a bookie.’ And then he laughed. I was busy getting dinner,” she added apologetically, “and it only half stuck in my mind You know how it is.”
I said, “I know. And thanks again.”
“Have I helped you, Jeff?”
I got up. “You can’t know how much, I only wish I could do something in return.”
She looked steadily at me. She said softly, “Just do something so Johnny’s death won’t have been a total loss.”
9
I RODE my sedan hard getting away from Kay Itsuko’s place. I had a telephone call to make before five o’clock. It was almost that when I left Kay.
I pulled up by the first drugstore I came to in the city. I used the phone booth and dialed the DA. Stephanie answered briskly, as if she might be annoyed.
I said, “Get me the boss on the line, will you?”
She said, “Thank heaven! I called and called you. First the line was busy. Then nobody answered. I was halfway out the door to see what was wrong just now.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Have you made any progress, darling?” She sounded hopeful.
“I think I have. Get me the DA, dollbaby, and I’ll fill you in later.”
She got me the DA. He said, “Don’t tell me where you are, Jeff”—
“The order is out for my scalp?”
“That’s right. Ritter has put on all the pressure he’s got. Maslin says he can’t give you any more time.”
I said, “I’ve already resigned. What difference can it make to your office if Ritter claims I’m a crook?”
“If I don’t issue an indictment, Ritter will tell the reporters that I’m showing favoritism,” the DA said. “You know that.”
I said, “I’m working on a hunch now, sir. You might call Ritter and tell him to hold off. Because if this hunch pays out and he has shot off his face to the newspaper, I’ll get him for libel.”
“That’s a strong word,” the DA said.
“I have the feeling Ritter will know what I mean.”
“Have you anything solid, Jeff? Something I can sell to Maslin?”
“Tell him this. The racket was to be a wire service set-up. I’m not sure where, and that’s what I’m on my way to find out now.” I paused and added carefully, “Hoxey Creen is the key to this deal. He’s the boy who blew up Johnny Itsuko’s car and set fire to the toolshed.”
“And you think he could have beaten a man like Itsuko to death?”
“No, sir, but I think he knows who did—the person who hired him. And I know just how to get him to talk.”
“Keep me posted, Jeff. Call me at home. I’m leaving now. And if I can do anything at all….”
“Sir, the fact that you believe in me has been a big help.”
I hung up. I trotted out to the sedan. I headed west, for Hill Street. It was dark and beginning to drizzle again. I drove slowly now, checking the rear vision mirror. If I was being followed, I couldn’t see any of the signs.
Even so, I moved carefully. Darkness was the time when the filth squeezed out of the woodwork in this part of town. It was the time when men like Minto and Pooly operated best. And the fact that I hadn’t seen Minto didn’t make me think that he had given me up. I figured he was just waiting for me to come back to Hill Street.
I parked on Second, the nose of the car at the edge of the alley. I went into the Blue Beagle by the back door. I climbed the stairs. I passed Teddy’s red door and stopped before Hoxey’s. I rapped with my fist.
I got the echo of silence. I hammered harder. The red door opened. I turned and saw Teddy.
She was wearing a wrapper. Her face was puffed with sleep. She looked peeved.
“Can’t you let people get their sleep?”
I said, “I want Hoxey and I want him fast.”
“Get out of here, McKeon, or I’ll call the cops and give them that film Hoxey took.”
“Go ahead. If he’s willing to swap the rest of his life and about five years of yours for the fun of having the police laugh at him, go ahead.”
“You bastard!” she screamed. “You cocky bastard!”
I said, “Making love noises
I said, “I know. And thanks again.”
“Have I helped you, Jeff?”
I got up. “You can’t know how much, I only wish I could do something in return.”
She looked steadily at me. She said softly, “Just do something so Johnny’s death won’t have been a total loss.”
9
I RODE my sedan hard getting away from Kay Itsuko’s place. I had a telephone call to make before five o’clock. It was almost that when I left Kay.
I pulled up by the first drugstore I came to in the city. I used the phone booth and dialed the DA. Stephanie answered briskly, as if she might be annoyed.
I said, “Get me the boss on the line, will you?”
She said, “Thank heaven! I called and called you. First the line was busy. Then nobody answered. I was halfway out the door to see what was wrong just now.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Have you made any progress, darling?” She sounded hopeful.
“I think I have. Get me the DA, dollbaby, and I’ll fill you in later.”
She got me the DA. He said, “Don’t tell me where you are, Jeff”—
“The order is out for my scalp?”
“That’s right. Ritter has put on all the pressure he’s got. Maslin says he can’t give you any more time.”
I said, “I’ve already resigned. What difference can it make to your office if Ritter claims I’m a crook?”
“If I don’t issue an indictment, Ritter will tell the reporters that I’m showing favoritism,” the DA said. “You know that.”
I said, “I’m working on a hunch now, sir. You might call Ritter and tell him to hold off. Because if this hunch pays out and he has shot off his face to the newspaper, I’ll get him for libel.”
“That’s a strong word,” the DA said.
“I have the feeling Ritter will know what I mean.”
“Have you anything solid, Jeff? Something I can sell to Maslin?”
“Tell him this. The racket was to be a wire service set-up. I’m not sure where, and that’s what I’m on my way to find out now.” I paused and added carefully, “Hoxey Creen is the key to this deal. He’s the boy who blew up Johnny Itsuko’s car and set fire to the toolshed.”
“And you think he could have beaten a man like Itsuko to death?”
“No, sir, but I think he knows who did—the person who hired him. And I know just how to get him to talk.”
“Keep me posted, Jeff. Call me at home. I’m leaving now. And if I can do anything at all….”
“Sir, the fact that you believe in me has been a big help.”
I hung up. I trotted out to the sedan. I headed west, for Hill Street. It was dark and beginning to drizzle again. I drove slowly now, checking the rear vision mirror. If I was being followed, I couldn’t see any of the signs.
Even so, I moved carefully. Darkness was the time when the filth squeezed out of the woodwork in this part of town. It was the time when men like Minto and Pooly operated best. And the fact that I hadn’t seen Minto didn’t make me think that he had given me up. I figured he was just waiting for me to come back to Hill Street.
I parked on Second, the nose of the car at the edge of the alley. I went into the Blue Beagle by the back door. I climbed the stairs. I passed Teddy’s red door and stopped before Hoxey’s. I rapped with my fist.
I got the echo of silence. I hammered harder. The red door opened. I turned and saw Teddy.
She was wearing a wrapper. Her face was puffed with sleep. She looked peeved.
“Can’t you let people get their sleep?”
I said, “I want Hoxey and I want him fast.”
“Get out of here, McKeon, or I’ll call the cops and give them that film Hoxey took.”
“Go ahead. If he’s willing to swap the rest of his life and about five years of yours for the fun of having the police laugh at him, go ahead.”
“You bastard!” she screamed. “You cocky bastard!”
I said, “Making love noises
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