Kitten with a whip Page 5

  what she conceived to be a sexually alluring glance, arms behind her head to give the boldest possible thrust to her breasts. And, of course, one knee was drawn up to show the best lines of her bare leg. Over all this, but hiding none of it, she wore Virginia's best negUgee, the gold-bordered robe of sheer white nylon.

  "Nothing rinky about this, is therer she said finally, gigghng.

  Who said you could wear my wife's clothes?"

  "Nobody. I took the only thing where the fit didn't matter. If your wife wasn t so fat—*

  David closed his fist. He said, "Another crack like that, kid, and you re going to be bleeding across the mouth."

  "That'll look sweet for the cops, won't it, hubby." Jody's eyes flashed fire and she sat up, rather than continue the squabble in her glamor-girl pose. Then she giggled again suddenly.

  "What's so funny?"

  "Even for an oofus, you must be blinder than nowhere, David." She preened herself, stroking the transparent neghgee down over her exposed body. "What do you see tnat's different, like?"

  It had been nagging at him, the difference. She looked older, far more dangerous. He'd thought it was his changed attitude, but.. . "My God, what have you done to your hair?"

  "Just what I been doing to it." It was damp and curled in tight ringlets but she tried to fluff it up proudly. *They won't be looking for me like this, will they?"

  She was now a gleaming ash-blonde. Gone was the touseled mouse-brown youngster; in her place sat this shiny-topped female menace, grown up and enjoying her power—and looking as cheap as flat beer.

  He said softly, to his own surprise, "You know, I do feel sorry for you."

  Her overpainted mouth smiled up at him. "That*s getting closer to somewhere. Sit down."

  "No, thanks."

  She pretended to pout. "Here I fixed myself all up and you're still mad. I even made a drink for you, too.' Two glasses sat ready on the coffee table, straight whisky

  with ice cubes melting. She beamed with incandescent pleasure. "You know what? I been pretendiug this was my place, that we were husband and wife. It doesn t hurt to play, does it?"

  "Yeah, it does. When you ve got no idea what it means.'*

  Her narrow face hardened into a point like a dagger. "You know it all, huh? Sit down."

  "I don t think I've got a choice, you put it so sweetly." He sat down gingerly on the far end of the sectional. She scooted over so that her hip touched his and handed him his driok.

  She said, "Doesn t it shape up cosy, playing house?"

  He could smell her now. She had help^ herself HberaUy to his wife's cologne, one of Virginia's true luxuries. The connotation, the cloud of jasmine and rose, nearly made him gag. The special, almost sacred, fragrance of Virginia—at eighteen doUars for a three-ounce bottie.

  "Don t say anything," Jody admonished him, and he wasn't about to. "Just get some of this Hquor down you." She trailed a playful finger through the work-dripping hairs on his broad chest. 'Xet's dream about wonderful. Wonderful up there on those clouds they're always talking about. You suppose they're soft and loungy, or do you just fall through?"

  "You've been outdoors today. There's not one lousy cloud in the whole lousy sky."

  ^[ody chuckled and rubbed her thigh against his. "Tnen let's drink up a storm. I know—here's to us, David. You and me, all alone, against the whole lousy world."

  David drank. It burned all the way down.

  Chapter Five

  He sat sullenly through his first drink and half of the second. Jody had brought him the refill, playing gracious hostesSi She seemed to have reverted somewhat to her earher attitude of wanting to please him. She tried to make conversation and didn't flare up when he only grunted disiuterestedly. Her range of topics was paiu-hilly limited—women's clothes, dancing, hair styles, some jazz musicians he'd never even heard of, and how tough it was for a girl to get a good job. Not that she possessed any skills, such as typing or shorthand, nor did she show any inclination to acquire any. She was waiting for her break. Her last job had been as a carhop but tne other girls had had it iu for her and some of their nasty stories had gotten to the boss and he had fixed her . . .

  "Let me freshen that up." She seized his glass and trotted for the kitchen again. Apparently, she lixed making the trip, the sheer negUgee soaring regally behind her. David chuckled. As suddenly as turning a page, the whisky was making him feel better. His anger inside burned down into a comfortable glow and thiugs didn't look so bad as before. So I'm stuck with her, he reflected. // I cant think rings around a kid her age, I ought to have my head examined. I'll come up with something.

