42 Days For Murder

Chapter Sixteen

I called Lester as soon as I got to the phone and he was jittery. He’d stuck around the house and saw us leave with the police escort and it had him worried sick. I said: “Never mind that. Get a cab and go out to the Three C Club and get hold of Joey Free. That is, if he’s not in his room. Get him sober. It’ll be a job but you do it. I’m going to need him in the morning. Get it?”

“Yes, Shean! But what if I can’t get him sober?”

“Get him in shape to dig up some dough. That’s all I ask. Wendel is going to want bail money and I don’t want to get in touch with New York for it. Joey can dig it up in less time. This is going to break damned soon.”

Lester said, in a bewildered way: “But why will it break soon, Shean? She can’t sue for divorce until she’s been here six weeks, can she? She hasn’t been here for over three, now.”

I said: “I can’t tell you over the phone, kid. Get out and get Joey and get him right. Crandall’s going to get action; he’s going to figure out a settlement with Wendel right soon and Wendel’s sick enough about the business to go for it. And a widow’s share in the estate will run into money too. Think it over.”

I hung up then and let him think it over. I hadn’t told Wendel, because there was no reason to worry him, but I was starting to think he had no business running around loose. I didn’t know the New York law, but it seemed reasonable to suppose a widow would get a hefty share of what estate he’d leave... if she suddenly became a widow, that is. And I wasn’t under any illusions about Crandall... I figured he’d make Mrs. Wendel a widow and think nothing of it if it paid him to do it.

But I didn’t think I could make Wendel see this argument. There was nothing I could prove as yet. There was nothing to do but protect him, as well as myself, and let things come to a head.

She’d been in town about half her time; the opposition had still three weeks to do their business. There’d been one murder in the forty-two days they had to work in... and I didn’t want to be the star in another. Or for my client to be starred. I wanted Joey to have bail all ready to put up so that I could get Wendel out of town if it seemed advisable.

Crandall had missed a bet when he hadn’t done a lot of shooting there in his house. The action came so fast he didn’t have a chance to study the angles. If he’d shot then he’d have been in the clear, being able to prove we’d broken in and all. He’d have been justified in thinking us burglars and acting accordingly. He’d think of that golden opportunity he’d missed, that I knew, and he wouldn’t overlook another chance.

And I didn’t want Wendel running around the streets with Joey Free and giving Crandall that break again.

Lester called me in the morning and said: “I’ve got Joey and he’s in pretty good shape. He sobered up quickly.”

“He’s had a lot of practice,” I said. “Where’d you find him?”

“At the Three C. He was still thinking he was the old man of the mountain but when I told him what had happened he sobered up.”

“Where is he now?”

“Here with me.”

I couldn’t go to the hotel and talk with him and Lester had my car. I couldn’t remember the name of any bar in town, except the Rustic, and I didn’t want to go there because of Gino Rucci owning a piece of it. But it was only ten in the morning and I didn’t think Rucci would be checking up the place that early and so I took a chance. I said:

“Take him to the Rustic and meet me there. Pick a booth in the back. If you should see Rucci there, stand outside and I won’t go in. Or that same cop that took us out of Crandall’s last night. You get the idea, don’t you, kid?”

“Why, yes,” he said scornfully. “Do you think I’m a fool?”

“We won’t go into that now. I don’t want to meet anybody that knows me. I’m depending on you to see I don’t.”

“We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

“And bring my car with you.”

“It’s still at Crandall’s.”

“Stop by and get it. I might want it.”

“As soon as I can, Shean.”

I went out the side way and eased over toward the Rustic. I went damned carefully, too.

Looking for policemen that knew me, as well as any of the thugs I’d met at Rucci’s Three C Club. And, so help me, I just passed a hole in the wall restaurant when somebody called:

“Oh Shean! Shean, honey!”

It was the Spanish effect. Wearing slacks and a sweater arrangement and looking like a cross between a school girl and original sin.

She was nothing I wanted to see. I dragged her into the doorway of a building and said: “Now look, doll! I’m in a hell of a hurry. Something important. I’ll give you a ring this evening sometime.”

She pouted and said, in her funny voice: “Now Shean! Let her wait. It’s a swell day and let’s go for a ride. Or up to my apartment and have a drink.”

