1945 - Blonde's Requiem (25 page)

That held him for a moment. I knew damn well he hadn
’
t looked anywhere, and he, knew I knew it.

“
Where do you suggest I look?
”
he said at last.

I shook my head.
“
I don
’
t know,
”
I returned.
“
Anywhere is a likely bet. Suppose you get a crowd of men organized and take the whole town to pieces? Get a map and mark it off in squares. Have ten men to each square and let
‘
em hunt. A body isn
’
t easy to conceal. It
’
s the hard way, but I can
’
t suggest a better one.
”

He grunted.
“
How do you suppose this French girl
’
s body was taken out of the house?
”

“
The back way. Easy enough if the guy who did it was strong. All he had to do was to carry the body downstairs into the back garden and heave it over the fence into the lane that runs along at the back of the gardens. If he had a car there, it would be easy. It was dark and no one would see him if he didn
’
t make a noise.
”

“
I
’
ll have the lane checked for wheel-marks,
”
Macey returned.
“
Okay, Spewack, I
’
ll get working on this. I
’
ll let you know if we find anything.
”

“
So you
’
re sure Starkey
’
s in the clear?
”

“
Never mind that,
”
he said shortly.
“
I
’
ll look for the bodies on your say-so, but I
’
m not expecting to find them.
”

“
Depends how hard you look,
”
I said, and stood up.
“
Maybe it would be an idea to let Starkey know I
’
m not after him anymore. Somehow I don
’
t think that guy likes me.
”

“
I
’
ll let him know,
”
Macey promised, and smiled again. It was a cold, foxy smile, and I didn
’
t like it.

I went downstairs and found Reg Phipps waiting for me.

“
How did you know I was here?
”
I asked as we went down the yellow-walled passage to the street.

“
When I reached the house and found you weren
’
t around, I guessed you
’
d been taken to headquarters,
”
he said.
“
What happened?
”

I gave him a brief outline of the set-up.
“
Did you locate Latimer?
”

“
Yeah, he
’
s waiting in the car at the next parking lot. We didn
’
t know where to get in touch with Audrey Sheridan so we thought we
’
d better hang around for you.
”

I quickened my pace.
“
I want that kid out of the way,
”
I said.
“
If Starkey knows where she is, there
’
ll be trouble.
”

“
You
’
ve cleared him of the kidnapping rap, but he
’
s still in it on the Dixon murder, is that it?
”

“
Yeah, and Macey knows it. We didn
’
t touch that angle of it, and if Starkey gets that picture you took of Dixon, then he
’
s clear of everything.
”

We found Latimer in the car and we scrambled in.

“
Gazette,
”
I said to Latimer.
“
And tread on it.
”

As the car shot away from the kerb, Reg said:
“
So it
’
s murder and not kidnapping?
”

“
It
’
s murder all right,
”
I said, thinking of Marian and feeling bad about the whole business.
“
We
’
ll drop you off at the printer
’
s. You
’
ll have to cut out that stuff I gave you on Macey and get the story of the murder on the front page instead. We
’
ll lay off Macey for a while and see if he plays. If he doesn
’
t, then we
’
ll use the stuff.
”

Reg groaned.
“
You make a hell of a newspaper man,
”
he complained.
“
You don
’
t seem to know your own mind.
”

I grinned savagely in the darkness.
“
I do now,
”
I said.
“
It only wanted this to happen. I
’
m going all out to get that killer, and I
’
ll get him if it
’
s the last thing I do.
”

There was silence for a while, then Reg said:
“
You know, I can
’
t believe she
’
s dead. She was swell.
”

“
She was,
”
I said,
“
and that
’
s what gets me. This is a personal matter now.
”

Latimer pulled up outside the printer
’
s shop and Reg got out of the car.

“
Give all the facts,
”
I told him,
“
and when you
’
re through, grab some sleep.

I
’
ll see you in the morning.
”

I changed seats and got in the front with Latimer.

