Chapter 9

The next thirty seconds were the longest Conway had ever spent in his life. Why had he allowed himself to linger with Teddy? Why hadn't they taken a hotel room? All whys and no answers.

Margo spoke first as the couple scrambled from the floor. "My," she said slowly. "Now isn't this a cozy scene." Her voice was as brittle as ice against the side of a glass.

"How long have you been here?" Conway asked, getting into his clothes as quickly as he could.

Margo removed her coat and threw it over the couch. "Long enough to watch an interesting exhibition," she said coolly.

"Now look...." Conway began. From the look in her eye he knew there was no sense in finishing the sentence.

Margo pointed at the bedroom into which Teddy had vanished. "Get her out of here," she snapped. "I don't want that tramp Uttering up my apartment. And when you're finished I want to see you back here."

Despite the recent surprise, Conway felt anger at the way in which she was ordering him around. He held his tongue. There would be plenty of time to take care of her later.

Teddy reappeared and made straight for the front door, avoiding looking Margo in the eye. Conway started to follow her when Margo grabbed him by the arm and extended a set of keys beneath his nose.

"Take the car," she said. Her tone had strangely softened.

Conway hesitated, astonished at her offer.

Marge jangled the ring. "Go ahead," she prompted. "This way I'll be sure you'll come back.

Conway wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. At the same time he didn't agree with Margo's reasoning. There'd be nothing to prevent him from ditching the car any place he chose. Nevertheless he took the keys and hurried on to catch up with Teddy.

The young girl was just entering the elevator. As he slid through the closing door she came into his arms, sobbing. "Oh, darling," she cried. "I've never been so embarrassed in my whole life. I'll bet that horrible woman watched us from the beginning."

"You couldn't prove it by me," Conway grinned. "I was busy."

The amusement he felt was catching. Teddy managed a little smile. "It was funny at that," she admitted. "I'll bet she was even jealous."

"She should have been."

"Was I that good?"

Conway patted her on the fanny. "You're getting better all the time."

Teddy kissed him on the cheek. "I'm glad. I want to be perfect so that we can enjoy each other." She looked down at herself and sighed. "I'm a mess. There wasn't much time to dress."

Conway had to agree with her. She had on the dress he'd first met her in last night. It was wrinkled, and only two buttons had been fastened above the waist. More, there was nothing beneath and the outline of her breasts clearly showed through the thin cloth.

Teddy guessed what he was thinking. "I just grabbed my underclothing and ran. She held up her hand and Conway saw the garments which she was carrying.

"You'll get stares if you go out on the street like that," he chuckled.

"Or raped again," Teddy said somberly. Her mood changed swiftly. "I'll find a ladies room and finish dressing," she smiled.

The elevator doors opened onto the basement garage. Conway guided her out of the light and into the far corner of the floor where the car was parked.

"Is this yours?" Teddy asked, staring at the convertible in front of them.

"Yep," Conway lied. "Nothing but the best for a damsel in distress."

Teddy looked at the emptiness around them. "I could finish dressing here."

"Go ahead," Conway urged. "Nobody's looking ... except me."

"And you don't count." Teddy stripped to the waist. She was about to put on the bra when Conway took hold of a breast. "Stop that," she scolded. "I'll never get any place." But she didn't complain as he fondled one, then the other, finally kissing the tip of each tenderly. "That does things to me," she admitted, watching a nipple go into his mouth.

"Like what?"

"Like you know what. Like lying down on this cement and letting you do it all over again."

"I haven't the strength," Conway admitted.

Teddy wrinkled her nose. "We fixed that before. We can again."

"You learn fast."

"You're a good teacher." She slid into the bra and turned so that he might hook it. "I was afraid it wouldn't fit."

"It almost doesn't," Conway grunted, finishing his task.

As Teddy picked up the last piece of clothing, a pair of panties, from the fender of the car, Conway gently took them away from her. "You won't need these," he said, tossing them aside.

"I was hopping you'd say that," Teddy said softly. She put her arms about him and kissed him passionately.

