Chapter 11
It was ten o'clock, Sunday morning. Morry stood in front of the dresser, knotting his necktie in front of the mirror. He was wearing his only suit, a single-breasted blue thing he'd had for years.
He said, "Jerry, are you sure this is a good idea? Just driving up to the girls' house and saying we're from the church committee?"
"Why not? We'll tell their parents we'd like to take the girls to church to meet the parishioners. Maybe we should carry bibles in our hands or something."
Morry shook with silent laughter. "Are Ma and Pa still asleep?"
"They're crapped out like drunks. Now let me get this again. You say you saw them leave the theater, each one with a pickup? Then they went to the car and fucked?"
Morry studied the effect of his tie in the mirror. "Right on. And the pair they picked up were so fucking ugly, it had to be for money. That's where his cash has been coming from."
"Well, I'll be damned," Jerry drawled.
"If you don't believe me, what do you expect me to think about all that crap you gave me about the mill being a secret rendezvous for Farquar and some broad?"
Jerry blew a smoke ring. "I swear on a motherfucker's grave, it's the cocksucking truth. Literally. I watched her blow him. And there was this other guy. I don't know who he was, but he was a banker type. Striped suit, gray sideburns and everything."
"Are you sure it was Farquar? I mean, what the hell."
"You think I wouldn't recognize that prick? Who do you think has been splitting the speedingticket take with Teeger? Well, no more. Guess who's not going to get any more speeding tickets, ever?"
Morry turned around and grinned. "Guess who's not ever going to tell us we have to stay in again?"
Jerry flung his hands toward the ceiling and laughed. He was wearing his gray suit, a striped shirt and wide tie. "Things are looking up, bro. Didn't I tell you? You have to keep an eye peeled for the breaks. Sooner or later they come your way."
Morry stuffed his hands into his suit coat pockets and took a man-of-distinction pose. "Hoy, thah, I'm from the church committah. Yuz dotters gotta find God, man." he eyed Jerry. "So you still think I'm bullshitting about that broad I picked up at the theater?"
Jerry flicked ashes from his Camel. "Come off it. You don't see broads like that around here."
Morry jammed his thumb into his chest. "Yeah, but last night I did. So help me God. Decked out in a tight red skirt with slits up the sides. A peasant blouse half off her chest. Sunglasses. No bra, no panties. Face all plastered with makeup. You saw my face last night. She was nuts, I tell you. Got me into her red station wagon out in a field and went wild."
"Aw shit, so you found some little broad and necked with her. Those farm girls come into town on Saturday night. Big deal."
Morry shook his head vigorously. "No, sir. This was a woman. Blonde hair on her like a bushel of hay. Big, tall broad with a body like Venus. You never felt tits like that. She had everything. Face, ass, legs. I was goin' out of my skull."
Jerry's smile faded. "You aren't on anything, are you? I mean, you haven't been buying stuff from Braddocks?"
"Shit, no. Ah, forget it, I knew you wouldn't believe me. Let's go. The ladies are waiting in the big house on the hill."
Jerry pushed up from his chair. "They're something, aren't they?"
"Something else. But I tell you, they're nothin' compared to what I ran into last night. She told me to meet her at the theater again some time."
"Sure, sure. After you, Alphonse. What do you think of that radio we cooked up?"
"That was the greatest thing since Eve got her paws on Adam's apples."