THE DETECTIVE
83
It
was possible, it had been done before, Acker had heard once
somewhere. Next thing you knew the Hotel Metropole burns down,
say after Labor Day just after the guests go, but before the expense
of cleaning up the dump for the holidays. And just who do you
suppose would be in a position to collect? Who else? Acker, he ad–
jured himself, Acker, you be sure and get yourself and the books
out a couple of days before the end comes! So if it was Gruber, he
had his some nerve to yell at him right in the dining room while
guests were still eating. And in that animal voice, he had to make
a big speech, looking around to see does everybody hear him,
"Acker! you're steward here, not me! Acker, you keep track of the
pantry, not me!
If
you can't check off when everything comes in
and keep the record straight, what the hell kind of lousy steward
did I hire anyway, eh? You get in there, you get busy and make
sure there's enough for the party tomorrow too. And
if
there isn't,
you better make goddam well sure there is. You tell me-I'm listen–
ing-what the hell is so hard about your lousy little job anyway,
Acker? You take in, and you give out. Consequently, you got to
have what to give out
if-if,
I say, you hear me? it's a big if-if
you took it in. Eh? Get me? And if
not,
Acker, why not? And
if
so,
Acker, where is it? You're my steward, you got to be the one who
knows.
If
this happened in the army, Acker, know what I could do
to you? Do you know? Court-martial, Mr. Steward: court ... mar
... shull Ten years hard labor, Acker, and I mean hard! Twenty!
So get your wheels off the ground, see?"
"But you saw the shop, you saw the box. Cleaned out." And
he'd protested: "Mr. Gruber, it's Saturday night. On Saturday
night the jobbers don't exactly sit by the phone in their office."
But
in
vain.
"Your business, not mine, Mr. Steward Acker. Get busy. Find
out. Get food. When that gala wedding reception for the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Smith begins tomorrow afternoon, I want
to see full service for three hundred guests, as per ordered. How
long do you think the baker has to wait for his fruits tonight, and
when can Schulze start in preparing without his meat? Acker, I'm
telling you, it's all paid for on the line: so they better get their good
time
with
food.
"Yes sir, I see."
