Fast Buck (19 page)

‘Found out what?’ Olin barked.

‘No idea, but it could be something to do with the Bruce kil ing.’

Olin snorted.

‘You don’t even know if they had her in the car.’

‘Where else is she, then?’

‘Anywhere. You’re sure about the shot?’

‘Yeah, I’m sure about that.’

‘Maybe Baird has rubbed Rico out,’ Olin said hopeful y. ‘I’l get myself good and drunk if he has.’

‘It’s Zoe al right,’ Dal as said. ‘I’m sure of it.’

‘Why the hell should they want to knock off a taxi-dancer?’ Olin asked. ‘Talk sense.’ He gave Dal as a sharp look. ‘Or are you keeping anything back?’

‘You know as wel as I do the whole of my life’s spread out for you to pick over,’ Dallas said. ‘Don’t be so damned suspicious.’

The car skidded to a standstill.

‘This is it,’ the driver said.

Dallas and Olin got out. The three other police cars emptied. The prowl boys stood around in the rain expectantly, looking at Olin for orders.

‘Where did you hear the shot?’ Olin asked.

‘Right here. It seemed to come from those buildings.’ Dal as waved at the high, dark warehouses.

‘Okay, boys,’ Olin said. ‘Get busy. Look these joints over. If you find anything, sound your whistles.’

The prowl boys broke up into parties of twos and began a systematic search of the warehouses.

‘I’m going to the waterfront,’ Dal as said. ‘Coming?’

‘Leave it to the River Police,’ Olin said shortly. ‘I tipped them off before I left.’

‘That’s where she’s going to be found,’ Dal as said, ‘and that’s where I’m going.’

Olin shrugged, but followed Dallas to the end of the alley into what appeared to be a cul-de-sac.

‘You won’t get to the river this way,’ Olin grunted.

Dallas swung his flashlight beam on the ground.

‘There’s been a car here. Look, tyre and oil marks. Where’s that lead to?’ He flashed his light on a low, dark archway. ‘Come on, let’s take a look.’

Olin followed him through the archway into an evil-smelling passage. In the mud and slush that covered the floor they could see footprints.

‘Someone’s been here, and recently,’ Dallas said.

He began to mount the stone steps at the end of the passage, stopped and sniffed.

‘Gunpowder!’ he exclaimed. ‘Can you smell it?’

‘Do you imagine I haven’t got a nose?’ Olin growled, jerking out his gun. ‘Get out of the way. I’ll handle this.’

He ran up the rest of the steps into a vast, barn-like room with Dallas on his heels. The smell of gunpowder hung in the thick atmosphere. Among the other smells Dallas imagined he could smell musk.

‘Look at that!’ Olin barked, dropping the flashlight beam to the floor. A dark-brown stain made an irregular pattern on the dirty boards: close by was a small pile of half-burned matches.

‘That’s blood.’

Dallas spotted a door in the wall. He went over to it, pushed it open. He found himself looking down at the dark waters of the river, some thirty feet below.

‘He kil ed her and threw her out this way,’ he said, through clenched teeth.

Olin joined him.

‘Looks like it,’ he said. ‘There’s the river boys. We’d bet er get them working here.’ He flashed his light on and off. In the distance a light answered. ‘They’l be up in a couple of minutes. Wait here and guide them in. I’l get my lot together.’

Dallas sat on the floor, flashing his light on and off. At the back of the building he could hear Olin’s whistle. The lights of the police launch came closer. By the time Olin had returned, the police launch was bobbing up and down just below where Dallas was sitting.

‘There’s a body down there somewhere,’ Olin shouted. ‘It was thrown in from here. Get busy and find it. It couldn’t have drifted far.’

A powerful searchlight was turned on that lit up a big expanse of water. It made Dallas feel sick to think that Zoe was somewhere in that dark, oily grave. He sat there, smoking, for a long time, while the River Police threw out their drags and systematically combed the river.

It was over an hour before they found Zoe. By that time both Olin and Dallas had joined them on the launch.

‘Here she is,’ one of the River Police said, as the drags came in. Gently he and another cop rolled Zoe’s half-naked body off the hooks.

‘This the one you want?’ the sergeant asked, looking up at Olin.

‘Is it ?’Olin asked Dallas.

‘I guess so,’ Dallas said huskily.

Zoe had been shot through the head. The big .45 slug had torn a chunk of her skull away. She didn’t look like the Zoe he had played around with. He stood staring down at her, a cold, sick feeling creeping over him.

