"He would."
"That's not all. He knew there was more to it than that, but he had a good lawyer. We couldn't hold him at all. About thirty minutes after we let him go, hell started popping. Something's happening and I'm on the receiving end. Until tonight I didn't think the politics in this town were as dirty as they are. You, started something, kid."
"I'm going to finish it, too. What about the apartment... Ann's. Any prints?"
"None that mattered. The tub was clean as a whistle. On the far side were a few smudges that turned out to be hers, but the rest had been wiped off. We took samples of the water and tested them. It worked. Some traces of the same soap."
"Did you ask around about that suicide note?"
"Hell, I haven't had time. Two of the men on the case started to question some of the employees in the Zero Zero Club, but before they got very far they were called to a phone. A voice told them to lay off if they knew what was good for them."
"What did they do?"
Pat's voice had a snarl in it. "They didn't scare. They tried to have the call traced only to find it came from a subway phone booth--a pay station. They called me for instructions and I gave them to them. I told them to knock some heads together if they have to."
I chuckled at that. "Getting smart, huh?
"I'm getting mad, damn it! The people pay for protection. What the hell do they take the police for, a bunch of private servants."
"Some do," I remarked sourly. "Look, Pat, I have something for you. I know it's late and all that, but it's important. Get over here as fast as you can, will you?"
He didn't ask questions. I heard him slide out of bed and snap a light on. I gave him Lola's address and he said O.K., then hung up.
Lola rose and went into the kitchen, coming back with a tray and some beer. She opened the bottle and poured it out, giving me the big one. When she settled herself in a chair opposite me she said, "What happens now?"
"We're going to scare the blazes out of some people, I think.
"Murray?"
"He's one."
We sipped the beer, finished it, had another. This time Lola curled up on the end of the couch, her legs crossed, one arm stretched out across the back. "Will you come over here, or do I go over there?" she grinned impishly.
"I'll go over there," I said.
She made room for me on the same cushion, putting a head on the beer. "That's to keep one hand out of trouble."
"What about the other hand?"
"Let it get in trouble."
I laughed at her and hugged her to me so she could nuzzle against my shoulder. "Mike... I think the college kids have something. It's nice to neck."
I couldn't disagree with that. When the beer was gone she brought in another bottle and came back into my arm again. I should have been thinking of Nancy or doing something else maybe, but it was nice just sitting there with her, laughing at foolish things. She was the kind of a girl who could give you back something you thought you had lost to the years.
Pat came in too soon. He rang from downstairs and Lola pushed the buzzer to let him in. He must have run up the stairs because he was knocking on the door a few seconds later.
Lola let him in with a smile and I called out, "Lola, meet Pat Chambers, the finest of the finest."
Pat said, "Hullo, Lola," then came over to me and threw his hand on the back of the couch. He didn't waste any time.
"Gimme. What did you get?"
Lola brought the book over from the endtable and I handed it to him. "Part of Murray's collection, Pat. Code. Think you can break it?"
I scanned his face and saw his lips set in a line. He talked to himself. "Memory code. Damn it to hell!"
"What?"
"It's a memory code, I'll bet a fin. He's got a symbol or a structure for everything and he's the only one who knows it."
I set the glass down and inched forward on the couch. "The Washington boys broke the Jap Imperial code, didn't they?"
"Yeah, but that was different." He shook his head helplessly. "Let me give you an example. Suppose you say a word to me, or several of them for that matter. You know what they mean, but I don't. How could I break that? If you strung out sentences long enough there would be repetition, but if you allowed nothing to repeat itself, using different symbol or letter grouping that you committed to memory, there would be nothing to start with."
"That takes a good memory, doesn't it?" I cut in.
"For some things. But there isn't too much to remember in this." He tapped the book. "Probably anyone could do it if he puts his mind to it."
I reached for the glass and filled it, emptying the bottle. "Lola recognized one of the symbols, she thinks. Murray used it to identify one of his 'customers.' That little gadget is Murray's account book with a listing of his clients and his fleshly assets."
Pat jumped to his feet, a light blazing in his eyes. "Son of a bitch, if it is we can rip him apart! We can split this racket right down the middle!"
His language was getting contaminated from hanging around private detectives. "Only temporarily," I reminded him.
"It's better than not at all. It'll pay for people getting killed. Where did you get it, Mike?"
"Your boy Candid has himself a party den in the Village. While you were popping the questions he sent his lads up to get that book, taking no chances. I surprised them at it. The damn thing was worth their trying to knock me off. I just missed having my head handed to me."
"You can identify them, then?"
"Nope. I didn't see their faces. But one will have a cut on his hand and a beauty across his forehead. The other guy is his pal. Ask around the club. I think they were Murray's personal bodyguards. We put the squeeze on so fast Murray didn't have time to pull that book himself. He probably figured nobody would question Ann's death except for routine questioning at his joint."
"You might be right. I'll get this thing photostated and hand it around to the experts. I'll let you know what comes of it."
"Good!"
"Where will I get in touch with you?"
"You won't. I'll get in touch with you."
"I don't get it, Mike. Won't you be... ?"
He stopped when he saw the expression on my face. "I'm supposed to be dead."
"Good Lord!"
"There were three guys at Murray's place. One wasn't in on it. All he wanted was the redhead's ring. He gave it to me square in the chest. So he's gonna drop his load when he sees me again."
Pat caught the implication at once. "He tailed you. The same guy killed the blonde, tailed you home, searched your place and stayed right behind you until he had a clear shot at you."
"Uh-huh. In a dark hallway."
"And he just wanted the ring?"
"That's right. I had the book on me, and he never looked for it."
"That makes two parties. Both after you for a different reason."
"Could be the same reason, but they don't know it."
A grin spread over his face. "They'll be waiting for your body to show. They'll have their ears to the ground and their eyes open. They'll want to know what happened to your body."
I nodded. "Let 'em wonder," I said slowly. "They'll think the cops are keeping it quiet purposely. They'll think you have more than you're giving out. Let's see what happens, Pat."
"Ummm." That was all he said. He went to the door, looking satisfied, his mind pounding out the angles. He turned around once, grinned, waved goodbye and was gone.
Lola picked up the empty bottle and looked at me sideways.
"If you're really dead it's going to be a wonderful wake."
I faked a kick at her and she ducked out for a refill. When she came back she was serious and I knew it. Her eyes questioned me before she asked. "Could you tell me... about your place being searched, I mean? If I have to worry about you I want to know what I'm worrying about."