Pale Shadow by Robert Skinner Page A

talked to even knew she was hooked up with Luis Martinez.”
    Daggett had no comment to that. He continued to stare into the darkness while he tapped his fingers restlessly on the ledge of the open car window. Finally, he said, “I’m dead beat. Take us to the Fat Man Lounge. I’ll call into the office and we can have a beer before we go home.”
    â€œI like your thinkin’, boss.” Andrews took Napoleon Avenue up as far as Saint Charles then headed in the direction of Lee Circle. He turned across the streetcar tracks at Clio Street to drive several blocks before bringing the car to a stop in front of the lounge. The two big brown men got out of the car and strolled through the door as they shook the wrinkles out of their pants. It was early yet, and the place contained only a handful of male customers and a couple of bored working girls.
    The detectives approached the bar and gave a wave to the big black man busily polishing glasses with a bar towel.
    â€œEvenin’, Big Boy,” Daggett said.
    â€œIz, Sam. Long time no see. What’ll it be?”
    â€œTwo Dixies,” Daggett said as he eased a hip over a barstool. He and Andrews both leaned their forearms on the bar as they waited for the beer.
    As he served them, Big Boy saw the dullness of frustration in their eyes. He spoke to them in a low voice. “Who you guys lookin’ for?”
    â€œWe don’t know for sure,” Daggett replied. “We’re workin’ the Linda Blanc murder.”
    Big Boy’s eyes narrowed as he shot quick glances about to check for unwanted listeners. “I knew that gal. She was all right. You ain’t got no idea who done it, huh?”
    Daggett shook his head. “We don’t know a hell of a lot of nothin’. We got some dope that she was hooked up with a guy named Luis Martinez. We think there’s a connection.”
    Big Boy screwed up his mouth as he considered Daggett’s words. He cut his eyes at Andrews, and saw the other detective watching him over the rim of his beer glass. “I told her a couple years ago that he was gonna bring her grief. She just patted my cheek, said she loved the guy and for me not to talk bad about him.” He shook his head. “Crock of bullshit.”
    Andrews sipped his beer, paused to lick the foam from his lips. “We want to talk to Martinez some kinda bad, Big Boy. Any idea where he might be?”
    Big Boy slowly wiped the bar in front of him as he flicked his eyes about the room. “Been hearin’ some funny shit lately.”
    â€œAbout what?”
    â€œMartinez is supposed to be connected to a heavy hitter—white man.”
    Daggett raised his eyes. “This white man got a name?”
    â€œSantiago Compasso.”
    Daggett and Andrews exchanged a look and shrugged. “Never heard of him. What’s he into?”
    â€œDon’t know. And nobody I talked to knows, neither.”
    Daggett considered this as he sipped some beer. “A racket nobody knows about. That’s new.”
    Big Boy reached under the bar and brought out a dish of salted nuts and shoved them between the two detectives. “Supposed to be all out-of-town people that Martinez got for this Compasso. But that ain’t the interestin’ part.”
    Andrews dunked a meaty hand into the bowl of nuts, captured some and transferred them to his waiting mouth. “What is?” he said around the nuts.
    â€œMartinez is in the soup with this Compasso. Word is there’s a contract out on Luis. Nobody’s seen the guy in a few weeks. Might be he’s dead already.”
    Andrews swallowed audibly, chasing the nuts with some beer. “Maybe he took the hint and split town.”
    Big Boy shook his head. “Uh-uh, brutha. He wouldn’t make a permanent disappearance without takin’ Linda. They was two beats off the same drum. He had her in a place he thought was safe, but the contract has