Copp For Hire, A Joe Copp Thriller (Joe Copp Private Eye Series) by Don Pendleton Page B

on.
           "You don't tell her where you're at," I said, properly contrite.
           "Of course not."
           I gave her the phone and she quickly ended the conversation. Didn't even know she had a mother. How was I supposed to know who she was talking to?
           I put the perishable stuff in the refrigerator and took the cosmetics to the bathroom.
           She was staring at the phone when I returned to the sitting room.
           I said, "Sorry 'bout that, kid."
           She said, "It's okay. I understand. You're worried for me."
           "Worried as hell, that's right. There have been two attempts on your life in the past hour. So ..."
           She shivered. "Why do you think?"
           "Hell, I don't know what to think. Unless Juanita was into some very hard trouble and the people who are mad at her think you might know something about it. Do you?"
           She gave me a blank look. "I don't know anything about it."
           "Maybe you do but don't know that you do."
           "What could it be?"
           I said, "Anything, just anything."
           "Well, I don't know how to account for just anything, Joe."
           I growled, "Neither do I. Was Juanita screwing around with extracurricular stuff?"
           "You mean, literally screwing around?"
           "Professionally, yeah."
           She shook her head. "I don't know, Joe.   Some of the girls are in business for themselves, but I never saw anything to make me think that Juanita was. That doesn't mean that she could not or did not make dates. I think she was the type to weigh the pros and cons of any offer. It would be entirely a matter of practicality for Juanita. I do believe, though, that she was very careful about her involvements."
           "What about her roommate? Know her?"
           "I've met her."
           "So?"
           "So her name is Maria Avila. She tried out for the club about a year ago. Oh, I guess she tried several times. I don't know—something's lacking in Maria. Pretty as a picture and a fair dancer but...I don't know, no pizazz , I guess. Juanita told me that she'd made a connection with one of the party agencies. You know, private parties."
           "Sometimes very private parties?"
           "I suppose. Some of these agencies are straight and some are not. Some will book a party or whatever."
           "Whatever covers a lot."
           "Covers everything," she said simply. "I believe Maria does everything."
           "What if I told you," I said, thinking about it and wondering if I should, "that Maria is dead too?"
           She blinked. "Is she?"
           I decided against all the cards face up, said instead, "I said what if. Why would you think she is dead?"
           She looked at me through clouded eyes. "I would figure she finally took that step too far."
           Step too far. Well. Maybe so. Maybe she and Juanita had taken it together. And it was now catching up to Linda and me.
           I had to do something quickly to halt the fall of dominoes.
           Sudden death, after all, had already knocked twice at our door. I did not want to be standing around dumb and defenseless when it came again.

 
    Chapter Ten  
     
    I HAVE A friend at County, a true friend. Her name is Edna Sorensen. She is about five feet tall and five feet around, fiftyish , and I am in love with her. Edna is one of the most thoroughly nice people I have ever known.
           Her kid got into the drug scene a few years back. Nice kid but too impressionable at an impressionable age. She discovered privately that he was dealing coke to his friends at school in order to support his own expensive habit.
           I was with the department then and she came to me for advice. I took the kid in hand and helped him straighten himself out. He's now in his third year at UCLA and it looks like he'll be