aGet out! I donat want you to bleed in this car.a As English opened the off-side door, Nankin got out hurriedly and ran around the front of the car, pulling a gun as he did so. He covered English until Morilli got out.
aUnwise to have a witness, Lieutenant,a English said calmly. aHeall blackmail you if you kill me.a Nankin laughed.
aMe and the lieutenant work together pally,a he said. aDonat bother your brains about us.a Morilli swung up his gun and pointed it at English.
aThis is yours, English,a he said. aIam not taking a chance on you talking. Back up against that wall.a English braced himself. He was too far from the river to jump for it, too far from Morilli to close with him. He knew he was within a heartbeat of death. He was surprised that he felt no fear, only an angry frustration that he now wouldnat be able to even things up with Sherman.
He stepped back.
aShed those rods!a a voice barked from behind the car. aQuick or Iall blast both of you to blazes!a Nankin hurriedly dropped his gun. Morilli half turned, his lips coming off his teeth in a furious snarl.
A gun crashed, and he staggered, dropping his automatic and gripping his wrist cursing.
Chuck Eagan came out from behind the car.
aThought Iad better come along for the ride,a boss, he said cheerfully. aI never did trust this flatfoot.a English stepped forward and picked up Morillias gun. He kicked Nankinas gun across the waterfront into the river.
aPhew! You timed it a little close, Chuck,a he said with a wry smile.
aBetter late than never,a Chuck returned, grinning. aWhat do we do with these lice?a aI want them out of the way for a few hours Chuck,a English said. aWhat do you suggest?a aEasy,a Chuck said and stepping up to Nankin he slammed him over the head with his gun b.u.t.t.
Morilli backed away as Nankin fell face down.
English said, aDonat move. Iam tempted to make a hole in your hide!a Morilli snarled at him.
aYouall be sorry for this.a Chuck hit him on the back of his skull, driving him to his knees. Then he hit him again, and Morilli spread out on the rain-soaked concrete.
aStick with them, Chuck. Put them somewhere out of the way. I want a couple of hours to myself.a aDonat rush off alone,a Chuck said uneasily.
aStick with them,a English said curtly. aThatas an order.a He walked over to the police car and slid under the wheel.
As he started the engine, he leaned out of the window.
aThanks, Chuck. Iall remember you in my will.a He reversed the car and sent it shooting along the waterfront, heading uptown.
V.
Lois opened her eyes and blinked painfully up at an amber-coloured lamp that was screwed flush to the ceiling. The light sent sharp stabbing pains through her head and she shut her eyes, biting her lower lip to stop from crying out.
She lay still for several minutes, her mind slowly coming out of the fog of unconsciousness. Where was she? she wondered. She remembered seeing Corrine flop to the floor in a faint. She remembered bending over her, and then hearing the swish of a descending sap, and that was all she could remember. She opened her eyes again, not looking at the light, and after a moment or so, the hot p.r.i.c.king in her eyes went away.
She was in what must be a cabin of a ship. It was a luxury cabin, panelled in walnut and furnished expensively and with taste. She was lying on a bed, and she looked hastily to see if she was still dressed. Someone had taken off her mackintosh and hat and shoes, but otherwise she was still in the clothes in which she had left her apartment.
She slowly lifted her head, grimacing as a stab of pain drove into her temples.
aSo youare all ready to join the party,a a manas voice said near her, making her start.
She looked quickly to her left.
