1945 - Blonde's Requiem (7 page)

“
I can make a guess,
”
he said.
“
Mac doesn
’
t agree with my ideas, but I
’
m pretty sure I
’
m right.
”

“
Look,
”
I said patiently,
“
I said I was tired, didn
’
t I? Well, spill it, if you
’
ve got anything to spill, and let me get to bed.
”

“
I think the whole business is a frame-up to discredit my father and Wolf. I
’
ll bet even money Starkey
’
s kidnapped the girls, knowing father and Wolf will lose votes by it.
”

“
Guessing won
’
t help. Have you any proof?
”

“
There
’
s something that might help. I told Audrey about it, but she got nowhere with it.
”

I pulled down a lungful of smoke and waited.

“
The day before Luce disappeared she told me a street photographer had taken her photo, She was going to collect the photograph on the day she disappeared. The shop where she was to collect the photograph is owned by Starkey. It
’
s one of his sidelines.
”

I thought about this. At face value it didn
’
t seem much, but I was interested.

“
You think that was where she was kidnapped?
”

He nodded.
“
That
’
s how I worked it out.
”

“
You don
’
t know if the other girls were photographed in the same way? If they were, there might be something in it.
”
Then I remembered the three photographs Dixon had shown me and I sat up abruptly. The photographs had all been taken on the street, showing the girls
’
heads and shoulders with buildings as a background.
“
They were all photographed like that!
”
I said, getting excited.
“
The Camille Gazette has photos of all three girls and they were all taken on the street.
”

McArthur sucked his teeth.
“
I told you this guy could help. knew it as soon as I saw him.
”

Ted stared at me.
“
Then Starkey must be at the bottom of it,
”
he said grimly.

“
What are we going to do about it?
”

“
I
’
ll take care of it,
”
I said.
“
Is there anything else?
”

They looked at each other and decided there wasn
’
t anything eke. That was all right with me. They hadn
’
t wasted my time. I had something useful to work on.

“
We want to be in on this, Mr. Spewack,
”
Ted said anxiously.
“
You won
’
t leave us out?
”

“
I
’
m working for Wolf,
”
I reminded him,
“
but if you want these girls found, you give me all the information you have.
”
I glanced at my watch. It was just after eleven.
“
Do you know where the photographs are collected?
”

“
It
’
s a shop called the Street-Camera and it
’
s halfway down Murray Street.
”

“
Okay.
”
I lit another cigarette.
“
We
’
ll go back now. Where can I get you if I want you?
”

He scribbled a telephone number on the back of an old envelope and gave it to rue.
“
You
’
ll be careful, won
’
t you?
”
he said.
“
My father will be mad.
”

“
Don
’
t worry,
”
I said.
“
I
’
ll take care of that.
”

He started the engine and then he said:
“
I hope your wife won
’
t be worried about you.
”

“
My wife?
”
I said, surprised.
“
I haven
’
t a wife.
”

“
I
’
m sorry.
”
He sounded embarrassed.
“
I thought the lady you were with . . .
”

I laughed.
“
She
’
s not my wife,
”
I returned.
“
I only met her tonight. We were lonely, so I took her out to dinner.
”

“
I see.
”
He still seemed embarrassed.
“
I thought I hadn
’
t seen her before. She
’
s very beautiful, isn
’
t she?
”

I grunted.
“
Drop around one of these days. I
’
ll introduce you. She could do with a little company.
”

“
I most certainly will,
”
he said, brightening, and, engaging gear, drove back the way we had come.

* * *

I walked into the lobby of the hotel and glanced around. The place was empty except for a girl who sat behind the reception desk. She was chewing gum and reading a movie magazine. She didn
’
t look up until I reached the desk.

“
Good evening,
”
I said.

She shot me an interested look and then reached for my key.
“
367?
”
she said.

“
Right first time.
”
I took the key from her.

She was small, dark and nicely built. She had a red, pouting mouth and big, sulky eyes.

“
Do you go with the hotel or are you hired by the hour?
”
I said, leaning on the desk and admiring her figure.

