He took the cigar out of his mouth and stared at me with hot and angry eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t act tough,” I said, flicking my thumbnail under a package of Lucky Strike. “If you want me to work for you, treat me right.” I took the cigarette that popped up from the package and set, fire to it.
He passed his hand over his close-cropped head. “God damn it,” he said, “another girl’s disappeared. What the hell do you think I’m paying you for?” But his tone was a shade milder.
“You’re paying because you want the girls found. I can’t stop them disappearing, but I can find them.”
He put the papers he had in his hand on the table. “I don’t want a lot of talk,” he growled. “I told you to come here when you’ve found something.”
“How bad do you want to be mayor?” I asked.
He gave me a hard look. “I told you. I’m going to be mayor. When I say a thing, it happens.”
“Not with you sitting on your fanny all day,” I said. “The other guys are up and doing. You want to get wise. This is going to be a battle.”
“You thought of something?” There was eagerness in his voice.
“Who owns the Granville Gazette?”
“Elmer Shanks. Why?”
“What sort of a guy is he?”
“He’s an old fool. Worn out and useless,” Wolf growled. “Dixon runs the paper. He’s not much use either,”
“Would he sell?”
Wolf stared at me. Ash fell from his cigar and made a large splash of white on his coat. “Sell? Why the hell should he sell? He makes a living out of the paper and he leaves the headaches to Dixon. What are you talking about?”
“Dixon’s dead.”
Wolf went white and then red. “Dead?” he repeated. He looked suddenly old and a little idiotic.
“Don’t you read the papers? He died last night.” I struggled not very successfully with a yawn.
Wolf didn’t seem able to cope with the news. He sat staring at me, pulling at his beaky nose. I gave him time to recover and then went on: “The police say he died of heart failure, but he didn’t. He was murdered.”
Wolf flinched. “Murdered?”
I nodded.
“How do you know?”
“It’s my business to know things like that.”
He put the cigar in his mouth, chewed it, found it had gone out and mashed it in the ashtray at his side. His hand shook as he did this.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, he was murdered all right. Macey’s covering it up for his own reasons. I haven’t made a guess yet what they are.” I shifted forward in my chair. “With Dixon out of the way, you should be able to buy the Gazette if you act fast.”
He turned this over in his mind. When he looked at me again I could see interest and doubt in his eyes.
“Why should I buy the Gazette?” he asked.
I snapped my fingers impatiently. “You told me when you left the mine you were crazy with boredom. Take over the Gazette and you’ve got a full-time job on your hands. If you can’t control the town with the Gazette, you’ll never control it. With the right editorial policy you could crucify Starkey, Macey and anyone else who’s standing in your way.”
He stopped me by holding up his hand. “I know,” he said. “You don’t have to tell me.”
He got to his feet and moved across the room. His face was flushed and his eyes burned feverishly. Then he walked back to his desk.
“Wait,” I said, as his thumb was hovering over a bell push. “What are you doing?”
He shot me an angry, preoccupied look. “You leave this to me,” he said. “I want to talk to my lawyer.”
“Well, talk to him,” I said, pointing to the telephone. “But don’t let anyone get his number for you. Get it yourself.”
“What the hell is all this?” he growled.
“How long have you had Miss Wilson?”
“Miss Wilson? She’s been my secretary for six months. What’s she got to do with it?”
“Only she’s had six months to work up a nice hate for you,” I said casually. “You’re not the kind of guy a girl falls for. You’d only be kidding yourself if you thought you were. If you want the Gazette you’ll have to act fast and secretly. Starkey might like the rag himself.”
“You’re either a rogue or a fool,” he said viciously. “There’s nothing wrong with Edna Wilson.”
“Get your lawyer yourself,” I said. “And don’t take chances. Let me know when you’ve got the rag. I’ll help shape its policy.” I got up and went to the door.
“Wait.” he said. “I want to hear what you’ve been doing. Come back and tell me.”
“I’m not ready yet to tell you anything,” I said. “Get the Gazette whatever it costs. With that you can crack this case and become mayor or any damn thing you want... if you last that long.”
I opened the door and stepped into the lobby. I heard him mutter something, then there was a faint ping from the telephone bell as he picked up the receiver.
I moved across to Miss Wilson’s office. I made a lot less noise than a feather makes when it settles on concrete. I put my hand on the doorknob, turned it gently and went in.
Miss Wilson sat at her desk, the extension telephone receiver glued to her ear. She was drinking in everything Wolf was saying to his lawyer.
I looked at her and she looked at me. Her pupils dilated, but otherwise she remained calm.
“Good morning,” I said, smiling at her. “You should be out in the garden. The sunshine would do you good.”
She frowned, shook her head and went on listening.
I leaned over the desk and pulled the receiver out of her hand. “You don’t want to listen to him,” I said. “Listen to me. I’m much more interesting.”
Making a claw out of her hand, she struck at me. I got my face away in time, but only just in time. She snatched at the telephone, but I caught her arm and pulled her over the desk towards me. She struggled, but I kept pulling and she slid over the desk, upsetting everything on her way.
I did all this with one hand while I put the telephone back with the other. Then I eased her to the floor and held her until she got her balance.
She pushed away from me and stood among the ruin, her eyes spiteful and wild. “How dare you!” she said.
“I didn’t want you to hear what he said,” I explained, sitting on the desk. “It wouldn’t be a bad idea if you packed up and went. I can’t let you kid Wolf any longer.”
Anger went out of her eyes and she looked dismayed and frightened. “I wasn’t doing anything,” she said, her lips beginning to tremble. “Please don’t tell him. I don’t want to lose this job.”
I shook my head. “I bet you don’t. Who are you spying for? Esslinger or Starkey? Or is it someone else?”
She caught her lower lip between her teeth. Her eyes became wide and dark in a tense, white face, I thought she was going to take another swing at me, and I got ready to duck. Then she controlled herself.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she said evenly. “I’ve worked for Mr. Wolf for six months. He’s never complained.”
“It’s six months too long. Pack up and get out. A change of air will do you good, but not half as much good as it will do Wolf.”
“I take my orders from Mr. Wolf,” she said coldly. “If he wants me to go, then I’ll go.”
“Let’s ask him,” I said, turning to the door.
Her eyes became dark and wide again. “No.”
I went across the lobby, tapped once on Wolf’s door and went in. Wolf was just putting down the telephone.