She looked at him for a moment, then turned back to me. “What do you think, Danny?”
I took a deep breath and looked around me. I knew what I was going to say. I had always known. And there were sounds in the house that made me feel as if it knew the answer, too.
“I think we’re going to take it,” I said. “Could you arrange to have the painters in tomorrow so that we can occupy on the 1st?”
Chapter Ten
I GOT to my feet in surprise as Sam walked into my office. This was the first time he had ever come out here. “Sam!” I said, my surprise echoing in my voice. “What’s the occasion?”
He looked at the girl sitting at the next desk to mine in the small office. I sent her out and turned back to Sam. “What’s on your mind?”
Sam slipped into the chair she had vacated. “I’m gettin’ a little tired of havin’ to call you every week for cigarettes. I want to fix up a steady thing with you.”
I smiled in relief. For a moment I had thought that he had come to complain about the orders I had placed for the subway drink dispensers. I had been spending his capital as if it were mine. “You ought to know better’n that, Sam,” I said reproachfully. “Nobody can guarantee it. The stuff’s hard to get.”
“You can get it,” he said confidently.
“I wish I could be sure,” I said quickly.
“I want two hundred boxes a week,” he said, his voice hardening. “You’ll see that I get it.”
“And what if I don’t?” I challenged. I could do it all right, but I wanted to find out what had made Sam so sure of himself.
He took a folded sheet of paper from his pocket and threw it on the desk. I picked it up. It was a copy of my warehouse receipts. That meant he knew where I had stashed every last pack of butts. I turned back to him in bewilderment. “Where’d you get this?” I demanded.
He smiled broadly. “I got ways,” he answered evasively. “Now do I get them butts?”
“Supposin’ I say no, anyway?” I asked.
“The O.P.A. would love to have a copy of those receipts.” He smiled.
“You wouldn’t do that to me, Sam!” My voice was shocked.
He smiled again. “Of course not, Danny,” he replied casually. “No more’n you’d tell Mimi about other matters.”
I put a hurt, disillusioned look on my face. “I never thought you’d do a thing like that, Sam,” I said mournfully, swallowing an impulse to smile.
Sam’s face wore a delighted expression of triumph. “You don’t like it when the shoe’s on the other foot.”
That did it. I couldn’t choke back the laughter any more. It echoed loudly in the tiny office.
Sam stared at me in surprise. “What’s with you, Danny?” he asked in a gruff voice. “You gone off your rocker?”
Finally I caught my breath. “I was just thinkin’, brother-in-law,” I gasped, “that this is a fine way for a couple of partners to act to each other!”
Then he saw the humour in it and began to laugh too.
After a while I took him out into the shop and showed him around. It seemed to open his eyes a little. He hadn’t realized that the thing had turned into such a big proposition. Then when we came back into the office and I showed him the list of locations I had already signed for, I could see a new respect dawning in his eyes.
“You got almost as much here as we got in the subway deal alone,” he said in surprise.
“More,” I said quickly. “Before I’m through, it’ll be twice as big.” I offered him a cigarette and lit it for him. “Compliments of the house,” I said.
He was still thinking about what he had learned. “Now I know why you’re always short of dough,” he said.
I nodded. “I been throwin’ it back as quick as it came in.”
He looked at me through the cloud of smoke coming from his nostrils. “How about puttin’ the whole thing together in one package, kid?” he suggested. “It’d make it a lot easier for yuh.”
I played cagey. “You throwin’ your business in too, Sam?” I countered.
“Uh-uh.” He shook his head. “I just mean this. I’ll give yuh a fair price for half an’ then supply the dough jus’ like on die subway deal.”
It was my turn to say no. “That was a big one I couldn’t handle alone, Sam,” I said. “This is mine. I built it a little brick at a time. I’m gonna keep it.”
He was silent for a moment. I knew that look on his face: he was figuring out an angle. When at last he looked up at me, I could tell from his expression that he had given up. “Okay, Danny,” he said genially. “But if you should ever change your mind, say the word. By the way,” he asked, turning to leave, “how’s the house comin’?”