“
I want a quiet hotel,
”
I told him.
“
Where do I go?
”

He said the Palace wasn
’
t bad and it was not far from the Gazette offices.

We passed the hotel on our way and it looked all right to me. When we reached the Gazette offices I told him to get off home.

“
Sure you don
’
t want me?
”
he asked.

I shook my head.
“
I
’
ll pick up Audrey and then we
’
ll go to the hotel. We can
’
t do much tonight. Be at the office early tomorrow.
”

As I was walking across the sidewalk to the entrance of the building he called me back.

“
All this excitement made me forget,
”
he said.
“
I
’
ve checked up on Starkey. He has a cast-iron alibi for two o
’
clock that night. You can
’
t nail him for Dixon
’
s killing.
”

“
I didn
’
t think I could, but I can nail one of his mob, and that
’
ll finish him in Cranville,
”
I returned.
“
Anyway, thanks for finding out.
”

“
And another thing,
”
he went on.
“
I don
’
t know if it
’
s any use to you, but Edna Wilson
’
s his daughter.
”

I stood still.
“
His what?
”

“
Yeah. I happened to run into a guy I know and he told me. Starkey married about eighteen years ago. His wife got tired of his ways and left him. She died last year and her kid—Starkey
’
s daughter—came back to Cranville hoping he
’
d look after her. He planted her on Wolf, and she
’
s been feeding Starkey information ever since. The guy who told me used to live in the same town as Starkey
’
s wife and recognized Edna.
”

“
I knew she was a phoney,
”
I returned.
“
I wonder what Starkey would say if he knew of her relations with Wolf? She must be a nice type of kid to sleep with a guy and betray him at the same time.
”

Latimer shrugged.
“
Women are all the same,
”
he returned cynically.
“
They
’
ll cut your throat while they
’
re loving you. Anyway, that
’
s the dope for what it
’
s worth.
”

I said I was glad to have it and went on into the building.

There was no light showing through the pebbled glass door of the Gazette offices. I wondered uneasily if Audrey had gone to sleep. I tried the door and found it wasn
’
t locked.

One look, around the room, after I had turned on the light, confirmed my worst fears. It looked like a cyclone had hit it. Chairs were overturned, the desk was shoved against the wall, and rugs were crumpled in corners.

Audrey had put up a pretty good fight. The silent and dishevelled office told its own story. Starkey had got her.

I
paid off the taxi a hundred yards or so from Wolf
’
s house and walked the short distance, keeping in the shadows. It was now a little after twelve o
’
clock and I was hoping everyone in Wolf s place had gone to bed.

There were lights burning in two-of the upper-floor windows of the house, but the ground floor was in darkness. I walked across the lawn, round the back to the garage. It took me a few minutes to force the lock and another five minutes to get my car out. Fortunately there was a sloping ramp from the garage and I rolled the car down to the drive without having to start up the engine. I manoeuvred it in a position for a quick getaway and then ran round to the front door again. One look at the lock convinced me that it would take too long to force, so I tried a window. I managed to slip a catch, pushed up the window and found myself in Edna Wilson
’
s office. Moving quietly, I stepped into the lobby and listened. No sound came to me, so I started up the stairs. I reached the landing. As I was hesitating what to do next a door at the far end of the passage opened. I ducked back behind the bend of the staircase.

Wolf wandered down the passage. He was wearing a blue silk dressing gown over his tuxedo. A cigar was clamped between his teeth and he moved heavily as if he were tired or had something on his mind. For a moment I thought he was going downstairs, and I began to wonder what excuse I was going to give to explain why I was lurking in his house. But halfway down the passage he paused and rapped on a door. A moment later Edna Wilson stepped into the passage. She was wearing a green silk wrap. She said something to him in a low voice and Wolf scowled at her.

His heavy face went red.
“
All right,
”
he growled,
“
if that
’
s how you feel.
”

“
That
’
s just how I feel,
”
she said sharply, and she closed the door in his face.

