Crossroads of Desire by Amos Hatter — page 22: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CROSSROADS OF DESIRE searched her Gallic mind for the proper English idiom “—to give him the ax. A clean, swift blow is often the most merciful.” “You're right,” Connie agreed. But it wasn’t as simple as that. She couldn’t afford to give Philip up quite so readily. She had to retain his good will at least until she had gotten what she wanted for Larry. Philip was slated—though she hadn't let him in on it yet—to play an important part in that undertaking. Yvonne smoothed Connie’s dress for her, then hurried out of the bedroom to get her mink coat. Connie followed later. As she slipped into the coat she informed the maid that she might be a bit late tonight. “T’ve got some business to take up with Philip,” she explained. “Then mademoiselle wouldn’t mind too much if my Gene comes by for a while tonight?” The two girls exchanged knowing smiles. Connie didn’t mind at all. With that she hurried off to the theater. CHAPTER SIX AE that precise moment, in a hotel suite eleven blocks away in another part of town, Robbin Walker was pacing the floor. Ginger Doss sat ina chair watching him with a belligerent look in her eyes. A bottle of whiskey and two half empty glasses sat on a small table nearby. “Three weeks,” said Robbin in disgust, “and a thousand bucks down the drain. I’m not going on indefinitely. I warn you!” “You listen to me!” Ginger shot back, “When you hired me for the job you said that Hathaway would be a push-over. You said his main weakness was women. Okay, you were right. But his weakness in that line is all for that hoofer.” Robbin gave her a disgusted look. “That’s why I hired you. Connie Carter is taking him for all he’s worth. She’s not in- terested in influencing Hathaway so that I can get in on his firm’s expansion contacts. She’s only interested in getting all the money she can out of him for that damed ballet. Your job was to muscle in on her but you haven't got to first base!” 42, CROSSROADS OF DESIRE “How could 1?” Ginger demanded. “She had her hooks into him before I ever met the sap.” _ “T thought you were a better operator than that,” he said contemptuously. ; “Oh, you did, eh? Well get this, mastermind. You can’t win a race if it’s been run before you even show up.” “You've had several cracks at him, but what happened?” “Hach time I was just filling in until he had to meet that Carter dame.” , “You didn’t make any time with him. That’s what happened!” Robbin glared at the girl. “Get somebody else then. That’s your privilege.’ _ Walker continued to pace the floor. “It’s too late for that now. If I don’t get some action soon it’ll be too late to influence his decision on those contracts.” “Suggest something, then. A new approach. I’ve tried every- _ thing I know,” Ginger shrugged. “The least you could do would be to keep after him.” “That’s a brilliant remark,” she said sarcastically. “Do you go for a girl who pesters hell out of you?” “No, but I’m not Hathaway.” “Yowre nuts, that’s what you are.” “Have you called him up lately?” He eyed her for a moment, then shook his head. ‘No, I didn’t think so.” “Okay, wise guy!” she shot back. “I’ll call him up. Might as well queer what little chance I might have, once and for all.” Angrily she went to the telephone and in a couple of minutes, somewhat to her surprise, heard Philip’s voice on the other end. Quickly she composed herself and spoke sweetly. “Philip, I hardly dreamed I’d find you home at this hour. I just took a chance and—” “I was almost out the door,” said Philip, always pleased to hear from a girl and especially an attractive one like Ginger. “Well, I guess youre busy. I was just going out to dinner Myself and thought that—well, maybe, you weren’t eating with anybody yourself.’ “As a matter of fact I’m not, Ginger. I haven’t anything to do until after the show tonight. It would be a pleasure to have you join me,” said Philip companionably. COMIIGIOOKSEGO 43 im