by P C Hatter
A bell interrupted anything else, and Duke went to answer it. A few minutes later Douglas Hopper stepped into the room. He looked like a middle-aged school teacher rather than a politician.
Duke made the introductions. “This is Kaiser Wrench, a good friend of mine.”
“He knows?” asked Hopper.
“I told him everything. Don’t worry, you can trust him.” Duke made him a drink, and we all sat back down.
“Miles hasn’t called back yet. Are you a policeman, Mr. Wrench?”
“Private detective. You mind telling me everything?”
“Sure. Miles and I were born in Townville, Oklahoma. We may have been twins but our personalities didn’t match.”
Curious I asked, “Is what ever is wrong with him inherited?”
“Oh my, no. Apparently, Miles had an accident when we were younger and hit his head. I don’t remember of course, but that’s what my mother said. After that, he was always getting in trouble.” Douglas squirmed in his seat and frowned. “That explanation has never sat well with me. I’m not convinced of my brother’s mental health issues. Our parents were quite strict, and it’s possible they over did it with him. Mind you, I’m not trying to blame my parents, but even as a kit, his punishments seemed worse than our other siblings. Then there was the incident that put him in the hospital. I’d left home by then, so I never got the whole story. But I suspect Miles took an insanity plea in order to avoid prison without realizing the sanatorium would be a life sentence.”
“Miles wouldn’t be the first criminal to make that mistake.
Douglas nodded. “When I left Oklahoma, I did very well for myself. New York has been good to me. I didn’t even know of Miles’ escape until last week when he called. I’m sorry I didn’t tell the authorities about Miles sooner, but I just couldn’t figure out what to do.”
“That’s understandable,” Duke gave the rabbit a reassuring smile before turning to me. “The beat cop who took the witness statements figured something was amiss and brought everybody in. When the witnesses realized their mistake, they all agreed to keep quiet.”
I lit a cigarette and stared at Duke. “I don’t like it. Miles must be working some angle. The rabbit will try again, and you’ll be able to catch him. Why bring me in?”
“Because we want to catch him while avoiding press coverage. My mind works with the book, yours doesn’t.”
“In other words, this is off the books, and you want me to run him down and make him disappear.”
Duke glared at me. “I don’t want him dead.”
“Okay. And if this doesn’t work?”
“I’ll be looking for a new job.”
“You’re taking quite a risk for this, Duke.”
Douglas finally piped in. “Gentleman, I can’t let you risk everything for me.”
“Put a sock in it. If Duke and a bunch of other guys believe in you, then I’ll do it. He wouldn’t have asked if he didn’t feel it was important.” After shutting up Hopper, I turned to Duke. “I’m not doing this out of some patriotic duty. I’m curious, and I want to know how those green cards fit into this mess.”
One of these days my curiosity might end up at the end of a rope.
CHAPTER 4
Velvet called and woke me this time, and I told her I wouldn’t be in. I was tired, cranky, and didn’t want to talk to anybody unless mine or Velvet’s life was at stake. When I woke up again, it was around six o’clock. I was halfway through a steak I’d found in my freezer when Duke called.
“Did I wake you?”
“No.”
“Miles made contact. Douglas agreed to meet his brother at his apartment at eight. It’ll just be us three. I don’t trust anyone else.”
“Am I picking you up?”
“Sure, come on over. Douglas is taking the subway and will meet us at Miles’ place. He lives over on the East Side.” Duke rattled off the address, and I wrote it down. “Are we good?”
“Stop worrying.”
I said good bye, hung up the phone, and immediately called Velvet. “Did you eat yet?”
“Grabbed a sandwich. Why? Are you taking me out?”
“This is business. I’ll be right over.”
I hung up the phone, got dressed, complete with my .45, and tossed the remainder of the steak back into the refrigerator. On the cab ride over, I couldn’t keep from being restless. Duke had good reason to be worried. The setup didn’t feel right.
My edginess must have shown because when Velvet met me at the door, her smile turned to a frown and she bit her lip. “Come on in and tell me all about it.”
I snatched a kiss as I walked passed her and set down on the couch. When I was through telling her everything she asked, “Is that all of it?”
“No, but the rest has to do with another case.”
“Will you let me help you with that one too?”
“Maybe.”
Velvet scowled at me and shook her head. “Why is it you always have to be the loner? You know I want to help. So, what is it you want me to do on this case?”
I handed her Miles’ address. “Bring your gun. It’s a rough neighborhood, so be careful. The subway is about a half block away from Miles’ place. Look it over. If anything seems off, meet Duke and me at the subway kiosk. We will be trailing Douglas. You’ll have about a half hour.”
She grabbed her things, and I walked with her to the subway station. After another kiss, I told her again to be careful, even though I knew she could take care of herself.
Once she was off, I found a cab and went over to Duke’s.
At about seven-fifteen, the taxi pulled up to the curb, and I waved Duke over. He looked like he’d been chain smoking under the buildings canopy for all his jumpiness. Twenty minutes later, we were walking over to the subway kiosk to meet Douglas.
The rabbit didn’t stop to talk to us or acknowledge that he’d seen us as he walked down the street to his brother’s apartment. I looked around, but I didn’t see Velvet anywhere.
