Johnnie (23 page)

Bill’s chin went up. “So you got lost again, did you?”

“I did not,” Johnnie denied hotly. “I knew where I was all the time.”

“Where were you?” Hank wanted to know. “Where have you been?”

Johnnie took a deep breath. “I’ve been everywhere. To the Bronx zoo and the Aquarium and Grant’s Tomb, that isn’t much; and a conducted tour of Radio City and rowing on the lake in Central Park; and Park Avenue, that’s nothing but apartments, and Harlem—” He stopped for another breath.

“Alone?” Bill’s face was unbelieving.

It would be nice to say, “Yes, alone,” and get Bill over the idea that he, Johnnie, was a hick. But that wouldn’t be fair to Trudy. He shook his head. “No, not alone.”

“Who went with you?”

“A girl.”

Bill and Hank gave him the wolf gleam. “Where is she?”

He said happily, “She left for Mexico. So sorry, chums.”

It was all going well. But disappointment couldn’t silence these lugs long enough. Bill was too smart. Bill asked carefully now, “Where were you last night?”

Johnnie said with vagueness, “I went for a ride on the subway.” He wouldn’t ever tell them about last night. They would never trust him out of their sight again. They would think he was crazy. They wouldn’t understand it had all been strictly accidental.

“In the subway,” said Bill. “And then?”

Johnnie talked fast. “I had some champagne, real champagne.” He’d better get these guys started before they got too nosey. The money he hadn’t touched was burning a hole in his sock. “I’ll tell you what, let’s go buy a bottle of champagne right now. My treat.” He grabbed an arm on either side of him. “And then let’s go to the Stage Door Canteen. Maybe we’ll see Sonja Henie.”

He didn’t want to waste tonight too. When a guy had a weekend pass, he expected a little fun.

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Copyright © 1944 by Dorothy B. Hughes

Cover design by Erin Fitzsimmons

978-1-4804-2697-9

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