We paused at the entrance and I took a quick gander through the glass doors.
“We’re in luck,” I said to Whisky, “I don’t know the guy. Come on in.”
The man at the desk just glanced at us without interest.
“I want to talk to the night editor,” I said. “I’m a friend of his. Can I go up?”
“Sure,” he said. “Know your way?”
I nodded and we went over to the automatic elevator. “Well, that was easy,” I said, as the elevator shot up.
Whisky heaved a sigh. “You can get five years for this,” he returned. “Even Summers couldn’t do anything for you.”
“Quiet!” I said and stepped out onto the eighth floor. At the end f the passage was the door that led to Maddox’s offices. As we approached, Whisky cocked his head on one side.
“Wait a minute,” he said sharply.
“What’s up?”
“Someone’s in there,” he said, “I can hear ’em.”
I listened, but I couldn’t hear a thing. “Sure?”
“You bet I’m sure,” Whisky said, lowering his tail.
I crept to the door and listened. A man’s voice sounded faintly through the thick door.
“Hell!” I said, stepping back. “What do we do now?”
“We go some place and wait,” Whisky returned.
I put my hand on the doorknob and turned it softly. The door gave a few inches and I looked into the outer office. There was no one there, but voices came from Maddox’s office across the room. His door stood open.
“Wait here,” I whispered, and entered the outer office silently.
I crossed the room and edged up to the open door. One quick glance brought me up short. Peppi was standing by Maddox’s safe. With him was his muscleman, Lew, and two other men I hadn’t seen before.
Peppi was smoking a cigar, his hands in his pockets and his hat pushed to the back of his head. He watched Lew, who was trying to open the safe.
I backed away, crossed the office once more and started to join Whisky. Then I paused. Standing on one of the desks was a press camera complete with a flash-gun. I picked it up as I passed and then joined Whisky in the passage.
“What’s up?” Whisky asked, eyeing the camera nervously.
“Peppi and his gang are cracking the safe,” I said. “Now look, I’m going back in there and I’m going to get a picture of them. If we can get away with this we’ve got Peppi just where we want him.”
“You don’t think he’ll let you take a picture of him and then walk out, do you?” Whisky demanded. “He’ll probably be a very mad man.”
“That’s where you come in,” I said.
“They’ve tried to brain me before,” Whisky returned uneasily. “I’d prefer to remain neutral, if it’s all the same to you.”
“Pipe down,” I said. “As soon as I’ve taken the picture, I’ll give the plate to you and you beat it. I’ll bold them off until you get away. They won’t do anything to me so long as we have the picture.”
“That’s what you hope,” Whisky said. “They may have different ideas.”
I thought that was likely, but I had to take the chance.
“When you get outside, go to Miss Halliday’s apartment and wait for me,” I said. “I’ve told her about you and she’s expecting us. If I don’t come out within an hour, turn the picture over to Summers.”
Whisky looked worried. “Aren’t you being unnecessarily heroic?” he asked. “Can’t we work out something better than that?”
I shook my head. “I’ve got to put the screws to Peppi and this is the only way to do it. Get in the elevator and wait for me.”
“Well, I’d rather it was you than me,” Whisky said, enter in the elevator.
I adjusted the shutter of the camera and set the lens-stop. Then I went back into the room. Peppi was cursing Lew when I arrived at the door.
“If you can’t get that can open,” he snarled, “why don’t you say so? We’ve been here twenty minutes.”
“Gimme a break, will you?” Lew grunted, his ear against the safe. “I gotta have quiet to hear these tumblers.”
Peppi drew in a deep breath and stood over him. That was how I found them.
I shoved the camera round the door and braced it. Then I said sharply: “Hold it!”
I gave them time to look round and then I released the shutter. There was a blinding flash as the flashlight exploded and I didn’t wait to see what happened.
I whipped across the outer office, slammed the door and jerked the plate out of the camera. Whisky watched me with startled eyes.
“Here you are,” I said and shoved the plate holder into his mouth. Then I pressed the elevator button and the door snapped shut as Lew and Peppi tumbled into the passage.
Lew had a gun in his hand and he looked mean.
“Grab some air,” he said, pointing the gun at me.
I raised my hands, holding the camera above my head.
Peppi, snarling with rage, snatched the camera out of my hand. He took one look at it and flung it to the floor.
“Where’s the plate?” he snapped.
“On its way down,” I said. “Now, don’t get excited,” I went on hurriedly as Lew made as if to slug me. “That picture’ll give you a lot of grief if you don’t wise up.”
“Who’s got it?” Peppi snarled.
“Never mind who’s got it,” I returned. “All you have to worry about is who’s going to have it in an hour’s time.”
“That’s it, is it?” Peppi’s voice was soft and menacing. “You’re crazy to try that stuff on me.”
“Okay, so I’m crazy,” I said. “But I’ve got something on you, Peppi, that you won’t get out of in a hurry.”
“Let me slug this punk,” Law said.
Peppi jerked his head to the office. “Come in here,” he said, “I want to talk to you.”
I went into the office with Lew crowding me.
“What’s the idea?” Peppi said. “Come on—give.”
“If I’m not at a certain address in an hour’s time,” I explained, watching Lew out of the corner of my eye, “that picture’s going to the police chief. And then you can talk yourself out of it.”
“What address?” Peppi asked, fiddling with his cigar.
“Be your age,” I returned, wandering over to the desk and sitting on it. “Now listen, Peppi, here’s the deal. Give me Arym and I’ll give you the picture.”
While I was talking I glanced over Maddox’s desk. I remembered there was a button concealed somewhere which let off the burglar alarm. Maddox had had it fitted when some hood had threatened to scramble his brains in the old days of prohibition.
Peppi turned to Lew. “Get that safe open,” he said. “We’ll fix this guy when we’re through.”
That didn’t suit me. I spotted the button and rammed my thumb on it.
One of the other men caught me a full swing behind my ear, but he was a shade late. As I went over on the floor a bell began to ring somewhere in the building.
I struggled to my feet as Law went for me.
“Cut it out!” Peppi said, his face white with rage. “Take him and let’s get out of here.”
Lew dug his gun into my spine and herded me into Maddox’s private elevator. The others followed.
As we shot between floors, Peppi said: “You’ll be damned sorry you stuck your neck out.” And I didn’t like the look in his eyes.
The elevator landed us at the side entrance, away from the main doors. There was a big closed car waiting and as soon as we had bundled in it shot away towards Fifth Avenue. No one said anything all the way to Peppi’s house. Law sat by my side with his gun sticking into me and a hungry look in his eyes. I felt that I’d only to flicker an eye-lash and he’d plug me. So I sat still and sweated plenty.