“
Whichever way it is, it wouldn
’
t mean anything to you,
”
she said, touching her black curls with plump little fingers.

“
It might,
”
I said.
“
I go for sophisticated dames in a big way.
”

She chewed thoughtfully and then lifted her shoulders.
“
Don
’
t waste your time on me,
”
she said.
“
When I prospect for gold I use a dredger.
”

I took out a roll of notes and showed it to her.
“
I light cigars with this stuff,
”
I said carelessly.
“
I keep my spending money in the bank.
”

Her eyes popped a little and she became more friendly.

“
Maybe we could call on your bank one day,
”
she said.

“
Sure, any day you like,
”
I returned, and feeling I had gained her interest, I went on:
“
Tell me, who
’
s the guy in 369?
”

“
369
’
s empty,
”
she returned.
“
Why?
”

“
Did I say 369?
”
I shook my head.
“
That
’
s the third mistake I
’
ve made today. I meant 365.
”

Her eyes became calculating.
“
I can
’
t tell you things like that,
”
she said, resting her cheek on her hand.
“
This is a respectable hotel.
”

“
I
’
m glad to hear it.
”
I took out my roll and pulled off a five-dollar note. I put my roll back and laid the five-spot on the desk.
“
Who did you say was in 365?
”

Her hand whipped the note out of sight so fast I could scarcely follow the movement.
“
A guy called Jeff Gordan.
”

“
Jeff Gordan,
”
I repeated, smiling at her.
“
Isn
’
t he one of Starkey
’
s boys?
”

Her face froze and her eyes became sulky again.
“
I wouldn
’
t know,
”
she said, and turned back to her magazine.

I said good night and went upstairs.

In my room, I hung my hat on a peg on the door and walked over to the bureau. I walked heavily so the guy next door would know I was back. I poured myself a large whisky and sat down.

For my first day I hadn
’
t done so badly. It looked like these three girls had been kidnapped. That was a tough break for them. It meant they were either dead by now or when the election was tied up they
’
d most certainly be knocked off.

Starkey wouldn
’
t let them loose to talk. A kidnapping rap was hard to beat these days.

It looked like the whole set-up revolved around Starkey. Max Esslinger was just a third-rate politician trying to make the grade. He was like all third-rate politicians. As long as he was elected, he wouldn
’
t care who suffered.

Wolf was different. He was making an effort to find the girls. But even then, he was doing it not because he cared a damn what happened to them, but because he had to put on an act to beat Starkey and Esslinger.

I drank some whisky and thought about Ted Esslinger. At least he was sincere, and I liked him for that. He was ready to throw his father down if it meant finding the girls.

The Street-Camera idea was interesting. I
’
d have to look into that. It was a neat, way of trapping a girl who
’
d been singled out for kidnapping. I wondered if the girls had been killed right away or whether they
’
d been hustled into a car at the back of the shop and taken away.

Then I remembered that a shoe belonging to one of the missing girls had been found in an empty house. It could have been a plant to switch the inquiry away from the Street-Camera shop. I decided that it had to be a plant. Otherwise it didn
’
t make sense.

I drank some more whisky and eyed the wall opposite. I was pretty sure this Jeff Gordan was the guy who
’
d been tailing Marian and me.

I got up, put the glass of whisky on the bureau and stared at the wall thoughtfully. It would be an idea, I reasoned, to find out what it was all about.

I left my room and knocked on the door of 365.

A man
’
s voice said:
“
Who is it?
”

“
The room clerk.
”
I kept my voice down.

The door opened a foot. I put my shoulder against it and shoved. A big, apish-looking man started back, off balance. He stared at me in startled surprise.

He wasn
’
t the kind of party you
’
d want to meet up a dark alley. He was bow-legged and the length and thickness of his arms and the flatness of his face reminded me of an orangutan.

I wasn
’
t sure, now that I was face to face with him, if he was the guy who had followed us.

He eyed me narrowly.

“
What
’
s the idea?
”

“
That
’
s what I came to see you about,
”
I said, closing the door and leaning against it.