“Okay. We’ll be in it next week. Tuesday, like we figured.”
He walked back toward the desk. “You should’ve seen your old man’s face when Mimi told him.”
“What’d he say?” I asked. I couldn’t conceal my interest.
“At first he didn’t believe it, but when Mimi swore that it was the truth, he couldn’t speak. Your mother began to cry.”
I couldn’t understand that. “What was she crying for?”
“She kept saying something to your father about that was what you wanted all the time and he wouldn’t believe you. He couldn’t speak, he just chewed away on that cigar of his and after a while he went over to the window and looked out. All through dinner he was very quiet, and toward the end of the meal he looked up at Mimi and said a very funny thing.” Sam paused for a breath and looked at me.
I didn’t say anything.
“He said: ‘So Danny’s going home.’ And your mother said: ‘That’s what he wanted all the time—to come home. And you wouldn’t let him.’ Then your father said: ‘I’m an old man now and for me it doesn’t matter any more. My mistakes I’ll take with me to my grave. But happy I am that Danny found his way back.’ Then they got up and your father said he was tired and they went home.”
My cigarette had burned almost to my fingers and I dropped it into an ashtray.
“Y’know, kid,” he said softly, “I think the old man is about ready to throw in the towel if you’ll go to him.”
I breathed deeply and shook my head. “It’s more’n that, Sam,” I replied. “He’s got to square away with Nellie first. There were too many things he said, too many things he did. He’s got to level all the way round.”
“He will if you give him the chance, Danny.”
“He’s gotta do that by himself,” I said. “I can’t do that for him.”
“You know how he is, kid,” Sam said gently. “He’s proud and stubborn and he’s old, Only God knows how much time he’s got left to——”
“I’m his son, Sam,” I interrupted. “You don’t have to tell me anything about him. I know him better’n you. And I’m a lot of things that he is too. I’m proud and stubborn. In a way I’m old too, older’n he is. I gone through a lot of things because of how he acted that made me older. I buried a child, Sam. She died in my arms because we didn’t have anyone to turn to for help. Yuh think that can happen ’thout getting older? Yuh think yuh forget a thing like that? You can’t,” I answered myself. “Yuh can’t forget. An’ yuh can’t forget that it all started when your own father locked his door on you.” I shook my head. “He’ll have to do by himself, like I had to. Then maybe we’ll be able to level again and feel right with each other.”
I dropped into my chair and lit another cigarette. When all the rush of moving and business died down and Nellie had the baby, we’d go away for a while. We both could use the rest. I couldn’t ever remember feeling so tired.
I looked up at Sam again and switched the subject. “Where d’yuh want the butts sent, Sam?”
He stared at me for a second before he answered. “The usual place, Danny.”
“They’ll be there tomorrow morning,” I said.
He was still watching me. After a few moments he said: “Okay, Danny,” and walked out the door.
&n
bsp; I sat there silently for a while, thinking. Then I got up and went to the door of the little office. “Zep!” I called out into the shop.
He came running in from the workroom. “Yes, Danny?”
Time hadn’t stopped for any of us. It was just a short run from the workroom, but Zep was out of breath. “Get on the other phone, Zep, an’ try to scout up new warehouse space for us,” I said. “We’re gonna have to move everything tonight. Sam has all the places spotted.”
He nodded quickly, sat down at the telephone, and began dialling. I looked at him fondly. He was okay. He knew enough not to waste any time asking questions; they could keep until after the job was done.
I picked up my phone and called Nellie. I didn’t want to tell her I was going to be late again tonight, but there was nothing else I could do. She was approaching the nervous stage of her pregnancy and everything seemed to upset her. But she calmed down a little when I promised her that I would be home early every night after this and that she wouldn’t be alone until the baby arrived.