Duke and I watched Douglas check the addresses on the buildings before going in to one. We both counted off the seconds with muscles tensed to pounce. Before thirty seconds was up, we heard a door slam, feet pounding the boards, and somebody sobbing something unintelligible.
We flew up the stairs, but the door wouldn’t give until I kicked it in. Douglas was in the doorway, hanging on to the jamb, and pointing. “That way.”
With only flashlights to guide us, we hurried down the hallway. I heard Velvet call my name. “Kaiser, Kaiser.”
I yelled, “Gate in the wall,” and charged forward. Not waiting for Duke, I bolted through the gate and down the litter filled alley, .45 in hand. When I got to the end, people were hurrying out of the subway. Several yelled something over their shoulders. Miles was down there. I battled my way through the crowd and didn’t put my gun away until I spotted Velvet.
The train was only halfway into the station. The driver and a pair of trainmen were standing in front of the lead train, looking at the bloody mess underneath.
Velvet slid over to me. “Miles is dead.”
“Okay. Beat it before Duke sees you.”
With a nod, she disappeared into the crowd. Duke and Douglas weren’t far behind. The body on the tracks was mangled, and the face took most of the damage. Douglas was so rattled, he had to sit down, and Duke made sure a pair of cops took over.
While Douglas pulled himself together, I asked Duke, “What did the conductor say?”
“He thinks the guy was hiding behind a pillar and jumped. This is a relief.”
“Is it? What was on him?”
Duke passed me a bus envelope and train ticket from Chicago stained with sticky ink. It was dated the 15th. The envelope had the name Hopper printed across the back with a couple of schedules written in pencil. Half of another envelope used for notations was in with the mix. Part of the address could still be read along with the postmark. The only other things were money and a key.
“What is it, Kaiser?”
“Something’s off. Not sure what. Get a positive identification on the body.”
“I was going to do that, anyway. Do you think he pushed someone else under the train?”
“I don’t know what to think.”
Duke’s ears shifted before asking, “Did I hear someone in the alley call your name?”
“Doubt it. Call me tomorrow.” Before Duke could ask another question, I walked out of the subway and made my way back to the house. Miles’ room was just that, a room. Chair, closet, bed, and washstand. The suitcase on the bed was half filled with bunched up wrinkled clothes on top of pages from a mail-order catalog. Only one shirt had a laundry mark.
Everything seemed absolutely peachy, but I couldn’t get the thought out of my mind that something was horribly wrong. There were still the green cards. Was Eddie Muffin a target or just in the wrong place at the wrong time for Miles to shoot him?
Duke would have the place checked out. There was no need for me to be here, so I walked to the corner store and called Velvet. I managed to get her at the office and told her to meet me in the bar downstairs. After I hung up, I stepped outside and found a cab.
When I got to the bar, Velvet was sitting in a booth, drinking a Manhattan. Two weasels were being obnoxious, and I watched as one ambled over to her and said something no lady should hear. Velvet moved faster than the weasel and planted his face into the table. He tried saying a few more obscenities and got an ashtray right in the kisser. His buddy attempted to come to his rescue, but I tapped him on the head and knocked him out.
The boar at the bar laughed, grabbed both weasels by the tail, and dragged them out of the bar.
I sat across from Velvet. “Tell me about tonight.”
Velvet lit up a cigarette. “I got there about seven-thirty. A light was on in the front, and I saw someone peak out the shade. There was a car that drove around the block twice and kept slowing down in front of the house. When the car left, I tried both doors. They were locked, so I went to the next house over. It was also locked but there was a cellar entrance under the front steps. I was going to try that door when I spotted someone coming. Luckily, the cellar was unlocked. There was a lot of junk down there I had to climb over, but it led out into the backyard. I heard someone out in the yard, a yell, then someone came out of the house Miles was in. They were through the back alley before I could give chase, so I called for you.”
“He saw us coming.”
“Could be, but I could have sworn I heard two people running.”
“What did you see?”
“Nothing. The only reason I knew Miles was down in the subway was because a couple of cubs told me, but by the time I got there, it was too late. I went back to find the cubs, but they’d already gone. Now what?”
“You go home and sleep, I’m going to take a walk.”
The bartender had brought us our drinks. Once we finished them, I put Velvet in a cab and kissed her goodnight.
I walked down the street to the corner store and checked the directory at the payphone for Mary Swimson and dialed her number. Someone picked up after a few rings.
“Mr. Swimson’s residence.”
“Is Mary there?”
“Who shall I say is calling?”
“None of your business. Put her on.”
“I’m sorry—”
“Put her on.”
There was a shocked silence from the other end of the line and for a moment I thought the guy was going to hang up. Then Mary came on the line.
“Hello?”
“Hello Mary, remember me? I drove your car to Times Square.”
Mary’s voice became a low whisper. “I can’t talk here.”
“Meet me on the northwest corner in fifteen minutes.”
“I… I can’t.”
“You can.” I hung up and walked toward Park Avenue. If I read her voice right, Mary would be at the corner.
