Native Son - Richard Wright [79]
“Then, you did meet her last night?”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
“If she’s not in Detroit, then I don’t know where she is.”
“You gave these pamphlets to this boy?”
“Yes; I did.”
“You and Miss Dalton were drunk last night….”
“Aw, come on! We weren’t drunk. We had a little to drink….”
“You brought her home about two?”
Bigger stiffened and waited.
“Yeah.”
“You told the boy to take her trunk down to the basement?”
Jan opened his mouth, but no words came. He looked at Bigger, then back to Britten.
“Say, what is this?”
“Where’s my daughter, Mr. Erlone?” Mr. Dalton asked.
“I tell you I don’t know.”
“Listen, let’s be frank, Mr. Erlone,” said Mr. Dalton. “We know my daughter was drunk last night when you brought her here. She was too drunk to leave here by herself. Do you know where she is?”
“I—I didn’t come here last night,” Jan stammered.
Bigger sensed that Jan had said that he had come home with Mary last night in order to make Mr. Dalton believe that he would not have left his daughter alone in a car with a strange chauffeur. And Bigger felt that after Jan admitted that they had been drinking, he was bound to say that he had brought the girl home. Unwittingly, Jan’s desire to protect Mary had helped him. Jan’s denial of having come to the home would not be believed now; it would make Mr. Dalton and Britten feel that he was trying to cover up something of even much greater seriousness.
“You didn’t come home with her?” Mr. Dalton asked.
“No!”
“You didn’t tell the boy to take the trunk down?”
“Hell, no! Who says I did? I left the car and took a trolley home.” Jan turned and faced Bigger. “Bigger, what’re you telling these people?”
Bigger did not answer.
“He’s just told us what you did last night,” Britten said.
“Where’s Mary…. Where’s Miss Dalton?” Jan asked.
“We’re waiting for you to tell us,” said Britten.
“D-d-didn’t she go to Detroit?” Jan stammered.
“No,” said Mr. Dalton.
“I called her this morning and Peggy told me she had.”
“You called her just to see if the family had missed her, didn’t you?” asked Britten.
Jan walked over to Bigger.
“Leave ’im alone!” Britten said.
“Bigger,” Jan said, “why did you tell these men I came here?”
“You say you didn’t come here at all last night?” Mr. Dalton asked again.
“Absolutely not. Bigger, tell ’em when I left the car.”
Bigger said nothing.
“Come on, Erlone. I don’t know what you’re up to, but you’ve been lying ever since you’ve been in this room. You said you didn’t come here last night, and then you say you did. You said you weren’t drunk last night, then you say you were. You said you didn’t see Miss Dalton last night, then you say you did. Come on, now. Tell us where Miss Dalton is. Her father and mother want to know.”
Bigger saw Jan’s bewildered eyes.
“Listen, I’ve told you all I know,” said Jan, putting his hat back on. “Unless you tell me what this joke’s all about, I’m getting on back home….”
“Wait a minute,” said Mr. Dalton.
Mr. Dalton came forward a step, and fronted Jan.
“You and I don’t agree. Let’s forget that. I want to know where my daughter is….”
“Is this a game?” asked Jan.
“No; no….” said Mr. Dalton. “I want to know. I’m worried….”
“I tell you, I don’t know!”
“Listen, Mr. Erlone. Mary’s the only girl we’ve got. I don’t want her to do anything rash. Tell her to come back. Or you bring her back.”
“Mr. Dalton, I’m telling you the truth….”
“Listen,” Mr. Dalton said. “I’ll make it all right with you….”
Jan’s face reddened.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“I’ll make it worth your while….”
“You son….” Jan stopped. He walked to the door.
“Let ’im go,” said Britten. “He can’t get away. I’ll phone and have ’im picked up. He knows more than he’s telling….”
Jan paused in the doorway, looking at all three of them. Then he went out. Bigger sat on the edge of the bed and heard Jan’s feet run down the stairs. A door slammed; then silence. Bigger saw Mr. Dalton gazing at him queerly. He did not like that look. But Britten was jotting something on a pad,