Wolf Whistle by Lewis Nordan Read Free Book Online Page A

He reached around, real slow, with his right hand to his left pants pocket and slipped out the steel comb. Solon always felt better about himself, no matter the circumstances, if he knew his hair was in place. He held the comb up in front of his face for a second to identify it. Comb, that’s all.
    He dragged the comb through his hair one time and then slipped it back in his pocket.
    He said, “I wouldn’t mind setting down with you and scussing this like two gentlemen, Mr. Dexter.”
    Lord Montberclair lowered the pistol a second time.
    He said, “But Sally Anne is all right, isn’t she?”
    Solon said, “Me and Sally Anne are close, I won’t deny it. We’re friends. That’s my deep feeling. I want to protect her like a brother. I wouldn’t think of charging a penny in this world for any information I might have, neither. That’s just the way I am, protective of innocence and beauty, I won’t apologize for it.”
    Lord Montberclair said, “Come on in the house, Solon. Do, please, won’t you? And pardon my manners, please. Uncalled for, quite uncalled for. I haven’t been myself lately. Now just what is the story here? What is going on? Help me get this straight, won’t you, please. Tell me everything you know about Sally Anne. And listen, Solon, I’m sorry, very sorry indeed, about that cowboy business with the pistol, really I am. I shouldn’t have done that. And the name-calling. I didn’t mean a thing by it. Not a thing. My nerves are not good these days, you understand. Truly I haven’t been myself.”
    Solon noticed that Lord Montberclair had not put his gun away. He carried it in his hand with him into the house, dangling down at his side.
    They sat together on one of the sun porches in wicker chairs with cushions decorated in Mexican scenes, adobes and red sand deserts and cactuses and purple donkeys and big yellow suns. The Mexicans made Solon uncomfortable, and there were as many trees indoors as there were outdoors, it seemed like.
    Lord Montberclair brought a silvery percolator full of fresh coffee from the kitchen and set it on a glass-topped table, along with two cups and saucers and containers of sugar and cream.
    This scared Solon for a minute, when he thought thatright out of the clear blue sky he might have to drink a cup of straight coffee, without no warning whatsoever. But then Lord Montberclair set out a bottle of brandy as well, and poured a big dollop of it into his own coffee and then offered it to Solon.
    Solon said, “Much obliged to you, Dexter. You are a fine man, a gentleman and a scholar, you truly are.”
    Solon told Lord Montberclair what he knew. He emphasized that this information was absolutely free, it wouldn’t cost Lord Montberclair nothing, not a red cent.
    Solon didn’t leave out the part about how Sally Anne was dressed. He apologized profusely for having to mention such things, the sturdy cotton duck of the trench coat against the flesh of her bare calves, the wide bare V at her throat and chest.
    When he got to the part about the child Bobo riding in the front seat of the car with Sally Anne, Solon grew cautious. This whole thing could backfire on him.
    He said, “I know Sally Anne must of had her reasons, good reasons, too, for inviting that buck up in the front seat with her. I didn’t question that part one minute, no sir.”
    Lord Montberclair was red-faced from coffee and brandy. He wagged his head slowly from side to side.
    He said, “I don’t know, Solon. I just don’t know.”
    Solon let the silence hang between them for a long time.
    Solon said, “I hope you won’t feel no compellsion to pay me nothing for this information.”
    Lord Montberclair looked up now, as if he had not heard.
    He said, “I didn’t know that you and Sally Anne were close.” He shifted the Luger in his lap.
    Solon didn’t care much for the way