Chapter Eleven
I PUT down my coffee cup and got up from the table. I carefully skirted several filled cardboard cartons and walked around the table to where she was sitting, and bending, kissed her cheek. “S’long, honey,” I said. “I’m off to work.”
“Be home early tonight,” she said, looking up at me. “I want to finish the packing.”
“Stop worryin’,” I told her. “We can always do a few things tomorrow before the movers come. They won’t be here until eleven.”
“I don’t like leaving things until the last minute,” she answered. “You always forget something and then you’re upset. I want everything ready.”
It really wasn’t very much that we were moving. We were taking none of the furniture with us. We had bought everything new for the house and it was already out there. But women were like that. I remember my mother had been the same way when we had moved.
“Okay, Nellie,” I said, walking to the door. “I’ll be home early.”
Her voice called me back. As I stood in the doorway, she came running to me clumsily and I held my arms out to her. She came into them and rested her head against my shoulder, trembling. I kicked the door shut with my foot and stroked her hair. “Baby, baby,” I whispered, “what’s the matter?”
I could scarcely hear her voice, muffled by my jacket. “Danny, I’m frightened. Suddenly I’m frightened.”
I held her close to me. The years had taken their toll even from her. I could notice a few tiny grey hairs under my fingers, and the closer the baby came, the more nervous she was. It hadn’t been like this with Vickie; she hadn’t been so nervous then. “Don’t be scared, baby,” I whispered. “Everything’ll be all right.”
She looked up into my face. “You don’t understand, Danny,” she whispered. “I’m not frightened for myself, I’m frightened for you.”
I smiled reassuringly at her. “Don’t be nervous, baby. Nothing will happen to me. I’ll be all right.”
She hid her face against my shoulder again. “Let’s not move tomorrow, Danny, let’s not move there. Let’s find another place. We can wait.”
“Don’t talk foolish, baby,” I said. “You’re just nervous and upset. You’ll love it, once we move in.”
She was crying. “Don’t go back there, Danny,” she pleaded. “Please don’t go back! You can’t make things over again, you can’t change what was meant to be. I’m afraid for you to go back!”
I put my hand under her chin and turned her face up to me. “Stop crying, Nellie,” I said firmly. “It won’t do any good. You’re just making yourself hysterical over nothing. It’s a place to live just like any other place—nothing more and nothing less. So stop trying to make it into something it’s not, and try to be sensible.”
Slowly she stopped weeping. “Maybe I was wrong,” she admitted in a taut, controlled voice, “but I’ve got such a terrible premonition.”
“I remember my mother saying that was one of the symptoms of pregnancy—premonitions. Everybody has them.”
She smiled doubtfully through her tears. I took out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes gently. “Forgive me, Danny,” she whispered. “I was just being a woman.”
I kissed her mouth. “Forgive you nothing, baby,” I said, smiling. “That’s the way I want you.”
My secretary came to the door.
“There’s a long-distance call from Buffalo for you, Mr. Fisher,” she said.
I crinkled my brow trying to think who might be calling me from there. I didn’t know anyone up that way. “Who is it?” I asked.
“He wouldn’t give me his name,” she answered, a puzzled look on her face. “He just insisted on talking to you.”
“Okay,” I said, my curiosity aroused. “I’ll take it.” I waited until the door closed behind her before I spoke. “Fisher speaking,” I said.
“Danny, this is Steve Parrish,” a voice crackled in the receiver.
There was a good reason for this guy not giving his name. He was a salesman for one of the big cigarette-jobbers who specialized for the most part in big black-market deals. He was the first guy I had contacted when I went into the business. “Steve,” I said pleasantly, “what’re you wastin’ your dough on long-distance calls for? Yuh got money to burn?”
Steve’s voice took on a confidential tone. “I got a big deal up here,” he almost whispered, “and I wanted to check with you before I let it get anywhere else.”
I sat down in my chair and lowered my voice to match his. “How many boxes?” I asked.
“A full truckload,” his voice answered quickly. “All standards. One thousand boxes. You interested?”
