able to reach Rina yet？〃
He shook his head。 〃I've tried all over。 No luck。 There's no answer at her home。 The studio doesn't know where she is。 I even had a contact try Louella but she doesn't know。〃
〃Keep trying；〃 I said。 〃We've got to find her。 I want her to read that script。〃
〃I do； too；〃 Dan said。 〃She's the only thing holding us up； now I've got the De Mille thing squared away with Paramount。〃
〃Paramount O。K。 it？〃
〃This morning；〃 he said。 〃I've got the wire from Zukor in my pocket。〃
〃Good；〃 I said。 This would be the biggest picture ever made and right up De Mille's alley。 We were going to shoot it in a new process called Technicolor and it would cost over six million bucks。 It was the story of Mary Magdalene and we were going to call it The Sinner。
〃Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourselves？〃 McAllister asked。 〃What if she doesn't want to do it？〃
〃She'll do it；〃 I said。 〃What the hell do you think I want the Norman pany for？ Their contract with her is the only asset they've got。〃
〃But her contract gives her script approval。〃
〃She'll approve it；〃 I said。 She had to。 I had the damn thing written especially for her。
When room service came； I swung my feet over the side of the bed and had the waiter set the table right up in front of me。 I hadn't realized how hungry I was。 I'd already eaten one of the steak sandwiches and drunk half the bottle of milk before the waiter got out the door。
I was in the middle of my second sandwich when the General showed。 Dan brought him into the bedroom and I introduced them； then asked them to excuse us。
〃Sit down； General；〃 I said when the door closed。 〃And pour yourself a drink。 The bottle of Scotch is on the table。〃
〃No； thanks；〃 the General said tightly； still standing。
I shrugged my shoulders and picked up the third sandwich。 I came right to the point。 〃What's it worth to you if I get Forrester to leave the Army？〃
〃What makes you think I want that？〃
I swallowed a mouthful of sandwich。 〃Let's not horse around； General。 I'm a big boy now and I got eyes。 All I want is a fair test for the CA…4。 From there on out； it's up to you。 There are no other strings attached。〃
〃What makes you think I won't give your plane a fair test now？〃
I smiled at him。 〃And build Forrester up even more in your wife's eyes？〃
I could see the tightness leave him。 For a moment； I almost felt sorry for him。 The brigadier's star on his shoulder meant nothing。 He was just another old man trying to hold a young dame。 I felt like telling him to stop knocking himself out。 If it wasn't Forrester； it would be some other guy。
〃I think I'll take that drink now。〃
〃Help yourself；〃 I said。
He opened the bottle and poured himself a straight shot。 He drank it and sank into the chair opposite me。 〃My wife's not a bad girl； Mr。 Cord；〃 he said half apologetically。 〃It's just that she's young … and impressionable。〃
He wasn't fooling me。 I wondered whether he was fooling himself。 〃I understand； General；〃 I said。
〃You know how it is with young girls；〃 he continued。 〃They see only the glamour； the excitement in a uniform。 A man like Forrester … well； it's easy enough to understand。 The silver wings on his blouse； the D。F。C。 and Croix de guerre。〃
I nodded silently as I poured myself a cup of black coffee。
〃I suppose that was the kind of soldier she thought I was when we were married；〃 he said reflectively。 〃But it wasn't lo