A big man with a thin scar running from his right ear to his mouth and with a cast in his left eye sat in an armchair that was set against the cabin door. He nursed a heavily bandaged wrist.
aThat must have been quite a smack you walked into,a he said, his eyes running over her. aYouave been out for over an hour.a Her hand went automatically to her skirt and pulled it down as far as it would go as she saw the expression in his eyes.
aDonat excite yourself,a the man with the scar said, taking out a packet of cigarettes. aThatas not the first pair of gams Iave seen, and they wonat be the last.a He stuck a cigarette on his lower lip, flicked a match alight and set fire to the cigarette.
aWhere am I?a Lois asked, her voice unsteady.
aOn Shermanas yacht,a the man with the scar told her. aHeall be along in a little while. He wants to talk to you.a aWho are you?a Lois asked, half sitting up.
aMy nameas Penn,a he returned and grinned. aI take care of Shermanas business. Thatas why Iam taking care of you. Anything more you want to know?a aWhy has he brought me here?a aHe wants to talk to you. Between you and me and the bedpost, sister, I donat think youare going to live much longer,a Penn said and winked. aHeas knocking them off so fast Iave given up counting the bodies. He knocked off Corrine tonight. A waste of a pretty woman, but heas like that. Did you know he stretched her neck?a Loisa heart skipped a beat and she felt suddenly sick.
aMaybe if youare nice to me,a Penn went on, staring at her with his right eye. His left eye looked across the room, away from her, giving him a sly, furtive expression, aI might talk him out of it. Think you could be nice to me?a aIf you come near me Iall scream!a Lois said fiercely.
Penn nodded and flicked ash on the floor.
aWhen Shermanas off the boat you can scream your lungs out,a he said. aThereas no one within six miles of us except Sherman. Well, okay, if you want it the hard way, I donat care. I like a little opposition.a Lois didnat say anything. She looked quickly around the cabin for a way of escape, but the only way out was through the door against which Penn had placed his chair.
Penn c.o.c.ked his head on one side, then got to his feet.
aHeas coming now,a he said. aWatch your step, sister. He gets mean if heas crossed.a As he moved the chair from the door, the door opened and Sherman looked into the cabin. He stood in the doorway, his jaws moving, his amber-coloured eyes on Lois, his hands in his pockets.
aGet out!a he said to Penn.
The big man went past him without a word, and closed the door after him. Sherman pulled up the chair and sat down.
aSorry I had to hit you Miss Marshall,a he said mildly. aBut you came at an inconvenient moment. Why did you come?a aWhy have you brought me here?a Lois demanded, swinging her legs off the bed and sitting up.
aYou will answer my questions,a Sherman said, a sudden rasp in his voice. aIf youare going to be truculent I shall call Penn, and heall deal with you. Why did you come to Corrine Englishas house?a Lois hesitated. The cold, expressionless eyes scared her, but she had no intention of telling Sherman that she had hoped to persuade Corrine to give evidence against him.
aI heard about the scene she made at the Silver Tower,a she said quietly. aI wanted to find out if Mr. English had seen her home.a Sherman studied her, not sure if she were lying or not.
aYou donat know where English is?a She shook her head.
aAre you sure?a Again she shook her head.
aYou know, of course, he killed Julie Clair and her lover tonight, and the police are hunting for him?a aI heard they had been murdered, but Iam sure Mr. English had nothing to do with it.
Sherman smiled.
aOf course. Youare in love with him. I should have thought of that before.a Lois didnat say anything.
aYou are in love with him, arenat you?a aIs it any of your business?a aIt could be,a Sherman said, staring at her thoughtfully. aThe police havenat picked him up yet, and when a man like English is running around footloose heas dangerous. I want him picked up quickly or Iall have to do something about him myself.a aYouad better let me go,a Lois said firmly. aKidnapping is a capital offence in this city.a Sherman smiled.
aSo is murder. But I donat intend to kill you just yet. I shall wait until tomorrow morning. Then if English hasnat been arrested, I must find him myself and thatas where you come in. I donat think itall be difficult if he gets to know Iam holding you. I have an idea heall come to terms. Then, of course, he will commit suicide like his brother. Theyall find him shot, with a gun in his hand. Theyall find you some time later conveniently drowned, and theyall a.s.sume you died like Mary Savitt died - because you were unable to go on living without your lover. It is a convenient method, and I see no reason why I shouldnat repeat it.a aI think you must be mad,a Lois said steadily. aNo one sane could talk as you do. No one sane could act as you do.a Sherman shrugged.
