“Just putting you straight,” Shayne told her wolfishly. “Grant’s throwing you over. He can’t afford to get mixed up in a murder rap.”
Her breathing was loud in the closed booth. She took a long time before replying. Then she chose her words carefully: “That’s all right with me. God knows, it’ll be a relief to be rid of him. But I don’t know what you mean by being mixed up in a murder rap.”
She sounded truthful. Shayne scowled and said, “He told me you were nuts about him.”
She threw back her head and laughed. “That’s Grant for you. Just because he’s the boss and we play up to him.”
Shayne sighed. He got up and pulled the curtain aside. “I want to hear you tell him that.”
“All right. Why shouldn’t I?” She got up defiantly. “I don’t have to keep on working in this dump. Soon as I collect that insurance I can tell them all where to head in.” She followed him around the dancing couples.
They passed Captain Ott who was lounging just outside the curtained doorway. Shayne nodded to him, went on to Zenro’s office and pulled the door open. Laura Moore went in ahead of him.
Grant Zenro’s eyes widened when he saw her. Shayne stepped between them. “You’d better think fast, Zenro. Laura’s spilled all about Dinky and the hams.”
“I only told Dinky I’d buy them if he brought them here,” Zenro snarled. “I didn’t know—”
“Shut up, Grant,” Laura cried. “He’s tricking us. I didn’t tell him anything.”
Through the open door behind her, Privates Laski, Murtry and Carson filed into the office. Sergeant Blake was right behind them, and Captain Ott came in last, closing the door.
Grant Zenro got up slowly while Laura shrank back against the wall, biting her underlip while her harried eyes went from one to another of the uniformed men.
“I don’t know what kind of convention this is,” Zenro began slowly, “but—”
“They’re all interested in what you were just saying about Dinky Moore and the hams,” Shayne interrupted.
Zenro licked his lips. “All right. I won’t deny it. God knows, I’m only trying to stay in business. Sure, I told Dinky I’d buy all the canned hams he could get me at a dollar a pound. He told me he had it all fixed with some soldiers out there.”
Shayne said, “I’m damned if I don’t believe you, Zenro. Then that telephone call must have been for Laura, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. But I didn’t know—”
Shayne turned away from him to Ott. “That clears up all the questions that have been bothering me. Laura Moore murdered her husband. She wanted the insurance and she wanted to get rid of him because he cramped her style with his jealous husband act.”
“It’s a lie,” Laura sobbed out. “I didn’t.”
“I’ve got enough evidence to hang you,” Shayne told her flatly. “You egged Dinky on to going out after those hams by telling him you had it all fixed with one of the soldiers out there. You knew what would happen. When you got that phone call last night—”
“She didn’t have anything to do with it.” Private Carson stepped forward stiffly, freckles standing out in relief against his white face. “I planned it all. Every bit of it. I got the idea after the other civilian got killed last month. When they didn’t do anything to the guard, I saw my chance to get rid of him.”
Laura moaned, “Jimmy. Don’t—”
“I’ve got to tell them,” he explained steadily. “Do you think I can stand here and hear them accuse you? She didn’t know what I meant to do, sir,” he told Captain Ott. “I called her last night and told her when I’d be on post so I could unlock the gate and let him in. I... I thought we could get married if he was dead.” Tears ran down his freckled cheeks and he seemed awfully young. He turned suddenly and lunged out the door. Blake made a flying tackle after him.
Captain Ott drew in a long breath and shook his head at Shayne. “You’re lucky the kid is young enough to believe in the sanctity of love. It sounded like an airtight case you had built up against the lady.”
Shayne smiled, tight-lipped. “I thought he’d crack. I knew it had to be Carson ever since this morning, but I didn’t know how he’d lured Dinky out there until I dug in a garbage barrel and began turning some screws.”
“You knew it was Carson since this morning?” Ott asked incredulously.
“It had to be. Have you seen that mesh wire fence around camp?” Shayne demanded. “He claimed he shot Dinky through the locked gate. The holes in the mesh aren’t much bigger than a forty-five slug. One bullet might go through without being deflected, but it was a million-to-one that it wouldn’t happen twice in the same night. That gate had to be open while Carson was shooting — which also explained why Dinky thought everything was on the up and up. And that meant Carson was lying from the beginning. Things began to shape up when Murtry told me about the extra key that Laski and the others used.” He shrugged his wide shoulders and went out for a drink.