Chapter 13

Eva hadn't realized how long it had been since she was last downtown. But as she left the cab at Fourth and Broadway she knew. It hadn't been long enough. The air was heavy with gray smog, burning her eyes, making the already hot day that much more oppressive.

She glanced around her, at the busy crowds jostling each other for room, at the dirty buildings with equally filthy signs.

This was the heart of Los Angeles, she thought wryly. It was repulsive and made her sick to the stomach. The people around her were dressed in a hundred ways, each of them equally sloppy. Shorts, sports shirts, little dresses on big women and the reverse. She'd heard there were towns where people actually dressed up to go downtown. Eva wondered if this could be true.

But she hadn't come down for the fashionless show. Eva started up the street towards Third, moving slower with every step, suddenly completely unsure of herself. How could she possibly run into Martin in this mess?

She hadn't gone half a block before she received her first whistle. Eva looked around in time to see a delinquent in a loud shirt wink at her. She ignored him and moved faster through the crowd.

By the time Eva reached the corner of Third and Spring she was out of breath. She paused in front of a store window in order to rest a moment. As she did, Eva caught her reflection in the glass. Despite her confusion she had to smile. No wonder she'd been stared at, she thought. In dressing for her meeting with Martin she hadn't taken into account that she'd be out on the street.

The white skirt clung to her as if it were glued on, allowing just the faintest suggestion of the edge of her panties to show through. The deep V neck of the blouse plunged down the deep canyon of her breasts, exposing a great amount of smooth swells that moved slightly every time she did. Eva knew that she didn't dare to bent over. If she did, a lot of her would come into the open.

All in all the effect was what she'd been after ... if she could only save herself for Martin.

Eva looked down the street. She recognized the tall Diamond Mercantile Building just about a half a block away. The streets had suddenly filled with businessmen hurrying home.

Her heart beat faster at the possibility of soon seeing Martin. As yet she hadn't even thought an excuse to cover her being here. Well, she thought, she'd think about that when the time came.

As Eva turned to move on, she felt a hand grasp at hers. She swung around and recognized the youth who she'd seen earlier, the one with a whistle. He grinned broadly, exposing a line of unclean teeth, the action threatening to unseat the cigarette drooping from his lip. "I been following you, baby," he said. "And I figure it's about time you and me got acquainted."

Eva struggled to free her hand. "Let me go," she demanded hotly. "I have to meet someone."

The young delinquent snorted and shook his head. "Not any more. You just met him. Let's go someplace and have a beer and talk this over."

Eva was suddenly scared. None of the passing crowd seemed to notice her dilemma ... or care if they did. The mass of people just parted as they came to the couple on the walk, like the sea flowing around a rock. "I'm late," she cried.

"My name's Harry, baby," the youth said, his fixed grin welded in place. He ran his eyes up the length of the young woman before him. Harry'd seen a lot of dames before but none put together like this one. Everything was in its right place and there was plenty of it. Harry knew that he could have caught up to her earlier. But following the girl had been pure pleasure. Her hips filled the skirt to perfection. And when she walked ... wow, just the right amount of movement. He leaned closer, sweat showing on his face. "On second thought, baby," he grinned, "Why don't we just go straight to a hotel? It's too damned hot for clothes anyhow. A little joy juice and we'll have a real ball."

Eva's head spun. She couldn't believe that this was happening to her ... not in broad daylight. She gasped as the youth calling himself Harry made an obscene gesture and pulled her closer. "I'll scream," she warned him.

He only laughed. But his mirth stopped suddenly as his eyes shifted from the girl to beyond her.

Eva followed the eyes and felt sudden relief as two policemen walked towards them. One of them, the taller of the pair, pointed his nightstick at the youth. "He bothering you?"

Eva nodded, tears of relief flooding her eyes. "He ... he was trying to pick me up," Eva sobbed.

"That a fact now?" the shorter cop said slowly. He turned to Harry. "This true?"

The youth shrugged, still defiant. "Can't a guy talk to a broad without you guys busting in?"

The shorter cop shifted his gum to the other side of his mouth. He tapped his nightstick on the youth's hand still clenched over Eva's arm. "Let go," he ordered, "or I'll break it."

Harry couldn't have released a cobra quicker.

The tall cop pointed down the street. "Now get lost, buddy, before we take a notion to run you in."

Harry needed no second invitation.

Eva watched the retreating back for a moment then shifted her eyes to the policemen. "Thank you, officers," she said sincerely. "It's getting so a girl isn't safe on the streets anymore."