aWhat if I am mad? Whatas wrong with being mad anyway? Why have people such a horror of being thought mad? I havenat. Iam perfectly satisfied the way my mind works. After all, madness is just a matter of viewpoint. You say youare sane. Well, look at you. Iam not in your position. A man in what they call his right mind would shrink from murder, and as it happens murder is my only way out. I donat shrink from it. Therefore I must be mad according to you. Itas entirely immaterial to me if I am mad or not. As it happens my mother was supposed to be mad, but she was quite the most brilliant woman I have ever known. They put her in an asylum and she died there. If she had murdered my father as I advised her to, she wouldnat have gone to the asylum. She shrank from murder. Itas a lesson I didnat ignore. He crossed one leg over the other.
Murder is an odd thing. It is like a s...o...b..ll rolling down a hill. One murder leads to another. I wouldnat be in this jam if that cheap little chiseller hadnat tried to gyp me. I was a fool to have picked on him to work for me. Before he came I had a good business. Now, if Iam not very careful, the bottom could drop out of it. Itas worth a quarter of a million a year to me, and Iam not giving that up without a fight. I killed Roy English in a moment of anger. It would have been simpler to have kicked him out and got someone else to do the work, but I was angry when I found out he was cheating me, and I shot him. Then the s...o...b..ll started running downhill. Mary Savitt had to go. She knew as much about me as English did, and when she heard he was dead, she would talk. So she had to go. Then the old fool Hennessey got garrulous and he had to go. May Mitch.e.l.l had to go, too, but by that time your clever Mr. English was onto me. He was unwise to threaten me. At first I thought I would kill him, but it seemed simpler and more amusing to let him ruin himself in his own way. I arranged he should hear about his mistress and Harry Vince. I couldnat be sure he would kill them, so I did it for him. Then you had to come along and I realized Corrine English could be dangerous, so she had to go. You see, Iam being frank with you. Murder is an interesting subject - it grows and grows. Soon I shall kill you, then English. It might stop there, but thereas Leon to think about. He knows too much. I shall probably have to silence him. Then someone else will have to be silenced. One murder starts a chain of others. Interesting, isnat it?a Lois didnat say anything. She stared at Sherman, horror in her eyes.
aEnglish worries me,a Sherman went on, half to himself. aHeas dangerous. Heas like a bull - heall charge against any odds, and he might make things difficult for me unless heas arrested very soon.a aHe will make things difficult for you,a Lois said. aBut donat think heall care what happens to me - he wonat. Heas ruthless like that. I mean nothing to him, so donat imagine you can use me to trap him, because it wonat work. Heall come after you in his own way and in his own time, you can be sure of that.a Sherman laughed.
aYou donat believe that,a he said and got to his feet. aWhatever else he is, English is the chivalrous type. You and he have worked together for some time. Even if you donat mean anything to him, heall come charging along like a mad bull when he hears you are in danger. That type always does. The movies thrive on them. But it may not be necessary. Iall wait until tomorrow morning, then if the police havenat picked him up, Iall set my trap. Heall walk into it. In the meantime youare going to stay here. You canat get away. Weare six miles from the sh.o.r.e. Iall come and talk to you again tomorrow morning.a He opened the door and motioned Penn back into the room.
aWatch her,a he said curtly. aIall come on board again by ten oaclock tomorrow.a Penn smiled.
aSheall be right here when you get back,a he said.
aShead better be,a Sherman returned and went away along the narrow corridor to the companion hatch.
Penn lolled against the doorway, his face smirking. He stood there for several minutes, not moving, his head c.o.c.ked on one side. Then they both heard the roar of a motorboat engine as it started up. Still Penn remained leaning against the doorway. Lois watched him, her heart beating violently, her cold hands clenched in her lap.
