Show TELEGRAM 1 FICTION A Rob Eden Story CHAPTER FIVE l t Jon Jones insurance brokers brok brok- ers occupied offices on the tenth floor of or the Eiler building The path to their su suite te lay to the right of the tte elevators then around the bend of the corridor and down the hall Fran knew the route blindfolded for she had traversed tra tra- versed it four times daily twenty four times weekly for tor more than a year She even knew with what margin of safety she could run down the corridor corridor cor cor- if she were late as and Jones were particular about punctuality Friday morning she was a little late but she wasn't running she was walking walking walk walk- ing as swiftly as she could and at the bend in the corridor where she had never collided with anyone anone before she s-he bumped into a man Not gently she told Nina afterward but brutally The impact knocked her purse from her hand and sent her spinning ng against the wall When she got her breath the theman theman theman man was on his knees picking up the con contents ten 15 of or her purse for the b bag g had burst wide open ODen Im sorry she murmured abject abjectly ly ashamed of her speed and stooping to help him My fault entirely I wasn't looking when I came along I just jus didn't want to miss the elevator Thought I heard it Into the b bag g he was stuffing lipstick lip Up stick compact coin purse purs safety deposit deposit de de- de posit keys handkerchief and a half hall a dozen other things th that t Fran swore to herself hersell she would discard immedi immedi- Hope I didn't hurt you and he looked up anxiously Hope I didn't hurt you She took the he bag from him and they both rose from rom their knees There wasn't anything more said mid for Fran with another apologetic smile went on to her office which was number num num- number ber 1073 and he straightening his grey rey felt elt hat went on ahead around the corner and to the elevators Vaguely Vague Vague- ly while she was taking of off her hat and putting it into her locker she was wondering who he was She had never seen him on the tenth floor of the Eiler building before In InTact Tact fact she she s fiad never seen him any place before beton He didn't work for MacIntire and Jones Jones Jones-at at least he hadn't up to yester ester da day Not that MacIntire and Jones were the only tenants on the tenth floor There were several others but all big offices maintaining large suites Most of ot the on the tenth floor the to knew by sight having made innumerable trips up and down In the elevators with them All the of and Jones she knew He had seemed so sorry too loo when it hadn't been his fault at all Hers entirely en en- because she had no business rushing ahead like a steam engine not looking where she was going In the future shed she'd be a little more careful particularly around the bend of the corridor What If it it had been staid Mr MacIntire with whom sh she had collided She shivered when she thought of that for lor Mr MacIntire had never been known to smile Or Mr Jones for that matter Mr Jones was even more dable than Mr This brought another shiver and after aCter that she promptly forgot her accident In the mornings morning's work But at noon she was forcibly or reminded reminded reminded re re- re- re minded of ot it again when she was waiting for the elevator with Martha Pierce for the man who had picked up the littered contents of ot her purse was just ringing the bell He turned around when the two girls came up and Fran smiled first shyly and still apologetically His hat came off oft and then thEm he smiled A charming smile It warmed h his tiis s whole face whole face and was still lingering in his eyes when the car came and they got in Martha and Fran first and md the man last Fran was standing right behind him in the car and she saw that he was ver very tall taU nearly a ahead ahead head taller than she She saw too that his shoulders were Iere broad and that the back of ot his suit seemed to be well cut She hadn't noticed much about him in the morning in her embarrassment embarrass men ment except that he was wa dark with dark hair and dark eyes and on his upper lip was wasa a neat dark mustache This morning she couldn't have described described de de- scribed him except for lor these thee details Now she knew that he was handsome a fact which hadn't struck her in the morning that his skin was tanned and healthy looking that he was young certainly not more than 30 30 if if he was that That his features were exceptionally exceptional ly regular for lor a man and that on oX his left check cheek was a slight scar under his eye And that she liked his smile It wasn't a n fresh forward smile mlle It was as a a a kindly friendly smile smil She decided de de- id d she wanted to s see c it again However the man didn't turn turnaround turnaround around and at the lobby floor he got out before beon she did and was out of 01 the building in a hurry Do you bu U know who that man is Fran asked Martha The one you smiled at when we Wf got into the elevator I Fran said yes es and Martha s shook her head Must be some new sales man on the the the-t tenth nth floor Doesn't Doesn't work II for us us though I know