The Leather Duke

All eyes in the room were on Johnny. He looked steadily at Nancy Miller, then at Karl Kessler. “You let Al Piper have the bookie concession; for a weekly consideration, of course. You knew that, Hal, didn’t you?”

Hal Johnson said nothing.

Johnny continued. “And then Carmella began going out with your niece, Karl, and he began taking bets. Al complained but you wouldn’t do anything about it. Then Al, who knew quite a lot about you already, did a little nosing around — during his last binge. He found out about Elliott and Nancy — and the little blackmail job you were pulling. He came back to work two days ago and nailed you with it.”

Lieutenant Lindstrom of Homicide appeared suddenly in the doorway. He pulled someone along from behind, a handcuffed Carmella Vitali.

“Ah,” said Johnny. “I was just telling how Karl Kessler here cut Al Piper’s throat...”

Nancy Miller screamed.

“I’m sorry, Taffy,” said Johnny softly. “He’s your uncle, all right, but then — but then, Elliott isn’t your half brother. Maybe that’ll make up.”

“I had nothin’ to do with it,” suddenly yelped Carmella. “I seen him come out of the aisle with the bloody knife.”

“You fool!” roared Karl Kessler. He suddenly reached under his apron and brought out an eight-inch leather knife, a knife as sharp as a razor and with a point like a needle. He lunged for Johnny. “You...!” he mouthed. “I’ll take you...”

Sam took two quick strides forward. He came up beside Karl Kessler and hit him with his fist, in the back of the head. Karl Kessler plummeted clear across the room, his head striking the far wall. He dropped to the floor and remained still. And while all eyes were on him, Sam Cragg wheeled and slapped Carmella Vitali with his open palm. It was one of the hardest blows Sam had ever struck, and it was a cowardly blow, too, since Carmella was handcuffed and could not defend himself. But cowardly or not, the result was the same. Carmella Vitali went into the same slumberland as Karl Kessler.

Some ten minutes later, Harry Towner’s office contained only Harry Towner, Johnny and Sam, and Linda.

“Thirty-nine years, eight months and eleven days,” said Harry Towner. “The man never had any other job in his whole life.”

“And he was getting forty-five a week,” Johnny said. “And getting old.”

“Don’t rub it in, Fletcher,” said Harry Towner. “As a matter of fact, Elliott’s been talking to me for months about a pension plan for employees. It’s going to be put into effect as soon as I can work out the details with Elliott.”

“You mean,” said Sam, “if I work here I could get a pension?”

“Yes,” said Johnny, “and you’d only have to work thirty-nine years...”

The phone on Towner’s desk rang. He scooped it up, said: “Yes? Oh...” He held out the phone. “For you, Fletcher.”

Johnny crossed and took the phone. “Fletcher talking...”

“Wiggins,” wheezed a voice. “I’ve got something for you. My operator—”

“Never mind,” said Johnny, “the case is closed.”

“Wait a minute,” cried Wiggins. “This is personal...” He spoke for a moment and Johnny’s face lit up. He said, “Thanks” and hung up. He looked at Sam and rubbed his hands together. “Wiggins’ man lost me last night, Sam, so he began backtracking. He traced us back to the Eagle Hotel—”

“Ouch!” said Sam. “The flea bag that evicted us two weeks ago...”

“The same joint,” said Johnny, “hot cockroaches and running mice in every room. But it was home for us, Sam. And they’ve got a telegram there. From Mort Murray... He’s out of hock, Sam, and sending us a shipment of books, prepaid. Get that, Sam, prepaid...!”

“We’re back in the book business!” Sam beamed. “Then I don’t have to work here for thirty-nine years?”

“That’s right, Sam. We’re free men.”

“About that sales manager position, Fletcher,” said Harry Towner. “The job pays fifteen thousand a year...”

“Take it, Johnny Fletcher!” cried Linda Towner.

Johnny shook his head. “And see you coming in here to visit your husband every few days? Unh-uh, I couldn’t stand that...”

“My husband? Who are you talking about?”

“Freddie, who else? The guy loves you. He’s so jealous he had me shadowed. And if it hadn’t been for that, I wouldn’t have solved this mess.”

“Yes,” said Linda, thoughtfully. “That was rather intriguing about Freddie. I didn’t know he had it in him.” She came across the room, kissed Johnny on the mouth and said:

“So long, Johnny. And good luck!”