They remained staring at each other until the sound of the motor engine died away, then Penn came into the cabin and closed the door. He turned the key, took it from the lock and put it in his pocket.
CHAPTER SEVEN.
I.
Ed Leon drove slowly past Loisas walk-up, his eyes alert for the first sign of trouble, but there was no police car outside the building nor did a light show in Loisa windows. He pulled up at the corner of the street, got out of the car and walked back to look up at the windows.
Had English been arrested? he wondered, or had he given Morilli the slip? Sam Crail should know, he decided, and he returned to the car.
If English had been arrested, then it was up to him to find Lois, Leon told himself as he slid under the steering wheel. But where to look for her? Sherman wouldnat take her to his apartment. He probably had some other place where he could duck out of sight - but where?
In the next street, Leon spotted an all-night drug store. He swung the car to the curb and went in, crossing to a pay booth. He shut himself in and dialed Crailas number.
As he waited for the connection he glanced at his strap watch. It was twenty minutes to ten. With an impatient grimace he dropped the receiver back onto the cradle when he heard the busy signal, and fumbled for a cigarette. He waited, his cigarette burning fast, his mind searching for an inspiration.
Then he remembered Gloria Windsor. Maybe she knew if Sherman had a hideout. He decided it might pay dividends to call on her. He dialled Crailas number again.
Helen Crail answered.
aThis is Ed Leon,a Leon said. aSam around?a aHeas just gone out,a Helen told him. aIf itas important I can catch him. Heas getting the car out of the garage. Heas going down to headquarters. Youave heard Nickas been arrested?a aYeah. Get him, will you, Mrs. Crail? It is important.a aHold on.a Leon leaned against the wall of the booth, frowning. It looked as if he was going to have a busy night, he thought. He knew English would want him to find Lois first, then he had to get after Sherman. He pushed his hat to the back of his head and wiped the sweat beads from his forehead. If he didnat play his cards right, Nick could be a dead duck, he thought gloomily.
ah.e.l.lo?a Crailas voice snapped in his ear. aThat you, Leon?a aYeah - so they got Nick?a aHe phoned a couple of minutes ago. The police were at the door while he was speaking to me. Iam on my way to headquarters now. d.a.m.n it! He should have given himself up like I said. Iam going to have a h.e.l.l of a fight on my hands to pull him out of this?a aDonat take your clothes off,a Leon said shortly. aLois is missing. Looks like Shermanas got her. Corrine English has been murdered.a aWhat are you talking about?a Crail demanded, his voice shooting up.
aLois went over to Corrineas place. Nick reckoned Corrine and Sherman were working together. Lois was going to bring her back so Nick could talk to her. I found Corrine strangled, and Lois missing. She had been there. I found her handkerchief. Iave got to find her, Crail. Tell Nick Iam going to put pressure on this Windsor girl. She may know something. Sheas our only chance. Tell him not to worry. Iall find Lois if it kills me.a aWhoas the Windsor girl?a Crail asked blankly.
aNever mind. Tell him. He knows who she is. Iave got to get moving.a aKeep in touch with me,a Crail said urgently.
aSure. Iall call you back after Iave talked to this girl. How long will you be before you get back?a aI donat know. An hour maybe. Call me in an hour.a aIall do that,a Leon said, and hung up.
He left the pay booth and went back to his car. Ten minutesa fast driving brought him to 7th Street, and he pulled up outside the building that housed the Alert Agency.