that I h haven't vent seen him before Nice looking wasn't I he Fran agreed with her and then forgot for lor got him again and didn't think about him until the next morning when he was waiting in the lobby for the thc el ele dc elevator vator valor as she was Once more they ex exchanged exchanged ex changed smiles but he made no attempt attempt at at- tempt to speak At the tenth fl floor or orthey they got off oft together the only passengers pas pas passengers for lor Fran was 10 minutes early Although gh he was walking behind behind be be- hind her he didn't try to catch up with her so when she came to 1073 she went in Martha came up to o her desk later Found out who your friend is Hes no friend of mine Fran Fian knew who she meant though Names Ward Quentin and hes he's across ss the thc hall halt A real estate estate es cs es- es tate broker Just opened offices Thursday The building superintendent dent told me You didn't ask him Of course You wanted to know didn't you ou Mart Martha a returned slyly Nobody else knew v so I went to old old Marley and he told me right off Says Mr Quentin is a live wire Fran glanced at 1076 which was a afew afew afew few doors across the corridor from 1073 when she went to lunch S Sure re enough there was a neat black lettered let letS sign that had not been there the week before Ward Quentin Real Estate Entrance Then one d door or beyond Ward Quentin Real Estate Private Mr Quentin was not in the elevator going down but he was waiting for foran foran foran an up car in the lobby so they saw each other othor again Martha nudged Fran as they went by him He smiled again But not at me at you youl she crowed Fran said nothing but Mr Quentin's Quentin's Quentius Quen Quen- tins tin's smile was disturbing tiis She was flushing slightly when they left the building The charm of his smile the flash of his white even teeth when his mouth opened Still a kindly kindly kind kind- ly friendly smile Dont be too optimistic Martha warned the thc good looking ones are always married and have a couple of kids Always Never fails What do you bet your Mr Quentin has a plain nice wife at home and nd a kid hes he's crazy abo about l Well what do you bet Im not betting anything Im I'm not interested in Mr Quentin Fran wasn't telling the exact truth She was interested in in Mr Quentin not much but a little enough to be mildly disturbed disturbed dis dis- although she didn't know w why when she came on him suddenly and unexpectedly like today on the lobby floor His was the first face lace she had seen when the elevator d doors ors opened His face ace and his smile But he was vas a gentleman she was sure of that Otherwise he would have spoken long before this Men were usually waiting for lor an opportunity to speak and Mr Quentin had had plenty plent of opportunity and he wasn't speaking Which proved pro to Fran conclusively con elusively that he was all right right right-at at least so far Saturday afternoon n she wandered around alone down town window shopping mostly looking behind her every now and then to see If Jt she could see the tall taU blond man and vaguely disappointed because she She was forced to admit when she took the bus for lor home and the Sedge Sedgewick wick that he must have slopped stopped following her Since last Saturday at the Blossom room she hadn't caught a n glimpse of him Strange to follow her for lor two days and then to drop her so sud sud- d denly She couldn't understand it and supposed she never would The locket she had forgotten too except when she entered the apartment alone Then it came back to her and she was afraid Today she had to enter the apartment apart ment meat alone because Nina wasn't comIng com Ing lag home and she did it breathlessly But everything was the same No one had come in Not a thing was ws touched Saturday night passed passed another another d-another another date with David id Sunday went by but Monday morning when Fran was get getting ting ling off oct the bus at her usual stop she had to cross in front of ot a Q roadster 10 io get to the sidewalk because the signal sinal was red A horn blew and she stopped startled Mr Quentin was wasat at atthe the wheel of the dark blue roadster Give Gi you a lift lilt to the office if Jl you'll get in A second later she was sitting in inthe inthe inthe the seat beside him and he was driving drivIng In ing the car across the street Happened to notice you he explained ex ex- not taking his eyes from the pavement hope ou dont don't mind Oh no no quito quite all alLright right The Eiler Eller building was two blocks from the bus but there wasn't a word said by the man arid the girl during those two blocks Fran wanted to say something but couldn't think of anything any anything thing to sa say Quentin didn't talk either r and when he parked his car carIn carn In n the garage back of the Eller Eiler building building build build- ing they walked up together to the lobby still silent As they stepped Into the elevator he turned to herMy herMy herMy her My name Is Quentin Ward Quentin rv Iva Ive an office on on your our floor loor I Mines s Fr Fran 1 Carcy- Carcy Carey Carey- So the cc cc c 23 aa bro blo broken cn To Be Continued r I |