it."
I made a note of the address.
"Ever thought why Herrick went so much to the Casino?" I asked.
"Yeah, but it didn't get me anywhere. He was trying to turn up some dirt, but whether he got it or not I wouldn't know."
"I think he did and that's why he was rubbed," I said. "Ever heard of Lois Spence?"
"Ever heard of Mae West?" he returned, grinning. "Lois is famous around here."
"Killeano know her?"
"Even I know her. She's balanced that light a breath of wind would blow her over."
"So she knew Killeano?"
"Yeah, about two years ago they were like that." He crossed his two fingers. "That was before Killeano took over the town. When he got into power he ditched her. Had to, I guess. You can't run a town and Lois at the same time: both are full-time jobs."
"Herrick went around with her too?"
"Yeah, but there was nothing to that, although some mudslingers tried to make something out of it. My guess is he was using her to dig up dirt on Killeano, and she strung him along, took his dough and gave him nothing."
"He paid her to play the tables at the Casino."
That surprised him. He stared at me, lifted his hat, combed his hair while he thought. "Why did he do that?" he asked at last, putting the comb away.
"He took the dough she had won and gave her other notes in exchange. Looks like he suspected the Casino of passing dud notes."
Davis brooded. "Well, that's an idea," he said, "but it wouldn't be easy, and no one's complained."
"It might be worth checking. Could you do that?"
He nodded. "I guess I could. I go there off and on. I could sniff around."
"If you knew what you were looking for, it might not be so tough."
"Well, I can dig a little."
"This guy Gomez seems a tough egg."
Davis grinned. "I'll say. You met him? Take my tip and| keep out of his way. He's dynamite."
"I've met him," I said, shrugging. "I was with Lois when he blew in. It took my reputation and the Luger to hold him. I thought I'd have to shoot him he was so mad, but Lois grabbed him and I got out. He was the one who started the Law on the move."
"He's a bad guy," Davis said, shaking his head. "He doesn't I like anyone hanging around Lois unless it's strictly business. One guy thought he was soft. Gomez shot him. It was fixed to look like suicide, but I know how it happened."
"Kind of jealous, eh?"
"He certainly is, and as hot-blooded as a stove."
"What do you know about a cat-house along the waterfront? Who owns it?"
"Speratza."
"Sure?"
Davis nodded. "It's the only joint of its kind in town. He must have plenty of protection to keep it open, and he makes a good thing out of it."
"Huh-uh," I said, giving myself another drink. I passed the bottle to Davis. "And Flaggerty? Anything on him?"
"He's Killeano's stooge. He puts up a front, of course, but Killeano pulls the strings; he jumps. There's nothing to him. He's just another crooked cop."
"He helped in Herrick's killing."
Davis paused in pouring his drink. "The hell he did?"
"Yeah," I said. "About Herrick. Was he married?"
"No. He lived in an apartment with a guy called Giles who looked after him. Give you the address if you want it."
"Where?"
"Macklin Avenue. It lies off Bradshaw Avenue. But you won't get anything out of Giles I talked to him. He doesn't know anything.
"Maybe he'll talk to me." I got up. "I guess I'll pay some calls."
"They're still looking for you," Davis reminded me. "And it's getting on for midnight."
"We'll get 'em out of bed."
"We?"
"Sure, I'm going with you. They won't expect me to be with you."
He produced his comb again and ran it through his hair. "Say, that's not such a hot idea," he said. "I gotta keep in the clear. How'd I look if they spotted you with me?"
I smiled at him. "Come on," I said. "You and I are going on a little trip. First we'll go to Macklin Avenue and then
I made a note of the address.
"Ever thought why Herrick went so much to the Casino?" I asked.
"Yeah, but it didn't get me anywhere. He was trying to turn up some dirt, but whether he got it or not I wouldn't know."
"I think he did and that's why he was rubbed," I said. "Ever heard of Lois Spence?"
"Ever heard of Mae West?" he returned, grinning. "Lois is famous around here."
"Killeano know her?"
"Even I know her. She's balanced that light a breath of wind would blow her over."
"So she knew Killeano?"
"Yeah, about two years ago they were like that." He crossed his two fingers. "That was before Killeano took over the town. When he got into power he ditched her. Had to, I guess. You can't run a town and Lois at the same time: both are full-time jobs."
"Herrick went around with her too?"
"Yeah, but there was nothing to that, although some mudslingers tried to make something out of it. My guess is he was using her to dig up dirt on Killeano, and she strung him along, took his dough and gave him nothing."
"He paid her to play the tables at the Casino."
That surprised him. He stared at me, lifted his hat, combed his hair while he thought. "Why did he do that?" he asked at last, putting the comb away.
"He took the dough she had won and gave her other notes in exchange. Looks like he suspected the Casino of passing dud notes."
Davis brooded. "Well, that's an idea," he said, "but it wouldn't be easy, and no one's complained."
"It might be worth checking. Could you do that?"
He nodded. "I guess I could. I go there off and on. I could sniff around."
"If you knew what you were looking for, it might not be so tough."
"Well, I can dig a little."
"This guy Gomez seems a tough egg."
Davis grinned. "I'll say. You met him? Take my tip and| keep out of his way. He's dynamite."
"I've met him," I said, shrugging. "I was with Lois when he blew in. It took my reputation and the Luger to hold him. I thought I'd have to shoot him he was so mad, but Lois grabbed him and I got out. He was the one who started the Law on the move."
"He's a bad guy," Davis said, shaking his head. "He doesn't I like anyone hanging around Lois unless it's strictly business. One guy thought he was soft. Gomez shot him. It was fixed to look like suicide, but I know how it happened."
"Kind of jealous, eh?"
"He certainly is, and as hot-blooded as a stove."
"What do you know about a cat-house along the waterfront? Who owns it?"
"Speratza."
"Sure?"
Davis nodded. "It's the only joint of its kind in town. He must have plenty of protection to keep it open, and he makes a good thing out of it."
"Huh-uh," I said, giving myself another drink. I passed the bottle to Davis. "And Flaggerty? Anything on him?"
"He's Killeano's stooge. He puts up a front, of course, but Killeano pulls the strings; he jumps. There's nothing to him. He's just another crooked cop."
"He helped in Herrick's killing."
Davis paused in pouring his drink. "The hell he did?"
"Yeah," I said. "About Herrick. Was he married?"
"No. He lived in an apartment with a guy called Giles who looked after him. Give you the address if you want it."
"Where?"
"Macklin Avenue. It lies off Bradshaw Avenue. But you won't get anything out of Giles I talked to him. He doesn't know anything.
"Maybe he'll talk to me." I got up. "I guess I'll pay some calls."
"They're still looking for you," Davis reminded me. "And it's getting on for midnight."
"We'll get 'em out of bed."
"We?"
"Sure, I'm going with you. They won't expect me to be with you."
He produced his comb again and ran it through his hair. "Say, that's not such a hot idea," he said. "I gotta keep in the clear. How'd I look if they spotted you with me?"
I smiled at him. "Come on," I said. "You and I are going on a little trip. First we'll go to Macklin Avenue and then
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