Lady—Here's Your Wreath

by James Hadley Chase

  Ackie stiffened, but he couldn’t break my hold.

  He said furiously: “You’re double-crossin’ me!”

  I grinned down at him and walked him away from the back door towards the big room. “I got you into here to see the Colonel,” I said. “Well, you’re goin’ to see the Colonel… that’s all.”

  I heard a door shut behind me. If Ackie hadn’t barged in I’d have seen her. I loved Ackie a lot right then. He tried to turn but I still held him tight. I shifted my grip a little and suddenly put on some pressure. He gave a squawk.

  “You’re breakin’ my arm,” he howled.

  I said evenly: “I’d like to break your neck.”

  Faintly I heard the door of the car slam and the sudden sound of a car accelerating. Ackie opened his mouth to yell, but I clapped my hand over it.

  “Shut up!” I said sharply. “You start anythin’ an’ I’ll smash you.”

  I waited out in the hall until I, was sure she’d got away, then I released him.

  He stood glaring at me furiously. “What a pal,” he spluttered. “Think you’re gettin’ that hundred? What a laugh.”

  “Now listen, Mo,” I said quietly, “there is more in this than meets the eye… you’re right. But it ain’t the sort of news you can print. If I’d let you go ahead just now your rag would be up to its ears in a libel suit. A libel suit with Kennedy on the wrong side would put your crowd out of business. If you’re a good boy and keep your trap shut, I’ll give you the inside dope… it ain’t to be printed, though.”

  Ackie could never stay mad for long. He scowled at me, then his face cleared. “I might have known it,” he grumbled. “Of all the double-crossin’ punks, you are the biggest. All right, I’ll keep it quiet. Now what’s it all about?”

  I lowered my voice. “Seems like the Colonel got too ambitious. You know what he is with dames. Well, this one wasn’t playin’, an’ what’s more she outs with an equaliser an’ starts poppin’. This dame is one of the upper crust. Even I don’t know who she is. I agreed with Kennedy to smuggle her out while you boys were talkin’.”

  Ackie brooded. “No one got hurt?” he asked bitterly.

  I shook my head.

  “Hell! There ain’t a story at all. Everyone knows about Kennedy an’ his women. That ain’t news. Pity she didn’t drill him. Boy! That would have been a front-page splash!”

  I looked at him with distaste. “Ain’t you a nice guy?” I said. “But now you know. You can see it wasn’t worth the fuss.”

  Ackie glanced at his watch. “I guess I’m beatin’ it,” he said. “Maybe I was a little hasty about the hundred bucks. I’ll see you get it.”

  I grinned. “Suppose we split it?” I said. “Send me fifty an’ I’ll receipt the hundred.”

  Ackie nodded. He looked quite happy again. “You ain’t such a bad punk,” he said. “Maybe you’ll play straight one of these days, an’ then I’ll quite like you.”

  The other boys began to crowd out of the room. They looked at us curiously, but Ackie didn’t let on. He took them off to the waiting cars.

  “You wantta come?” he asked over his shoulder.

  I said, “Sure… I ain’t got any reason to walk.”

  Kennedy appeared at the doorway. “No,” he said, “You stay. I want to talk to you.”

  I was glad. I liked this guy, and I was getting mighty hungry.

  As soon as the last car had driven off, Kennedy came back from the porch and shut the front door. He grinned at me. “Well, that was a nice bit of work,” he said approvingly. “You sure pulled me out of a jam. It seems that I’m continually getting into your debt.”

  I said hastily, “Forget it, will you? That sort of talk gives me the itch.”

  He laughed. “I haven’t seen you for so long, I guess we got plenty to catch up on. You’re going to stay with me for a few days. What do you say?”

  I hesitated, but he shook his head. “You’re staying, Mason, so make up your mind.”

  I grinned. “It’s okay with me,” I said.

  He glanced at the clock. “Suppose we have some lunch and then I can telephone for my man to pick up some of your things and bring them out here. He’s got to bring some of mine, so he may as well make himself useful.”

  Lunch was ready by the time we had had a wash and a drink. It was laid out in the suntrap outside: a small verandah, screened by glass, overlooking the river. We sat down to a swell meal.

