Dread Journey by Dorothy B. Hughes Read Free Book Online Page B

protest again. She went with him out into the corridor, swaying the few doors to D. He opened it without knocking, pushed her in ahead of him. “Look what I found,” he announced.
    The fair young man and Kitten turned their heads and looked. Kitten didn’t like Gratia being here, there was a quick glint in her eyes. She masked it at once, extending a friendly hand. “I’m glad you came along, Gratia.” Then her eyes opened wide on Hank. “You’re positively powerful. How did you ever pry her away from that book?”
    “I threatened her with an ax.” He was brusque with Kitten. If it weren’t for Kitten, he could go away with Gratia and rest.
    Les had turned languidly but when he saw Gratia his eyes became fixed. She was more embarrassed than she had been under Hank’s earlier scrutiny. Hank knew why. He’d seen it happen to others. She hadn’t the slightest idea what Augustin was thinking behind his silent face.
    “So this is Gratia Shawn.” Les’s voice was gentle and amused. “I’m Leslie Augustin.”
    She said, “Leslie Augustin,” as if she didn’t quite believe it.
    Les’s face lighted with the candle of a smile.
    Hank groaned, “Oh God.”
    “What’s the matter now?” Les asked.
    “We’re still shy a glass.” Hank held out the red tumbler.
    Gratia sat down on the couch. “I don’t care about drinking. You take it.”
    “You mean you don’t drink?” Kitten’s small laugh clawed. Gratia might have been relic of an old attic.
    Gratia didn’t want any trouble with Kitten. She didn’t offer any resentment. She answered peaceably. “I just don’t care about it.”
    Hank sprawled down beside Gratia. “We’re sharing. I drink half.” He drank half. He put the tumbler in her hand. “When you drink your half, we’ll have another. Not until.”
    Les Augustin grimaced. “If you can hold Hank to that, you’ll have to give up your screen career, Gratia. You’ll have your future cut out as his guardian angel.”
    Kitten didn’t like that either. She didn’t like Hank sitting beside Gratia. She wasn’t getting the attention and she demanded it. Gratia turned it quickly back to her. “Mike Dana came in to see you.”
    Kitten was suddenly naked. Hank looked quickly, angrily at Gratia. Her face quieted the anger. She hadn’t said this with purpose to frighten Kitten. Her own eyes were wide and puzzled.
    “Who’s Mike Dana?” Hank demanded. But his voice was quiet.
    “Mike Dana,” Les smiled slantly, “is the very private secretary of our friend, Vivien Spender.”
    “What did she want?” Kitten might not have heard their interlude. Her eyes were great and shadowed. On Gratia.
    Gratia tried to speak as if she hadn’t noticed. “She wanted to see you. Something about the publicity department.”
    “The publicity department.” Assurance was returning to Kitten. She was forcing its return. She moved her head in irritation. “Always the publicity department.” She tilted her drink. “They can jolly well wait.”
    “That’s the spirit,” Les murmured. He returned his narrow eyes to Gratia. “I’ve never seen you before,” he stated. “I’d remember you if I had. You have a face to remember.”
    “She’s beautiful,” Hank told him.
    Gratia was uneasy, glancing under her eyes at Kitten. This time Kitten didn’t seem to notice. She was looking out the window, looking into space because there was nothing but scrub and space outside.
    “What pictures have I missed?”
    Les was speaking directly to Gratia, but she didn’t understand.
    “In what pictures have you appeared?”
    “Oh, I haven’t been in any pictures,” she said quickly.
    “She’s an unknown,” Kitten said. There was meaning behind the words but Gratia couldn’t read it. She didn’t know enough. Kitten drained her glass. “Maybe I’d better go see Mike.”
    “Now?” Les protested.
    “It might be important.” She didn’t want to go. She sat there, reluctance on her shoulders.
    Hank said,