Crossroads of Desire by Amos Hatter — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

CROSSROADS OF DESIRE “I'd love to. Where shall I meet you?” “How about Toots Shor’s?” “Splendid. See you there in twenty minutes.” Ginger hung up with a puzzled expression on her face. Walker looked at her with I-told-you-sos written all over his features. She recovered from her surprise and regarded her employer. “That was too easy,” said Ginger. “It can’t mean anything more than a dinner.” “You'll be with him. Now this time don’t be so coy. Give him the full treatment. Make him forget Connie Carter.” “He’s meeting her after the show tonight,” “You make me sick,” Walker announced loudly. ‘““Haven’t you ever made a guy forget he had a date with another girl?” “Sure, but—” “Then go to work on Hathaway. Get him all steamed up about you. Get him drunk. Get him good and drunk if you have to. In any event, don’t let him keep that late date, not if you want to stay on my payroll.” Ginger glanced at him with silent disdain. She hadn’t too much regard for Robbin Walker to begin with. Any man who would use a woman to help him get business couldn’t be a very dependable person. But as long as he paid her, Ginger didn’t much care. Deftly she applied Hpstick and in a moment was ready to go. “Tl expect a full report from you vouanoiteans, * he said, “You'll get it,’ said Ginger and went out. She was in no mood to high pressure Philip into anything tonight, And when she met him twenty minutes later she was friendly but a shade reserved. Philip was delighted to have her company for dinner and proved it right off by ordering a bottle of champagne. ‘Tm flattered that you thought of calling me,” he said smiling, She gave him a pleasant smile in return. ‘It was forward of me I know, Philip. And I do hope you'll forgive me.” “Of course, Ginger. I didn’t think it forward of you at all. On the contrary, it was very thoughtful of you to have me in mind.” He lifted his glass and drank to her health. “I’m only sorry that I have another engagement later.” “With Connie?” she asked. He nodded. 44 tat? Ye ae - ? CROSSROADS OF DESIRE “She’s a cute girl and I don’t blame you, Philip,’ Ginger replied. He looked at her with surprise. The girls he knew weren’t accustomed to making charitable remarks about each other. Such an attitude was.a welcome relief. “That’s awfully decent of you to say that,” Philip observed and his opinion of Ginger took a decided upward trend. “But it’s true.” “Sure it is. Connie is wonderful. approaches an ideal.” In many respects she Ginger wouldn’t go quite that far in her evaluation of the dancer but she discreetly kept her thoughts to herself. She gave Philip a fetching smile and raised her glass. “Lots of luck to you, Philip. You deserve the very best.” Finding herself with a sympathetic listener for the first time in so long that he couldn’t remember any others, Philip was moved to let himself talk. He discussed Connie, the ballet, the Hathaway Lock and Bolt Company and a horse. By the time he got to the horse he was getting rather loquacious, having nearly emptied eke bottle that rested in the ice bucket beside the table. The horse, Ginger discovered, was one he owned on a farm of his upstate. She listened to him with friendly curiosity and the growing realization that Philip might—just barely might—be playing right into her hands. “I didn’t know you rode,” she said, her eyes admiring him. “One thing about you, Philip, never ceases to amaze me. Every time I’ve been with you, I’ve learned something new and interesting about you.” She encouraged him to tell more about himself. Philip found this easy to do. He ordered another bottle of champagne ‘for them to drink as their dinner was served. And with Ginger paving the way he went right on drinking and talking as they ate, “Td like a liqueur,” she said when they were finished. you join me?” she asked invitinely. Philip announced emphatically that he would. He was in an expansive mood by this time and was thoroughly enjoying himself for a change. They had not one, but several, 45 “Will COMICHOOKSAGO im