Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler

be sometime tonight. I shall presently be getting a call to tell me of that. It will not be very far away, they say, and I must be prepared to leave at once. I suppose that is so that no plant could be arranged. With the police, I mean."
    "Uh-huh. Is the money marked? I suppose it is money?"
    "Currency, of course. Twenty dollar bills. No, why should it be marked?"
    "It can be done so that it takes black light to detect it. No reason--except that the cops like to break up these gangs--if they can get any co-operation. Some of the money might turn up on some lad with a record."
    He wrinkled his brow thoughtfully. "I'm afraid I don't know what black light is."
    "Ultra-violet It makes certain metallic inks glisten in the dark. I could get it done for you."
    "I'm afraid there isn't time for that now," he said shortly.
    "That's one of the things that worries me."
    "Why?"
    "Why you only called me this afternoon. Why you picked on me. Who told you about me?"
    He laughed. His laugh was rather boyish, but not a very young boy. "Well, as a matter of fact I'll have to confess I merely picked your name at random out of the phone book. You see I hadn't intended to have anyone go with me. Then this afternoon I got to thinking why not."
    I lit another of my squashed cigarettes and watched his throat muscles. "What's the plan?"
    He spread his hands. "Simply to go where I am told, hand over the package of money, and receive back the jade necklace."
    "Uh-huh."
    "You seem fond of that expression."
    "What expression?"
    "Uh-huh."
    "Where will I be--in the back of the car?"
    "I suppose so. It's a big car. You could easily hide in the back of it."
    "Listen," I said slowly. "You plan to go out with me hidden in your car to a destination you are to get over the phone some time tonight. You will have eight grand in currency on you and with that you are supposed to buy back a jade necklace worth ten or twelve times that much. What you will probably get will be a package you won't be allowed to open--providing you get anything at all. It's just as likely they will simply take your money, count it over in some other place, and mail you the necklace, if they feel bighearted. There's nothing to prevent them double-crossing you.. Certainly nothing I could do would stop them. These are heist guys. They're tough. They might even knock you on the head--not hard--just enough to delay you while they go on their way."
    "Well, as a matter of fact, I'm a little afraid of something like that," he said quietly, and his eyes twitched. "I suppose that's really why I wanted somebody with me."
    "Did they put a flash on you when they pulled the stick up?"
    He shook is head, no.
    "No matter. They've had a dozen chances to look you over since. They probably knew all about you before that anyway. These jobs are cased. They're cased the way a dentist cases your tooth for a gold inlay. You go out with this dame much?"
    "Well--not infrequently," he said stiffly.
    "Married?"
    "Look here," he snapped. "Suppose we leave the lady out of this entirely."
    "Okey," I said. "But the more I know the fewer cups I break. I ought to walk away from this job, Marriott. I really ought. If the boys want to play ball, you don't need me. If they don't want to play ball, I can't do anything about it."
    "All I want is your company," he said quickly.
    I shrugged and spread my hands. "Okey--but I drive the car and carry the money--and you do the hiding in the back. We're about the same height. If there's any question, we'll just tell them the truth. Nothing to lose by it."
    "No." He bit his lip.
    "I'm getting a hundred dollars for doing nothing. If anybody gets conked, it ought to be me."
    He frowned and shook his head, but after quite a long time his face cleared slowly and he smiled.
    "Very well," he said slowly. "I don't suppose it matters much. We'll be together. Would you care for a spot of brandy?"
    "Uh-huh. And you might bring me my hundred bucks. I like to feel money."
    He moved away like a