10-Story Detective Magazine Cover — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

face with Lew Stendahl, who had just come in. Stendahl was a city detective out of central station, a solid, big-bodied man with graying blond hair, a hooked nose and a mean mouth. He wore a stained felt, a shiny serge suit, and he eyed Millard speculatively. “What gives, pal? How come I find you here?” They weren’t pals, but Millard grinned. He knew that every dick in the district who had been on the look- out for Eddie Fitz would soon be on hand, swarming around Bonelli’s corpse like ants at a picnic. And Stendah! wasn’t a bad guy. He was a nice guy when he had cushions un- der his big tail. But on his feet, at times his corns made him ugly. “IT was just passing by,” Millard said. “I’ve been hanging around this district for the same reason you’re here—out of curiosity to see if Eddie Fitz would show.” “Did he?” “You ought to know. If he did, I didn’t see him.” “Then who got Bonelli?” _ Millard shrugged. “You tell me.” “Maybe I will. The rat sure had it coming, but whoever thought he’d get it this way? Tsk, tsk!’ Stendahl grunted, grinned a slyly wicked grin. “You been doing a lot of hanging around Bonelli without any good reason—uniless you got a client. And I find you here Johnny-on-the-spot without any good reason. Unless it’s because you’re gone on May Fitz, boy, and maybe you didn’t like Bonelli making passes at her.” Millard’s face darkened. ‘No eracks, Lew. Keep her name out of this. I was outside when Bonelli came out of that slide. ’m not pretending I’m sorry he got it, but don’t try to drag me into it.” “Okay, okay.” Stendahl made pla- cating motions with his hands. “Hell, if you did it, the city would owe you a vote of thanks. Been up above?” “No. Heroes die young. A prowl THE CORPSE AT THE CARNIVAL—__-———————l13 car cop wanted to have first crack at the killer, so I let him.” “Tf he’s up there,’ Stendahl said, “he won’t get down now. This dragon thing is covered plenty. He won’t have a chance.” “Yeah,” Millard muttered, liking it because the detective had jumped to the natural conclusion that the killer was a man. “But he won’t be up there now. Whoever the guy is, he had time to get down.” He indicated the door leading out back, and Stendahl was just turning toward it when he paused, knifed a glance at the man who had stepped in through the entrance at the rear of the ticket booth. “T see the vultures are gathering,” he cracked dryly. HE newcomer was a tall mili- tary figure of a man in a gray suit as immaculate as the black tie which matched his keen eyes. Lean- hipped, square-shouldered, with a sharp chin and nose, he was an in- vestigator for the Better Citizenship League named Cosgrave. He was always around, sticking his face in politely whenever anything broke, getting in the hair of the po- lice department. He was tolerated be- cause he had the Better Citizenship League behind him, and the League had swung the recall that had swept Mayor Peters into office. He twisted his lips wryly. “As one vulture to another, I’m among friends I hope. Birds of a feather and stuff. So Bonelli got it, huh?” “If he didn’t, he’s sure playing a hell of a convincing practical joke on somebody,” Stendahl amar hie “What do you think?” “T think Eddie Fitz is a damn fast worker, if it was Fitz,” Cosgrave said. “Though how he got through the net you coppers laid around this district is something you boys will have to explain to the mayor. Hello, Millard.” Millard grunted a greeting, and just then the elevator car dropped in Gomichbooks. com