He argued: “We both did the same thing.”
“They’re afraid of me and they’re not of you. It makes it different. And I want to try out something. I want to see if charges are filed against you, if you want to know.”
He shook his head, made a motion with one hand and grumbled: “Well, all right. I think it’s a silly thing to do.”
“If it wasn’t for me the police would hold you anyway, so what’s the difference?”
He nodded then, said: “Well, all right.”
I said: “I’ll see you soon,” and went out in the hall.
Macintosh followed me out and said: “It’s your play, Connell, but it doesn’t make sense to me. You’re safer in jail than out.”
“I could be followed when I got out; now I can make my sneak. I’ll be back at the Palace if you want me.”
“There’s going to be hell to pay for this tomorrow. You know that.”
“I want Wendel where he’s safe. That’s all. I want him where I can get him if I need him. It may be I’ll want him in a hurry. If he gets out and runs into Joey Free, God knows where he’ll be. With Joey drunk like he is, he’s liable to start for either Mexico or Canada; he does things like that.”
Macintosh grinned. “He’s a wild Indian; I know that. Kirby says he’s a good egg. But wild.”
I said: “He’s the old man of the mountains, that’s all.”
And left for the Palace Rooms.
Chapter Sixteen
I called Lester as soon as I got to the phone and he was jittery. He’d stuck around the house and saw us leave with the police escort and it had him worried sick. I said: “Never mind that. Get a cab and go out to the Three C Club and get hold of Joey Free. That is, if he’s not in his room. Get him sober. It’ll be a job but you do it. I’m going to need him in the morning. Get it?”
“Yes, Shean! But what if I can’t get him sober?”
“Get him in shape to dig up some dough. That’s all I ask. Wendel is going to want bail money and I don’t want to get in touch with New York for it. Joey can dig it up in less time. This is going to break damned soon.”
Lester said, in a bewildered way: “But why will it break soon, Shean? She can’t sue for divorce until she’s been here six weeks, can she? She hasn’t been here for over three, now.”
I said: “I can’t tell you over the phone, kid. Get out and get Joey and get him right. Crandall’s going to get action; he’s going to figure out a settlement with Wendel right soon and Wendel’s sick enough about the business to go for it. And a widow’s share in the estate will run into money too. Think it over.”
I hung up then and let him think it over. I hadn’t told Wendel, because there was no reason to worry him, but I was starting to think he had no business running around loose. I didn’t know the New York law, but it seemed reasonable to suppose a widow would get a hefty share of what estate he’d leave... if she suddenly became a widow, that is. And I wasn’t under any illusions about Crandall... I figured he’d make Mrs. Wendel a widow and think nothing of it if it paid him to do it.
But I didn’t think I could make Wendel see this argument. There was nothing I could prove as yet. There was nothing to do but protect him, as well as myself, and let things come to a head.
She’d been in town about half her time; the opposition had still three weeks to do their business. There’d been one murder in the forty-two days they had to work in... and I didn’t want to be the star in another. Or for my client to be starred. I wanted Joey to have bail all ready to put up so that I could get Wendel out of town if it seemed advisable.
Crandall had missed a bet when he hadn’t done a lot of shooting there in his house. The action came so fast he didn’t have a chance to study the angles. If he’d shot then he’d have been in the clear, being able to prove we’d broken in and all. He’d have been justified in thinking us burglars and acting accordingly. He’d think of that golden opportunity he’d missed, that I knew, and he wouldn’t overlook another chance.
And I didn’t want Wendel running around the streets with Joey Free and giving Crandall that break again.
Lester called me in the morning and said: “I’ve got Joey and he’s in pretty good shape. He sobered up quickly.”
“He’s had a lot of practice,” I said. “Where’d you find him?”
“At the Three C. He was still thinking he was the old man of the mountain but when I told him what had happened he sobered up.”
“Where is he now?”
“Here with me.”
I couldn’t go to the hotel and talk with him and Lester had my car. I couldn’t remember the name of any bar in town, except the Rustic, and I didn’t want to go there because of Gino Rucci owning a piece of it. But it was only ten in the morning and I didn’t think Rucci would be checking up the place that early and so I took a chance. I said:
“Take him to the Rustic and meet me there. Pick a booth in the back. If you should see Rucci there, stand outside and I won’t go in. Or that same cop that took us out of Crandall’s last night. You get the idea, don’t you, kid?”
“Why, yes,” he said scornfully. “Do you think I’m a fool?”
“We won’t go into that now. I don’t want to meet anybody that knows me. I’m depending on you to see I don’t.”
“We’ll be there as soon as we can.”
“And bring my car with you.”
“It’s still at Crandall’s.”
“Stop by and get it. I might want it.”
“As soon as I can, Shean.”
I went out the side way and eased over toward the Rustic. I went damned carefully, too.
Looking for policemen that knew me, as well as any of the thugs I’d met at Rucci’s Three C Club. And, so help me, I just passed a hole in the wall restaurant when somebody called:
“Oh Shean! Shean, honey!”
It was the Spanish effect. Wearing slacks and a sweater arrangement and looking like a cross between a school girl and original sin.
She was nothing I wanted to see. I dragged her into the doorway of a building and said: “Now look, doll! I’m in a hell of a hurry. Something important. I’ll give you a ring this evening sometime.”
She pouted and said, in her funny voice: “Now Shean! Let her wait. It’s a swell day and let’s go for a ride. Or up to my apartment and have a drink.”
“I haven’t got the time, hon. Besides, it’s too early to drink.”
“It’s never too early for me.”
“You keep that idea and you’ll look ten years older in three, babe. I’ll call you this evening.”
She said: “Are you still in trouble?”
“What makes you think I’m in trouble?”
“Well, I know Rucci. He asked me if I’d seen you. He acted anxious about it.”
“Hell! It’s just that maybe he wants me to go back to work or something like that.”
She said earnestly: “Now listen, Shean! I’m here divorcing my husband because if I’d lived with him one day longer I’d have killed him or he’d have killed me. I’m no kid; I’ve been around. I know when trouble’s coming. Now Rucci means trouble for you. And I heard about that shooting; those things get around. I don’t know whether he was back of that or not, but he might have been. I like you, Shean, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I won’t kid! It’s just imagination on your part. Now I’ve got to go.”
“You’ll call me tonight.”
“I said I would, didn’t I?”
“Where are you staying, Shean?”
“I’ll maybe tell you tonight, hon. I have to go now.”
“I’m worried, Shean.”