She had expected compassion from the pair. Instead they looked at her coldly, the shorter one making no secret of where his eyes were riveted. "Some girls are safe," he said slowly.

Eva shook her head. "I don't understand."

The tall cop looked down at her. His expression wasn't friendly. "I think you do," he snapped. "How the hell can you blame a man for hooking onto you when that's what you're after. And then when he isn't your type you come running to us, crying for protection."

Eva began to get an inkling of what they were driving at. She felt her mouth open in surprise. "You think...?" she began.

"We do," the shorter of the pair cut in. "In the first place you're off your beat. Broadway's a block down. And in the second place street walking's against the law. We should run you in."

Eva's face flushed red, both from anger and embarrassment. "I should report you," she snapped.

The taller cop's expression grew menacing. "Yeah," he agreed. "You do that. And to make it easier why don't we take you down to the station?"

Eva was suddenly frightened. They weren't kidding. "I'm not what you think I'm," she said. "Really I'm not."

The shorter cop spat into the gutter then looked at his partner. "Let her go this time, Charlie. We can grab her later if we need to."

The taller cop hesitated, pushing his cap to the rear of his head. "Okay," he said at last. "Let's not see you around here."

Eva swallowed and moved away quickly, hoping that her weak knees would hold her until she got out of sight from the pair.

She walked a block in a trance, trying to figure what there was about her that had made the policemen think the way they had. Eva knew one thing, if she had money they wouldn't have talked that way. It was just one more score that she intended settling when the proper time came.

So intent was she on her own problems that Eva didn't see the figure coming at her until he blocked her path. When she did it took her a moment to recognize the man. Her reaction was immediate. She threw herself into Martin's arms, all of a sudden the tears she'd been holding in flowing like water from a tap.

He pushed her away quickly, looking around furtively. "Here here," he scolded gently, holding her at arms length. "We're in public."

"I don't care," Eva sobbed. "I don't care about anything excepting you."

"We have to be careful," he warned. "A lot of people know me around here."

Eva looked hard at the man. Was it really Martin? She felt the strength of his arm and saw the soft ruggedness of his face. It was him all right. Her heart almost burst into song on the spot. "Why haven't you called?" she said breathlessly. "I've waited and waited until I was nearly crazy."

He started walking slowly along with her. "You know what I said, we couldn't see each other again."

Eva stopped and looked directly into his eyes. "Is that the way you really want it?"

Martin hesitated a moment before answering, emotions playing across his face. "No," he said huskily.

"Let's go someplace quiet and talk," she suggested.

"I should go home."

Eva squeezed his arm. "Please," she implored.

"All right," he said at last. "But we'll have to be careful." I'll have to call Helen and say I have a business appointment. Then I'll pick up the car at the lot." He looked up and down the street, stroking his chin reflectively. "You walk up to Hill and meet me in the middle of the block across from Pershing Square. I don't know many people in that section of town."

"You'll come won't you?" Eva said, worried.

Martin smiled for the first time since they'd met. "Of course," he promised. "I want to see you as badly as you do me."

As he walked away, Eva moved quickly after him. "Tell your wife that you'll be late ... very late."

Martin grinned broadly and hurried away.

Eva had begun to fidgit at the end of twenty minutes. She stood at the curb, aware that every passing man hesitated long enough to take a second look at her. She watched the seemingly endless stream of cars wind their way down Hill to the escape route of the free-ways, anxiously scanning each one for some sign of the Cadillac.

The longer she waited, the harder her heart pounded at the prospect of seeing Martin alone again. She needed this time with him if she was ever to begin her campaign to win him away from his family. But there was more to it than that. She wanted his mouth, his hands and his body on hers. She needed him with a desperation born of want.

And so it was that every passing moment brought new agonies of suspense. Had it been that he was just stalling her again, hoping that by leaving her standing at the curb he'd have time to get away.

Eva found it hard to believe. But she also found it harder to understand why he'd made no effort at seeing her this past week.

Just at the moment that her hopes were at new depths, she saw a familiar car swing in towards her. As the door opened, she jumped in and slid across the seat, feeling the welcomed relief of air-conditioning sweep across her.

Before she had a chance to catch her breath, Martin pulled her to him. Ignoring the frantic honking of the cars piling up behind him, he kissed her with uncontrolled emotion.

"You little bitch," he swore down her throat. "What have you done to me? I'm afraid that I'm in love with you."

Eva smiled through the embrace, hearing his words, wishing she could frame each of them. Everything was going to be all right after all. She would soon be a wealthy woman.