The Gutter and the Grave by Ed McBain Page A

grinned. “You don’t really believe I hired out as a gun?”
    “I think out loud,” Miskler said, “and I think a lot. You’re still not out of this, so don’t get cocky.”
    “You know what I think?” I said.
    “No. What do you think?”
    “I think the case has you stymied and you pulled me in because you need a real pro to crack it.”
    Mirthlessly, Miskler said, “Ha-ha. Take him down to see Bridges before he breaks into a soft shoe.”
    * * *
    Johnny Bridges was being held without bail in a place known as The Tombs. It is not a very cheerful place, nor was Johnny in a particularly cheerful mood when they led him into the visitor’s room. He sat down opposite me, the meshed wire separating us. He was already acquiring a prison pallor, which I am convinced is produced more by desolation than by lack of exposure to the sun.
    “Have you had any luck?” he asked.
    “Not yet.”
    “They wouldn’t set bail for me,” he said. “They really think I killed Dom, don’t they?”
    “The magistrate sets bail, and his failure to turn you loose in a free society is no reason to believe the case is being prejudged,” I said. “Besides, the cops who are working on this aren’t at all convinced you did it.”
    “How do you know?”
    “I just had a talk with them. They’re grabbing for straws. They even accused me of being a hired gun.What it amounts to, Johnny, is that they’re still trying. They wouldn’t have let me loose if they had any positive leads. They’re either hoping I’ll turn up something, or they’re hoping I’ll betray myself or another party. In any case, this thing is far from solved.” I paused. “Now how about a little cooperation from you?”
    “I’ve given you all the co…”
    “Did you know that Dom Archese and his wife were separated?”
    “Yes,” Johnny said unhesitatingly.
    “Then why didn’t you tell me?”
    “I thought I did.”
    “You didn’t. As a matter of fact, you said that Dom knew you were going up to see Christine yesterday afternoon. You told me, and correct me if I’m wrong, that Dom had left a check for her and wasn’t sure if she knew where it was. He
sent
you there, you told me.”
    “That’s right.”
    “Where
did
he leave the check, Johnny?”
    “In the mailbox.”
    “Wouldn’t she have found it without your telling her where it was?”
    “Maybe. Dom was fussy that way. He gave her a check every week, like clockwork, even though they were separated. He usually delivered it himself.”
    “When I asked you why Dom didn’t phone her about the check, you said you didn’t know. You did know, Johnny. They were separated, and he probably didn’t want to talk to her. Isn’t that right?”
    “I suppose so.”
    “Then you were trying to hide their separation from me.”
    Johnny hesitated. “All right, I was.”
    “Why?”
    “Because it was none of your business.”
    “Even with a dead man laying on the floor? Even with your initials on the wall beside him? What’s the scoop, Johnny? Have you been laying Christine?”
    “No.”
    “That isn’t the way I heard it.”
    “I don’t care how you heard it. I’m telling you the truth.”
    “You’re not in love with Christine Archese?”
    “Of course not,” Johnny said.
    “Then why’d you go to Dennis Knowles?”
    Johnny looked at me blankly. “Who the hell is Dennis Knowles?”
    “The private eye you hired to follow Dom Archese. How about it, Johnny?”
    He no longer looked blank; he looked positively flabbergasted. “Are you crazy or something?” he said. “I never heard of the guy. Why would I hire anyone to follow Dom?”
    “Because you wanted him to divorce his wife,” I said.
    “Holy Jesus, where’d you get this…”
    “Why else didn’t you tell me about the separation, Johnny?” I shouted.
    “Because it wasn’t supposed to be common neighborhood gossip, goddamnit! And because I happen to have an interest.”
    “In Christine?”
    “No! In Christine’s sister. In