Wolf stood muttering for a few moments and then he went back to his own room.

I waited a few minutes then I stepped into the passage across to Edna Wilson
’
s door. I turned the handle. Rather to my surprise the door opened and I walked into a large, lavishly furnished bedroom decorated in green and silver.

A quick look around showed she wasn
’
t in the room. A door on the left stood open, and as I walked softly over to it she came out. I caught a glimpse of a naked thigh that flashed between the opening of her silk wrap, then she saw me, her hands went to her face and her mouth curved into an O.

With my left hand I swept her hands from her face and hit her on the side of her jaw with my right. As she folded up I caught her under her arms and lowered her to the floor.

I paused for a second to look at her. Without her glasses her face had a sort of off-key neurotic charm that only needed some clever make-up to be striking. I was slightly startled to see how glasses had spoilt her looks.

I looked swiftly around the room, grabbed a pair of silk stockings, and rolling her over I bound her wrists together. A silk scarf hanging over a chair back served to fasten her ankles together. I rolled her over again, made a knot in my handkerchief and stuffed it in her mouth. Then I picked her up—she was light and I could feel her bones sticking into me as I carried her—and walked quickly to the door.

I didn
’
t hesitate, but went straight into the passage, down the stairs to the front door. I had to lay her on the floor while I unbolted and opened the door, then picking her up and leaving the door open I ran around to where I had left my car. I bundled her into the front seat, slid under the wheel beside her and started the engine.

It took me twelve minutes
’
furious driving to reach the printer
’
s shop. I pulled up with a squeal of brakes and paused long enough to make certain she was still unconscious before running across the sidewalk. I hammered on the door.

As luck would have it, Reg Phipps opened the door himself. I grabbed hold of his arm.
“
Come on,
”
I said.
“
Starkey
’
s got Audrey Sheridan.
”
Without giving him a chance to say anything I rushed him over to the car.
“
Get in and drive,
”
I said, and climbed in the back.

He gaped at Edna Wilson, but he didn
’
t start talking. He drove away fast.

“
Where to?
”
he said.

“
Now listen, Reg,
”
I said, leaning forward,
“
this kid is Starkey
’
s daughter. She
’
s working for Wolf, and among other things she
’
s spying on him. Maybe Starkey likes her enough to trade her for Audrey. Anyway, that
’
s the way I
’
m playing it. Have you any place where you can hide her up until I can talk to Starkey?
”

“
Me?
”
Reg gasped.
“
Hell, brother, that
’
d be kidnapping! There
’
s a long stretch hanging to kidnapping. They might even fry me for it.
”

“
Don
’
t talk like a dope,
”
I snapped.
“
The only way to talk to these thugs is in the language they understand. You don
’
t want Audrey left in their hands, do you?
”

“
Okay, okay,
”
he said.
“
I always was a sucker. Yeah, I can hide her up. How long for?
”

“
Maybe only for a couple of hours,
”
I said.
“
Maybe a day or so.
”

“
I know a guy who runs a little hotel on North Street,
”
Reg said.
“
He
’
ll rent me a room and not ask questions.
”

“
Okay, do that. What
’
s the name of the hotel?
”

“
Fernbank. It
’
s in the book.
”

“
Drop me off at Starkey
’
s headquarters and then go on to the hotel. Get this kid under cover before she comes to the surface and for God
’
s sake keep her under cover. I
’
ll ring you when I want her. Don
’
t bring her unless I say something about your line being bad. Maybe Starkey will get the drop on me, and I don
’
t want you to make any mistake.
”

“
You ain
’
t going to tackle him alone, are you?
”

“
I haven
’
t time to do anything else. Suppose you ring Latimer when you get to the hotel and tell him what
’
s cooking. Maybe he
’
ll feel like sticking his heck out. If he does I could use him.
”

“
Let me come with you,
”
Reg said earnestly.
“
We
’
ll tie this dame up and—
”

“
No,
”
I said.
“
You stick with her. She
’
s our trump card.
”

Reg slowed down.
“
Starkey hangs out a block from here. It
’
s a poolroom downstairs, but he
’
s got rooms on the second floor. There
’
s a fire escape at the back. That
’
s your way up.
”
He pulled in to the kerb and I got out.