  He leaned back on the sectional and contemplated Jody's return. She brought a fresh ice cube in his glass and the bottle of bourbon. She poured, smiling languorously at him. "You got a new look," she said. "Am I getting through to you?"

  ^Whatever you mean, I can tell you we'd never be able to really communicate, not even if we took a course m it.

  She frowned, puzzled. "What are you getting at?"

  "See?" He picked up his new drink. Jody was still

  workiiig on her first one; at long intervals she would take a sip but she had the greater part of it left. She bounced down on the sectional beside him.

  "It^s my bright idea," she said, "that you waste too much time trying to figure things out. You ought to take things as they coEfte."

  "There's a philosophy for you/*

  "Well, what the heUI I know this much. I know bookies make a lot more than ministers and have a lot more fun. So somebody comes along and blows up the world tomorrow. So who needs the worry bit?'*

  "It takes abihty to worry, Jody. It's one of those abilities that separates man from the beast."

  He thou^t he was doing pretty weU with his fatherly sermonizing until she playfully shook her blonde head at him and began stroking her bare thigh through the nylon. "This stu£E sure feels good. Feel."

  "Thanks just the same."

  "Do I bother you, pavid?"

  *T don't think so." He turned his head dehberately and looked her over—legs, panties, midriff, brassiere cups, shoulders. "You're a pretty girl, no use kidding about that. But right now, for my money, you've got too much on display. You're glutting the market."

  "Bet you're afraid to touch me."

  "Yeah, probably I am. It stiU wouldn't prove anything."

  Jody laughed. "Fine talk," she annoimced confidently, "but I still know what you're thinking. Your wife's away, and I know how you married men get."

  "I'm sure you know all about everything, girl. Now don't let it bowl you over but I'm still not interested, period."

  "What if I told you to get interested?" she mused. Narrow-eyed and smiling broadly, she unhooked the bra catch between her breasts. She held the blue lace in place with her hands. "Well, shall I just let everything go? I can make you hot up, you know."

  He watched her, fascinated. Yes, she could arouse him if he let her. Flesh was flesh, and if he blindfolded his morals and his self-respect and his love for his family •. . He was frightened and he hoped it didn't show. He

  tried to make his voice sound calm and matter-of-fact. He asked, "Is that the way you want it?"

  Jody shrugged. "It doesn t especially matter." She fastened the bra together again. "I'm not interested, either. I just get kicks out or teasing you, David. You blow so preachy about everything.

  "I m glad I amuse you," he said stiffly. He was amazed to discover in himself a sudden irrational resentment that she considered^him only somebody to make fun of. He wasn't any Adonis sitting here, stripped to the waist and with some stray weed seeds in nis thinning hair, but by God he wasn't any scarecrow either. He got to his feet.

  "Where you going?" Jody wanted to know immediately.

  "If it's all ri^t with you, dear, Fm going through the hall door and then through the bathroom door and then I'm going to take a shower. Okay?"

  She called after him, "Need any help, just yell." He didn't bother to reply. Undressing in th
e bathroom, the door safely locked, lie heard the television begiu to blare. He thougnt sardonically, sure tough getting her to feel at home around here. Naked, he stalked over to the medicine cabinet to look at his head and shoulders in the mirror. What if he had taken her up on her strip tease, made her foUow through on her propositions? Maybe that'd teach her not to . . . He stared incredulously at his reflection. What the hell are you dreaming up now? he asked himself. Youve not only got your conscience to live up to, but she's already got enough sticks to heat you with. Play around and no telling where youll end up. Maybe it's not only a shower you need, but a cold shower. And while you re at it, wash your mind out with soap.

  Far oflF, in the other end of the house, he heard the telephone ring.

  His first idea was, let it ring. But immediately there fell over him the chilling remembrance of Jody. She was out there, close to the instrument. It would be just like her to answer the phone herself. It was exactly the sort of crazy reckless exploit that would deHght her. David grabbed a towel oflE the rack and knotted it around his middle as he ran for the kitchen.

