Hammond said: “All right — I’ll be here, and I hope I’ll have been able to get in touch with our client.”
Kronnen looked at Free and said grimly: “I hope so.”
He nodded to Free, bowed very slightly to Hammond, and went from the office. After a few seconds Free went outside, looked around and locked the outer door. Then he went to Hammond’s office again. The agency head was slumped in his chair, frowning.
“It doesn’t look so good now, Free,” he said. “That was what I was afraid of — they were seen going in together, and she was seen coming out, going to Burkley — and coming here. And this Kronnen has an inside with the mob — and some brains.”
Free said: “You could turn her over to the police — let Burkley be her mouthpiece. The police would protect her, and it’s good odds she’d get off.”
Hammond shook his head. “Too much muck. Her looks might not help enough — the prosecution would yap that she was just another of Bandor’s girlies. Even if she did get off — it would cost her as much, maybe more.”
There was a little silence, then the agency head said:
“Tossing the mob a slam guy is better.”
Free half closed his gray eyes, smiled with his thin lips and said:
“I’ve been away ten days, Tim. You got over liking Jen Carle in that time.”
Hammond said nastily: “What’s that got to do with this man killer case? What if I did?”
Free shrugged. “The agency racket is tough — and Mary Reynolds is a swell looker. I wouldn’t rush things, Tim.”
Hammond swore at him. “It’s my agency,” he said.
Free nodded. “I’m not too much of a church guy, Tim. But this office used to have a certain code. Things have changed suddenly. First you protect a man killer — then you throw in with a blackmailer to try and save her.”
Hammond made clicking sounds and smiled sarcastically.
“The big point is that I believe the girl. Tony Bandor was no good. She killed him in self defense. I want to get her off in the easiest way.”
Free looked at Hammond narrowly for several seconds, then shrugged.
“You’re the boss, Tim,” he said. “Lanner was sticking with the fellow who came out of Bandor’s house shortly after I was shot at. What about that?”
Hammond shrugged. “One of Bandor’s mob. Got it before that show girl arrived. Naturally, he didn’t run out yelling for the police. But when you popped in he got scared — and let loose. Met Kronnen to tell him things.”
Free said coldly: “Why didn’t he figure I might be another of the mob. Was he just in there popping at anything that opened the door?”
Hammond said slowly: “Listen, Free — Bandor’s dead. Mary Reynolds admits she shot him to death. Kronnen is wise that she shot him to death, and gives her an out — a money out. Let’s worry about that, and not why one of Bandor’s boys squeezed lead at you.”
Free lighted a cigarette and smiled coldly. “Okey,” he said finally. “What next?”
Hammond spoke quietly. “I’ll go to the girl and advise her to pay up and take a long trip. She can play the ponies in India and see something else besides the Empire State Building, on the side. The police won’t get anywhere — or they’ll get the guy Kronnen figures should be tossed along. And that goes for the mob of Tony’s. It’s the best way.”
Free was silent. Hammond said: “Let Lanner stick with his man. You go out and eat — and come back in about an hour. I may have things fixed by then.”
Free said: “Calling me off, eh?”
Hammond shrugged. “Unless Miss Reynolds doesn’t agree with me. Then you can stick around and try to keep the mob from finishing her.”
Free grinned. “Fine,” he said. “Well, I guess you’re right, Tim.”
Hammond grunted and reached for his hat. “Sure I’m right. She was lucky against Kronnen, but her luck didn’t hold out with Tony Bandor. She won and she lost — and now she’s got to forget about forty grand and dig in for another sixty. Maybe she’s learned that green window boxes don’t make a romance.”
Free went with Hammond towards the outer office. He said:
“It seems to me we’re getting our hands pretty dirty on this deal, Tim.”
Hammond swore. “We’re protecting a client to the best of our ability — and we’re going to be paid well for it,” he said.
Free shrugged. “If you turned her over to the police — she’d have one tough fight — a legal one. She’d win, and that would stop any blackmailing.”
Hammond swore again. “I can take care of Kronnen,” he replied. “He’ll get his money just once.”
Free smiled doubtfully. They switched out the lights — went outside. Hammond closed the door and locked it. They went down in the elevator. In front of the building Hammond hailed a cab. Free said:
“I’ll go around the corner to a chop house for my feed.”
Hammond nodded. “See you in an hour or so — that was a swell job you did in Philly, Free.”
He got inside the cab and slammed the door. The cab moved away. Free went towards the corner of Forty-first, his lips pressed tightly together. Ten minutes later, as he was going into the agency building again, he was thinking the same thought. And he breathed softly to himself:
“But it isn’t such a swell job you’re trying to do — in New York, Tim!”
5
When Jim Lanner came into the agency office with the gray trousered one Don Free was seated in a chair that faced the vacant one behind Hammond’s desk. The chair was tilted against a wall of the office. Rod Farley, of the Times Square precinct, was seated in another chair. Free said:
“Hello, Jim — he came along without crying?”
Lanner smiled narrowly. “I’ve still got a gun on him,” he said. “After I phoned you he got suspicious. And I can’t say he wanted to come up here.”
Free smiled cheerfully. “The Village air is milder,” he stated. “You’ve met Farley, Jim? Square plain-clothesman — one of the best around this section.”
Lanner nodded to Farley, who was looking at the gray trousered one. Farley said cheerfully:
“Poky Lake’s the name. Didn’t know he was lined up with Bandor, Free. Used to be a tough guy, some years ago. Got the ‘Poky’ tag because he was always eager to take a crack at somebody. I’d heard he’d quieted down.”
Lake had blue, expressionless eyes, small features and thick lips. He looked at Farley, who was tall and red faced, and spoke a little indistinctly.
“I don’t know what this is all about. This guy jumped me with a rod and said come along. I figured he was after my twelve bucks, but I guess not.”
They all smiled and Free gestured towards some spare chairs.
“Sit down, boys,” he said. “The others’ll be along soon. Sorry I can’t offer any drinks, but I can send down for some ice cream.”
Lake sniffed and said: “Take the rod off me and I’ll go get it.”
Free grinned. “Keep it on him, Jim. It makes me feel more comfortable.”
Lanner smiled and went over and sat down. “I searched him sort of quickly, in the cab coming up,” he said. “No bang-bang tools.”
Free continued to smile. “Keep it on him, anyway,” he said. “Just for fun.”
Lake sat in a chair, scowling. “Even a private dick can get in trouble — puttin’ a gun on a guy and making him go places,” he muttered.
Free said: “Were you the fellow that did this, Lake?”
He had his overcoat on, and lifted the damaged sleeve. Lake looked puzzled.