  “You got a grand spot here,” I said, helping myself to lobster salad.

  Kennedy nodded. “It is very convenient,” he said, with a faint smile. “I don’t see people for weeks here. Just the place for relaxation.”

  I looked at him quickly. “I’ve got another name for it,” I said with a grin.

  He laughed. “You don’t look as if you’ve had much relaxation,” he said. “What have you been doing with your face?”

  That put me in a fix. I wasn’t sure how far he might be involved in this business.

  I said carelessly, “Oh, I got into a scrap last night.”

  We finished our meal and sat there in the sun with a nice cigar and some old brandy, and talked. I said casually, after we had been talking some time, “I’m thinkin’ of buyin’ some stock. Can you advise me?”

  He began to go through a list of names that didn’t mean much to me.

  “What about Mackenzie Fabrics?” I shot out.

  He looked startled. “That’s funny,” he said, “I’ve just been getting rid of some of those myself.”

  “What’s so funny about it?” I asked, keeping my voice casual.

  He shook his head. “Oh, nothing,” he said shortly, and changed the subject.

  I wondered if the dame who’d just gone had anything to do with this. I didn’t like to risk asking him outright who she was. These guys, once they’ve been through the army, have got ideas about mentioning names of women who they’ve compromised. He might have turned tough, so I shelved it for the moment.

  After we had settled our lunch, we went out and had a look at the grounds. The more I saw of the place the more I liked it.

  He’d got everything. Even a bathing-pool, cut in the rocks in the thickest part of the wood, and fed by the rushing water of the river.

  We spent the next four days fishing, swimming, and lazing about. He and I hit it off together pretty well. The food was good and there was plenty to drink. I’ll say this, it was one of the nicest holidays I’ve spent. There was nothing that guy didn’t know about fishing, and with his help I found I wasn’t doing too badly myself. We’d go out after breakfast with rods and long waders, and walk slowly into the shallow, fast-moving river and fish. It was a grand way of spending the day.

  One evening we were sitting on the verandah in the moonlight, finishing a cigar before turning in. The night was still and hot and we were both pleasantly tired. I was thinking that it was time I got back and did some work, when he looked up suddenly. “You know, Mason, a guy like you ought to marry and settle down. You’d make more money that way.”

  Six months ago a crack like that would have made me laugh, but now I pondered before answering him. “Yeah,” I said at last, “I guess there’s somethin’ in that.”

  He was silent for a little while, then he went on, “When you find the girl, I’m going to give you this place.”

  Didn’t I tell you this guy smothered me? I sat up sharply. “You be careful what you’re saying,” I said, “I might take you seriously.”

  He smiled a little. “I reckon it would be a bit heavy for you to carry, anyway,” he said. “There’s a hell of a lot of upkeep that goes with it. But this I will promise you. When you get married, you can use this place as often as you like. I’m getting out pretty soon. I want to go to China. Maybe I’ll be away a number of years. So when you’re fixed up, let me know.”

  I said it was mighty white of him and we let the matter drop. All the same, I kept thinking of Mardi, and I kept thinking what a surprise it would be for her to come here for ou
r honeymoon. I kept thinking about it until I got restless. I told myself that I’d been there too long. My eye and nose were back to normal and I was anxious to get away.

  The following morning I broke the news to him. He just grinned. “I believe you’ve got a girl, after all,” he said.

  I nodded. “You’re right. It’s just a matter of fixing things up.” Although I spoke like that, I was wondering how long it would take to get Mardi on the dotted line. Maybe I would come unstuck. Anyway, it was worth a try.

  I got back to town the next afternoon. And I rang up the Mackenzie Fabrics right away. “I want to speak to Miss Mardi Jackson,” I said to the operator.

  “Hold on a minute,” she snapped. I heard a faint plopping as she jerked out the plug and connected it somewhere else. Then she came back over the line again. “Miss Jackson no longer works here,” she said, and cut off.

