Hammerhorn sat down, said: “Of course, they got Brady. Those guys were still locked up when the troopers got there. I know the whole story as well as if I’d played a part myself. Pat and I have just come from the police barracks. Brady and his pals got in an argument with Hubbel while they were all cooped up where you locked them, and they beat the tar out of him. The troopers took him along, think he was implicated.
“They found Drew’s body about two hours ago. You see, Brady’d killed Drew only the day before yesterday and they hadn’t yet decided on a way of disposing of the body. It was hidden in an old trunk in that hideout you crashed.”
Cardigan said: “If we’d been on the job a day sooner, we’d have saved his life.”
Hammerhorn shook his head. “No. They intended doing away with him anyhow, but later, after they’d got more dough. The plan, according to Cable, was to fill him full of liquor, put a bathing suit on him and take him out in a motorboat and toss him overboard about five miles out. But Drew tried to fight Brady night before last, and Brady brained him.
“The blond café gal picked up Drew on the beach that day he drove down from the town. He hung around that evening with her, had dinner with her, and then they began taking rides on the various gadgets. Finally the Old Mill, after she’d seen him flash a roll big enough to choke an ox. They got off at that platform in the Old Mill and the blonde took him into Clara Rubio’s place. They drugged him, went through his clothing. His checkbook was on him and they saw his balance. They locked him in a room. Then from day to day they made him write out a check and sign it. Clara thought that checks going through that way would not draw any attention, whereas if she made out a check, say, for five or ten grand, it would draw attention. Each day they said to Drew, ‘Now write out this check and we’ll let you go.’ So he did—but they’d come back next day for another.
“Cable was in love with Clara. She’d hooked him on the beach a couple of months before, found out she could use him. He’d be a swell pal to have at the bank. Steve and Jake agreed. So did Brady. Of course, Clara was really Brady’s gal. What you did, Jack, you broke up a vicious criminal ring. The state is finding out more every hour; they’re accounting for at least five persons missing during the past year. Drew’s the sixth. Sam the Mope was slated to be the seventh.”
Sam gulped, put a hand to his throat.
“And you, Jack,” went on Hammerhorn, “had a swell chance of being Number Eight. When hell began to bust that way, why didn’t you call in the state police?”
Sam said: “Ha, de more hell, de better Jack likes it. I never seen de time hell could stop dat guy. I was owerjoyed account of I was able t’ git dem troopers in when he needed dem, damned if I was not. Excuse de profanity, Miss Seaward. It’s me ent’usiasm brings it out. But if it wasn’t f’r Jack, I guess I wouldn’t be here now.” He dropped an embarrassed look on Cardigan, said: “Jack, you remember de time we played poker on dat Chicago train? You remember how you wouldn’t play wit’ de cards I had but made me buy a new deck from de porter?”
“Sure. And you won twenty bucks anyhow.”
Sam shook his head sorrowfully, laid out two tens on the bed. “Dem cards, Jack—I sold dem cards cheap to de porter when I got on de train, just in case. It’s been on me conscience ever since, pal-o. Well, I got to git along.”
He put on his hat and coat and ambled out of the room. In a minute he returned, shaking his head, saying: “Gimme back dem two tens, Jack. I can’t do it.”
Cardigan looked up round-eyed. “Can’t do what?”
Sam held out a twenty-dollar bill.
“Take dis, Jack. Dem two tens I gave you is counterfeit.”
Table of Contents
The Complete Casebook of Cardigan, Volume 3: 1934-35
Capyright Information
Spades Are Spades
Hot Spot
Kick Back
“Read ’em and Weep”
Red Hot
Not So Tough…
Too Hot to Handle
Pardon My Murder
Leave It to Cardigan
Hell on Wheels
Hell Couldn’t Stop Him
The Complete Casebook of Cardigan, Volume 3: 1934-35 Page 37
