Johnnie by Dorothy B. Hughes Read Free Book Online

weren’t Nazis? And why did Dorp talk German to Ottomkopf in public? And what about this royal highness stuff? Who were they trying to kid?
    Maybe the big fat nancy who ran this swell dump. Maybe they were putting on the dog to crash this party. Maybe, Johnnie considered with blissful excitement, maybe they were society jewel thieves! The bliss faded. Couldn’t be. Because none of them wanted to come to the party except Rudolph.
    Wait—a—minute! He doubled back to his plate. Would the dolls have dressed up like Christmas to sit home and eat wienies in Dorp’s house? Uh uh. They said they didn’t want to come to the party. Johnnie’s head nodded sagely. What quicker way could they get Rudolph to agree to coming than to balk him?
    The guns Magda and Janssen carried. The soldiers left behind, but each one hatted and coated for the street. They were probably outside now surrounding the joint. They would have had to come by subway because there were only two cars. Couldn’t be very big-time crooks with only two cars. Well, if there was any trouble he’d stick to Ruprecht. That Ruprecht looked like a good Joe. Tight or not you could tell that. The others—well, maybe Trudy was okay but the rest he wouldn’t trust as far as he could heave a jeep. As for pasty Theo and the goon, he definitely didn’t like them at all.
    Johnnie rubbed the last hunk of roll over his plate, tucked it in his mouth and chewed. The trouble was he couldn’t afford to get mixed up in any trouble. He was in the Army now. The C. O. simply wouldn’t understand that it was purely accidental. He let out a well-filled sigh. He’d better go in and corral a few chocolate éclairs, then get going. He’d never be missed. And a piece of that strawberry pie and another cup of coffee. His uniform ought to be back from the cleaners by now.
    He sat up suddenly. He couldn’t get going! He didn’t know where to go. He didn’t have any idea how to get from here to Dorp’s house. That’s what he got for arguing with Rudolph in the car instead of watching the scenery. There was one thing he could do. Ask Trudy where the house was. He anticipated a little trouble on that count. Trudy wanted him here. She’d said she might need him. Well, he wasn’t going to act as any stupe for jewel thieves.
    Better ask Magda.
    Better have the éclairs first. There might be a rush on them before he pried Magda loose from Rudo and got through wrangling with her. She reminded him of the kid sister. She’d rather argue than eat. Only Sis didn’t tell him to keep quiet and her eyes weren’t grama-grass green. He sighed again. He wished he were back home in Texas. But he perked up. Mom and Dad and the rest of the folks would get a big boot out of his being at a Lessering’s party. If that guy was one of the Lesserings.
    He stacked his dishes and cased the inside of the ballroom before entering. He didn’t want to be bothered by any more orders until he had dessert. He never really felt comfortable after a meal until he’d had dessert. Preferably a chocolate dessert. Or strawberry. No one seemed to be looking for him. He went back to the cafeteria. A couple of others had found it by now but none of the royal highness bunch.
    “More?” asked the gold buttons with the yon-Cassius look. Johnnie had learned that flap from Bill. It meant scrawny.
    Johnnie didn’t like the way the guy said it but there wasn’t any point in starting trouble with the boss of the supply train. “I’ve had enough of that junk,” he scowled. Then he smiled. “Now I want dessert. That one.” He pointed to the biggest chocolate éclair. “And some strawberry pie.” He’d missed the caramel éclairs on his first foray. “And that one. And another cup of coffee.”
    He made it out on the balcony without being spotted, headed back to his chosen spot. He tried the pie first. Real strawberries! And whipped cream, an inch thick. Curiosity was biting him worse than the need for food. Where was