  Jody was standing there, smiling at the telephone but she hadn't taken down the receiver—not yet. He shoved past her and cut the phone off in mid-ring. "Hello?"

  Virginia's melodious voice said, "Hi, darling. How are you?"

  He couldn't have been more shocked had she walked in the front door. "Fine, just fine," he stammered and sank slowly down onto one of the chrome chairs. "You re in town already? Where you calling from?" He stared panic-stricken at the half-clad girl and Jody stared back, trying to comprehend what was going on.

  Virginia laughed. "Well, I didn't mean to frighten you, David. No, I'm in San Francisco, calling from Mother's."

  He let out a sigh of rehef. He had forgotten about long distance direct diahng. It was hard getting used to things you hadn't grown up with, and to him it stiU seemed that a long distance call should be formally announced by the impersonal voice of the operator, and ac-companiea by various difficulties.

  His wife said, "Why don't you say something? Aren't you glad to hear from me?"

  "Sweetheart, I was hoping you were home ahead of schedule. I don't know how to tell you how much I've missed you." He made a shooing gesture at Jody but she was drifting closer and closer. A mahdous smile began forming on her wide red mouth.

  "WeU, good," said Virginia. *l'm certainly getting hungry to see you again, too. Not to mention Katie. She's been pestering me aU day to let her talk to you long distance but now that I've put the call through, she's disappeared somewhere. Out in the yard, I guess. Oh, welL You haven't been sick or anything?"

  "Me? God, no." He tried to elbow Jody away. In return, she made a teasing pass at the knot that held on his bath towel.

  "What do you mean, God, no? As I recall it, I'm nursing you naif the time for the sniffles or blisters from the spading fork or something."

  "That's just my way of getting attention." He flattened his hand over the mouthpiece and snarled at Jody, "Gtet the hell out of here!" Jody giggled.

  Virginia said, "What did you say? I couldn't hear you, David."

  "1 got a bad connection on this end. How*s your mother?"

  "Fine and dandy. That's what I called to tell you. I could have come home tonight but I couldn't get seats. The best I could do was Monday. We'll arrive at Lindbergh Field at five-ten a.m. Got that? Five-ten Monday morning. You'll meet us, naturally. Won't vou?"

  "Naturally. What'd you think, I'd abanaon you?" At this moment Jody squirmed down onto his lap, sliding a bare arm around lis neck. He tried to shake free but she dung tight, nuzzling at his shoulders. He covered the receiver again. "Get off of mel"

  "David?" Virginia said in his ear. "Are you still there?^

  "I'm here," he said desperately. He caught Jody's wrist and began to squeeze. Her cat-eyes widened angrily and she sank her fingernails into his chest, raking downward. He let go of her wrist and she giggled. "Tliat'll show youl" Both of them watched the olood begin to ooze from the four parallel marks.

  It's just such an ungodly hour," Virginia said. "We could take a cab out but I tliought if you'd meet us, we could have an hour or so to talk before you have to get to work."

  "I want to meet you," he insisted.

  "David, are you angry about something?"

  "No, of course not. I'm just dying to see you again, that's aU." ,

  Jody pressed her face against his, nibbling at his ear, S

  whispering, "Let me talk to her, David . . ." With an effort, he surged to his feet, dumping her to the floor with a crash.

  "What was that?" Virginia asked. "It sounded as if fl

  the house were falling down." '

  "I knocked over a chair." At his feet, Jody lay giggling helplessly. Like a tickled infant. "I guess my feet were wet. I was just starting to take a shower. I've been out mowing the damn weeds."

  His wife accepted the explanation with a sigh. "I guess i|

  I'd better hurry home and look after you before you get into real trouble."

  "I guess you'd better." He drew back his foot, threatening to kick Jody to quiet her. She got to her feet and draped the negligee about her, playing haughty. Then

  she minced toward the Hving room, wagghng her bottom, pausing to grin back as he told his wife, "I love you."

  They talked for another minute or so, mostly endearments, and then he was alone in the kitchen once more. As he hung up, David found himself shaking from the ordeal. He went through the back of the house into his bedroom, cast aside the towel and took his robe out of the closet. He knotted the sash tight with fury and folded the lapels over the scratch marks on his chest. Then he marched into the living room and poured himself another drink from the bottle on the coffee table.

