Chapter 16
The liquor wasn't hitting him.
He couldn't understand it. Here were two dames, one on each side of him, breasts bared, ready for a ball. He had removed his trousers and shirt, wore only his shorts.
He had been taking pain-killer so he could sleep. The ankle still was swollen. He wondered if the drug the doctor had prescribed to ease the soreness had effected his ability to get high on booze.
Or was it something else-the memory of a girl named Nona? Had she made such an impression on him that a session with two eager broads didn't seem quite as appealing as he had anticipated? It was crazy!
He felt sure he could function in the usual manner and he fully intended to. Tonight he would forget Nona ...
The gals had removed their slacks. Lucy's panties were sheer and smoke-colored, Ivy's a pale pink. They were on their third highball and still going. He put his own glass on the coffee table.
"Did I tell you two that my vodka is a hundred-and-twenty proof?" he said.
"Sneaky!" Lucy cried. "I thought I was getting high awfully fast!"
"Me, too," Ivy drawled. "Who're you going to take first, big and handsome?"
"Should be my turn!" Lucy chirped. "Ivy got a head start."
"Go ahead," Ivy murmured. "I'll watch!"
The more he looked at them the more doubtful he became about the whole deal. Ivy he could have enjoyed alone. She had rich potentialities, but she had changed since he had had her there on the beach and in the bushes.
She was imitating Lucy's brassy manner. They were a bit too familiar with each other. If such a thing were possible, Lucy had brought Ivy down to her level. And the slender brunette was frustrated. He had run into too many like her, free and easy with the sex and still unable to experience deep passion.
There was a medical term for her condition, but in his fuzzy state of half-arousal, he couldn't think of it. So she made up for her inability in other ways.
He turned to Lucy and suddenly he knew he couldn't go through with it!
She had engineered this whole sequence. He didn't like the idea of being used, of letting them set the pace.
I don't owe these broads anything, he decided. I could use Lucy in a pinch, to get Hinton off my back. She could give me the needed alibi for the hour or so it took somebody to rape and kill Zelda Nesbitt. And she knows it, too.
Lucy giggled, her hand reaching out for him ...
The stage was set. After a while they would go in the bedroom and roll around on him, taking turns ... He thought of Nona.
"Honey-what's the matter?" Lucy breathed.
"The damn pain in my ankle's started again!" he said, convincingly.
"Ohhh-hell," Lucy cried. "Take some more vodka!"
Why delay it, he thought. These twists are nothing, compared to Nona ...
"It's no go, girlies," he said, decisively.
Lucy's breath drew in sharply. She jerked her hand away, rising suddenly to her feet. He saw the color leave her cheeks. Her dark eyes burned, her lips curled.
"Why, you dirty cheat! Aren't we good enough for you? Still thinking about Nona, little Miss Shy-britches?"
"Don't, Lucy!" Ivy snapped.
"Shut up!" Lucy flared. Her body was rigid. Enraged, she looked older, cheaper, like a tramp or a whore ...
His own anger blossomed. He stood up, bringing most of his weight on his right leg and foot.
"Get out," he grated, glaring at Lucy. "You're a mixed-up broad. When I want a party I'll set the time and place."
"Please," Ivy protested.
He looked down at Ivy, her lush body somehow not as appealing to him as before. "I'm sorry you got meddled up in this."
Ivy flushed crimson. Then her face turned white. "I'm going, too!"
"Suit yourself!" he said.
"Aren't you forgetting something, high-toned." Lucy popped. "I know the heat's on your head for that murder. I can pull you out. You were over at my place-"
"I don't need you, Lucy! I'll tough it out alone."
"Oh-what a mess," Ivy said.
She reached for her sweater and her bra. Nick turned and limped into the kitchen.
"I'll get even!" Lucy yelled. "You wait and see! Come on, Ivy. This place has an odor!"
A few moments later he heard the front door bang shut. He cursed under his breath. He put the nearly-empty bottle of vodka in the cupboard above the sink. He cleaned up the mess. When he returned to the living room he sniffed the air and his stomach churned with a light nausea.
To hell with them. Let them get their hands on
Hugh and Jud. He was glad he hadn't been their stud for a night-he wanted the next afternoon with Nona to be just right, and how could he manage it if he had spent most of the night with Lucy and Ivy?
Nona felt surprise when she heard Ivy's step on the porch of their cabin. She had been gone less than an hour ...
What had happened?
Ivy came barging through the front door, slamming it hard. She looked stormy.
Nona's heart leaped. Perhaps Ivy hadn't done as well with Nick as she had hoped. Nona could tell her cousin had been drinking. In fact, ever since Nona had heard her with Lucy there had been quite a lot of boozing ...
Was Ivy's conscience bothering her?
"W-what's the matter?" Nona asked.
Ivy dropped into a chair. "You wouldn't understand, darling! But I'll tell you one thing. I'm leaving here-in the morning."
"Well, I'm going to stay!" Nona said.
"Do what you like. And you can have that egotistical Nick Sturgis! He's a phony!"
"No, he isn't!" Nona said, heatedly.
Ivy laughed, dryly. "He'll be gone soon-if he can beat that murder rap! Then where will you be?"
Nona's head thudded. She could furnish Nick with an alibi. She wouldn't have to tell that she had actually looked through the window. She could say that she had seen Nick go in the Marker cabin Wednesday evening, the night Zelda was murdered, and that he hadn't come out for two hours!
"I'll worry about that!" Nona replied, pleased that she wasn't stuttering.
Ivy muttered something under her breath and left the room, going into her bedroom.
Nona clenched her hands in her lap.
Ivy failed with Nick! kept pounding through her head. I hope I won't! I'm wild about him-and I'm sure he-likes me. And tomorrow I'll be with him.