the busy lobby of the Plaza. She lurched into an open and crowded elevator, calling out to be let off at the Grand Ballroom.
Emerging into the jammed marble foyer, she noted the time, ten-thirty, and noted dressy people leaving the ballroom. The mayor’s dinner was just beginning to break up. She looked for a familiar face, an official face, and her eyes came to rest on a blue-uniformed policeman.
She clutched at the policeman’s sleeve. ‘Officer, can you help me?’
He seemed surprised by her anxiety-ridden countenance. ‘Something the matter, miss?’
‘I’ve got to speak to District Attorney Van Dusen.’
‘Forget it, young lady. He’s on the stage with the mayor, with orders not to be disturbed. There’s no way they’ll let you in there.’
‘But listen -‘
‘Sorry, miss.’
Victoria slumped in frustration, backed off, and became aware of an anemic-appearing, bespectacled young man staring at her. He took a few tentative steps toward her.
‘Pardon me, you’re Vicky Weston, the new girl on the Record, aren’t you?’
‘Yes,’ she admitted.
‘I met you yesterday when Nick - Nick Ramsey - was taking you around. We were introduced. I’m Jim Purdy, metropolitan desk. What are you doing here?’
She grabbed hold of him as if he were a life belt. ‘Jim, listen, you can help me. I’ve got to see Van Dusen -‘
‘Not much chance of that right now. Can’t it wait?’
‘No, it can’t. Will you listen to what’s happened?’ She spilled out the details of her interview at Green Haven with Sam Yinger, the killer’s statement that if he were free he’d go after Van Dusen, and now the knowledge that Yinger was free.
Purdy was cautiously impressed. ‘He actually stated he’d try to get the D. A.? Did you believe him? Maybe he was just crowing for you, for your story.’
‘You’d have believed him if you’d been there and heard him say it. Anyway, I think Van Dusen should hear about it. Do you know anyone who can get to him?’
‘I can get to him,’ said Purdy. ‘My beat is Van Dusen and criminal courts. Let me see what I can do.’
Victoria followed Purdy to the ballroom doors, heard him whisper to two police guards, saw a door open, and was able to peer around the reporter’s head as he looked inside. Victoria could see, beneath the two magnificent chandeliers, tables and tables of formally attired men and women. Dignitaries on the distant stage were standing.
Purdy called back to her, ‘Van Dusen’s just said good-bye
to the mayor. He’s come down the stage steps toward the aisle. Let me see if I can get to him. Wait here.’
With assent from the guards, Purdy entered the room, hurried down to the carpeted aisle where a tall, thin man in a tuxedo, obviously District Attorney Van Dusen, was making his way between the tables, acknowledging greetings from guests. Halfway along, Purdy intercepted him and began addressing him. Van Dusen leaned over to listen, glanced up, and started toward the doorway where Victoria was waiting.
The district attorney reached Victoria, towering over her. ‘You Miss Weston? Purdy tells me that you have important information - something about Sam Yinger wanting to kill me - it’s not clear -‘
‘You know of Yinger’s escape?’
‘I know from Green Haven - and from your newspaper,’ he said wryly.
‘I interviewed Yinger at the prison this afternoon. I asked him what he’d like to do if he were free. He told me that the one reason he’d like to be free is to kill you.’
Van Dusen frowned. ‘He really said that?’
‘I have my notes. He actually said it.’
‘You think he meant it?’
‘I think he did. After all, he had no compunction about killing six children.’ Victoria wanted to emphasize her belief. ‘I’m sure he meant it. He hates you for calling him an animal in court.’
‘He is an animal,’ Van Dusen said.
‘And now he’s on the loose,’ said Victoria.
The district attorney beckoned to a man who had just come
Emerging into the jammed marble foyer, she noted the time, ten-thirty, and noted dressy people leaving the ballroom. The mayor’s dinner was just beginning to break up. She looked for a familiar face, an official face, and her eyes came to rest on a blue-uniformed policeman.
She clutched at the policeman’s sleeve. ‘Officer, can you help me?’
He seemed surprised by her anxiety-ridden countenance. ‘Something the matter, miss?’
‘I’ve got to speak to District Attorney Van Dusen.’
‘Forget it, young lady. He’s on the stage with the mayor, with orders not to be disturbed. There’s no way they’ll let you in there.’
‘But listen -‘
‘Sorry, miss.’
Victoria slumped in frustration, backed off, and became aware of an anemic-appearing, bespectacled young man staring at her. He took a few tentative steps toward her.
‘Pardon me, you’re Vicky Weston, the new girl on the Record, aren’t you?’
‘Yes,’ she admitted.
‘I met you yesterday when Nick - Nick Ramsey - was taking you around. We were introduced. I’m Jim Purdy, metropolitan desk. What are you doing here?’
She grabbed hold of him as if he were a life belt. ‘Jim, listen, you can help me. I’ve got to see Van Dusen -‘
‘Not much chance of that right now. Can’t it wait?’
‘No, it can’t. Will you listen to what’s happened?’ She spilled out the details of her interview at Green Haven with Sam Yinger, the killer’s statement that if he were free he’d go after Van Dusen, and now the knowledge that Yinger was free.
Purdy was cautiously impressed. ‘He actually stated he’d try to get the D. A.? Did you believe him? Maybe he was just crowing for you, for your story.’
‘You’d have believed him if you’d been there and heard him say it. Anyway, I think Van Dusen should hear about it. Do you know anyone who can get to him?’
‘I can get to him,’ said Purdy. ‘My beat is Van Dusen and criminal courts. Let me see what I can do.’
Victoria followed Purdy to the ballroom doors, heard him whisper to two police guards, saw a door open, and was able to peer around the reporter’s head as he looked inside. Victoria could see, beneath the two magnificent chandeliers, tables and tables of formally attired men and women. Dignitaries on the distant stage were standing.
Purdy called back to her, ‘Van Dusen’s just said good-bye
to the mayor. He’s come down the stage steps toward the aisle. Let me see if I can get to him. Wait here.’
With assent from the guards, Purdy entered the room, hurried down to the carpeted aisle where a tall, thin man in a tuxedo, obviously District Attorney Van Dusen, was making his way between the tables, acknowledging greetings from guests. Halfway along, Purdy intercepted him and began addressing him. Van Dusen leaned over to listen, glanced up, and started toward the doorway where Victoria was waiting.
The district attorney reached Victoria, towering over her. ‘You Miss Weston? Purdy tells me that you have important information - something about Sam Yinger wanting to kill me - it’s not clear -‘
‘You know of Yinger’s escape?’
‘I know from Green Haven - and from your newspaper,’ he said wryly.
‘I interviewed Yinger at the prison this afternoon. I asked him what he’d like to do if he were free. He told me that the one reason he’d like to be free is to kill you.’
Van Dusen frowned. ‘He really said that?’
‘I have my notes. He actually said it.’
‘You think he meant it?’
‘I think he did. After all, he had no compunction about killing six children.’ Victoria wanted to emphasize her belief. ‘I’m sure he meant it. He hates you for calling him an animal in court.’
‘He is an animal,’ Van Dusen said.
‘And now he’s on the loose,’ said Victoria.
The district attorney beckoned to a man who had just come
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