Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll

[mariez]

Good Morning!  Our first introduction to Reyolds still makes me laugh out loud!  Oh, my.  Not fun getting on Ellery's bad side, is it?  I'm glad  Ellery comes to appreciate  Reynolds and his uptight, stickler-for-details ways. 

Right before he gets the ticket, though - there's a very interesting exchange.  Ennis is wondering why Ellery doesn't have a partner - and Ellery tells Ennis that he would make a good partner - in fact he describes him as "near to the ideal."   Though the exchange is, outwardly, about police work, we can now see that the "ideal partner" remark has much more meaning.  Ennis really is Ellery's ideal partner-in every way. 

Chapter 18 contains one of my all-time favorite scenes.  Ennis and Ellery are interrogating Pete up in the apartment at the Stallion.

"Ennis looked up at Ellery briefly, and felt a deep pang, suddenly and definitely, conveyed by the look in those slate grey eyes. Looking at him.  Not past him, but at him, regarding him, and Ennis felt a jolt of pleasure and excitement awaken in him, a feeling he had not felt for years, since the last time he and Jack had gone at it that May in Pine Creek, . . ."

I just love the use of the the word "regarding"  here.  Just so perfect.  Looks can convey so much more than feelings.  I would love the read this small passage from Ellery's point of view.  What is he seeing in Ennis's eyes?

Such a pleasure to read such great writing!

Thanks - Marie

[yb]

Leslie, thanks for quoting this section.  The chapter 'Ellery' of Dupree's Choice reminded me of how consistent Louise's depiction of Ellery's temper is, this quote just confirms this.

[MaineWriter]

Another interesting use of the word "partner," this time from Chapter 17:

“You comin, Ennis?” Ellery looked at Ennis expectantly.

“You want me ta?”

“Yer my partner on this case, as well as bein an important witness and all that. Besides Pete likes ya. Maybe you can help me get some answers outta the boy.”

Ennis slipped off the stool, keenly aware that Bill was watching both of them, taking in every word. “Partner, huh,” Bill said, but Ellery had already turned and headed through the empty back room toward the stairs, Ennis, as usual, trailing him as he went up.


L

[MaineWriter]

A littel bit of introspective Ennis, from Chapter 18:

He pulled his jeans on, and buckled his belt, pressing his erection down and out of the way. “Dammit, Jack,” he whispered, a hint of sad amusement. Over the years, he had taken to calling his erection “Jack” since it was Jack that always roused him this way. He leaned back, letting himself fall back against the narrow bed once more, and looked up at the spidery cracks of the ceiling. “Well hell, here I am, just one queer in a whole bar full a queers.” He found this simple fact overwhelmingly ironic, since he had lived well most of his life thinking that he was the only queer in the county, isolated among thousands of normal folks going about their happy lives, trapped in a secret misery made greater by solitude. Suddenly surrounded by queer bartenders, queer college students, and a queer police deputy! The irony was too much for him, and he laughed, then, sitting back up and reaching for his shirt. Jack’s journal, which had slipped off his chest in his sleep, thunked onto the floor and he bent to pick it up. Then he heard a familiar rap on the door and it cracked open.

“You ok in there Ennis?” Ellery poked his head in, saw Ennis was decent and stepped inside. “If yer awake it might be a good time to come out an talk ta Pete. He isn’t makin a whole lot of sense right now.”

“Uh sure.” He slid his shirt over his arms, acutely conscious of the deputy’s eyes watching him. “Be right there.”

“Thanks.” He didn’t linger, or comment, and there was nothing about Ellery’s manner that gave him to believe that he was showing too much interest in him. Did he really mean what he said when he told him he was attractive? Dammit Ennis, do you want him to put his hands on you or leave you alone? he argued with himself. Right now, he felt a pang of regret that he had made that definite statement “Ain’t ready for that.” After that dream of Jack, his mood had shifted. Or maybe it was that unexpected offer in the car, so delicately put. “If that’s what you want. Whatever it is.” Whatever it is. He knew damn well what it was, down to the moaning and groaning. He knew what he got from Jack, and he knew he wanted more, and Jack was dead and wasn’t comin back. So what ain’t I ready for?


L

[David]

In Chapter 16, we meet Officer Reynolds for the first time:

...he took a sudden U-turn in the roadway and reversed direction, which caused Ennis to gasp. “We check out the bar – oh kiss my ass,” he interrupted himself and pulled the car over to the curb as a black and white Sheriff’s department cruiser turned its lights on and pulled up behind them.

An unfamiliar looking officer came up to the driver’s door. “Sir, license an registration please.”

A good time to post a picture of Reynolds

[MaineWriter]

Another tidbit of classic Ellery-speak, from Chapter 20:

“Not hardly. Bill had to have his hissy fit and another comment and after I got everyone settled down an all so now we got Wilson givin us an ultimatum on coming up with a “certain piece a personal property” before he goes direct to the Sheriff Himself and makes a complaint on me for Interferin in a citizen’s right to his own private feuds and misdemeanors. Which is an exact quote – please don’t ask me what it means.”


L

[MaineWriter]

Also, from chapter 20, we learn more about Bill:

“Stupid ass son of a bitch, acts like he’s fourteen years old.”

“Uh, Ellery, what is with you two? You go at it like cats and dogs.”

“Bill an me got history, Ennis.”

“Oh. You grow up together or somethin?”

Ellery stopped, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Uh, Ennis, no we didn’t grow up together. We was involved. For a few years.”

Ennis blanched, then looked down at his feet. Ellery didn’t wait for his reaction and resumed walking toward the hotel, Ennis belatedly catching him up.

“Didn’t mean ta pry.”

“Legitimate question, Ennis, no harm done.”

“Um... was this a long time ago?”

Ellery slowed down and looked over at Ennis, and it seemed, he was choosing his words carefully. “Long enough.... but there hasn’t been anyone since Bill, which makes it seem a lot shorter time that it oughta.”

Ennis thought suddenly about the altercations between them, the derision Ellery had heaped on Bill for having a “U of W piece of ass” and “dating boys” and suddenly the tension between the two men made sense.

“Sorry ta hear it, Ellery.”

“I’m not. I just can’t believe it took me so long to figure out what a horse’s ass Bill always was, and he hasn’t changed a lick since the day we called it quits.”


L

[opinionista]

Well, since we are re reading and Jack is very present in the story right now, I thought I post some pics of him  (click to enlarge)





Ennis and Jack

[opinionista]

And now, our favorite leading men 

[MaineWriter]

Louise found this picture and we both decided it is definitely Officer Reynolds, in his rookie phase:




L