The Big Bounce

He could see her face again, close, her eyes open wide inches from his. To the great lover it had been a look of wild-eyed passion. Now, in the empty room, he knew it had been pure panic. The poor broad had wanted her window opened and he had almost raped her.

He wished he could run into her again, just for a minute. He’d tell her: “Listen, I’m sorry we had that misunderstanding. See I thought-” Maybe not that; something like it. He’d have to say something.

No he wouldn’t. He’d never see her again.

But he saw her in his mind every once in a while as he painted and each time he saw her, he slapped the paint on a little heavier.

She should have stayed another day. He could have been nice to her. Polite. He could have taken her out and bought her a Tom Collins and it would have been the biggest thing that ever happened to her.

The other day he could have treated Billy Ruiz a little better.

He began thinking about Billy Ruiz and the others, wondering how they were going to get home if they couldn’t pay Camacho for the bus ride.

If it was true about the bus-Camacho wanting to charge them five hundred dollars.

And Pizarro wanting five hundred for the wallets. What was this, everything costing five hundred dollars? If he did anything, he should go out and have a talk with Frank about the wallets and find out about the bus.

Mr. Majestyk came in looking up at the freshly painted light green walls.

“Inside the cupboards, too,” he said.

“Inside? Who’s going to see inside?”

“You got enough paint?”

“I guess so.”

“There’s a phone call for you,” Mr. Majestyk said.

“Yeah? Who is it?”

“Who do you think?”

He followed Mr. Majestyk to his house, wiping his hands with a rag soaked in thi

“Hello?”

“Hi. I slept in this morning,” Nancy said. “After the workout.”

“I wondered,” Ryan said. “I didn’t see you.”

“Are you coming over tonight?”

“I guess I could.”

“Nine thirty,” Nancy said.

“That late, uh?”

“I’ve got a surprise for you.”

“No, you haven’t,” Ryan said. “Not anymore.”

“Really. But you have to come on time.”

“Okay, then.”

“Will you come?”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Is someone there?”

“Uh-huh.”

“The one who answered?”

“Right.”

“I think he was mad he had to look for you. I told him it was urgent.”

“Uh-huh.”

“He’ll think I have hot pants.”

“Okay then, I’ll see you later.”

“Nine thirty,” Nancy said. “Come upstairs. I’ll leave the door open. Okay?”

“Okay,” Ryan said.

She hung up.

As Ryan put the receiver down Mr. Majestyk straightened up from the desk. “While you’re here,” he said, “maybe you better take some more paint.”

“I got enough.”

“Just in case.”

“I got plenty.”

“Listen,” Mr. Majestyk said then. “That broad on the phone-”

“Yeah?”

Mr. Majestyk smiled, self-conscious, showing his white perfect teeth. He shrugged then. “Why should I say anything-right? You’re old enough.”

“I was about to mention it,” Ryan said. He started out but stopped in the doorway and looked back at Mr. Majestyk. “What was that broad’s name in Number Five?”

After work he asked Mr. Majestyk if he could borrow his car to go get something to eat. Mr. Majestyk said he could eat with him, cold cuts and potato salad. Ryan said thanks, but he had to get some things at the drugstore anyway, so he might as well grab a bite in town.

He didn’t stop in Geneva Beach. He headed directly for the migrant camp and pulled up next to the shed. Billy Ruiz, his face opening up when he saw Ryan, was alone inside.

Ryan looked around the room. He said, “Why didn’t you put the beer case where I told you, behind the store?”

The surprised expression remained on Billy Ruiz’s face and Ryan said, “Where is it?”

“Frank said he got rid of it that night. He said it would be better at night.”

“Where is he?”

“I tole you, he was fired.”

“I heard he was going to drive Camacho’s bus back for him.”

Billy Ruiz frowned. “Why? He got his truck.”

“I heard his truck was busted.”

“It’s always busted, but he make it run. You think he leave it here?”

“Who’s driving the bus, then?”

“I don’t know. We got a new crew leader, he pick somebody knows how to drive it.”

“Then, you’re all set,” Ryan said.

“Sure we get paid tomorrow, go home. Come up next year, hey, maybe we see you!”

“Maybe,” Ryan said. “You never know.”

On the way back he decided why not grab a bite. He stopped at Estelle’s, then went over to the Pier Bar and had a couple while he watched the sun go down. It was a good place.

15

A FEW MINUTES BEFORE NINE Nancy undressed and put on a pair of shorty pajamas. She left a lamp on in the bedroom, then went downstairs and turned off every light on the living room level, including the kitchen; she made sure the back door was double-locked. The door of the activities room, downstairs, was also locked. The only unlocked door in the house was the sliding door from the sun deck into the living room. She slid it silently open and closed it again.

Now the big chair with the ottoman. She pushed it over a little so it would be more in line with the door, closer but still in shadow, then worked the ottoman over. It was big and square and heavy, without casters; she could sit down in the chair and prop her feet against the inside edge of the ottoman and it was heavy enough that it wouldn’t move away.

She sat down now and put her hand on the table next to the chair. She took her hand away and put it on the table again and moved the lamp over a few inches.

He could come anytime now. She had told him 9:30. He could be late if he had gone to The Pier and had to walk back or had trouble getting a ride. On the other hand there was a good chance he would be early. Eagerly early. There was no question in Nancy’s mind that he would come. He had been coming back since Tuesday night and after last night she considered Jack Ryan nailed down. He could pose and declare his independence, but he was like all the rest of them basically and she couldn’t imagine him passing up a sure thing.

She began thinking about tomorrow and tried to imagine the look on Ray’s face when he heard what happened. She could picture his expression when he walked in, the grim look. It would be hard not to laugh, or at least smile.

Right now, though, she’d better look alive and be ready and keep her eyes on the yard beyond the dark shape of the swimming pool. The only outside light was the orange bug lamp. He would pass through it as he approached the house.

“Hey, where you going?” Mr. Majestyk was standing at the edge of his front lawn. Behind him, past the thin birch trees, the spotlight held the flamingoes and painted stones in silent glare.