make it with you.”
6
S TEPHANIE was dressed and waiting for me. I stared at the black dress she had poured over herself. It was a little too tight, and a little too low in front. It hinted like hell; it promised; it was just over the edge of being vulgar.
She had added to the effect of the dress by letting her hair down and fuzzing it out. And she wore too much makeup. The change from her usually neat, businesslike appearance was almost enough to be a disguise.
“What’s the idea?”
She looked down at the swell of her bosom. She gave herself a little shake. “Like it? I thought that if you showed up at Nick Calumet’s with a lady, someone might be suspicious. So tonight I’m no lady.”
I went to the telephone. I said to Stephanie, “How did you know we were going to Calumet‘s?”
“You mentioned his leasing the old Forum,” she said. “You sounded suspicious. I deduced the rest.”
I picked up the phone and dialed Teddy Jenner’s private number. I said, “Just remember two tough characters named Minto and Pooly are loose in town. If they show up and try something, don’t be a heroine. Take off.”
She didn’t answer. A sleepy voice answered the telephone. It was Teddy’s. I said, “This is McKeon. I’m coming over there pretty soon. I want to talk to Hoxey. You have him there.”
Teddy told me what to do to myself. I said, “I’m leaving that packet of evidence for the DA. If I don’t call in and have it held, he’ll get it. And if Hoxey isn’t waiting to talk to me, I don’t intend to make that call.”
I hung up. Stephanie said, “Good heaven’s. Who was that you were so tough with?”
I dialed the long distance operator and gave her a Los Angeles number. I turned to Stephanie. I said, “That was Teddy Jenner. I told you about her last night. Hoxey Creen is one of my stoolies, and her boyfriend.”
The operator told me that my Los Angeles number didn’t answer. I said that I’d call later. I hung up.
We took her coupe. I headed across town for Hill Street. Stephanie said, “Where are we going to eat?”
“I thought we’d try Arch’s Gay Nineties,” I said.
“Isn’t he the new man you told me about? The one who might be the front for the Combine?”
I said, “That’s right.”
“Do you think he’ll poison our food?” She sounded half serious.
“I don’t think he’ll do anything. He can’t afford to. If he’s mixed up with the Combine, the quieter he is right now, the better.”
I slowed down to light a cigaret. “It isn’t Arch who worries me. It’s Nick Calumet.”
“When do we go to his place?” She sounded eager, Like a kid looking forward to an adventure.
“Right after we eat.”
She giggled a little. “And what do we do, play pinball?”
“Better than that. We’re going to watch burlesque movies.”
“Isn’t that a little like taking coals to Newcastle?” Stephanie wanted to know.
I didn’t answer that one. I crossed Hill Street and pulled the coupe to the curb next to the mouth of the alley that ran behind the Blue Beagle, Arch’s, and Calumet’s. I said, “We’ll go into the Gay Nineties for a drink. I’m going to leave you and make one quick call. Then we’ll have dinner.”
“You’re going to see this Hoxey Creen person?”
“That’s right. And if Teddy did what I told her, I won’t be long.”
Stephanie slowed her step as we started toward the corner. “You said something about giving evidence to the DA if she didn’t do what you wanted. Isn’t that a kind of blackmail, Jeff?”
“It’s a cop’s kind of blackmail, babydoll. You have to decide whether justice is better served by throwing people like Hoxey in jail or by leaving them loose to help you get the goods on other crumbs.”
“And I suppose it depends in part on the crime you’re holding over his head,” she said thoughtfully.
I grinned at her. “Fishing for information?”
“What’s wrong with my being curious?” she demanded. “I just
6
S TEPHANIE was dressed and waiting for me. I stared at the black dress she had poured over herself. It was a little too tight, and a little too low in front. It hinted like hell; it promised; it was just over the edge of being vulgar.
She had added to the effect of the dress by letting her hair down and fuzzing it out. And she wore too much makeup. The change from her usually neat, businesslike appearance was almost enough to be a disguise.
“What’s the idea?”
She looked down at the swell of her bosom. She gave herself a little shake. “Like it? I thought that if you showed up at Nick Calumet’s with a lady, someone might be suspicious. So tonight I’m no lady.”
I went to the telephone. I said to Stephanie, “How did you know we were going to Calumet‘s?”
“You mentioned his leasing the old Forum,” she said. “You sounded suspicious. I deduced the rest.”
I picked up the phone and dialed Teddy Jenner’s private number. I said, “Just remember two tough characters named Minto and Pooly are loose in town. If they show up and try something, don’t be a heroine. Take off.”
She didn’t answer. A sleepy voice answered the telephone. It was Teddy’s. I said, “This is McKeon. I’m coming over there pretty soon. I want to talk to Hoxey. You have him there.”
Teddy told me what to do to myself. I said, “I’m leaving that packet of evidence for the DA. If I don’t call in and have it held, he’ll get it. And if Hoxey isn’t waiting to talk to me, I don’t intend to make that call.”
I hung up. Stephanie said, “Good heaven’s. Who was that you were so tough with?”
I dialed the long distance operator and gave her a Los Angeles number. I turned to Stephanie. I said, “That was Teddy Jenner. I told you about her last night. Hoxey Creen is one of my stoolies, and her boyfriend.”
The operator told me that my Los Angeles number didn’t answer. I said that I’d call later. I hung up.
We took her coupe. I headed across town for Hill Street. Stephanie said, “Where are we going to eat?”
“I thought we’d try Arch’s Gay Nineties,” I said.
“Isn’t he the new man you told me about? The one who might be the front for the Combine?”
I said, “That’s right.”
“Do you think he’ll poison our food?” She sounded half serious.
“I don’t think he’ll do anything. He can’t afford to. If he’s mixed up with the Combine, the quieter he is right now, the better.”
I slowed down to light a cigaret. “It isn’t Arch who worries me. It’s Nick Calumet.”
“When do we go to his place?” She sounded eager, Like a kid looking forward to an adventure.
“Right after we eat.”
She giggled a little. “And what do we do, play pinball?”
“Better than that. We’re going to watch burlesque movies.”
“Isn’t that a little like taking coals to Newcastle?” Stephanie wanted to know.
I didn’t answer that one. I crossed Hill Street and pulled the coupe to the curb next to the mouth of the alley that ran behind the Blue Beagle, Arch’s, and Calumet’s. I said, “We’ll go into the Gay Nineties for a drink. I’m going to leave you and make one quick call. Then we’ll have dinner.”
“You’re going to see this Hoxey Creen person?”
“That’s right. And if Teddy did what I told her, I won’t be long.”
Stephanie slowed her step as we started toward the corner. “You said something about giving evidence to the DA if she didn’t do what you wanted. Isn’t that a kind of blackmail, Jeff?”
“It’s a cop’s kind of blackmail, babydoll. You have to decide whether justice is better served by throwing people like Hoxey in jail or by leaving them loose to help you get the goods on other crumbs.”
“And I suppose it depends in part on the crime you’re holding over his head,” she said thoughtfully.
I grinned at her. “Fishing for information?”
“What’s wrong with my being curious?” she demanded. “I just
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