The Blue Movie Murders by Ellery Queen Page A

phone.”
    McCall thanked him and went to a line of phones in one corner of the lobby. She answered on the first ring, with a voice that reminded him of a girl he’d dated in high school. “McCall?” she replied to his hasty introduction. “I don’t know any McCall.”
    â€œI’m here to remedy that. If you could give me your room number—”
    â€œI’ll meet you in the lobby, Mr. McCall. In ten minutes.”
    It was a long ten minutes, but when she finally appeared it was well worth the wait. She wore a sleeveless blue dress that revealed a nice tan and well-proportioned arms. The dress fell to just above the knees, but from what he could see the legs were just as good. Her hair was blonde, nicely set off by the tan, and she had an upturned nose some men would have called cute. McCall guessed her age in the late twenties, and noted with satisfaction the absence of any ring on her left hand.
    â€œSo you’re Mike McCall,” she said, gripping her tiny purse with both hands. She wasn’t the sort of woman to shake hands.
    â€œAnd you’re April Evans. I’ve been hearing about you all over town.”
    â€œOnly good things, I hope.”
    Her smile was wide and somehow as blonde as her hair. She was shorter than he usually liked his women, but he was almost ready to make an exception. “Enough to make me want to meet you,” he replied.
    â€œI’ve heard your name too,” she admitted. She lit a cigarette and offered him the pack.
    â€œI’m trying to give them up,” he said, waving it away.
    â€œYou’re going to ask me what I’m doing in Rockview.”
    â€œSmart girl.”
    â€œThen I’ll tell you. I’m looking for Sol Dahlman too.”
    â€œOh? Why?”
    She gave him a big smile as he held open the street door. “That would be telling.”
    â€œWhat makes him suddenly so important after all these years? How do you even know he’s still alive?”
    â€œSloane thought he was, and got killed for his curiosity. I might have better luck.”
    â€œYou worked with Sloane in California?”
    She gave him a sharp look. “No. Why did you ask that?”
    â€œSuntan, a sleeveless dress. I’d say you came here from the south or southwest. May can be pretty chilly in this climate.”
    â€œYou are a detective, aren’t you?”
    â€œYou’re making fun of me?”
    â€œJust a little,” she admitted.
    â€œYou think Dahlman’s here, in Rockview?”
    She nodded.
    â€œWhat have you found out since last night?”
    The smile became a grin as she looked up at him. “That you’re the Governor’s troubleshooter. That you’re a romantic Irishman who likes the ladies but mostly keeps his mind on his work.”
    â€œWhen did you learn all that?”
    â€œJust in the last few minutes. I’m something of a detective too.”
    He nodded.
    â€œLast night I found out there’s a man around town with a bandaged hand. He claims you and a black man tried to kill him. True?”
    â€œNot exactly. His name’s Tanner and he’s a troublemaker. Have you had breakfast yet?”
    â€œNo, but you must have.”
    â€œSome days I eat two or three breakfasts. Today’s one of them.”
    Over scrambled eggs and toast and coffee he saw Jack Kozinski sitting alone at the counter. But Tanner was nowhere in sight, and he turned his attention back to the girl. “How about some explanations?”
    â€œI can’t,” she answered seriously.
    â€œHow do you know anything about Dahlman?”
    She dipped a hand into the little purse and came out with a carefully folded letter. “I imagine you’ve already seen this.”
    McCall nodded. It was the letter Ben Sloane had sent out a week before his death. “Who gave it to you?”
    â€œMayor Jordan, but that’s not important. The important thing is that someone