OCR Text |
Show page 156 "He did, he did!" P r u i t t said. "He would walk across town for a new one. I helped him connect with a few good numbers. Women seem always to t r u s t me. I had to l i e for Louder plenty of times t o Judy, h i s wife. She hung around me a l l the time. She trusted me; s t i l l does." Rathburn nodded. "You're smooth, Charlie." "I treated Louder like a brother," Pruitt said. "Did everything for him." "Tell me about the shuffle," said Rathburn. "Let's see if i t ' s the way we boys in Washington heard i t . Judy your wife - formerly Louder's wife - steered the whole b i t , didn't she?" "No, no, I planned everything myself. You boys in Washington don't have a l l the brains. Of course Judy helped: like I said, she trusts me." P r u i t t was cocky. Rathburn waited for him to continue. Someone knocked on the office door. Rathburn sat s i l e n t ; such interruptions could blow a job. "Wait a minute," P r u i t t said, "lemme t e l l the help to close up and leave." Rathburn s e t t l e d back in his chair like a man with plenty of time. Pruitt returned within minutes. Rathburn said, "Louder was a smart man a l l in a l l . Cortese said when i t happened, 'Rath, we got to take care of a man who can get a medal for taking ovEr Louder's operations, and his wife along with them."* P r u i t t bit the t i p off another cigar and reached for the phone. "Judy would like that statement. Lemme c a l l her, t e l l her I ' l l be a l i t t l e l a t e ." "Let^tfaa phaaa. go, " JAathbura said. "I got to be leaving in |