Crossroads of Desire by Amos Hatter — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

CROSSROADS OF DESIRE All at once Ginger realized that victory was within her erasp. She inveigled him into drinking more and more and by the time they left Toot Shor’s Philip was in his cups. “Gotta meet Connie,” he mumbled drunkenly when she cot him into a cab at midnight. “Don’t worry, Philip. There’s plenty of time, ” she said easily. “Let’s stop in and have another drink at the Astor bar on the way.” “S'marvelous suggestion,’ he grinned stupidly as she snuggled beside him in the seat, and with that remark he relinquished all control over the evening. Mental telepathy may or may not have had anything to do with the idea that struck Connie at that moment. She had been waiting impatiently in the darkened foyer of the theater for the past thirty minutes. Waiting for anyone was something Connie had not done for a long time. She glanced at her diamond wrist watch for the sixth time and saw that it was now twelve o’clock. A storm had been brewing inside her for twenty minutes. If she hadn’t wanted especially to be with Philip tonight for a very important reason she wouldn’t have waited five minutes for him. The very idea of him standing her up! And he hadn’t even sent word as to why—! If it hadn’t been for her hunger she would have tracked Philip down right then and read the riot act to him. As it was her stomach demanded food. She pulled her coat about her and stepped out onto the windswept sidewalk. Immediately she was confronted with another problem. Where should the premiere danseuse of the Ballet du Roi go to partake of a lonely supper? She was reminded of her early days in New York as she crossed Times Square without an escort at her elbow. But in those days her destination would have been a drug store counter or a hamburger shop instead of Lindy’s. With her chin high and defiance gleaming in her eyes she went into thé restaurant and asked for a table for one. * As she waited for her lobster Connie brooded over a highball. Her initial anger at Philip temporarily gave way to the belief that something dire had befallen him. She considered the possibility then, cast it aside. Burkins, his valet, would have 46 CROSSROADS OF DSIRE ” tacted her at the theater. In her wildest imagination she sn't like him. Not at all. It was also foul and unforgivable. She’d make him pay for this! Grimly she attacked her lobster. Thirty minutes later, hav- 1g Satisfied her appetite, she drank some coffee with brandy fhile she pondered her next step. The first thing to do was Gall Burkins and get a line on where Philip might be. “Howdy, Connie.” She gave a start and looked up. Jack Clayton and one of the Jallerinas from the show were standing beside her table. She Motioned for them to sit down. “It isn’t very often we find you alone these day, Connie,” Jack Smiled as he and the ballerina, whose name was June, sat down at her table. “It sure isn’t, Connie,” June added, _ There was nothing upstage about Connie Carter. These two folks were fellow entertainers, even though she was the star of the show. She gave them a wry smile. “I’m not alone out of choice, believe me,” she told them. “My date still hadn’t turned up by midnight and I had to have Something to eat. But just wait until I get my hands on the Skunk!” “Who was it, Hathaway?” Jack asked. eVves.? He and June exchanged glances. Connie saw something Significant was passing between them and her eyes narrowed. “Do you Know where he is?” she asked. “June and I just came from the Astor Bar, We were there having a couple of quick ones with an out-of-town friend of mine. Maybe I shouldn’t tell you the rest of it, Connie.” Jack gave her a speculative glance. “The devil you shouldn’t. Come on, give! Was Philip there?” “Yes, he was. And both Jack and I remarked about it,” June spoke up. “He was there with some blonde.” “He was?” Connie exclaimed, her eyes wide. “Maybe you shouldn’t come to any conclusion right off,” Jack advised, “It looked to me as if the blonde had led him astray.” “You mean—” Connie stared at them open mouthed, " CoOnnicboolks.co 1 im