“
Thanks a lot, Reg,
”
I said, patting his arm.
“
Look after this babe.
”

I left him, walked down the street until I reached the next block, then turned down a dark alley. I kept on and came to a five-foot board fence. I climbed over the fence and went across a vacant, weed-grown lot towards the rear end of the building that housed Starkey.

Its three storeys were dark and forbidding. I went close to the building, making no noise, my gun in my right fist. Looking up, I could see the vague outline of a fire escape against the sky.

I felt my way along the wall of the building until I was under the free-swinging end of the fire escape. It was almost four feet beyond my reach. I stepped away and jumped for it. My second attempt was lucky and I hooked my fingers in the ironwork. The fire escape came down, creaking as it did so, but not too loudly.

I climbed to the first landing and eased the free-swinging part of the escape back into position so that it came up quietly. Then I continued up the escape until I reached the flat roof. There was a big skylight in the centre of the roof and from it came a bright light.

Stepping softly, I moved forward and peered down. Jeff Gordan was sitting behind a table, his chair tilted against the wall and his hat at the back of his head. He was reading a newspaper. A cigarette hung limply from his great coarse lips. Audrey Sheridan lay on a bed on the other side of the room. Her arms were above her head and her wrists were fastened to the bedposts. Her ankles were tied with cord, which was looped around the foot of the bed. She seemed to be asleep.

I wondered how many more of Starkey
’
s thugs were in the building and what chance I had of getting Audrey out alive. I sank on to my knees and pressed the crosspiece of the skylight gently with my thumb. It seemed to have little resistance. As I was deciding what to do, the door opened and Starkey came in.

Jeff threw his paper aside and stood up. He grinned at Starkey and together they went over to where Audrey was lying. Jeff shook her and she looked up blankly, then, when she saw Starkey, she tried to sit up and began to struggle against the cords that bound her.

Starkey sat on the bed beside her and lit a cigarette. He began talking to her. I couldn
’
t hear what he was saying, but from the look on Jeff
’
s face I could make a guess.

Audrey shook her head.

Starkey went on talking, but I could see Audrey wasn
’
t going to do what he wanted. He finally gave up and sat staring at her with hot, angry eyes.

Then he stood up and shrugged. He said something to Jeff, who nodded his great head. Starkey went out and closed the door, leaving Jeff and Audrey looking at each other.

Jeff stood over her, flexing his thick fingers. Audrey stared back at him, her face white, but her eyes steady.

I drew a deep breath and as Jeff reached for her I put my foot lightly on the centre of the crosspiece of the skylight and then suddenly shifted the whole of my weight onto it.

I crashed into the room amid flying pieces of glass and woodwork. I landed on my feet, staggered, recovered my balance and threatened Jeff with my gun.

He stood gaping at me half in terror, half in vicious, baffled rage.

“
Get your hands up or I
’
ll spread your insides on the floor,
”
I said.

His hands went up fast.

“
Up against the wall and face it,
”
I said, hearing feet pounding up the stairs.

As he did so, I backed to the door and turned the key. It was a good, strong door and I thought it
’
d hold. Then I ran over to Audrey, slashed at the cords, and jerked her up.

“
Get over there by the door,
”
I said, shoving her as she staggered to her feet.
“
They
’
ll start shooting in a minute.
”

Just then fists pounded on the door and a voice yelled:
“
What
’
s going on in there?
”

I fired once at the door. There was a startled yell and then a scurry of feet.

“
That
’
ll hold
‘
em for a minute,
”
I said.
“
You all right, kid?
”

She smiled wanly.
“
I wouldn
’
t have been if you hadn
’
t
’
ve come,
”
she said.
“
I—I
’
m glad you came.
”