I'll Get You For This

  "You telling me," Davis said, shaking his head. "What a moment Flaggerty and Sansotta got together, and Sansotta mentioned you. He said I'd brought in a guy who was a stranger to him. Flaggerty was on me like lightning. He wanted to know where I'd picked you up. I acted like I thought he was crazy, and told him I'd found you in a bar, and that you wanted a poker game. I swore that was all there was to it, and I had no idea who you were, and it was phoney enough to sound true. Flaggerty wanted to know what you looked like, and Sansotta supplied a detailed description. That tore it. 'It's Cain!' Flaggerty bawled, and you should see the way the crowd gaped. I acted surprised, but I needn't have bothered. They'd forgotten about me, and they made a dive for the stairs. I drifted. There seemed no sense in hanging around. I wrote you off as a funeral debt."

"Are you in the clear with them?"

  He nodded. "Yeah, it looks all right. I've talked with Flaggerty this morning. He was half out of his mind with rage because you got away, and as for Bat —–" He broke off to whistle.

  "Why did you see Flaggerty?"

  "They've pinned Giles' murder on you," Davis said, taking out his comb and running it through his hair. "I've just written a piece about you. Like to see it?"

  I shook my head. "Any news of Brodey?"

  "Only that he's missing. They hint you're at the bottom of it."

  I lolled back on the pillow. "We've got to get organized," I said thoughtfully. "These boys are good, but there's one way to lick them."

  "Yeah? What's that?"

  "Play one against the other," I said. "It'll need a little thought and planning, but it can be done. I won't be out of this jam until I've cleaned up the whole mob and that includes Killeano, Speratza, Flaggerty and Bat. If I can get them out of the way for good, I guess their organization will fold."

  "I guess it will," Davis said, scratching his nose. "How are you going to do it?"

  "I'll find a way," I said.

  "What do you want me to do?" he asked, after a pause.

  "You still with me?"

  He grinned. "Sure," he said. "Keep me under cover if you can, but if you can't, the hell with it. I'll stick whichever way it jumps. I like your style."

  "Swell," I said, and meant it. "I hit the dud currency angle right on the nose," I went on. "I could tell by the way Killeano flinched that I'd guessed right. We've got to get hold of some of those notes, and we've got to find out where he makes them. A forgery plant isn't easy to hide.

Can you take care of that angle?"

He nodded. "I'll try."

  "Then there's Brodey. I'm thinking about the little girl. We promised to find the old guy. Maybe you'd try to get a line on him."

  "I reckon he's dead," Davis said.

  "I guess so too. They wouldn't let him loose if he knows anything. Anyway, see what you can find out."

  "What are you going to do?"

  "I'm going to see Tim."

  "Where's he got to?"

  "He's looking after the Wonderly girl."

  Davis grinned. "Well, I'll be damned. I ought to have thought of that. You watch that girl. Flaggerty wants her bad."

  "He won't get her," I said grimly. "Now beat it, and see what you can dig up."

  When he had gone, I dressed and went downstairs.

  Hetty Duval was scrubbing the kitchen floor. She looked over her broad shoulder at me, paused.

  "I'm going to see Tim," I said. "Any message?"

  "Tell him to come home when he can. I kind of miss him," she said, and blushed like a schoolgirl.

  "I'll tell him," I said, and peered out of the window.

  Tim's boat rode at anchor. No one seemed around.

  "Like to go out and see if it's all clear?" I asked.

She went. After a few minutes, she returned. "It's all right "I she said.

  I thanked her and walked down to the boat. I went hell for leather towards the islands. I suddenly wanted to see Miss Wonderly again. I was surprised how much I wanted to see her.

  Three-quarters of the way across, I spotted a rowing boat. The guy who was pulling the oars acted like he was in a hurry. He waved to me, and then went on pulling.

  I swung the boat off course and headed towards him.

  It was Tim. His face was running with sweat and the look in his eyes turned me cold.

  He tried to speak, but he was so breathless he couldn't: it. He raised his fists and shook them at the sky.

  I hauled him on to the boat, grabbed him by the shoulder.

  I knew what he was going to say.

  He said it. "They've got her!"

Chapter Four

CYCLONE SHOT

1

  THERE were a half a dozen Bobby-soxers sitting up on stools at | the drug-store counter when I came in. They didn't pay any; attention to me. They were too busy telling each other how much they loved Frank Sinatra. I didn't pay any attention to them. I had too much on my mind.

  I shut myself in a telephone booth, called Killeano's private residence. They told me he was at the City Hall, and gave roe the number. I dropped in another nickel and put through a call to the City Hall.

  A girl wanted to know who was calling.

  "He'll tell you if he wants you to know," I said. "Put me through and step on it."

  There was a delay, then Killeano's oily voice came over the wire.