So thats what you really came up for? I said.
He nodded. The rest, you know, is just talk. He smiled politely at me and waited.
I poured some more coffee.
Randall leaned over sideways and looked along the cream-colored surface of the table. A little dust, he said absently, then straightened up and looked me in the eye.
Perhaps I ought to go at this in a little different way, he said. For instance, I think your hunch about Marriott is probably right. Theres twenty-three grand in currency in his safe-deposit box which we had a hell of a time to locate, by the way. There are also some pretty fair bonds and a trust deed to a property on West Fifty-fourth Place.
He picked a spoon up and rapped it lightly on the edge of his saucer and smiled. That interest you? he asked mildly. The number was 1644 West Fifty-fourth Place.
Yeah, I said thickly.
Oh, there was quite a bit of jewelry in Marriotts box too pretty good stuff. But I dont think he stole it. I think it was very likely given to him. Thats one up for you. He was afraid to sell it on account of the association of thought in his own mind.
I nodded. Hed feel as if it was stolen.
Yes. Now that trust deed didnt interest me at all at first, but heres how it works. Its what you fellows are up against in police work. We get all the homicide and doubtful death reports from outlying districts. Were supposed to read them the same day. Thats a rule, like you shouldnt search without a warrant or frisk a guy for a gun without reasonable grounds. But we break rules. We have to. I didnt get around to some of the reports until this morning. Then I read one about a killing of a Negro on Central, last Thursday. By a tough ex-con called Moose Malloy. And there was an identifying witness. And sink my putt, if you werent the witness.
He smiled, softly, his third smile. Like it?
Im listening.
This was only this morning, understand. So I looked at the name of the man making the report and I knew him, Nulty. So I knew the case was a flop. Nulty is the kind of guy well, were you ever up at Crestline?
Yeah.
Well, up near Crestline theres a place where a bunch of old box cars have been made into cabins. I have a cabin up there myself, but not a box car. These box cars were brought up on trucks, believe it or not, and there they stand without any wheels. Now Nulty is the kind of guy who would make a swell brakeman on one of those box cars.
Thats not nice, I said. A fellow officer.
So I called Nulty up and he hemmed and hawed around and spit a few times and then he said you had an idea about some girl called Velma something or other that Malloy was sweet on a long time ago and you went to see the widow of the guy that used to own the dive where the killing happened when it was a white joint, and where Malloy and the girl both worked at that time. And her address was 1644 West Fifty-fourth Place, the place Marriott had the trust deed on.
Yes?
So I just thought that was enough coincidence for one morning, Randall said. And here I am. And so far Ive been pretty nice about it.
The trouble is, I said, it looks like more than it is. This Velma girl is dead, according to Mrs. Florian. I have her photo.
I went into the living room and reached into my suitcoat and my hand was in midair when it began to feel funny and empty. But they hadnt even taken the photos. I got them out and took them to the kitchen and tossed the Pierrot girl down in front of Randall. He studied it carefully.
Nobody I ever saw, he said. That another one?
No, this is a newspaper still of Mrs. Grayle. Anne Riordan got it.
He looked at it and nodded. For twenty million, Id marry her myself.
Theres something I ought to tell you, I said. Last night I was so damn mad I had crazy ideas about going down there and trying to bust it alone. This hospital is at Twenty-third and Descanso in Bay City. Its run by a man named Sonderborg who says hes a doctor. Hes running a crook hideout on the side. I saw Moose Malloy there last night. In a room.
Randall sat very still, looking at me. Sure?
You couldnt mistake him. Hes a big guy, enormous. He doesnt look like anybody you ever saw.
He sat looking at me, without moving. Then very slowly he moved out from under the table and stood up.
Lets go see this Florian woman.
How about Malloy?
He sat down again. Tell me the whole thing, carefully. I told him. He listened without taking his eyes off my face. I dont think he even winked. He breathed with his mouth slightly open. His body didnt move. His fingers tapped gently on the edge of the table. When I had finished he said:
This Dr. Sonderborg what did he look like?
Like a doper, and probably a dope peddler. I described him to Randall as well as I could.
He went quietly into the other room and sat down at the telephone. He dialed his number and spoke quietly for a time. Then he came back. I had just finished making more coffee and boiling a couple of eggs and making two slices of toast and buttering them. I sat down to eat.
Randall sat down opposite me and leaned his chin in his hand. Im having a state narcotics man go down there with a fake complaint and ask to look around. He may get some ideas. He wont get Malloy. Malloy was out of there ten minutes after you left last night. Thats one thing you can bet on.
Why not the Bay City cops? I put salt on my eggs.
Randall said nothing. When I looked up at him his face was red and uncomfortable.
For a cop, I said, youre the most sensitive guy I ever met.
Hurry up with that eating. We have to go.
I have to shower and shave and dress after this.
Couldnt you just go in your pajamas? he asked acidly.
So the town is as crooked as all that? I said.
Its Laird Brunettes town. They say he put up thirty grand to elect a mayor.
The fellow that owns the Belvedere Club?
And the two gambling boats.
But its in our county, I said.
He looked down at his clean, shiny fingernails. Well stop by your office and get those other two reefers, he said. If theyre still there. He snapped his fingers. If youll lend me your keys, Ill do it while you get shaved and dressed.
Well go together, I said. I might have some mail.
He nodded and after a moment sat down and lit another cigarette. I shaved and dressed and we left in Randalls car.
I had some mail, but it wasnt worth reading. The two cut up cigarettes in the desk drawer had not been touched. The office had no look of having been searched.
Randall took the two Russian cigarettes and sniffed at the tobacco and put them away in his pocket.
He got one card from you, he mused. There couldnt have been anything on the back of that, so he didnt bother about the others. I guess Amthor is not very much afraid just thought you were trying to pull something. Lets go.
30
Old Nosey poked her nose an inch outside the front door, sniffed carefully as if there might be an early violet blooming, looked up and down the street with a raking glance, and nodded her white head. Randall and I took our hats off. In that neighborhood that probably ranked you with Valentino. She seemed to remember me.
Good morning, Mrs. Morrison, I said. Can we step inside a minute? This is Lieutenant Randall from Headquarters.
Lands sakes, Im all flustered. I got a big ironing to do, she said.
We wont keep you a minute.
She stood back from the door and we slipped past her into her hallway with the side piece from Mason City or wherever it was and from that into the neat living room with the lace curtains at the windows. A smell of ironing came from the back of the house. She shut the door between as carefully as if it was made of short pie crust.
She had a blue and white apron on this morning. Her eyes were just as sharp and her chin hadnt grown any.