I called it right and smiled as I walked up to her. The mink was scared as I slipped her hand in the crook of my arm and walked down the street. I steered her toward the lights where people wandered, but the tension in her hands never left. I decided to try a bar instead, but after the second drink I gave up.
“Mary… what is it about me that has you scared?”
She wiggled in her seat.
“You never even asked my name. If you’re wondering why I asked you out, take a look in the mirror.”
That started the waterworks, so I handed her one of my handkerchiefs.
“Oh, we should be serious,” she said.
“Why?”
“You of all people should know why.”
I smiled and off the top of my head said, “You’ll do.”
“What?”
“You’ll do.”
Mary’s eyes got really big. “Oh, you mean this was a test?”
“Sort of.”
“Why?”
“Because I need help.”
If her eyes could have got any bigger, she could have swallowed me whole. “You mean find who did it?”
“Yes.” I was not in the mood for more silly games, but I couldn’t figure out what else to do short of shaking her.
Mary relaxed and asked, “Why me?”
“You’re beautiful.”
“No, I’m not.”
“From where I’m sitting you are.”
That made her smile. “Would you like to go somewhere a little more discreet?”
I nodded, and we left the bar to head back to her place. If I thought we were going into the house, I was wrong. Instead she motioned to her car park out front. “I’ll drive.”
Mary drove out of the city. She turned off the highway onto a winding macadam road that led to a small cottage. Inside the cottage was a luxurious little love nest.
“Why don’t you fix the drinks and light a fire.” She pointed to the fireplace. “I’ll be right back.”
While she wandered off, I did as instructed. The liquor cabinet was all top shelf, and I grabbed a bottle and pour two straight. It would have been a waste had I used a mixer. The booze was so smooth I poured myself another.
Mary came back in with her coat on.
“Cold?”
“It will warm up in a bit.” She took her glass and drank. I’d wanted to ask her questions, but I didn’t want to let her think. Before long, the bottle was virtually empty, and she was tipsy. The best laid plans can always get sidetracked. I found out pretty quick Mary didn’t have a stitch on underneath her coat.
CHAPTER 5
I awoke at dawn, my brain fumbling for the memories of the night before. The fire was out, and with the chill, Mary apparently got up to put a blanket over us. The mink was fast asleep beside me.
Careful not to wake her, I searched the floor for my stuff and dressed. My wallet had fallen out of my pocket and ended up under one of the end tables.
Whatever Mary Swimson was dreaming about when I left must have been good because she was smiling.
The walk down the old road took about twenty minutes and the same to hitch a ride from a passing truck. I bought the driver breakfast as a thank you.
When I called Duke, he wanted me in his office right away, so I didn’t have time to get back to my apartment. I walked into his office, and his ears got all cock-eye. “I know what you’ve been doing, not sure where, but from the color of that lipstick it wasn’t with Velvet.”
“Bad?”
“I feel I’m getting pickled being in the same room with you.”
“She won’t like that.”
“Why she puts up with you is beyond me.” Duke handed me a manila envelope with the words, confidential, written across. “Park it. In there are Miles’ medical records. Douglas was kind enough to supply them.”
“It’s Miles?”
“Yes. Paranoiac, neurotic, and narcissistic were just a few of the words used to describe him.”
I thumbed through the sheets inside and passed them back to Duke. “Any repercussions?”
/> “Not so far. Miles’ face was so messed up you couldn’t tell what he looked like, and the coroner declared it suicide. Guess he chose that over the sanatorium or jail for murdering Muffin.”
“Then that ties it up.”
“Sort of. Douglas wants to hire you.”
With eyebrows raised, I pulled a cigarette out of my pocket. Duke lit it.
“When Miles called, he hinted that he had a paper that would ruin Douglas. I’m assuming they would somehow tie him to Muffin’s murder. When I told him you were interested in the case for your own crazy reasons, he asked why. Seeing as I have no idea what goes on in that whiskey pickled brain of yours, I couldn’t tell him. But he’s willing to give you a flat fee, so you don’t have to work the case for free.”
I opened my mouth, but Duke didn’t let me say anything.
“Don’t give me that vacation malarkey. You’re never on vacation. If you tried, you’d find a body on the beach and go hunt down the person responsible.”
“Speaking of dead bodies, anything new lately?”
“No.”
“What abut the sable you pulled out of the water?”
Duke’s ears flatten, then righted themselves. “Gang related. We’ll catch the killer.”
“ID?”
“Not yet, but his unusual dental work should help. He had a steel tooth.”
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and I almost dropped my cigarette. Duke may not have heard about steel dental work, but I had.
I took a long drag on my cigarette and asked, “What do you have on the guy Miles’ killed?”
“Eddie Muffin, serval, age thirty-two, scar over one eye. No criminal record so we don’t have anything much. Muffin was 4-F during the war. He had a room over on Ninety-First Street for about a year and worked at Sweenies Pie Factory.”
“Was the card his only identification?”
“Driver’s license and the usual stuff. His pocket was torn in the scuffle, but that’s it. Why are you so interested?”
I snuffed out my cigarette in the ashtray on the desk. “Green cards.”
Duke rolled his eyes. “Would you concentrate on the situation at hand?”
