The Heckler

Mercantile Trust was the name of the bank. The name was engraved onto two bronze plaques, one of which decorated either side of the huge bronze bank doors which were open to admit the noonday traffic. A sign stuck to one of the open doors advised any interested party that the bank was changing quarters on April thirtieth and would be ready for business at its new location on May first. Meyer passed the bank, and the sign, and then climbed the steps to David Raskin’s loft. A thumb-smeared sign hanging to the left of a huge fireproof door advised Meyer Meyer that he had located

DARASK FROCKS, INC.

Women’s Garments Of

Distinction

Meyer did not knock. He went into the loft, stared down at the front of Margarita’s low-cut smock for a second or two, asked for Dave Raskin and was ushered to the back of the loft where Raskin himself, standing in his undershirt and sweating profusely, was working with the girls pressing dresses. Raskin seemed to be in excellent high spirits.

“Hallo, hallo, Meyer!” he shouted. “What a day for pressing dresses, hah? A beautiful April day, what a day! It’s nice out, hah, Meyer?”

“Beautiful,” Meyer replied.

“April, that’s the only time of the year. April is just right for everything, and I meaneverything, Meyer, even an old man like me could say it,everything, Meyer!”

“You seem very happy today,” Meyer said.

“Yes, yes, I’m happy like a little lark. You know why? I’ll tell you why. To begin with, my crazyman hasn’t called since Friday. Already this is Tuesday, and thank God nothing has come for me, no stationery, nothing, and no telephone calls, either.” Raskin beamed. “So I’m happy. My girls aren’t frightened, and I’m not pestered by thismeshugenuh heckler. Also, I’m making money like a crazy thief.”

“Good,” Meyer said. “Maybe he’s given up the game, huh? Figured he wasn’t getting enough of a rise out of you, maybe.” Meyer shrugged. “I’m glad to hear there’ve been no incidents since Friday, Dave. And of course I’m glad to hear your business is going so well.”

“It couldn’t be better. I got six dozen summer dresses yesterday for—guess what? Guess how much?”

“I don’t know. How much?”

“A dollar each dress! Can you imagine something like that? These beautiful little summer things, sleeveless you know, and a little tight across the backside, I’ll sell them like hot cakes, they’ll come running all the way from Bethtown to buy these, I can sell them for four dollars each and they’ll snap them up! I’m telling you, Meyer, I’ll make a fortune. You saw the bank downstairs when you were coming in?”

“Yes,” Meyer said, grinning.

“Okay. Right under where we’re standing, right here under my feet, they got their vault. And into this vault, Meyer, I’m going to place thousands and thousands of dollars!”

“You’d better do it in a hurry,” Meyer said, “because the bank is moving at the end of the month.”

“Slow or in a hurry,” Raskin said, chuckling, “I’ll do it. I’ll be known as the sultan of sexy garments, the lama of ladies’ coats and dresses, the monarch of maternity clothes, the king of Culver Avenue! Me, David Raskin! If I keep buying dresses at a dollar each—oi gevalt,what a steal!—a dollar apiece and selling them for four dollars, Meyer, I could build myown bank! I won’t need already the vault downstairs! Meyer, I’ll be a millionaire! Can’t you see me now? I’ll only—”

The telephone rang. Raskin walked to it, still talking to Meyer, not breaking his conversational stride—

“—drive a Cadillac car, nothing else, and I’ll wear silk underwear and in Miami Beach I’ll be known as—”

He picked up the receiver.

“Hello—the biggest tipper on Collins Aven—”

“You son of a bitch!” the voice said. “Get out of that loft before the thirtieth, or I’ll kill you!”

10.

THE HOTEL ALBION was on Jefferson Avenue near South Third Street. A narrow green canopy stretched from the hotel entrance to the street, and a doorman wearing a green uniform and watching the girls strut by in their April cottons, sprang to attention as Carella approached, promptly pulled open one of the brass-bound doors for him, and damn near threw a salute.

“Thank you,” Carella said.

“You’re-welcome-sir!” the doorman shouted smartly.