“I haven’t got the time, hon. Besides, it’s too early to drink.”

“It’s never too early for me.”

“You keep that idea and you’ll look ten years older in three, babe. I’ll call you this evening.”

She said: “Are you still in trouble?”

“What makes you think I’m in trouble?”

“Well, I know Rucci. He asked me if I’d seen you. He acted anxious about it.”

“Hell! It’s just that maybe he wants me to go back to work or something like that.”

She said earnestly: “Now listen, Shean! I’m here divorcing my husband because if I’d lived with him one day longer I’d have killed him or he’d have killed me. I’m no kid; I’ve been around. I know when trouble’s coming. Now Rucci means trouble for you. And I heard about that shooting; those things get around. I don’t know whether he was back of that or not, but he might have been. I like you, Shean, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I won’t kid! It’s just imagination on your part. Now I’ve got to go.”

“You’ll call me tonight.”

“I said I would, didn’t I?”

“Where are you staying, Shean?”

“I’ll maybe tell you tonight, hon. I have to go now.”

“I’m worried, Shean.”

So was I, but I didn’t like to admit it. I told her again that I’d call her and kept on toward the Rustic. I didn’t think she’d tell Rucci anything about seeing me but there was that possibility. And even if she didn’t talk she was an added complication and I didn’t need anything more on my mind right then. I had plenty as it was.

I could see the front of the Rustic for two blocks before I got to it and I saw Joey drive up in his own car and go inside. Even at a distance like that there was no mistaking that big solid body and the way he carried himself. He strutted and swaggered and acted like an over-grown bantam rooster that was carrying too much weight around the middle. I waited until I saw Lester drive up in my car and go inside, then waited a while longer to be sure he hadn’t been followed and to give him a chance to go outside and warn me if anyone I shouldn’t see was inside.

He stayed in and I drifted up to the place and in. There was a young fellow back of the bar that I couldn’t remember seeing before and two customers that looked as though they hadn’t been home the night before. They were up to the bar arguing with the bartender about whether they’d been in the place the night before and he was telling them, patiently, that he hadn’t the least idea; that he hadn’t been on duty. He sounded as though he didn’t care, one way or the other. I went on past and he gave me an incurious look and just nodded. Joey and Lester were in the back booth and I sat down and Joey said:

“Jeese, Shean, I’m sorry you got in trouble over this case. I wouldn’t have dragged Wendel in to see you if I’d thought anything about it. I’m sorry, kid.”

“I can always quit it. Forget it. Can you dig up some dough, quick?”

He shot a quick look at Lester, who got red in the face and who said, very stiffly: “I gave Shean that money.”

I said: “I got it, Joey. This isn’t for me; it’s for Wendel. For bail. I may want to get him out in a hell of a hurry and it would take time for him to get it from New York. He’s in jail, and it’s always hard to get money when you’re in the gow.”

Joey laughed then. He said: “So old Tod’s in the sneezer again. Almighty Christ! I’ll bet he thinks these Reno cops have nothing to do but follow him around and throw him in the can. What did he do?”

“Talked with his wife.”

He whistled. “Did he get things fixed up at all?”

“He got thrown in jail, is all. I may want to get him out any time. Can you get the dough?”

“How much?”

“Probably five hundred for a peace bond. But it may be that Crandall will charge him with burglary and then the bail will run up. Can you get it?”

He said: “I’ve got it here. It’s his money. I wanted to explain that to you, Shean. I went over in my account when I was drinking and I didn’t want to sacrifice anything that I was holding. I wanted to wait until I had my regular money due. I didn’t realize I’d run over the account when I gave you that check.”

“Forget it.”

“Old Tod got some money from the East and I’m using it until my money comes in. I feel bad about that. I’ll go down and get him out now.”

“Let it go for now. I know where I can find him and if you get him out I won’t.”

“Well, I’ll go down and find out about it, anyway.” He laughed again. “I understand they don’t have much use for you down around the station.”

“Not one hell of a lot.”

“Maybe I can fix that, too.”

“How can you? The last time you were here they ran you out.”

