Page 7 (1/2)

They finished their drinks and Bond called for the check

'All this evening's on et rid of and I've brought three hundred dollars of it along with me'

'Suits me,' said Leiter, who knew about Bond's thousand dollars

As the waiter was picking up the change, Leiter suddenly said, 'Knohere The Big Man's operating tonight?'

The waiter showed the whites of his eyes

He leant forward and flicked the table doith his napkin

'I've got a wife'n kids, Boss,' he lasses on his tray and went back to the bar

'Mr Big's got the best protection of all,' said Leiter 'Fear"

They went out on to Seventh Avenue The rain had stopped, but 'Hawkins', the bone-chilling wind froreet with a reverent 'Hawkins is here', had come instead to keep the streets free of their usual crowds Leiter and Bond moved with the trickle of couples on the sidewalk The looks they got were mostly conteutter when they had passed

Bond suddenly felt the force of what Leiter had told hi They just weren't wanted Bond felt the uneasiness that he had known so well during the hen he had been working for a ti away

'We'll go to Ma Frazier's, further up the Avenue,' said Leiter 'Best food in Harlem , or at any rate it used to be'

As they went along Bond gazed into the shop s

He was struck by the number of barbers' saloons and 'beauticians' They all advertised various forhtener -- 'Apex Glossatina, for use with the hot comb', 'Silky Strate Leaves no redness, no burn' - or nostru the skin Next in frequency were the haberdashers and clothes shops, with fantastic men's snakeskin shoes, shirts with s-top trousers with inch-wide stripes, zoot suits All the book shops were full of educational literature - how to learn this, how to do that - and comics There were several shops devoted to lucky charest book ever written', with sub-titles such as: 'If you are CROSSED, shows you how to reue' 'Cast a Spell on Anyone, nothe char Brand Oil', 'Sachet Powders, Uncrossing Brand', Tncense, Jinx re Protection from Evil Confuses and Baffles Enemies'

Bond reflected it was no wonder that the Big Man found Voodooism such a powerful weapon on minds that still recoiled at a white chicken's feather or crossed sticks in the road - right in thecapital city of the Western world

'I'et the hang of Mr Big One just doesn't catch the slandWe're a superstitious lot there of course -- particularly the Celts -- but here one can allad to get back to uy before we decide how to get at him'

Ma Frazier's was a cheerful contrast to the bitter streets They had an excellent meal of Little Neck Clams and Fried Chicken Maryland with bacon and sweet corn 'We've got to have it,' said Leiter 'It's the national dish'

It was very civilized in the warlad to see them and pointed out various celebrities, but when Leiter slipped in a question about Mr Big the waiter seemed not to hear He kept away from them until they called for their bill

Leiter repeated the question

'Sorry, Sah,' said the waiter briefly 'Ah cain't recall a gemmun of dat name'

By the time they left the restaurant it was ten-thirty and the Avenue was almost deserted They took a cab to the Savoy Ballroom, had a Scotch-and-soda, and watched the dancers

'Most ood it is The Lindy Hop, Truckin', the Susie Q, the Shag All started on that floor Every big American band you've ever heard of is proud that it once played here - Duke Ellington, Louis Ar, Cab Galloway, Noble Sissle, Fletcher Henderson It's the Mecca of jazz and jive'

They had a table near the rail round the huge floor Bond was spellbound He found irls very beautiful The ot what he was there for

'Gets you, doesn't it?' said Leiter at last 'I could stay here all night BetterWe'll miss out Small's Paradise Much the same as this, but not quite in the same class Think I'll take you to "Yeah Man", back on Seventh After that we 's own joints Trouble is, they don't open till et the check See if I can get a line on where we're likely to find hio to all his places'

Bond paid the check and met Leiter downstairs in the narrow entrance hall

Leiter drew hi for a cab

'Cost me twenty bucks,' said Leiter, 'but the word is he'll be at The Boneyard Small place on Lenox Avenue Quite close to his headquarters Hottest strip in town Girl called G-G Sumatra We'll have another drink at "Yeah Man" and hear the piano Move on at about twelve-thirty'

The big switchboard, now only a few blocks aas alar Ray's, Ma Frazier's and the Savoy Ballroo 'Yeah Man' At twelve-thirty the final call ca spoke on the house-phone First to the head waiter

'Thitein five minutes Give them the Z table'

'Yes, Sir, Boss,' said the head waiter He hurried across the dance-floor to a table away on the right, obscured from most of the room by a wide pillar It was next to the Service entrance but with a good view of the floor and the band opposite

It was occupied by a party of four, two irls 'Sorry folks,' said the head waiter 'Been a mistake Table's reserved Newspaper ue

'Move, Bud,' said the head waiter crisply 'Lofty, show these folks to table F Drinks is on the house Sam,' he beckoned to another waiter, 'clear the table Two covers' The party of four moved docilely away, mollified by the prospect of free liquor The head waiter put a Reserved sign on table Z, surveyed it and returned to his post at his table-plan on the high desk beside the curtained entrance