Conway broke the embrace. "We'd better get going," he announced., "Otherwise we will be on that concrete floor." He held the car door open for her and she slid in, making no effort at keeping her dress down. For an instant the entry light shone on her golden body.

"Where to?" Conway asked as he slid behind the wheel.

Teddy clung tightly to him. "A hotel room and a small bed," she suggested.

Conway had never known a woman quite like this. Once her resistance had been broken down, her appetite for sex seemed insatiable. If he could keep up to her, she was going to be much better than Margo had ever been. "How about some food first? I'm hungry."

Teddy laughed softly. "That's a man for you. Always practical. All right. A meal and then a hotel room."

Shaking his head in amazement, Conway gunned the engine and hot-rodded out of the garage.

Two hours later the couple had finished eating. Now they drove in silence down the outer drive, passing over the Michigan Avenue bridge and skirting the loop. As they passed through Grant Park they could see the Planetarium in the distance.

Teddy snuggled closer to the man at her side. "That's the place where this all started," she said. "I don't know whether to be happy or sad."

Conway patted her bare thigh. She was no longer concerned with keeping her legs covered. "I'm glad," he said slowly, adding, "that you came out alive."

Teddy seemed to drift into deep thought. She came out of it suddenly. "I think you should take that money back."

Conway was a little surprised at the sudden switch. But at the same time it fitted into his thinking. "Maybe you're right," he agreed. He'd had an idea, and the more he reflected on it the better he liked it. Why not get the money, go pick her up, and get out of here? They could go to Europe or South America or some place far away. With her body, she could keep him amused for quite a while.

Conway had to admit, if only to himself, that he was a little fond of the girl. Certainly as fond as he could get of anyone. There was a remote chance that he might even wind up marrying her. A guy has to think of settling down sometime.

But he was getting ahead of himself. First of all he wasn't returning that dough. He'd worked too hard to get it. However, she didn't have to know this, not right off. Conway was sure he could sweet talk her into letting him keep it. All he needed was time.

At the moment he called himself a fool for ever having told her about it. On the other hand she'd probably have found out. She lived in a neighborhood full of ears. A thing like forty thousand is hard to keep quiet.

And Conway thought of the insurance man warning him that he'd get the dough somehow. Imagine his face when he found out his dough had flown the coop before the ten days were up.

That line of thought brought up something else. One thing puzzled Conway. He'd expected to be followed from the day he'd left prison. So far, nothing. There hadn't been a single sign of a tail. This didn't make any sense at all.

"Oh," Teddy exclaimed from next to him.

Conway looked over at her, wondering what was wrong. She was fumbling around the front seat, as if looking for something. "Lose something?"

"My purse. I forgot my purse."

"Maybe you left it back at the restaurant."

Teddy frowned. "No. I'm afraid it's back in 'the apartment."

"Great," Conway grunted. "I hope there weren't any state secrets in it. Margo will go through the thing like a bloodhound."

"No," Teddy said. "There's nothing." She didn't sound convincing.

"Never mind," he said. "You won't need a purse anyhow." He told her quickly of what he had in mind.

When he'd finished, Teddy's face was radiant. "Oh, darling," she said happily. "That's a wonderful idea. When can we leave?"

"Tonight."

She frowned suddenly. "You will give the money back?"

"After I pick you up we'll go directly to the police station and turn it in," he lied. "You'll have it with you then?"

"How else could I turn it in?"

Teddy squeezed his arm and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you," she said fervently.

"You take a cab and meet me where we met last night. I'll pick you up there about ten."

Teddy shivered. "Why there?"

"I'm not going to come into your neighborhood, not with forty grand on me. I know that place too well. If you'd like we can get together some place else."

Teddy shook her head and her smile returned. "It doesn't matter," she said softly. "As long as I have you." She sighed and leaned back against the seat and pulled the hem of her dress to her waist. "That's your reward for being honest," she said slowly, her breathing becoming irregular.

Conway looked down. She was smiling up at him. "I'm driving," he protested.

Teddy took one of his hands from the wheel. She kissed it tenderly.

Conway caressed her, and as he listened to the girl whimper in pleasure he knew that he really had it made.