He led the way to the last booth in the rear, and a pert waitress came to lean pointed young breasts over the table between them, and Shayne looked inquiringly at the steward who moistened his thick lips and said, “Bourbon on the rocks.”
Shayne said, “Ernie knows mine.”
When the waitress turned away, Cunningham put both palms of his solid hands on the table and said flatly, “First off, I’m bad worried about Jasper. I didn’t want to let on too much there in front of his old lady, but I swear to God something bad must have happened to Jasper to keep him from keeping that dinner date with me tonight. You know how it is when you’re in a spot like we were on that life raft? Nothing to eat and nothing to drink, and that’s all you think about after a few days.” He licked his lips and swallowed hard, dropping his eyes from Shayne’s hard gaze. “You talk about what you’re going to do first night ashore and what you’re going to eat and drink. Jasper and me… we had it all planned, see? A big celebration. It’s something… you know… a man wouldn’t run out on.”
The waitress brought his glass with two cubes of ice in it, and she poured the bourbon on top of them. She placed a four-ounce glass filled to the brim with amber fluid in front of the detective, and placed a tumbler of ice water beside it.
Shayne said, “I see what you mean. Jasper Groat knew where to get in touch with you if something did come up to prevent him meeting you tonight?”
“Sure. He had my phone number.” Cunningham tossed off half his drink and set the glass down, moving it around in circles on the table in front of him. “It’s something to do with those Hawleys,” he said hoarsely. “You mark my words, Mr. Shayne. If you didn’t know Jasper, you just can’t understand about it all. A real psalm-singer, he was. Sure enough religious, if you know what I mean. Praying all the time on the life raft, and telling that kid soldier and me we should both get right with God before it was too late. How we should confess our sins and humble ourselves before God and all that crap.”