He grinned and said: “And that last time Tod and I were here we were broke. Flat. This is a money town, Shean. I’ve got money in my pocket now and I’ve found that you’re treated a bit different when you have. I’ll see if I can fix it.”

“Try if you like.”

“No harm in it. Where you staying?”

I remembered about Macintosh not wanting me to tell where I was staying and stalled. I would have even if he hadn’t spoken of it. Joey drank too much to be trusted with that kind of information. I said: “Oh I duck around. I can’t stay any one place because I’m afraid of the cops getting jerry to it. So I just keep moving.”

He laughed and said: “Hey, we haven’t had a drink. That keeping moving is all right if you can hold up under it.” He called the bar man and said to me: “What are you drinking?”

I said: “Rye straight.”

The man came over and Joey said: “Scotch for me. Hell, Connell, I thought you always took Scotch.”

Lester said he didn’t want anything and I said I still wanted rye. The bird went back to the bar and I said: “I’m running along after this drink. I don’t like being out on the Street much. I’ll get in touch with you, Joey.”

“Can I depend on that?”

“You certainly can.”

The man brought us the drinks and I took mine down in a hurry and stood up to go. Joey looked disappointed and said: “Hell, I can’t see any reason you can’t stick around and tell me all that’s happened. After all, we’re in the back here and nobody would see you.”

“I don’t like to take the chance. You got the car keys, Lester?”

Lester gave me my car keys. I said to Joey: “I’m going past Lester’s hotel and I’ll drop him there, if you want to stay here and lush. Or if you want to go and find out if they’ve got Wendel’s bail set. Or he can stay with you.”

Joey said: “I’m going to the station right now,” and stood up with me. We all went out together and Lester and I went to my car while Joey turned up toward the station. Lester said:

“When I told him I was going to pick up your car he said he’d drive his own and meet us here. He got here before I did.”

“I know it.”

I started the car and got going down the street. I dropped Lester at his hotel, then went to the Palace. Half an hour later the landlady came up and said:

“Somebody on the phone for you. You in?”

“Sure,” I said, and went out to the phone.

It was Kirby. He said: “I’m glad I caught you. Joey Free, this friend of Wendel’s, is here and he wants Wendel out on bail. I told him bail wasn’t set yet and he’s throwing his weight around and demanding action plenty. I told him I wasn’t sure just what Wendel was going to be charged with and he’s demanding that I find out. That if he isn’t charged for me to turn him loose. What am I supposed to do?”

“Joey’s got it mixed, Chief. I just wanted him to find out what the bail would be and have it ready. That’s all,”

Kirby said: “Okey. I’ll stall him. I don’t know myself what it’ll be; it depends on Crandall.”

“Haven’t you heard from him?”

“He phoned me he’d be down shortly. That’s all.”

I said: “When he comes let him talk to Wendel. But you go to Wendel now and tell him not to have anything to say. About last night or anything. Get it? Tell him I said it’s very important that he don’t talk.”

Kirby said he understood and hung up.

I went back in the room and by and by the landlady knocked again. She came in, said: “Just in case you don’t know it you’re spotted here. First I thought I wouldn’t tell you. It’s no never mind to me. But you’re a friend of Mac’s so I’m talking.”

“How d’ya know?”

“Right after you came in I saw a car pass by slow. Like the guy was looking the place over. Now there’s a guy hanging around across the street and he’s been there for fifteen minutes. They’ve got the place staked just as sure as God makes little green apples.”

“Who’s the guy across the street?”

“I don’t know him. A big long rangy bird.” Macintosh and Kirby were on my side and I knew the stake wouldn’t be from them. Kirby would be saved trouble if I left town and Macintosh knew I wasn’t going until I had my business finished, one way or the other. That left Crandall, if the landlady was right. And I hadn’t forgotten Joey Free slipping out my name there in the Rustic bar. If the bar man had caught it, and knew his boss was looking for me, he might just possibly have put somebody on my tail. But then, I’d left so soon after that I couldn’t see where he’d had the time, if and providing he knew the score and had been quick enough on the trigger to catch the name. So I said:

“I’ll watch it but I think you’re wrong. It’s for somebody else or it maybe isn’t a stake.”