  He scarcely recognized his own voice, it was so thick with rage. "For two cents, I'd break every bone in your body. Ii my wife had heard you—"

  "Shhhhl" Jody said. She was sitting astraddle the sectional arm, watching the television cartoon which was just ending.

  "Listen to me!" he demanded. "What do you think you're up to, anyway?"

  She turned around to face him but only because the cartoon was over and a jolly man was trying to sell her some breakfast food. She tried a demure look. "All I wanted to tell her was that I'm taking good care of you. So she wouldn't worry, you know?"

  "You could have wrecked my whole life. But that doesn't sink in, does it? Nothing can get through that thick skuU of yours."

  "Your whole Hfe," she said scornfully, *Tike it was a treasure or something. You're dead and don't know it. How long you been married?"

  "It doesn't happen to be any of your business."

  "Well, you told me the kid was going on six, so let's say seven years. Seven years, my God! Seven years you been shacked up with the same woman, you must be bored siUy. Oh, you've got a lot of nice stuff piled around the house—that dishwasher's a real gem—but what do you do for real smoky fun, huh? Sit on your fat tails and watch each other rot? Unless this is one of those neighborhoods Hke I read about in the magazines, where you rotate the wives at night?" She cocked her head at nim thoughtfully. "No," she decided, "not a chance. Not

  you, David. If you ever got in the wrong bed, youd blush yourself to death. Sweet David."

  At one poiat he was ready to pick up the whisky bottle and swing at her head. But fiiat ember of hate was buried deep now under a rising tide of astonishment. How could she have Hved this much of her life without having a single glimmer as to what it was all about? Hadn't she ever fallen in love, or wanted something bad enough to work for it and earn it? Hadn't she ever felt for a single moment the simple desire to be comfortable? Excitement was fine, jov was fine, but they hadn't been invented to be servea up three meals a day. The stretches in between represented life, too, and meaningful life. David said, "I give up. We don t talk the same language."

  Jody said suspiciously, *Tfou criticizing my English now?'^

  "No, Jody," he said and sat down.

&n
bsp; *1 could have gotten all Outstandings if I'd wanted them."

  "Sure you could ve. Simmer down. You just didn't want them."

  By some accident he was getting imder her skin now. Spitefully, she saic^ "And if I really wanted to fix you good, all I have to do is yank up the Venetian blinds and give the neighbors a big fat peek at me in my undies. And you sitting there in your bathrobe. There's some kids out there playing ball in the street, you know."

  He swallowed another soothing mouthful of bourbon. His voice came out calm. "Why would you really want to fix me good, Jody? I'm the same fellow who tried to help you this morning."

  She stared at him, face contorted. *1 don't know," she said under her breath. "I don't know."

  In that brief silence she was confused and vulnerable, and he wondered if she were entirely sane. The constant probing for excitement, perhaps that was a psychotic trait. And her sadistic streak—*teasing" she called it—but her antics while he was on the telephone surpassed mere playfulness; they were vicious and, most disturbing of all, pointless.

  A voice spoke importantly from the television set.

  "Direct from our news room, the seven forty-five roundup. Your reporter, Dirk Hadley, brought to you by . . /* David turned to Hsten, his interest caught. Today's newspaper hadn't arrived but here was his chance to find out.

  Jody moved swiftly to turn off the set and close the console doors.

  "Heyl" He bounded over and pushed her away. "I want to see that." He opened the doors and cHcked the set on again, fuming as the screen slowly glowed to life. David was on his knees, waiting. Then the image snapped into being and he found nimself face to face with Jody. This morning's Jody, mouse-haired— an official photograph. Sullen and unsmiling, her picture gazed back at him.

  ". . . brown hair, yellow-brown eyes," the announcer's smooth voice related. "So the search continues for seventeen-year-old Jody Drew, who escaped last night from Juvenile Hall after setting fire to the girls' detention quarters and stabbing a matron who tried to stop her. The matron, Mrs. Clara Eckert, forty-six, is in critical condition at County Hospital but is expected to recover . . ."