After they finished eating, Nadine suggested they go back to her rooms.
“I’ve got a better idea,” Clint said. “I’ve got a beautiful room at the Bastion. Come back there with me.”
“I don’t have any clothes . . . I’ll need to dress in the morning . . .”
“I’ll take you back home to change,” he said, “and then we’ll have breakfast.”
She smiled.
“We’re having a lot of meals together.”
He reached across the table and took her hand. “And that’s not all.”
“No,” she said, squeezing his hand, “we’ve done a lot of work together, too.”
“Let’s go back to my hotel,” he urged, “and we’ll do something else.”
“All right,” she said, “you’ve got a deal.”
Clint paid the bill, then they stood up and walked out to the street. It was dark, the street was lined with lamps.
“Are we walking?” she asked.
“Unless a cab comes by,” he said. “Like you said. We’ve both got guns.”
~*~
A cab did come along, though, clip-clopping, announcing itself. Clint stepped out and waved it down, then helped Nadine into it. He gave the driver the name of the Bastion Hotel.
“I know it, sir,” the driver said. “Not far.”
“Thanks.”
~*~
“I thought we was gettin’ somethin’ to eat,” Griff complained.
“You wanna tell Uncle E. we didn’t get the job done?” George asked his cousin.
“No, but—”
“That’s his hotel there,” George said. “We’re gonna wait here until he comes back.”
“Damn it, George—”
“You go then, Griff, walk down the block and find someplace to eat—but don’t be long!”
“Okay, thanks, George,” Griff said. “I won’t be. I promise.”
While his big cousin lumbered off down the block in search of a sandwich George settled into another doorway, to wait.
~*~
The cab pulled to a stop in front of the Bastion Hotel and the driver said, “Here ya go, folks.”
Clint and Nadine had been talking for the few minutes it took to get there, just idle chatter. Now Clint stepped down from his side of the cab while Matthew, the doorman, helped Nadine down.
“Here you go,” Clint said, paying the driver.
“Thanks, Mister.”
The cab pulled away.
“Thank you,” Nadine said to the doorman.
“My pleasure, Ma’am. Good evening, Mr. Adams.”
“Hello, Matthew.”
He took Nadine’s arm and guided her into the lobby.
~*~
Griff came back, carrying a sandwich, chewing furiously.
“Anythin’?” he asked.
“Yeah, somethin’ good,” George said. “The man came back in a cab with the gallery woman. They went inside. My guess is they’ll be in for the night.”
“Lucky guy,” Griff said.
“I’m still lookin’ for my chance with her.”
“Yeah, that’ll be the day,” George said.
“So how does this help us?” Griff asked.
“The driver who dropped them off,” George said, “I know who he is. Come on!”
~*~
Matthew, the doorman, followed Clint and Nadine into the lobby.
“Mr. Adams?” he called, from behind.
“Yes, Matthew?” he and Nadine turned.
The doorman looked pointedly at the lovely gallery owner.
“It’s all right,” Clint said, “you can talk in front of her.”
“That feller came back, the one who was looking for you?” Matthew said. “He spoke to Louis.”
“Okay, Matthew, thanks.”
The doorman nodded and went back outside.
Clint guided Nadine over to the front desk, where Louis was still working.
“Good-evening Mr. Adams,” the clerk said. “Ma’am.”
“Good-evening,” Nadine said.
“Louis,” Clint said, “Matthew tells me a man was here asking about me.”
“Oh, yes sir, but just like you told me,” Louis said, “I didn’t tell him anything.”
“What did he want to know?”
“Just your name,” Louis said. “He said you were a friend of his.”
“Really?” Nadine said. “How did he explain not knowing Clint’s name, if they’re friends?”
“He said that he used different names when he checked into hotels.”
“Did he say why I’d do that?” Clint asked.
“He said somebody was looking for you.”
“Yeah,” Clint said, “him. Okay, thanks, Louis.”
“Yes, sir.”
Clint tipped the clerk, then said, “One more thing.”
“Yessir?”
“Do you think you’ve ever seen the man before?”
“No sir, never have,” the desk clerk said.
“Okay, thanks.” He looked at Nadine. “Shall we?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”