He walked into the lobby and down the stairs to Tom Calhounas quarters. He found Calhoun watching a fight on the television. Calhoun got reluctantly to his feet. The two fighters were belting each other all over the ring, and he didnat want to miss the knock-out.
aIam busy,a he said, scowling. aWhat do you want at this hour?a aI want to talk to Miss Windsor. Is she upstairs still or has she gone home?a Leon had to raise his voice to get above the uproar that was coming from the television set. aFor the love of Mike, do you have to blast that thing like that?a Calhoun lowered the sound. His eyes kept flickering to the lighted screen. aSheas up there. She lives up there.a aThanks,a Leon said. aSorry to have disturbed you.a Calhounas curiosity got the better of his interest in the fight.
aWhat do you want to talk to her about?a he asked.
aI want to find out if sheas as lonely as I am.a Leon backed out of the room and crossed over to the elevator. Calhoun followed him.
aYou can find your way up, canat you?a he said, unlocking the elevator grill. aMaybe she wonat want to see you.a Leon got into the elevator and slammed the grill.
aLike to bet on it?a he said, and dug his thumb into the top b.u.t.ton. The elevator creaked upward. It finally came to rest on the top floor, and Leon stepped out into the pa.s.sage. The clatter of the teleprinters from the news agency covered the sound of the grill opening. There was a light showing through the transom above Gloria Windsoras door. He walked along the pa.s.sage, lifted the bra.s.s knocker and rapped twice. He leaned against the doorpost, his foot ready to wedge back the door if necessary, his hands thrust into his mackintosh pockets.
After a delay a bolt shot back. The door opened.
A tall, redheaded girl in a green high neck sweater and a pair of fawn-coloured slacks looked at him enquiringly. She was around twenty-eight or nine. Her face had an alert beauty, marred by a hard mouth and an overaggressive chin. Leon thought she had the most provocative shape he had ever seen on a woman, and he had difficulty in dragging his eyes from her figure that was accentuated rather than concealed by the skintight sweater she wore.
aMiss Windsor?a he asked, tipping his hat.
Grey eyes looked into his. Scarlet lips twisted into half a smile.
aSure. What do you want?a aIam Ed Leon,a Leon told her. aIam a detective. I want to talk to you.a She continued to smile, but her eyes grew suddenly wary.
aDonat kid me,a she said scornfully. aIf youare a flatfoot, then Iam Sophie Tucker.a Leon took out his wallet and showed her his buzzer and licence.
aDoes that convince you?a aOh, a shamus,a she said with a withering contempt. aRun along, boy scout, I canat be bothered with amateurs.a She began to close the door, but Leonas foot was in the way. He moved forward, riding her back.
aI said I wanted to talk to you,a he told her. aLetas park our fannies, and take our hair out of curlers.a She gave ground, her grey eyes angry.
aYouare going to walk into a load of grief, shamus,a she said, aif you try to make a move on me.a aItas a risk Iall gladly run,a Leon said, inside the lobby by now. He closed the door and leaned against it. aItas not often I have the opportunity of making a move on a redhead as well stacked as you. Tell me, just to satisfy my curiosity, were you put together by an architect or did you grow that way naturally?a A hint of a smile came into the grey eyes.
aA smooth guy!a she said in mock despair. aI meet them twenty-four hours a day, ten a dime. Well, now youare in, say your piece and dust. I want to watch the fights on the television.a aWeare not in yet,a Leon said, and stepped past her. He pushed open a door and walked into a large airy sitting room. aWell, you know how to make yourself comfortable,a he went on, looking round the room. aMy, my! You must be doing pretty well with your silhouette.a aPut that in the plural or Iall take a poke at your left eye,a she said languidly and walked over to a deep armchair and sank into it.
aOr maybe itas the blackmail racket thatas paying off,a Leon went on, watching her.
She looked at him out of the corners of her eyes, and her mouth tightened.
aWhat are you talking about?a she demanded frostily.
aYouare in trouble, baby,a Leon said, moving over to the fireplace and standing before the bright fire. aThis is the end of the road for you. How do you like the idea of spending the next ten years in a nice, cozy jail?a She looked up at him, her eyes jeering.
aWhat makes you think Iam going to jail, shamus?a aFacts and figures - not your figure, mathematical ones,a Leon said, taking out a packet of cigarettes. aSmoke?a She shook her head.