  I put the telephone down very thoughtfully. So Mardi wasn’t working any more for the Mackenzie Fabrics. Why? Had she walked out on them, or had they given her the bird? How long had she been gone? I suddenly felt annoyed with myself for staying with Kennedy so long. If I’d ’phoned her on the day Ackie took me out, I might have caught her.

  Now where was I going to find her? I hopefully checked the telephone-book, but she wasn’t in that. Maybe she stayed with her people or in a boarding-house. There were about a thousand Jacksons to choose from.

  I suddenly remembered that on the day we had first met, Katz had seen us together. Did that mean anything? Had Katz scrammed back to Spencer and told him that I had contacted her? Was that why she no longer worked there? I remembered Ackie saying that Katz was as dangerous as a rattlesnake, and I began to get a little hot and bothered. Did Mardi know anything? Had they got her out of the way? It was no use sitting around asking myself dumb questions. I’d got to find out.

  I grabbed my hat and left my apartment at a run. A taxi took me to the Hoffman Building quickly. I paid him off and checked the time. It would be one o’clock in ten minutes or so. I went into the nearby drug-store and bought myself a drink. The guy behind the counter looked like he might have some brains. After I had finished the Scotch I ordered another.

  “I’m lookin’ for a dame,” I said confidentially to this guy, as he put the glass on the counter.

  “Ain’t we all?” he said, putting his elbows on handles of the soda jerker and resting himself.

  I said, “You’re right. Maybe you can help me.”

  He looked interested. “Sure,” he said, “Anythin’ I can do.”

  “I’m looking for a dame who works at the Mackenzie Fabrics. I’ve just heard that she’s been fired out an’ I want to know where she’s gone.”

  He looked sort of dreamy. “They’ve got some swell dames workin’ in that joint,” he said wistfully. “They’re high steppers. I can’t get to the first base with any of ’em.”

  “Do they come in here to eat?” I asked.

  “Sure. The rush starts right now.”

  I took a five-dollar bill from my vest-pocket and pushed it across to him. “Suppose you let me know when one of them comes in. If I could get her talkin’ maybe I could learn where this dame’s gone to.”

  He grabbed the fin. “I’ll do that okay,” he said. “You just sit around.”

  A little after one o’clock the place began to fill up. Almost immediately he jerked his head at me. A tall, blonde doll was just settling herself on a stool, preparing to put on the nose-bag. She’d got a friendly look about her, and I thought I’d get places with her if I handled her in the right way.

  I let her settle down, then I left my place and took the stool next to hers. She was against the wall, so we were more or less isolated from the others.

  She glanced at me and then went on packing a club sandwich away. The guy behind the counter came over and gave me one, too. He winked at me, and then took himself off to deal with a rush at the far end of his beat.

  I said cautiously, “You’ll pardon me, but I guess you could tell me something about Miss Jackson.”

  She jerked round like a virgin at bay. Her eyes popped a little and I thought she was going to get tough. “What did you say?” she asked.

  “I’m looking for Miss Mardi Jackson,” I explained, putting on my best manners. “I was told you work for the Mackenzie Fabrics, and I thought maybe you could tell me.”

  The startled expression died out of her eyes, and she swung herself round on the stool so that she faced me. “Are you a friend of hers?” she asked.

  I took a chance. “I’m her boy friend,” I said.

  “Really? Now isn’t that a scream?” she exclaimed. “You know, I always knew Mardi was deep… I told the other girls…. Not that they didn’t think so themselves… you know how it is, don’t you? A girl like Mardi ought to have a boy friend… it’s only natural, isn’t it? She never said anything about having one… she kept to herself a lot… don’t think we didn’t like her… we did. We were all struck in a heap when she left—”

  I blinked. “Listen, lady,” I broke in. “Maybe you can tell me what happened? I’ve been away for a few days, an’ I’ve got some news to catch up on.”

  “Why, surely.” She was ready to give me the whole set-up. I could see that. The trouble was that when a dame like this once got started, it was difficult to stop her. Anyway, I told myself, I’d got the whole day, so I should worry.

  “You go right ahead an’ tell me all about it,” I said, lighting a cigarette and giving her one.

