DASHIELL HAMMET ROLLS OVER IN HIS GRAVE
by
Gail Gardner
She came into my life like the waves crashing on the shore, quick to hit the beach and pull you out to sea.
If I knew then what I know now would I have fallen so hard for her? Risked my life for her?
What if I had said 'no' that day when he came to see me.
By all rights it should have been raining, it was that kind of day, that kind of feeling in the air. The feeling you get just before a storm, just before the bad stuff hits the fan. I'd been feeling itchy all week, nervous. That's a bad thing in my profession. But this was southern California where the sun shines or life doesn't go on.
He came in to see me. Sat down in my office as if it hadn't been years since we last saw one another. He had that look in his eye that I'd seen before. Trouble.
"Well Crane, " he said, and took a long thoughtful draw on his cigarette. "Been some time since we last met."
"Admiral." I said. The years hadn't changed the man much. He wanted something from me, I could tell.
"I got a job for you..." he crushed the cigarette out nervously in the ashtray on my desk. He took a moment to light another. He pushed a picture over across the desk towards me.
"Good looker." I said without touching the picture. She was the kind of dame a man dreams about.
"Yeah, but she's in trouble." Nelson took another draw on the cigarette.
"I heard you had Phillips on the job." I said cautiously.
"He got waxed."
I sat back in my chair. I like my job, don't get me wrong. What the Admiral wanted me to do was go private, take care of his frail for him.
"Say I take the job..." I said cautiously. The Admiral looked hopeful. "Then we do things my way. I give the orders when it comes to her." I picked up the photo for the first time. Damn but she was good looking, great body, smooth lines...a man could lay down and die for her. I knew then, that she and I would be going places together.
"You got a deal," Nelson stood up and shook my hand. "The Seaview is yours Captain Crane."