Sure I was interested. Who wouldn’t be interested in a thousand boxes of cigarettes when there was hardly that many in the whole town? “What’s the deal?” I asked cautiously.
“Two dollars a carton, a C note a box,” he answered.
I whistled. That was a lot of dough: one hundred grand. “They hot?” I asked.
Steve laughed metallically. “Don’t ask questions, Danny. Stuff like that don’t come out of the icebox these days. I only found out about them by accident because these guys have to unload and grab their dough. I thought of you right away.”
“All-cash deal?” I asked.
“All cash,” he replied flatly. “That’s why you’re gettin’ the two-dollar price. If they had the time they could unload for three and a half.”
“Where’m I gonna get that kind of cabbage?” I asked.
There was the faintest note of challenge in his voice. “If it’s too big for yuh to handle, Danny, let me know. Sam Gordon’s been after me for a long time to throw some stuff his way, but I wouldn’t do that. I’m not out to cut your trade an’ I know he’s one of your customers.”
He would know that all right. I had first met him when I was working for Sam. “I didn’t say that, Steve,” I said quickly. “I was just wonderin’ where I could raise that kind of dough. How much time have I got?”
“No time at all, Danny,” he replied. “The boys want their dough tonight. Maybe I better give Sam a buzz, he’s got the dough.”
My watch said one-thirty. The banks were still open, but all I could get there was about nineteen grand that I had socked away in a safe-deposit box. All the other money had been ploughed back into the business. I stalled for time.
“Can you wait a half-hour, so I can do some figurin’?”
“If yuh ain’t got the dough, Danny, forget it,” he answered. “There’s no use humpin’ around. I’ll call Sam.”
I snapped my fingers. I had it. And he had given me the answer without knowing. “Look,” I said quickly, “I didn’t say I didn’t have the dough. I just said I needed a half-hour to get it. Then I’ll call yuh back an’ we can make up where to meet. I can hop a plane up there an’ you’ll have it tonight.”
I heard a whispered consultation going on at the other end of the wire; then Steve’s voice came back on the phone. “Okay,
Danny, the boys say they’ll wait a half-hour for your call.”
“Good,” I said quickly. “Gimme your number an’ I’ll call you right back.” I wrote the number down on a pad and put down the phone.
There was a clean fifty thousand dollars in this for me if I could pull it off, and that kind of dough didn’t fall into your lap every day. I picked up the phone again and began to dial. The phone on the other end of the wire was ringing. If Steve hadn’t been so quick to suggest finding another customer I wouldn’t have had this idea. I owed him never-to-be-spoken thanks.
There was a click. An operator’s voice sang through the receiver: “Sam Gordon Enterprises.”
“Mame, this is Danny. Put me on the boss’s through line.”
“Okay, Danny.”
I heard another click, another ring, and then Sam’s voice: “Hello.”
“Sam, this is Danny,” I said.
“Yeah, Danny, what’s up?”
“If yuh can use six hundred boxes of standards, I got a deal for yuh,” I said quickly.
Sam’s voice grew cautious. “I can always use ’em, but what’s the deal?”
“Three bucks a carton, a hundred an’ fifty bucks a box. Cash in advance. Delivery tomorrow,” I said.
He hesitated a moment. “Sounds okay,” he answered, still cautious. “But that’s a lot of the long green. What if you can’t make delivery?”
“I’ll guarantee the delivery,” I said confidently.
“S’posin’ somethin’ goes wrong?” he asked. “Then I’m out ninety grand.”
I thought quickly. Sam’s ninety thousand almost carried the deal by itself. I’d have to be a dope if I passed up a shot like that. “Look,” I said, “you know the layout here. I got close to sixty grand worth of the stuff stashed away. The business, location options, and orders for new machines are worth another forty G’s. I’ll bring over the warehouse receipts and an assignment for the business an’ you can hold on to that until the stuff is delivered. Then you give it back to me.”
“An’ if you don’t deliver?” he asked carefully.
A Stone for Danny Fisher (1952) Page 35