She said: “Mister, I’ve run too many spots not to know a stake-out when it’s put on my place. That’s what it is; I’m telling you.”

I said: “Thanks.”

“You ought to thank Macintosh. That’s why I’m telling you.”

“He’s quite a guy.”

“You know what he’s after?”

“No.”

She gave me a sharp look, started to say something and then stopped. Then she asked: “You a Sam?”

“No. Private cop. Didn’t Macintosh tell you?”

“He don’t tell me things. He don’t have to, most of the time. I find ’em out from other people.”

“I’m after nothing that will bother this place.”

“Mac wouldn’t have sent you here if you were. I run a straight place. I don’t care a damn how much company a man has or a girl has. I don’t care if the girl is hustling or if the guy has the girl on a spot hustling for him. Get me right. That’s their business. If a girl is fool enough to work for a man it’s her hard luck. But I don’t go for what Mac’s working on.”

I asked: “What’s that?” without much hope of getting an answer.

She snapped back: “Dope and girls together. Half the guys that have got a girl in this town have put ’em on the dope. He’s on that. I don’t go for that.”

“I don’t blame you,” I said, and wondered why she was so bitter about that one particular nasty phase of the girl racket. It was a surprise; I didn’t think there was much she couldn’t stomach. She was that smart and hard about it. She said, and her voice sounded funny:

“I had a girl myself. Sixteen. I was living down the state then. I had her in school, in Sacramento, and sent her dough there. I didn’t want her to know what I was doing, if you get it.”

I said I got it.

“Well, she got tied up with a guy. A pimp and a dope head. He put her to work after he put her on the junk. Now d’ya start to understand?”

“I’m beginning to.”

“He brought her to the same town Mac was Marshal in. The guy stuck her with a knife and Mac killed him. He resisted arrest, according to Mac. Mac’s working special on this now. I’m for him on it.”

“I don’t blame you.”

She started to turn away, got as far as the door and stopped. She said, over her shoulder: “I don’t spill my guts like this often. It... it just happens today is her birthday. It’s kind of got me down.”

“Where is she now?”

She turned around then. “She’s back in Sacramento with another dope-head. Still working. She’s twenty-four now. Today. I... I can’t do anything about it; if she hasn’t got that man she’ll have one as bad. I... I...”

She whirled and went out of the room and I could hear her running down the hall toward her own room. I began to see plenty of reason why Macintosh and Kirby were playing along with me. It began to tie together a bit more. Gino Kucci was in the picture a bit more, for one thing. He was the high-riding pimp type. Crandall could be either the lawyer for the bunch that was handling dope and girls or he could be the deal proper. Macintosh would be a Government man, probably working some lone-wolf angle and not getting definite evidence that would tie in the big boys. Kirby could be after the same thing; I knew he didn’t mind a rough town but that he wanted a clean town. The business I was on might tie in with the other and give them something that would stand in court.

It was an explanation that would fit, but it didn’t make allowance for the dead French girl in any way, shape, or form. It did offer a possible explanation for the shooting at me angle. The operators might have some notion I was on that; coming from the City and all. I went back to the room and thought it over, right from the start.

And decided none of it held together... and that none of it would until the French girl’s murder was explained.

Lester called me about three that afternoon. He said: “I’m at the hotel. Joey Free just was here. He wants to see you. He said Wendel was held under a thousand dollar peace bond and that he put it up. There were no charges filed against you or Wendel and Joey says that he doesn’t think there will be any. I’ve just talked with him.”

“Where is he now?”

“In his room, with Wendel.”

“Now listen, Lester. Go down there and hold him there. Wendel, I mean. Don’t let him go out with Joey. Not if you have to hit him on the head with something.”

Lester said: “Gee, I don’t want to do that.”

“My Lord! Don’t take things the way I say ’em. I mean keep him there for sure. Now hurry.”

“And then what, Shean.”

“Call me back as soon as anything happens.”

I hung up and clicked the receiver until I got the operator. I gave her the station house number, asked for Kirby, and got him. And then said:

“Is Macintosh there?”

He said: “Yeah! Who’s talking?”

“Connell.”

“He’s right here.”