“
What do you want?
”

“
You
’
ve been tailing me,
”
I said.
“
Why?
”

He shifted his eyes to the floor and then back to me.
“
I haven
’
t been following anyone,
”
he snarled.

“
Nuts,
”
I said, smiling at him.
“
And you
’
ve been writing me notes.
”

He shook his head woodenly. All the time I was speaking he was ready to start something if I made a move. I could tell that by the way he held his long arms loosely at his side.
“
If you don
’
t get out I
’
ll call the operator,
”
he threatened.

I pretended to be convinced.
“
Maybe I made a mistake,
”
I said,
“
but you look like the guy who
’
s been tailing me.
”

He began to relax.
“
I can
’
t help that,
”
he said.
“
Why the hell should I want to tail you, anyway?
”

“
That
’
s what I wanted to find out,
”
I said.
“
Well, I
’
m sorry to have disturbed you.
”
I turned to go. There was a phone book on the dresser, and as I passed I picked it up and slung it at him all in one movement.

The book caught him on the side of his head and he reeled back. Before he could recover his balance I jumped him.

My fist sank into the side of his neck and he went down. I let him sit up and then I kicked his face. The kick stunned him. He lay flat on his back, the whites of his eyes showing and breath bubbling out of his open mouth.

I knelt at his side and started to go through his pockets. I found nothing of interest in his trouser pockets, and I was beginning on his coat when he came to.

He swung at me, but I saw it coming and dropped flat on top of him. I socked him twice in the belly before he threw me off. He was strong all right, and I slammed against the wall. Before he had time to get to his feet I dived at him. He kicked my stomach with both feet. I hit hard on the floor, most of my breath knocked out of me.

He scrambled up, his flat face alight with vicious fury. I couldn
’
t move. My muscles had gone back on me and I wanted to vomit.

As he came at me I pulled my gun and showed it to him.

He stopped suddenly like he had run up against a brick wall.

I struggled to get my breath and fought down the sickness, but I didn
’
t lower the gun or take my eyes off him.

He stood watching me sullenly.

“
Sit on the bed,
”
I managed to jerk out at last.

He sat on the bed, his hands on his knees, glaring at me.

I remained on the floor for three or four minutes until I got my wind back, then, still watching him, I climbed to my feet. My legs felt shaky and I had to lean against the wall.

“
Now we
’
ll talk, you louse,
”
I said, keeping the gun pointed at his face.

He just snarled at me.

“
You
’
re one of Starkey
’
s boys, aren
’
t you?
”

He shifted his eyes and I knew I
’
d guessed right.

Keeping him covered, I took out the note that had been pushed under my door and let him see it.

I laughed.
“
You don
’
t think chat, kid
’
s stuff scared me, do you?
”

He looked at his feet and shifted restlessly.

I gave him time to say something and then went on:
“
I don
’
t like guys following me around. It makes me nervous. When I get nervous my heater
’
s likely to go off. Tell Starkey that. While you
’
re at it, tell him I don
’
t think he
’
ll be mayor, and you might add I
’
ll be along to see him tomorrow.
”

He stared at me, his small eyes blank with surprise.

I nodded to the door.
“
And now dust. Get the hell out of here and stay out. I
’
ll see you around here again, or tagging along behind me, I
’
ll slap you down so hard you
’
ll bounce for a week.
”

He stood up, picked up a slouch hat that was lying on a chair nearby, and put it on his head I knew when I saw him in that hat, that he was the party who
’
d been tailing us.

“
Beat it,
”
I said.

He went to the door, opened it and then turned to look at me. His eyes were glassy with hate.

“
You small-town toughs are a dime a dozen,
”
I said.
“
Scram!
”

He spat on the floor by my feet and went out. I followed him into the passage and watched him walk stiff-legged to the stairs. He didn
’
t look back.

I awoke with a start. For a brief moment I had the fuddled idea I was in my New York apartment, but the white bureau I could see in the moonlight put me right. I was still in the Eastern Hotel, Cranville.