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.He's a very tough hit cat, Izzy.And you'll be very glad to know that I saved his life so now you have somebody to share responsibilityfor me.""Oh, thank heavens," said Izzy."I'll get him a space-kit at once, whatever it is."Izzy was stuffing money into big plastic bags from the bar.He looked around to see if there was anymore and then rushed out.The cat, apparently having made certain that Izzy would obey, curled up under Heller's desk lampand went to sleep.Heller was looking at the wallet he had snapped out of Black Overcoat's pocket.It had some namesand I.D.in it.He showed it to Bang-Bang."Inganno John Scroccone.You know the name, Bang-Bang?"Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html"No."Heller looked at it again."I'm certainly in the I.D.collection business.I've got to find out."Bang-Bang said, "What really happened up there on the roof tonight?""Hush," said Heller."I promised the cat faithfully I wouldn't turn state's evidence on him.Hispawprints are all over the place.So both him and me have got to take the Fifth.""Oh," said Bang-Bang.The cat stretched and began to purr.Chapter 6The horrible sight of my hundred thousand dollars U.S.in Heller's hand did something even morehorrible to my psyche.A psyche is, as all psychologists know, located just above the id and, whenoverreacted upon, bruises the ego.When these three things are already swollen from past abuses, thereensues what is called the "I'm-going-nuts syndrome." A case of multiple frustrations is likely to ensue,surcharging the blood vessels and precipitating an epileptic fit.All patients have their own particular remedies.With some, it is yelling at the wife.With others, it iskicking the dog.I thought rapidly: if I did not apply first aid at once, I might find myself in need ofpsychiatric help.Drunkards often obtain relief by imbibing the hair of a dog that bit them but I had no dogwhose hair I might find palatable, much less one to kick.Thus, out of dire necessity, an inspiration wasGenerated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlborn.I had better look at some money.That, I was sure, would be the soothing balm which wouldinterrupt the threatened epileptic fit.Accordingly, with shaking hands, I went to my mattress and reached within.Some days ago, whenSilva had come, thirty thousand bucks had remained in this hiding place.If I just gazed upon them andcaressed their crisp-ness, life might once more begin to flow through my higher nervous centers and makethem less nervous.My hand didn't contact anything!I threshed it about.Still nothing.Alarmed now more than ever, I threw the mattress on the floor.I tore the bed apart.I took a knife tothe box springs.NO MONEY!It was gone.I lay down in the wreckage and had my epileptic fit.It didn't help.I banged my head against the wall.That didn't help, either.But some time later, I woke up and foundthat it was a bright day.Coffee.Maybe several cups of coffee would steady my nerves.I managed to phone down and getGenerated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlthe order placed.I took a shower and then found out I was standing in it with my clothes on.By the time I had remedied this and had my pants turning into ice on the terrace, breakfast hadarrived.Unthinkingly, I opened the paper.Buckteeth!A two-column picture!Madison had once more made the front page!WHIZ KID SUES OCTOPUSTEN-BILLION-BUCK BANGThe attorneys of the Whiz Kid Boggle, Gouge and Hound today filed suit against olympianOctopus Oil Company for a cool ten billion bucks, the largest malfeasance civil suit in history.Rockecenter attorneys, Swindle and Crouch, when reached, said, "No comment."The financial world today was rocked by the spectacle of Octopus actually being sued.Stocks fell.Dow-Jones dropped 230 points [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]