Macintosh drawled into the phone: “Hello!” and I said: “Look, mister. Wendel’s up at the hotel. Can you get him and hold him in jail? Can you charge him with something he can’t bail out on tonight?”

“I suppose I could,” he said.

“Can you do it and keep it quiet?”

This was harder. It took him longer to answer. He said: “I guess I could take him to Carson City. It’s Federal there, and they could hold him for investigation and not book him in a hurry. Why?”

“Will you do it now? Right away. I’ll tell you about it when you get back.”

“I guess I can. It’s that fast, hunh?”

“I’m afraid it might be.”

He said, with the drawl gone: “Okey, fella. I’m on my way down there. D’ya want me to take his pal, too?”

“No. But if you can get Wendel by himself and pick him without his pal knowing it, it would be that much better.”

“You afraid of his pal?”

I said: “Will you get going? His pal goes out and lushes and would talk. Let it go at that; just hurry.”

He hung up the phone. I got the operator again, got the hotel and got my fool client, and it was a relief. I stalled him with: “This is Connell. What happened?”

He said stiffly: “Free got me out, of course. I understand you didn’t want him to do this.”

“I wasn’t anxious about it. That’s true.”

“So I understand. I’ll say now, Connell, I don’t like the way you’re handling this. I suggest we meet and talk this over. The three of us. You, Free, and myself. There’s too many strange things happening here to please me.”

I figured Macintosh would be at least half way there by then. I said: “You hired me to do something and it’s turned out to be something entirely different. I’m doing the best I can for you; why not work with me.”

He sounded stubborn. “There’s too much going on that I don’t understand.”

“We’re even. Six-two, and even. There’s too much going on that I don’t understand. But it’s starting to work out I can tell you that. Did Crandall talk to you?”

“For a moment. He said that he didn’t blame me for my action; that it was natural for me to want to speak with my wife. That she was very upset about the entire matter but didn’t want to press charges against me, though she has that right. That although you and I broke into his house, he feels the same way about it. He insisted on the peace bond as a matter of routine is all. He was very friendly.”

“I was afraid of that. He didn’t make any more talk about a settlement?”

“We didn’t discuss that. I may say, he spoke of your actions since you’ve been here. He seems to think he and I could have talked the matter over and settled everything between ourselves to mutual advantage.”

“What do you think?”

“I’m inclined to think the same way.”

I thought Macintosh should be in the lobby by then. I asked: “You carry any insurance?”

“Certainly.”

“Made out to your wife?”

“Of course.”

“She’s in your will?”

“Why naturally. Connell, what are you leading for?”

I said: “You dope! I’m trying to show you the reason Crandall has turned friendly. He’s decided to go whole hog or none. If you’re knocked off, I won’t have a client and I’d go home where I belonged. Mama would collect more dough than she would from the settlement and everybody would be ahead. Everybody but you, that is. I’d win because I’m either going nuts or going out feet first. It would give me an out, you getting killed. Crandall would be ahead and so would your wife.”

“You must be crazy, Connell! Crandall wouldn’t consider a thing like that. The man was very friendly, I tell you. You’re talking about murder, man.”

I said: “The maid was murdered, wasn’t she? They can only hang you once. Though it’s gas they give you in this state.”

He mumbled something more about me being out of my head, then spoke clearly. “Just hold the wire. There’s somebody at the door.”

I waited for about five minutes. Then Macintosh’s voice said: “You, Connell?”

“Yes.”

“Everything’s okey. I’ll see you.”

I said: “You damned fool! I didn’t want him to know I put you on him.”

He laughed and said: “He doesn’t. He put up an argument and I bopped him on the side of the face with a sap. I didn’t want to do it but he went off his nut and took a pass at me. I won’t take that from any man, much less a man I’m trying to help. I’ll see you when I get back.”

“Will you make it early? I want to go out.”

He laughed again. “Naughty, naughty. You’re playing with fire.”

“What’s that mean?”

He said: “Oh hell! We’ve been keeping an eye on you, sort of. Sometime I’ll tell you about the Spanish girl that stuck a knife through my arm once. Remind me, will you.”

He hung up and so did I. There’s darn little that goes on in a town of this size that the cops can’t find out about if they’re interested. My Spanish wonder apparently was known. She was the type, at that. To be known.