“I didn’t do it, Shayne. I swear I didn’t kill him. He was already dead. I saw him there beside the road. I couldn’t do anything for him, but I thought of the mines… and of Jimmy. That’s why I went to Elsa and advised Jimmy to tell Ann Cornell what to say. I swear that’s the truth.”
“Maybe,” said Shayne. “But do you think a jury will believe you?”
“They will if they don’t see the letters.”
“Possibly.”
“What do you want?” Gerald demanded fiercely. “Tear up those letters and keep your mouth shut and let Brand hang as he deserves. He must be guilty. I don’t believe for a moment Jimmy Roche killed his own brother. You’ll only defeat justice if you bring up those letters. And you’ll lose the five thousand Persona offered.”
“I warned you at the beginning,” said Shayne, “that I like money, but there are other considerations that tempt me.”
“What in God’s name do you want?” Gerald demanded again.
“I’ve decided that I’d like to be chief of police of Centerville for about six months.”
“Chief of police!” Gerald’s mouth fell open and he seemed powerless to close it. He stared at Shayne with a queer look in his eyes, then managed to say, “But we’ve got a chief. Henry Elwood…”
“I’ve met Elwood,” Shayne told him grimly. “That’s why I think Centerville needs a new deal. Those are my terms. Make me chief, and I’ll suppress those letters. Otherwise…” He shrugged wide shoulders and got to his feet.
“That’s the most fantastic proposal I ever heard,” gasped Gerald. “Even if I agreed, what makes you think I could arrange a thing like that?”
“I’ve been in company-owned towns before.”
“But I don’t control the police department. The mayor and the city council are the only ones who have authority to make a change like that.”
“And you own the mayor,” said Shayne. “Get him on the phone.”
“But what would I tell him? What possible reason…?”
Shayne said, “I’ll give you plenty of reason.” He was silent for a moment, his rugged red brows drawn together. Then he relaxed, crossed one knobby knee over the other, and said slowly:
“It wouldn’t be the first time a municipality brought in an expert to straighten things out. Only a few people here know my business. You might explain to the mayor that Henry Elwood is a cold-blooded murderer and is locked up in his own jail. You could say that Charles Roche wrote and asked me to come here and do something about the horrible conditions existing in the police force… the frightened, groveling attitude of the common people after years of tyranny. I’ve heard a lot about how things go in communities like this where the majority of the people are poor and down-trodden and don’t dare say anything. I’ve read about returning soldiers who don’t even go to the polls and vote because the big bosses toss their votes into the waste basket if they don’t mark the right names. You’ve got that condition right here in Centerville.”
Seth Gerald’s black eyes were narrowed upon him. Sweat dripped from his face and dropped on his silk robe. When Shayne paused, he demanded, “What do you mean Chief Elwood is a cold-blooded murderer?”
“Do you know a police sergeant named Gantry?”
“Bill Gantry? He’s on the desk at headquarters,” said Gerald. “Sure I know him.”
Shayne said, “Yeh. Handsome young fellow. I have an idea he’d have been a different man if he hadn’t got hooked up with Centerville’s police department.”
“What about Gantry? All I know is he couldn’t go on with his college work after he came back from the war because he has a wife and three children. He took a job on the police force. What about him?” Gerald stood over him. His tone was demanding. He appeared to have regained his poise.
Shayne glanced up at him and asked, “Does he have a telephone?”
“Probably. I’ll look and see.” Gerald turned swiftly and picked up the telephone book, gave Shayne the number, and asked again, “What the hell has Gantry got to do with this?” His hands were trembling, and again he mopped his face with his palms.
Shayne started toward the telephone on the desk. He asked, “How does Gantry’s family stand around here?”
“One of the oldest… the best. His wife’s parents and their parents were considered… well… what people called aristocrats. First settlers and that sort of thing. Used to be rich. I’ve heard he gave away land and properties to poor people so they could get a start. A goddamned fool, if you ask me,” Gerald ended sarcastically.
Shayne was calling central. He gave the number. The phone rang only half a ring before a woman’s voice answered. “Yes? Is this you, Bill?” She was plainly hysterical. Tears were in her voice.
Shayne felt sorry as hell for her. He said, “This isn’t Bill. I called to talk to him in case he got home earlier than I expected.”
“Have you seen him? Where is he?” she asked, and he could hear the hope in her voice. “When did he say he would be home?”
He said, “He asked me to tell you he might not be home for several hours.”
“I’ve been phoning everywhere,” Mrs. Gantry said. “Thank you so much. I feel greatly relieved. You see our baby is very sick. She was taken suddenly, and I wanted Bill to know about it. If you see him, will you please tell him. Who are you…?”
Shayne said gruffly, “I’m a friend of your husband’s,” and slammed the receiver on the hook. He got up pulling his handkerchief out of his pocket. Sweat was dampening his polo shirt and slacks, and they were sticking to his body. He wiped his face and turned to Seth Gerald. His gray eyes were bleak and the muscles in his gaunt face twitched.
“What did she say?” Gerald asked. His face was twitching nervously.
Shayne took time to light a cigarette. His big hands shook as he held the match to it. He walked toward the door taking slow, deliberate strides. He picked up his hat on the way, turned and said:
“Henry Elwood murdered Gantry cold and deliberately on his front porch tonight. I saw him take the gun from his desk and go out. I heard him order Gantry to be brought to his house because he thought Gantry had kept George Brand informed. I heard the shot. Elwood had ordered Andrews to bring Gantry there while I was riding with him after he had ordered me to leave Mrs. Roche’s car.
“I can produce a silenced revolver with Elwood’s fingerprints on it, and ballistics will say it killed Gantry,” Shayne continued. “Andrews witnessed the murder. He will probably be glad to testify if he isn’t scared out. Make me chief and I’ll arrest Elwood and throw him in his own stinking jail. The mayor will get headlines for acting promptly and decisively. If you do as I say you won’t have to hear those letters read in court.”
Gerald was pacing the floor, his hands locked behind his back. He gave no hint of being shocked, or even surprised, that Elwood had murdered Gantry in cold blood. He paused near the door and faced Shayne. “How do I know I can trust you,” he asked bitterly, “if I accede to your fantastic demand?”
“You don’t. Your only assurance is that you might have the power to kick me off the job if I don’t carry out my part of the bargain.”
“The mayor will think I’ve gone starkly insane,” he argued.
“Not if you convince him the people of Centerville are behind you,” grated Shayne. “Think it over, Gerald.”
“We’d better wait until a decent hour tomorrow morning…”
“Get on the phone now,” Shayne commanded. “It’s got to be done fast,” he went on inexorably, “while Elwood’s asleep and before he has a chance to destroy any of the evidence against him.” He turned from the door and sat down.