‘Looks like someone’s been burning her,’ Olin said, in a hushed voice. ‘Look at the state she’s in.’

The sergeant tossed a blanket over Zoe’s broken and tortured body. His usual y red, cheerful face looked a little green.

‘Wel , what are we waiting for?’ Dal as said, his voice rasping. ‘Let’s go get those two bastards.’

V

Baird saw a flash of flame in the driving mirror; at the same instant there came a crash of breaking glass. Glass splinters flew inside the car like shrapnel.

Rico cried out as he ducked down on the floor of the car. Automatically Baird’s foot trod down hard on the gas pedal. The big Buick surged forward, and he whipped it around the bend in the causeway.

He sent the big car hurtling along the narrow road. He could feel blood running down the side of his neck from a cut from a glass splinter, and he swore softly.

‘What is it?’ Rico quavered from the floor of the car. ‘Who shot at us?’

‘How the hel do I know?’ Baird snarled.

But he was quick to realise what this meant. Someone had been close by when he had shot that damned spying red-head. A car like Rico’s could easily be identified. If whoever it was cal ed the cops, and they found the body before the current took it away, Rico would be on the spot. Baird hadn’t any illusions about Rico keeping his trap shut. Any tough cop could make Rico sing like a canary, and Rico would try to pin the whole weight of the killing on Baird.

He kicked Rico hard in the ribs.

‘Get up!’ he said furiously. ‘See what the damage is!’

Rico pulled himself off the floor and looked back at the gaping hole in the rear window. With relief he saw there was no car following them, and he sank down on the bench seat beside Baird, groaning.

‘Aw, shut up!’ Baird snarled. ‘It must have been one of those shamuses who’s been following me.

Start using your head, Rico. We’ve got to take action fast if we’re going to beat this rap. He’s seen the car. We can’t get that window fixed before the cops descend on us. If they don’t find the body we can cook up some yarn, but if they do, we’re sunk!’

Rico turned cold.

‘You got me into this!’ he wailed. ‘I told you I wouldn’t stand for murder! Damn you! Let me get out of here! I’m not going to be caught with you!’

Baird swung his arm. The back of his hand caught Rico across his nose and mouth, stunning him.

‘Shut up, you squealer!’ Baird exclaimed. ‘We’re both in this! You try and walk out on me, and I’ll put a slug into you!’

Rico wilted. He lay back, his hands over his face.

‘Maybe we can tel them the car was stolen from the park,’ Baird said. ‘If you and me can fix an alibi…’

‘That shamus saw us,’ Rico said, fear steadying his nerves and let ing his rat-shrewd brain function.

‘You’ve fixed me this time, damn you! There’s no way out of it! Olin’s been waiting for something like this to break.’

‘Take it easy,’ Baird said coldly. ‘Maybe they won’t find her. We’l get back to the club and find out what’s been going on. Until we know who’s been talking we can’t do a thing.’

‘Listen!’ Rico said, stiffening. ‘Police sirens!’

Baird stamped on the brake, swung the car across the street with a screech of tortured tyres and drove up a narrow side street. He stopped the car, jumped out and stood on the sidewalk, his hand on his gun.

Fearfully, Rico peered through the broken rear window and looked towards the main street. The clamour of sirens grew louder. They watched three black and white police cars flash past, heading for Union Street.

‘That punk tipped them off fast enough,’ Baird growled as he got back into the Buick. ‘But they still mayn’t find her.’

He drove recklessly along the back streets and reached the club in under five minutes. He drove into the parking lot.

‘Get hold of yourself,’ he said, as he wiped the blood off his neck. ‘Come on out. We may be rushed for time.’

As they got out of the car, the parking attendant came over. He stared at the blood on Baird’s col ar, then his gaze shifted to Rico’s damaged nose, and his eyes popped.

‘Some drunk threw a bot le at the car,’ Baird said. ‘Smashed the rear window.’

‘Gee!’ the at endant exclaimed. ‘What did he want to do that for?’

‘Anyone been asking for me, Tim?’ Rico said, holding his handkerchief across his face.

‘Mr Dal as wanted you. I told him you’d gone home. He said he’d try your apartment.’

‘Got another car, Rico?’ Baird asked sharply. ‘We may have to go out again.’

Rico gulped.

‘There’s the Packard.’

‘Get it around the rear entrance,’ Baird said to the parking attendant. ‘We may be leaving in a hurry.’

‘Yes, sir.’

