“Maybe you’ve even found another mayor?” I said, watching him closely.
“Maybe I have,” he returned, “but it depends on you. If you don’t pull this stunt of yours off tonight I’ll be in a hell of a jam.”
“I’ll pull it off,” I said. “How about a drink?”
He nodded. “I was going to suggest it,” he said. “What’s happening?”
I ’phoned down to the desk clerk and ordered drinks before I answered and then I told him that Audrey was meeting Ted Esslinger at Ciro’s club and the rest depended on Esslinger.
“So it is Ted Esslinger?” he said, shaking his head. “It’ll be a shock to his old man. I like Esslinger, but I don’t care much for the boy. He’s too fond of running around with the girls. At one time we had complaints, did you know that?”
I shook my head. “I heard he was wild, but I didn’t know he was vicious,” I said. “This boy Roger Kirk he goes around with might make a witness for the State.”
Beyfield grunted. “He’s as bad. Both of ’em have been heading for trouble for some time. In a small town like Cranville it’s difficult to hide things up, but they’ve been smart up to now. I guess they’ve picked the kind of girl who’s too scared to talk. One or two of ’em did complain, but Esslinger fixed it with Macey.” His face showed his disgust. “You can fix anything with Macey if you have enough dough.”
The drinks came and I made three highballs. As we were finishing them Audrey came in. She looked swell in her white linen coat and skirt and her cashmere white and blue sweater.
Beyfield eyed her with open admiration.
“Well, I like that!” she exclaimed. “You three guzzling whisky and nothing for me! After all, I’m the one who’s going to be strangled.”
“Don’t talk that way,” I retorted. “And I don’t like my wife to drink whisky. I’ll buy you a gin at the club.”
She shook her head sadly. “I’m beginning to wonder if I’m being wise marrying you,” she said, pouring a small whisky into my glass and adding soda. “Until I’m married, I’m doing what I like. When I’m married I might do what you like — if it’s reasonable.”
“I bet you look after your wife better than that,” I said to Beyfield.
“My wife?” he said with a snort. “I haven’t seen her for six years and I don’t care if I never see her again.”
“I’m sure Mrs. Beyfield feels exactly the same,” Audrey said, smiling at him.
“So you’re both bound to be happy.”
I looked at my watch, “I think we’ll go,” I said. “Take a taxi to the club,” I went on to Audrey. “We’ll be right behind the whole time. If Ted wants to take you some place, go with him. Before you leave the club, don’t forget this.” I tapped the box containing the plaster cast.
“I won’t,” she promised, and turning to the other two, she said: “I’m sure you won’t mind leaving me with my future husband for a moment. He might have other important but confidential things to say to me.”
Beyfield moved to the door with an embarrassed smirk. Reg followed him.
Five minutes later we joined them in the hotel lobby and Audrey left in a taxi. We called another taxi and followed on behind.
“That dame’s got guts,” Beyfield said suddenly as if he couldn’t contain himself any longer. “You’re a lucky guy to get a dame like that.”
“Don’t I know it,” I said soberly, meaning every word.
Ciro’s club was the only bright spot in Cranville. When we arrived, just after eight, we were in time to see Audrey walking up the broad stairs to the bar.
“Reg,” I said, “I want you to stick around outside. It’s just possible, if there’s a crowd in there, we’ll miss her. You keep the taxi waiting and watch out. Understand?”
He nodded and we left him.
The bar was crowded and Beyfield and I pushed our way with difficulty to the front. I ordered two large whiskies, and while waiting I glanced over the heads of the crowd.
Audrey was sitting at a table near the door. She was alone.
“He hasn’t turned up yet,” I said to Beyfield in a low voice. “I wonder if he’s got cold feet.”
The barman served us the whiskies, nodded to Beyfield, whom he knew, and went away to serve other drinks.
We left the bar and sat down at the far end of the room where we could see Audrey without being seen ourselves.
We waited five minutes and then I saw a bellhop go up to Audrey and speak to her.
“Something’s up,” I said to Beyfield. “You wait here. I’ll go over and see her.”
As I approached, the bellhop went away.
Audrey stood up. “He’s left a message,” she said, her eyes a little scared.
“He wants me to go to 49 Maddox Avenue, right away. Friends of his are having a party there.”
“Now we know,” I said. “That’s how he got the other girls to go to the house in Victoria Drive.” I waved to Beyfield, who quickly joined us.
“Where’s Maddox Avenue?” I asked.
“It lies at the back of Victoria Drive,” he said, staring at me. “Why?”
“Ted’s left a message for Audrey to join him there. He says friends of his are staging a party. The number of the house is forty-nine.”
“Wait here a moment,” Beyfield said, and lumbered off to a telephone.
He was back within five minutes and his beefy face showed his excitement.
“It’s an empty house,” he said. “I’ve ordered a bunch of boys to be ready to surround it as soon as we go in. It certainly looks like you’re on to something.”
I gave Audrey the box I had been carrying. “Get that on, kid, and let’s go.”
She drew a sharp breath. “It’s worse than having a tooth out,” she said, with a bad attempt to smile. “And won’t I be glad when it is over!”
We watched her go into the ladies’ room and then we went downstairs to wait in the taxi.
Maddox Avenue was a dimly lit street with houses on one side and a large vacant lot on the other. Across the lot was the smelting works. The houses were widely spaced like the teeth in an old man’s mouth and were grimed with years of sooty smoke. It was too dark to see much of their sordid appearance.
We all stood beside Audrey’s taxi for the final talk before she went on to the house.
“Beyfield and I’ll go first. We’ll keep out of sight in the garden,” I said. “Reg, you come on after the taxi’s arrived.”
Audrey, leaning out of the taxi window, said a little anxiously: “And what do I do?”
“When you reach the house, ring the bell and wait. If Ted comes to the door, go with him. We’ll be right after you,” I said. “Have you a gun?”
“Yes... it’s in my bag.”
“Well, don’t keep it there. Have it in your hand, but keep it out of sight. If things get sticky and we don’t get there fast enough — shoot. Beyfield won’t mind.”
All the time we were talking, the taxi-driver listened, openmouthed. “Sounds like you’re going to have a party,” he burst out. “Jeeze! This’ll be something to tell my old woman.”
Beyfield curtly told him to pipe down.
“All set?” I asked.
They nodded.
I squeezed Audrey’s hand. “Don’t be scared,” I said, and lowering my voice so only she could hear, I said: “I love you a lot.”
Then I left her and Beyfield and I walked up Maddox Avenue, keeping in the shadows.
Number 49 was the last house in the street. It stood alone in a large garden and it looked dark and deserted. We approached it cautiously, and when we were a short way from it I spotted a light shining in the lobby.
“See that,” I whispered to Beyfield. “He’s there, waiting for her.”