“When Audrey comes,” I said, finishing my drink. “What do you know about Elmer Hench?”
“That guy?” Reg screwed up his face. “He gives me the heebies. Did you ever see such a guy? They ought to put him in movies.”
“But do you know anything about him?”
“Not much, he runs the Funeral Parlour for Esslinger. I’ve heard it said he’s a pretty smart mortician. He specializes in embalming. By the time he’s through with a corpse you’d think it was alive. I haven’t seen any of his work and I don’t want to, but it’s supposed to be good.”
“Mrs. Esslinger’s his sister, isn’t she?”
Reg nodded. “Nice pair,” he said. “She got him the job when Esslinger went in for politics and he’s stuck ever since. I’m sorry for Esslinger having a ghoul like that around.”
“Is it right Mrs. Esslinger drinks?” I asked. “Dixon said so, but she doesn’t look a drinker to me.”
Reg shrugged. “I wouldn’t know,” he said. “She’s queer. Esslinger’s scared of her.”
“How do you mean?”
“She runs him and the business. I did hear she made Esslinger stand for politics. Of course, she’s crazy about Ted, but I guess you know that.”
I shook my head. “From what I saw of her, she wouldn’t be crazy about anyone. I don’t like her. She makes me feel spooked.”
The waitress came back with Reg’s coke. “Are you eating yet?” she asked.
“Gee!” Reg protested as I shook my head. “Where the hell’s Audrey? Didn’t I tell you I’m starving?”
“Okay,” I said, “two special dinners.” When the waitress had gone away, I went on: “Now I wonder if that kid’s got into trouble again.”
Reg looked past me and grinned. “Not this time,” he said. “Here she comes.”
I turned in my chair.
Audrey, looking nice in an apple-green dress and large white hat, was coming across the room. Her eyes were alight with excitement. As I stood up I knew something had happened. “What is it?” I asked.
She laid a blue ticket on the white tablecloth. “That was given to me just now,” she said, pulling up a chair and sitting down.
I didn’t have to look at the ticket twice. I knew what it was even before I read the caption at the top:
You have just been photographed.
I sat down slowly and stared across at Audrey, feeling the blood leaving my face.
“Now don’t fly off the handle,” she said, smiling at me. “You ought to be pleased. Isn’t this just the chance we’ve been waiting for?”
“What do you mean?” I asked sharply, trying to shake off the first effects of the shock. “If you think you’re going to monkey around with this, you’re crazy.”
She sighed and looked at Reg for support. “What’s the matter with the man?” she asked. “Here’s something that’ll lead us straight to the killer and he tells me I’m crazy.”
Even Reg was looking agitated. “Listen, sister,” he said gently. “The guy loves you.”
It was Audrey’s turn to look startled. “Why, I thought it was a secret,” she said, with an embarrassed laugh.
“So did I,” I said, grimly.
“Why, a blind man with an abscess in his ear would know the sucker’s fallen for you,” Reg told her scornfully. “Where did you get this from?” He picked up the card and examined it.
Audrey put her bag on the table and lit a cigarette. “A man took my photograph this afternoon,” she said lightly. “I was with Ted Esslinger and he had his photograph taken too.”
The waitress came back with the special dinners. She eyed Audrey a little enviously. “Same for you?” she asked.
I pushed my plate over to Audrey. “You have it,” I said. “I’m not hungry anymore.”
Audrey said: “But you must eat. You mustn’t worry about me.”
“I’m all right,” I said shortly, and to the waitress: “I’ll have another Scotch.”
“What love does for a guy,” Reg said shaking his head. “If ever I go off my food, I’ll know what it is.”
“You shut up,” I said, annoyed. “I’ve got things on my mind.”
“You certainly have,” Reg returned, bolting his food like he hadn’t had a meal all day. “Eat up,” he went on to Audrey, “this is swell.”
I tapped the blue ticket. “I don’t like this,” I said. “From now on, Reg, you’re not to let Audrey out of your sight.”
Reg glanced up, pursed his mouth in a soundless whistle and grinned. “Suits me,” he said. “When do you take a bath?” he went on, giving Audrey a leer.
“Oh no,” she said firmly, “none of that. So you think I can’t take care of myself, Mr. Marc Spewack?”
“That sounds like famous last words,” I returned. “I tell you I don’t like it, Audrey. From now on you’re having a bodyguard.”
“And what a guard!” Reg muttered under his breath. “And boy! What a body!”
“If you don’t take this seriously,” I told him, “I’ll twist your goddam neck. You’re to watch Audrey, do you understand? If anything happens to her, you’re done for.”
Reg laid down his fork. “You don’t honestly think the frill’s in danger?” he asked, astonished.
“Don’t call me a frill,” Audrey said, indignantly. “Where are your manners?”
“I do,” I said gravely. “From now on, we’re taking no chances. Look what happened to Marian.” I turned to Audrey. “Did Ted say anything when you were photographed?”
“He seemed a bit scared,” Audrey returned. “He said I’d have to be careful.”
I snorted. “I bet he did. Well, we’ll be careful all right. What else did you get out of him?”
Audrey shook her head. “Not much,” she said ruefully. “In fact nothing at all.”
I looked front her to Reg. “It strikes me neither of you are worth the money I’m paying you. Didn’t you find out if he had an alibi for the night of the murder?”
Audrey stopped eating. “Now look, Mr. Spewack,” she said, hotly, “if you’re going to be superior I’ll quit and work on my own.”
“And a long way you’ll get if you do,” I said, grinning. “But seriously, didn’t you even find that out?”
“I did not,” she said. “He wouldn’t talk. I try to lead up to it, but he closed down like a clam. But he did ask me to go out with him tomorrow night.”
I took the whisky from the waitress and thanked her. After the others had ordered ice cream and the waitress had gone away, I said: “You mean he’s made a date?”
Audrey nodded. “I may not be much of a detective, but I’ve still got my sex appeal,” she said.
“Take me over it slowly,” I said. “You and Ted are childhood pals, aren’t you?”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Reg said scornfully. “A guy can go to high school with a dame, pull her hair, pour ink over her and then suddenly he gets singing in his ears and he falls for her, It’s happened to me.”
“Will you pipe down?” I said, shortly. “When I want extracts from your love-life I’ll ask for them.”
“Don’t quarrel, you two,” Audrey said, hastily. “Ted and I haven’t mixed for years. I just happened to work on him and he’s interested.”
“That’s a laugh!” Reg said bitterly. “What a word — interested And in ordinary circumstances the guy wouldn’t look at a girl.”
I finished up my Scotch as the waitress brought the ice cream, so I ordered another.
“You’ve got a thirst, haven’t you?” Reg asked, staring.
“I’m laying a foundation,” I said. “There’s a job we have to do tonight and it won’t be a pleasant one.”
“So you’re loading up enough liquor for the three of us, is that it?” Reg asked, pushing his coke away in disgust.
“You’ve got it,” I returned, “but we’ll fix Audrey first.” I turned to her. “What are you up to?”