Baird caught hold of Rico’s, arm and hustled him to the rear entrance.

‘Can we trust that guy?’

‘Yes,’ Rico said. ‘Tim’s al right. He’l do anything for me.’

‘That’s swel ,’ Baird said sarcastical y. ‘Dallas fired that shot! He must have come here to see the red-head, found her missing and traced us to the waterfront. I must have been crazy to have used that damned car of yours. A blind man could identify it.’

Rico pushed open the door of his office and went in. He turned on the lights and went over to the cellarette. With a shaking hand he poured two whiskies, gave Baird one and gulped down the other. He poured more whisky into his glass and then flopped into a chair.

‘You got me into this,’ he said. ‘You’ve got to get me out of it.’

‘It’l be easy if they don’t find her, but if they do…’ Baird shrugged. ‘Can’t you find out what’s happening?’

Rico gulped down his second whisky, picked up the telephone and dialled a number. After a slight pause, he said, ‘That you, Sam? This is Rico. Listen, I want you to get down to Pinder’s End fast. The cops are there. Find out what they’re doing and cal back. It’s worth fifty if you give me some fast action.’

He hung up and looked at Baird.

‘Sam’l find out. He’l cal me back.’

‘Where’s that five grand?’ Baird demanded. ‘Get it, and get hold of every buck in the place. Get moving: we may have to dust, and dust fast!’

Rico licked his dry lips.

‘What do you mean? I can’t just walk out of here. It’s my living. What are you talking about?’

‘Get the dough!’ Baird snarled. ‘You can stay here if you want to, but if they fish her out of the river, I’m going to be wel out of reach.’

Rico closed his eyes. He had visions of Olin cornering him. He saw the room at headquarters with its one blinding light, and the big coppers crowding around him with their blackjacks. He started out of his chair, sweat running down his face.

‘Where can I go?’ he yammered, catching hold of Baird’s coat front. ‘What about the club? What the hell am I going to do?’

Baird threw him off.

‘You can come with me to Red River Basin. That’s where I’m going,’ he said. ‘Have you forgot en?

There’s half a mil ion or more to be picked up there, and it’s where Olin can’t get at us. What do you care about this lousy club if you can get your hands on money like that?’

Rico gulped and gaped at Baird.

‘It’l turn out to be another of your bright ideas,’ he whined. ‘How do I know I shan’t be in a worse jam?’

‘You couldn’t be in a worse jam,’ Baird said brutal y. ‘Get moving. Collect all the dough you can lay hands on, and make it fast.’

Rico staggered out of the room, and Baird heard him calling to Luigi. Shrugging his shoulders, Baird sat down and helped himself to another whisky. The only regret he felt for leaving town was that he wouldn’t get the chance of seeing Anita again. He had found out where she worked, and most nights he parked his car near the restaurant to watch her come out when the restaurant closed. Sometimes he followed her home, and spent a half an hour watching the light in her window, seeing her pass and repass as she moved about the room, preparing for bed. He made no attempt to speak to her, and he was careful that she shouldn’t see him. He told himself again and again he was get ing soft in the head, and he was wasting his time, but the fascination of seeing her from a distance was irresistible to him.

Rico returned ten minutes later. He carried a suitcase which he placed on the table.

‘Luigi wil look after things for me,’ he said. ‘I’ve got a couple of grand in here, and there’s the five grand from Kile. But unless I have to, I don’t want to go…’

The telephone bell rang sharply, cutting off his words. He answered it while Baird lounged in his chair and watched him.

‘Yeah, Sam. This is Rico. What’s going on down there?’ He listened, and Baird saw his face go green. ‘They have? Okay. Thanks, Sam. Come up to the club and see Luigi. He’l pay you off.’ He hung up and looked at Baird, who was already on his feet, reaching for the suitcase. ‘They’ve found her! Sam saw them hook her out about three minutes ago.’

‘Come on, then,’ Baird said. ‘Let’s get out of here fast. First stop Red River Basin.’

Rico tore at his hair.

‘Leaving all this! I’l be ruined…’

Baird was already walking rapidly down the passage to the car park. Rico snatched up his hat and coat and rushed after him.

The dark blue Packard was waiting at the rear exit.

‘There’s another set of licence plates in the boot,’ the parking at endant said, coming up. ‘The tank’s full, and there’s a Thompson under the rear floor boards. Anything else I can do?’

‘Can you ditch the Buick?’

The parking attendant grinned.

‘I’ve already done that. I left it in a vacant lot about a mile away.’