“In seeking this end, I had a long and secret conference with Chief Peter Painter. As soon as he understood the situation, he patriotically agreed to put his personal feelings aside and allow the robbery investigation to fizzle out… even though people who did not understand his real motives would consider it sheer incompetence on his part.
“That was the situation until today, Mr. Shayne. I do not know, I cannot even hazard a guess, as to why Peralta called you in to the case today. Up to this point, so far as we know, he has been delighted to let the matter rest with no further police investigation. But for some reason, he did call you in for consultation. Chief Painter, I may say, has a very high opinion of your ability as an investigator. He was worried about the possible consequences as soon as he learned of Peralta’s decision. He first attempted to persuade Peralta to cancel the appointment… and then took matters into his own hands by intercepting you while you were on your way to the Peralta house.”
Shayne said slowly, “I take it that you view the bracelet snatch as something entirely outside the political situation.”
“I think the bracelet may well have been stolen by someone who was sufficiently on the inside to hope that Peralta wouldn’t even report the loss to the police.”
Shayne nodded. “Like the poisoning of the two Boxers wasn’t reported.”
“What’s that about two Boxers?” asked Chief Gentry with sudden interest.
“Mrs. Peralta’s pets who ran loose around the place at night. I can see why Peralta and his friends might have been glad to get them out of the way. But, listen to this, Will. You say Lucy phoned you at eight o’clock. I talked to Peralta about eight-thirty, and at that time he was still eager to retain me on the case. It doesn’t make sense to suppose that he’d have Lucy grabbed to persuade me to lay off the case when he was trying to hire me to take it.”
“I would suggest it wasn’t Peralta himself who kidnaped your secretary, or had her kidnaped, Mr. Shayne. He has various associates who are in as much danger as he from a police investigation, and I think it might well have been one of them who took matters in his own hands to attempt to forestall you. What I cannot understand yet,” Erskine went on worriedly, “is why Peralta suddenly decided to call you in at this late date. He was apparently perfectly pleased with the manner in which Chief Painter was cooperating by not pressing the investigation.”
Shayne hesitated a moment, weighing the question of whether to tell them about the anonymous letter Peralta had received or not. He decided that nothing would be gained by giving out the information at this point. Something about Erskine’s didactic and faintly pompous manner irked hell out of him.
“There it is, Mike,” Will Gentry said flatly. “Laid right out in front of you. I know you don’t want to help the Commies any more than any of the rest of us.”
“Hell, Will!” Shayne burst out. “Just because a guy has a little revolutionary blood in his veins doesn’t mean he’s a Commie. I know a lot of damn fine Cuban patriots who are for Castro but who aren’t Commies. In fact, I’m not entirely convinced that Castro himself is really a Communist.”
“I’m afraid you’re one of those deluded liberals who cause us a great deal of difficulty in this country, Mr. Shayne.” Erskine spoke with more vehemence than he had shown before. “Well-meaning, but deluded,” he added sternly.
“At least I don’t see a Communist lurking behind every beard,” Shayne was stung to retort. “I know what the conditions were in Cuba before Castro’s regime.”
“That may well be, but I don’t believe you have the faintest idea what conditions are in your own country today. I think there is only one question right now, Shayne. Are you prepared to cooperate with your government or not?”
“By dropping the Peralta case?”
“By staying completely out of it for a few days while we close in on them. One wrong move at this point might stampede them so that months of patient undercover work on our part would be nullified.”
“Good God, Mike! There’s Lucy to think about, too,” interjected Gentry.
Shayne nodded grimly. “I’m thinking about Lucy.”
“This recent attempt on your life in Las Putas Buenas… if your version of the affair is to be believed… should convince you how desperate they are.”
“What do you mean… if my version is to be believed?”
Erskine smiled thinly and took off his glasses to polish them on a handkerchief. “None of us is completely credulous, Mr. Shayne. Don’t you think it is an insult to our intelligence to pretend that you dropped into that particular bar on this particular night and were singled out for attack? Nonsense.” He replaced his glasses firmly. “I suggest you were following some lead when you went there… that you were expected or were followed, and were then attacked.”
“It does sound awful damned coincidental,” Will Gentry agreed.
“Are you going to arrest me for it, Will?”
“Not if you give me your word to stay out of it from now on.
“Suppose I don’t, Will? Suppose I decide for myself what’s best for Lucy and for me?”
“And for the United States?” said Mr. Erskine stiffly.
Shayne gave him a baleful glance. “I’ve sat here and listened to you,” he burst out. “How do I know there’s a word of truth in what you’re saying? How do I know you didn’t steal the damned bracelet and figured out this hocus-pocus to keep the heat off?”
“That doesn’t make very much sense, Mike,” said Gentry reprovingly.
“Doesn’t it? That ‘paltry emerald bracelet,’ as he describes it, happens to be insured for a hundred and ten thousand dollars. He pointed out that it was probably lifted by someone on the inside, who knew the situation and had reason to believe Peralta wouldn’t even report it. Now, here he is putting pressure on Painter and me to drop the whole thing. I don’t know what the State Department pays its communist-hunters, but I don’t think his salary is big enough to keep him from being tempted by a quick hundred grand.”
“You are insulting, Mr. Shayne.” Erskine’s voice trembled and he rose to his feet slowly.
“Am I? How well do you know Felice Perrin?”
“I recognize the name from reports I have read. The former maid in the Peralta household. What has she to do with this?”
“Or Marsha Elitzen?” Shayne shot at him.
“I don’t know whom you mean.”
“What about her fair, white, young body?” Shayne taunted him.
“I think you’re going over the line, Mike.” Will Gentry got up to stand beside Erskine. “What in hell has got into you?” he went on angrily. “I’ve backed you up lots of times in the past, but I’ll be damned if I like the way you’re talking now.”
“So, you don’t like the way I’m talking, Will?” Shayne grinned infuriatingly at his old friend. “Have we still got freedom of speech in this country, or haven’t we?”
“All right then. I don’t like the way you’re acting, Mike.” Will Gentry shook his head slowly. “You can’t always be right… and everyone else wrong.”
“In my opinion,” said Mr. Erskine precisely, “you should put Mr. Shayne under arrest, Chief Gentry.”
“What’s that?” Gentry turned and regarded him wonderingly.
“A matter of protective custody,” explained Erskine. “I get the impression that he is much too volatile… much too concerned with his own prestige and his own reputation as a very tough guy… to be trusted to act in the larger interest of his country.”
Will Gentry frowned and spoke slowly, formulating each word and enunciating it carefully, “I’ve known Mike Shayne a lot longer than I’ve known you, Mr. Erskine. I’m going to leave him to act according to his own conscience.”
He started heavily toward the door, speaking over his shoulder to the reporter who had not spoken once since the interview started, “You coming, Tim?”
Timothy Rourke was relaxed in his chair with his eyes closed. He opened them to observe the half-emptied glass in his hand. “I’ll stick around and finish this drink, Will.”