She sat down in an easy chair that sagged under her weight and stared at me, uneasy and suspicious.
‘The boy said your husband is out of town. I didn’t believe him,’ I said.
‘I don’t know where he is.’ Her eyes suddenly filled with tears and she turned her head. ‘I think he’s skipped.’
I felt a prickle run up my spine.
‘What makes you think that?’
She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.
‘What about this money? I haven’t a damn cent. He went off, owing money everywhere. I haven’t enough even to buy food.’
‘You’ll get it if you have anything worth while to tell me.’
Her face hardened.
‘I could tell you plenty. They think I don’t know anything, but I do. I keep my ears and eyes open. I know all about them. I’ve had enough of this hole. I’ll sell them out if you give me enough to get away from here.’
‘Sell who out?’
‘Lute and Barratt.’
I took out my bill-fold. It felt very lean. I had only thirty dollars left. I took out a twentydollar bill and dangled it before her.
‘There’s more where this comes from. How much do you want?’
She leaned forward and snatched the bill out of my hand.
‘Five hundred and I’ll give you the works.’
‘What do you think I am—made of money? A hundred.’
She gave me a cold, fixed stare.
‘That’s my price; take it or leave it. I’m going to get out of here. I’ll give you a signed statement. It’ll blow the lid off their racket. Take it or leave it.’
‘I’ve got to know what I’m buying. You’ll get your five hun-dred if what you’ve got is what I want. Tell me.’
She hesitated, staring at me.
Who are you working for?’
‘Perelli. Let’s have it.’
‘I’ll give you a little of it,’ she said at last. ‘I’ll give you the whole of it when I have the money. Lute, Barratt and Dedrick are running the biggest smuggling racket on the coast. They’re supplying millions of reefers all over the country and to Paris, London, and Berlin. Lute looks after Los Angeles and San Francisco. Barratt takes care of London and New York. Ded- rick supplies Paris and Berlin. How’s that for a sample?’
‘You’re sure about Dedrick?’
She gave me a sneering little smile.
‘I’m sure. I’ve heard them talk. They think I’m dumb, but I’m not. If they had treated me right I would have kept my mouth shut. I know where they keep the reefers. There’s not much I don’t know. You’ll get it all for five hundred bucks, and it’ll be cheap at the price.’
‘What do you know about Mary Jerome?’
She chewed her underlip, her eyes hard.
‘I know all about her. I know where she is too.’
‘Where is she?’
‘She was at the Beach Hotel, but she isn’t there now. I’m not giving you any more until I get the money. I know why Ded- rick was kidnapped. I tell you, I can lift the lid right off this racket, but I’m going to be paid first.’
‘Okay. I have a car outside. Come down to my office. You’ll have your money and can talk in comfort.’
‘I’m not moving from here. You might take me anywhere.’
‘I’ll take you to my office. Come on.’
‘No! I’m not all that crazy.’
‘What did Barratt want just now?’
‘I don’t know. He comes to see the boy. That’ll show you how they treat me. He doesn’t bother to see me. He just talks to the boy and goes away again. Lute hasn’t been near me since he went off with that woman.’
‘You mean Mary Jerome?’
‘I don’t know who it was. It might have been her. I didn’t see her. She telephoned. I heard Lute talking to her. He said, ‘All right, baby, don’t get so excited. I’m coming right over. He didn’t even bother to say good-bye. He took the car and went, and I haven’t seen him since.’
‘When was this?’
‘The night Dedrick was kidnapped.’
"What time?’
‘Just before eight o’clock.’
‘Had Barratt anything to do with Dedrick’s kidnapping?’
She looked at me and smiled slyly.
‘That’s the lot, mister; get me the money and you’ll hear the rest. I know it all, but I’m not saying another word until I get the rest of it.’
‘Suppose I call the cops? You’d have to talk to them for nothing.’
She laughed.
‘I’d like to see anyone try to make me talk for nothing. I wouldn’t be talking to you if it wasn’t for the money.’
‘You’d better come with me. If I leave you here, one of them might fix you. They fixed Gracie Lehmann because she knew too much.’
‘I’m not scared. I can look after myself. Go and get the money.’
I decided I was wasting time trying to make her tell me more.
‘I’ll be back in half an hour.’
‘I’ll wait.’
I went out of the sordid room, down the path to the Buick.
IV
Paula looked up sharply from her paper-strewn desk as I burst into her office.
‘I want five hundred dollars right away,’ I said breathlessly.’ ‘Things are really popping. Grab a notebook and pencil, and let’s go. I’ll tell you about it on the way.’
There was no flustration. Paula always kept calm. She got to her feet, went over to the office safe, counted out twenty-five twenty-dollar bills, opened a drawer, took out her notebook, picked up her handbag and the little skullcap affair she calls her hat and was ready to go: all inside twelve seconds.
On our way out, she told Trixy to wait until she got back. Trixy looked doleful, but neither of us paid any attention.
I hurried Paula along the corridor.
‘Hey!’
Martha Bendix’s sergeant-major voice hit me at the back of my neck.
I looked over my shoulder.
‘Can’t wait: I’m in a hurry.’
‘That party of yours: Souki. Just heard. No skeleton. First-rate man. Been with Marshland ten
years,’ Martha bellowed. ‘When do I get my money?’
‘You’ll get it,’ I shouted back and crowded Paula into the elevator.
‘That woman would win a hog-calling contest,’ Paula said tartly as the elevator hurtled down to the ground floor.
‘That’s a hundred and fifty dollars down the drain,’ I said gloomily. ‘I hoped to dig up some dirt on that chauffeur. Well, well, can’t be helped. With any luck, I’ve cracked this case.’
I talked solidly as I rushed the Buick along Orchid Boule-vard, up Beach Road and
Hawthorne Avenue. It was surprising how much there was to tell her since I had last seen her.
Finally, as I swung into Foothill Boulevard I got around to Mrs. Ferris.
‘This is really something,’ I said. ‘Dedrick a reefer smuggler! What do you know? For five hundred she’ll give me a signed statement.’
‘But how do you know she’s telling the truth?’
‘I’ll get the statement and then shanghai her to the police. She’ll get her money all right, but every word she’s signing is going to be checked.’
I slowed down and pulled up outside the filling station. The boy didn’t show up. I got out of the car, followed by Paula.
‘The bungalow’s around the back.’
We walked down the path, past the repair shed. I paused and look in. The boy wasn’t there. I felt a sudden tightness around my chest, and I broke into a run. I was rapping on the door of the bungalow by the time Paula caught me up. No one answered. Nothing happened.