  Her eyes grew big again. “Well, I don’t know if I ought… but you being her boy friend… well, it’s different, isn’t it? I mean to say… I wouldn’t tell anyone… what I mean is I don’t go talking about people to anyone…. Well, I guess you can read character… you can tell that, can’t you?”

  I said, “Sure. Don’t you worry about that.”

  “Well, Mardi came back from lunch about a week ago… she seemed all up in the air… sort of dreamy… and the girls thought she’d been out with her beau or something… then Lu calls her in… Lu is Mr. Spencer, the big shot of our firm… but I expect you’d know that… well, Mardi goes in and she stays inside for some time… then I heard Lu getting mad… he gets awful mad sometimes… he shouts and bangs around no end… well, I thought Mardi was getting into trouble, so I listened outside the door…. I don’t do that ever, really… you see, Mardi was a friend of mine…. I just thought I’d be there in case Lu got really mad… but he shouted so much I couldn’t hear what he said. Mardi said, ‘I’m sorry, Mr. Spencer, but it’s really my own business who I lunch with’, and that made Lu crazy as a bug… by that time some of the other girls had come and were listening…. Lu says it’s okay with him… but Mardi could pack up and get out… so she comes out quietly… you know how like a lady she behaves… and away she goes. Lu comes out and stands in the doorway and watches her go… we don’t have a chance to say good-bye… that’s all I can tell you.”

  I said, “Haven’t you heard from her since?”

  She shook her head. “No… I just can’t make it out. We’ve all been waiting to hear from her… but not a word.”

  “Do you know where she lives?” I asked.

  She wasn’t as dumb as I thought she was. Her eyes suddenly hardened. “Hey!” she said. “You her boy friend, and you don’t know where she lives?”

  I saw I’d got to tread carefully here. I took her over the ground gently. “That may sound phoney to you,” I said, “but I’ve only been running around with her for a day or so. You see, I’m crazy about her, but I don’t know how she feels about me. I want to go on with this, but I’ve got to find her first.”

  “Isn’t that too marvellous?” She looked almost coy. “Well, I’ll help… I think a girl needs a man… don’t you? Look, I’ll write down her address.”

  I gave her a pencil and my notebook. She scribbled down an address on the west side of the town, and I put the notebook carefully back m my pocket.

  I slid off the stool. “I’m goi
n’ right away,” I said. “You’ve been a swell help. I’ll ask you to the wedding.”

  I left her at the run, with her mouth open to start all over again. I guess that dame enjoyed her lunch-hour. It certainly had given her something to talk about. And could she talk?

  CHAPTER NINE

  ALL THIS DIDN’T get me anywhere. When I got to the address the blonde had given me, Mardi wasn’t there. She had left about two days ago, the landlady told me, taken her bags and left no address. Was. I pleased?

  I returned to my apartment, feeling sore. The only thing I did know was that Mardi had left her job because of me. That told me that Spencer thought she knew something and wasn’t risking anything. If what she knew was important, maybe he’d hidden her away. Against that, the landlady had told me that she had come by herself to pack her bags and didn’t seem very worried. She did say that she had to go out of town on business, and didn’t know when she would return. This was probably an excuse to satisfy the landlady, or was it?

  I sat on the table and brooded about it. I wondered if I should find her again by proceeding in the investigation of the Vessi frame-up. While I was thinking about it the telephone rang.

  The hard, clear metallic voice floated over the wire. “Nick Mason?”

  I didn’t beat about the bush with this baby. “Yeah,” I said. “Been shootin’ any more colonels?”

  I couldn’t help grinning a little. I seemed to be always slipping a nasty one in with this dame.

  She said, “You know about that?”

  “Sure,” I said. “I was the guy that got you out of the jam. I recognised your voice.”

  There was a moment’s silence, then she said, “You are looking for Mardi Jackson. I told you last time that you would be interested before long. You see, I am not wrong. Mardi Jackson knows too much. I don’t think you will see her again. All the same, you might have a look at the Wensdy Wharf to-night at nine o’clock. You might see something there that will interest you further.”

  “Why the hell must you be so mysterious….” I began, but the line went dead. If I ever caught up with this dame, I thought savagely, slamming the telephone back on the table, I’d give her something to be mysterious about.