Kill as Directed by Ellery Queen Page B

you’re found in Central Park dead from a mugging, with your cash missing, or you step in front of a truck, or you take an overdose of sleeping pills with the clear evidence that you’re deeply in debt, or … oh, I can’t think of all the ways you can die without the nasty word ‘murder’ coming into it. I can’t, but Kurt’s liquidation department can.” She put her palms on his face and pulled it back from her moist fragrant body and said, “Now I want you to kiss me.”
    â€œI want to talk.”
    â€œWe’ve got all night to talk,” she murmured. “We’re finally touching, Harry, finally making contact. It’s … exciting. It’s so exciting. Harry, kiss me. Take me.”
    He kissed her. He took her.

TEN
    Later, side by side in the darkness, they talked.
    â€œHe’d have killed me, would he?” Harry muttered.
    â€œYou’re sweet. Violent yourself, capable of violence, but sweet, darling. Harry, get this through your head. Move wrong, talk wrong, smell wrong, and Kurt’s specialists dispose of you. What’s more, you can’t get out. You’re in for the rest of your life.”
    â€œWhat about Dr. Welliver? He’s getting out, isn’t he?”
    â€œNo. He just thinks he is. He’s still under all the old restraints. If he doesn’t know that, he won’t live long enough to realize it. Incidentally, I don’t think he’s half as feeble as he makes out. I think old Doc Welliver has put on an act for some time, maneuvering for retirement.”
    â€œSick of the whole thing after all these years?”
    â€œYou are an innocent, aren’t you? No, because I think he thinks a crack has developed in the operation and he wants to get out from under before the whole thing comes crashing down. And you know what, Harry dearest? I think doc’s got something. And you know another thing, my hairy baby? I think so does Kurt.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    Karen was silent. Then he felt her shoulder, snugged against his, twitch in a shrug. “I’ve gone this far, I may as well go the whole route. Harry, do you have any idea where Kurt goes every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evening?”
    â€œHow the hell should I know? He hasn’t told me much inside stuff. I don’t even know how much of it is true. I’ve caught him in one lie already.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œHe told me you’re his wife, period. That you know nothing about the dope operation.”
    She laughed. “Four nights a week he goes to the Starhurst.”
    â€œStarhurst? What’s that?”
    â€œA rundown but respectable old hotel at 83rd Street and Columbus. Kurt’s maintained a suite there for many years. On the first floor—he walks up—Suite 101.”
    â€œSuite for what?”
    â€œBusiness. He never spends more time there than is absolutely necessary. Kurt’s one of those on-the-minute men. He demands absolute punctuality from his visitors.”
    â€œWhat visitors?”
    â€œDon’t get ahead of me. He gets to his suite at the Starhurst precisely at five minutes to seven, and precisely at seven his visitor arrives.”
    â€œWhat visitor?”
    â€œThe manager of one of Kurt’s clubs—from New York, or Chicago, or Philly, or Washington or Miami. They rotate, never more than one manager an evening. Kurt comes with a brief case, the manager comes with a brief case. Kurt walks up, the manager walks up five minutes later. The stairway is to the right of the hotel entrance, through a short corridor. The desk and elevators are at the rear of the lobby, so the chances are nobody sees either of them go in and up. But even if somebody did—two well-dressed men, carrying respectable brief cases, five minutes apart—”
    â€œWhat’s the point, Karen?”
    She twisted in the dark; she was perspiring again, and her