Safer Dead

‘Oh, I guess so. The things I do for that man.’ Benn suddenly grinned. ‘I’ll hide you up for a while, but not for long. I’m sticking my neck out. Now listen, my car’s parked at the end of the street. I’ll go and fetch it and come past here slowly. Fats will give you the tip when to move. I’ll have the car door open. Dive in quick. Okay?’

I said it was okay.

CHAPTER TWELVE

I

It was after eleven o’clock before I rolled out of the wall bunk in Benn’s hideout, and walked, yawning, to the toilet basin to sluice water over my face.

The hideout was a professional job and I wondered what its history was. Located under Benn’s barroom and made of concrete and steel, it had an elaborately concealed entrance, an emergency exit that led to an alley behind the bar, a refrigerator full of food, a radio, a television set, a telephone, a table, three armchairs and a comprehensive stock of liquor.

While I shaved I had the radio on to the short wave police signals, but the routine stuff that came out of the speaker wasn’t concerned with me.

Benn came in as I was cleaning the razor. He had a couple of brown paper parcels which he put on the table. From his pockets he produced four small packages and a folded newspaper.

‘I guess I haven’t forgotten anything,’ he said, wandering over to plug in the electric kettle.

I unfolded the newspaper. The double murder had been given a spread. Lieutenant Carson said in his statement that the police had a number of important clues and they were anxious to interview a tall, dark, well-built man, wearing a dark grey suit and dark hat who they thought might be able to give them information that would lead to the solution of the murders. They didn’t mention my name, and I was surprised that the description was so vague.

‘That you?’ Benn asked as he put two eggs in a saucepan.

‘Yeah,’ I said and taking the hair dye he had got me over to the toilet basin I started to tone my hair down to a darker shade. By the time he had soft boiled the eggs, made some coffee and toast I was through. The extra shade made a difference. He had brought me a twist of black hair and a small bottle of spirit gum, but before I made myself a moustache I sat down to breakfast.

Benn leaned against the wall, a cigarette between his fingers and watched me eat.

‘Have you known Captain Bradley, long?’ I asked him as I decapitated an egg.

‘Twelve years. He was my commanding officer during the war. He saved my life twice, talked me out of a court martial, got me three weeks leave when my wife was dying and when the General said no one was to have leave,’ Benn said, staring at the glowing end of his cigarette. ‘I’d cut my right arm off for him if it would do him any good.’

‘Some place you have here.’

He grinned.

‘Don’t get wrong ideas, Bud. This was here when I bought the joint. It used to be one of Capone’s liquor dumps. Now and then someone wants to cool off and it comes in handy. When Cap Bradley was in charge I kept it shut, but now these skates are running the police force I oblige where I can.’ He took a drag from his cigarette. ‘It’ll cost you twenty a day. I’m saving up for a trip to Europe, otherwise I wouldn’t charge you.’

I grinned at him.

‘That’s okay. Make it thirty. I run an expense sheet.’

He sighed enviously.

‘That’s something I’ve always wanted to do. You’ve got nothing to worry about as long as you stay here.’

I decapitated the second egg.

‘Take the weight off your feet.’

He reached for a bottle of beer, levered off the cap with his teeth, then sat down, nursing the bottle.

‘I can’t stay long. I’ve work to do.’

‘How do I get hold of you when I want you?’

‘Use the telephone. I’m the only one who answers it.’

‘Have you got anyone to run messages for me? There’s a package I want taken to Welden.’

‘I’ve got a boy, but he might talk. Can’t you mail it?’

‘It’s got to get there today.’

‘Safer to mail it.’

‘Okay. Now can you get me some writing paper? A lot of it?’

‘There’s some in the table drawer.’

‘Fine. I guess for the moment that covers it.’

He took a long pull at the bottle of beer, sighed, wiped his lips on the back of his hand and stood up.

‘You’ve got plenty of food. Just help yourself. I’ll be down again.’

I took out my billfold, checked my money, then gave him two fifties. I had already given him the money for the things he had bought me, and when he took the tray and left me, I undid the parcels and put on the brown sports suit he had got for me. It was a good fit without being over smart. I could be one of a crowd in it without attracting attention.

I spent half an hour making myself a moustache. It was a hair-by-hair job, and when I had trimmed it, it looked the genuine article. With the new suit, the toned down hair and the moustache I doubted if even Bernie would recognize me. I had trouble in recognizing myself.

I made a parcel of the .38 automatic, disguising its shape as well as I could. Then I sat down by the telephone and called police headquarters at Welden. When I got through I asked for Police Captain Creed.