"I don't intend to," said Toddy. "Now, about this proposition of yours-you'd better not tell me about it. I don't think I can take it."
"But… I do not understand."
"The police are looking for me. Or they will be before long. My wife was murdered tonight-strangled in our room at the hotel."
"Murdered?" Alvarado frowned. "Strangled in your hotel room? What time was this, Mr. Kent?"
"Early this evening. Between six-thirty and seven, approximately." Toddy forced a smile. "To tell the truth, I thought you did it."
"I? Why did you think that?"
"Whoever killed her took the watch. Since it was your watch and you were the only one who knew I had it, I naturally thought you'd done it."
Alvarado stared at him in dead silence, the frown on his fish-pale face deepening. Then, unaccountably, the beady eyes twinkled and he laughed with genuine amusement.
"The watch was taken, eh? That is very funny. Ha, ha. You are very amusing, Mr. Kent. Like me you have a sense of humor. I am glad to know it!"
"But-now, wait a minute!" Toddy protested. "I-"
"I understand. Ha, ha. I understand very well. Perhaps for the moment, however, we had better continue with our business."
"But you-"
"As I was about to explain," Alvarado said firmly, "my original motive in having you investigated was precautionary. I wished to discover whether you were of the type to take the watch-with all it would reveal to the knowing- to the police. Happily, I found you were not. You have every reason to avoid contact with the police. That is right, is it not?"
"Yes, but-" Toddy gave up. He couldn't see why Alvarado thought the murder so funny. But since he did, that was that. For the moment, he wasn't in a position to question the chinless man. Right now, he was on the receiving end of the questions.
"Yes," he said, "that's right. I can't go to the police."
"As I so ascertained," Alvarado nodded. "And having done so, I invited you here. For some time, Mr. Kent, a change in the personnel of this organization-of one of the personnel-has been strongly indicated. In fact, I have recommended such a change. But since no substitute for the incumbent was available, the recommendation did not carry much weight. In you, I think, I have found that long-needed replacement."
"You say you recommended the change?" Toddy asked. "Yes. My superiors are not in this country, and it is necessary to consult them on such matters. Within reasonable bounds, however, they will act on my recommendations."
"I don't know," said Toddy, casually. "I can't see any big money in running gold across the border. Not for the individual runner."
"That was not what I had in mind."
"Well. You know I'm not a goldsmith."
"I know."
"I see," said Toddy. "Who's your present supplier?"
"Really, Mr. Kent." Alvarado laughed. "But I do not condemn your curiosity. It would be a splendid thing to know, would it not?"
"That's the spot you're planning for me?"
Alvarado shrugged. "For large rewards, Mr. Kent, one must expect to take certain chances. Your history indicates a willingness to do so."
"Up to a point," Toddy qualified. "There's one thing I don't understand. How can you get enough scrap gold to keep this racket running?"
"Another secret. You will understand when it is necessary for you to."
"I-" Toddy spread his hands helplessly. "I just don't see much point in discussing it, Mr. Alvarado. It sounds like a good proposition- -one I'd jump at, ordinarily-but I can't take it now."
"No?"
"No! My wife was murdered tonight. I'm the logical suspect. I can't show myself anywhere. If I could, I'd be hunting down the murderer."
Alvarado started to smile again. "Ah, yes. Your wife… the watch. Perhaps you had better give me the watch now, Mr. Kent."
"Dammit!" Toddy snapped. "I just got through telling you that-"
"You want to keep it, of course," Alvarado nodded, understandingly. "You would be unintelligent if you did not try to. I do not blame you in the least, but it is impossible."
"But I haven't-"
"It is a sort of pattern, a template, you see. Without it, our work here would be seriously delayed. So,"- Alvarado's eyes glinted fire- "the watch, Mr. Kent."
Toddy got to his feet, carefully holding his arms out from his sides. The dog rose also, turning an inquiring eye toward the chinless man.
"Go ahead and search me," said Toddy hoarsely. "I can't give you something I haven't got."
"Since you are willing to be searched, you obviously do not have it with you. You will please tell me immediately where it is."
"I told you! I don't know-it was stolen!" He moved back a step as Alvarado rose. "Good God, do you think I'd make up a yarn like that? I thought you'd killed her. That's why I tried to get away from the girl. I-"
"What you thought, Mr. Kent, was that I was a fool. I am afraid you still think so… Did you dispose of it to that loan shark you visited-that petty racketeer? Or to that watch shop where you sell your gold? Carefully, now! I can discover the truth of your answer quickly enough."
"I've told you the truth," said Toddy simply. "I can't tell you anything more."
Alvarado's hand dipped into the inside pocket of his coat and emerged with a snub-nosed automatic. He held it pointing squarely at Toddy's stomach.
"This is embarrassing," he sighed, "as well as vastly annoying. Before telling me that your wife had been murdered, you should have made sure that I could not prove the contrary."
"Prove?"
"Now you will accompany me to the hotel and extricate the watch from wherever you have hidden it."
"The hell I will!" Toddy shook his head.
"Really, Mr. Kent," Alvarado grimaced. "You must know you are being preposterous."
"I know I'm not going to walk into a roomful of cops," snapped Toddy. "Not if I had a dozen popguns like that pointing at me."
The talking dog whined softly and looked up at them, then padded away unnoticed in the tension of the moment. Ever so little, the chinless man's eyes wavered. He moved back a step or two until he was no longer standing on the rug. He stamped his foot on the floor.
A door opened and clicked shut. There was a gasp and then the girl swept into the room.
"Alvarado! You promised me that-"
"Silence!" The word cracked like a whip. "I have not broken that promise yet. I would much prefer not to. Tell me… Where did you pick up Mr. Kent's trail tonight?"
"Why, I-I-" The girl looked at Toddy. "Didn't he tell you?"
"Answer me! Quickly, truthfully, and in complete detail!"
"I picked him up-him and the other man I told you of-about three blocks from the hotel. They were going south on Spring Street. As I told you, I had to circle a number of blocks, driving up and down before-"
Alvarado's hand jerked sidewise. The gun barrel whipped across the girl's breasts and back again.