10-Story Detective Magazine, April 1946 — page 47: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

—THE CHOKE’S ON ME————_—_———___4 ning out from the harbor now. It struck me how simple it would be to dump a corpse from a car. into the channel from the causeway without a soul being the wiser, A running tide could carry a float- ing object clear out to the breakwater. I looked at Mark and wondered if ke could be pondering the same thing. When we reached Miami again, the big redhead spoke up, “Where to, Billi? You’re on your own now for awhile, [ve got some work to do. PR see you at the Her- rick place at one.” I thought a minute and then said, “Let ' me off here.” Mark tapped the driver on the shoulder and we slowed down at a corner. “Something aot?” Mark smiled at me as I piled out. He seemed to be getting a kick out of ordering me around. “Maybe.” I siammed the door, The cocky detective chuckled content- ediy, gave me a mock salute, then sailed from the curb with screaming tires. “Don’t eatch an) lions you can’t hold, son,” he jeered. “And be there at one.” I returned the salute with a drooping thumb, pivoted, and walked down to the next corner in search of a cab, CHAPTER IV B HAD taken special pains to remem- ber the address I had found of Char- ley Lee, the Colonel’s ex-houseboy. That was one angle, I realized, that no one hed yet bothered to investigate. When my eabby pulled to a stop, we were way out on the edge of town near the Hia- leah track in a spot where widely sep- arated dilapidated iooking little houses were surrounded by carefully tended truck gardens, Up until the war, this had been the one place on earth where Chinese and Japs had got along togeth- er, cultivating their gardens side by side in perfect peace. Where the paved road stopped and a eo- ral drive ied up to a tiny shack half hid- den in a clump of scrub pine, I got out, paid my fare, and started walking. There was nary 2a sign of life about the cabin, but I didn’t want to announce my ar- rival. On the rickety front porch I paused, knocked on the unpainted frame door, and listened for sounds of stirring inside. I waited a long time, My eyes had left the door and begun to wander. “Come right on in, Mr. Bowen!” I recognized the voice before I whirled and stared into his face. Tall, composed, and smiling, the Colonel’s lawyer stood in the open doorway. : Glancing at him briefly, I stepped in- side without a word. Harris motioned me to a straight-backed chair. Like an obedient child, I sat down. I was 80 stunned I couldn’t even think. Pivoting, Harris gave me a cordial once-over, then pulled out a silver ciga- rette case. “Smoke?” he said. I grabbed one silently, lit it, and held the match for the lean lawyer. His hands were as steady as frozen custard. “Mr. Bowen,” he began, blowing smoke into the air, ‘I would like to talk business for a moment or two. Do you mind?” “Shoot.” I tried to seem disimterested, “Colonel Herrick, before he died, told me of his plan of hiring you. I felt that it was a good idea. In faet, one might say that I recommended you, beeause of your reputatior in and about Miami.” He was a smooth character. [ took the compliment without a word and waited for what was to come, “Unfortunately,” he continued, “there are certain elements within the family who do not feel as I do about your posi- tion within the family circle. They, to be quite frank, feel that you should be released, to save any embarrassment in case the details of last night’s misfortune should get into the papers. , “Briefly, Mr. Bowen, I have been com- missioned by these same members of the late Colonel’s family te see that you are well paid and to make certain that you are not further involved in the Herrick affairs. Do I make myself clear?” He smiled again. “Perfeetly.” It couldn’t have been any plainer. He paused. “Phen what do you say 9” “How much?” His tone was businesslike. “One thow- sand dollars.” {i blew another cloud of smoke across the room and did some quick thinking. Then, slowly, I rose to my feet, started across the carpet, and headed for the door. “No sale!” I said eurtly over my shoul- der, As my hand touched the doorknob, there was hardly a sound behind me, ‘The ComicoookKs CO