Pulp Fiction, 1950 · page 46 of 132
15 Story Detective, April 1950 — page 46: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis This is **story prose** from page 46 of a pulp detective magazine titled "15 Story Detective." The narrative follows a character named Spencer who, after witnessing a woman named Dora Davis leaving a bar with a man named Rincon, calls detective Brent to report a murder. Spencer believes a woman named Mary Warton has been killed and that evidence points toward him. He convinces Brent to meet him alone rather than bring police. They drive to a service station where Spencer makes a crucial phone call to someone (apparently a girl) instructing her to impersonate "Aunt Mary" by tapping the phone receiver, seemingly part of an elaborate scheme to frame or deceive Rincon.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
46 15 Story Detective both, he got up and started for the phone booth. “What are you going to do now?” she asked. “Call a cop,” Spencer said, He called headquarters and asked for Brent. The man told him that Brent had gone off duty. Spencer asked for and got his phone number. He made the second call. Waiting, he looked through the glass partition at the bar. pe DAVIS was just getting up from the booth. At that moment, toward the girl, smiling. Spencer pressed Rincon came in from the lobby. He came himself into a corner. He saw the girl hesitate, half turn and look his way. Then she straightened, smiled up at Rincon, spoke a few words. Rincon grinned and took her arm. They walked out of the bar. “Hello?” a woman’s voice said in Spencer’s ear. “T’d like to speak to Brent,” said Spencer. He felt the woman hesitate. “He’s asleep. Is it ‘necessary—” “Very,” Spencer said. In a moment Spencer heard Brent’s voice, the words coming slowly, as if it hurt him to speak, “What's the trouble?” “This is William Spencer, the guy who clipped you.” “Thought it over, eh?” “The story is the same. But there’s something else you probably don’t ‘now yet. I have reasons to believe that the woman who owned the necklace, a Mary Warton, has been murdered. And every- thing is fixed to point my way.” “I’m listening,” Brent said. Spencer spilled out his story. When he’d finished he said, “It’s my only chance, Brent, And if you’re square you'll give me that chance and come with me.” “Suppose I say yes. Then we take a prowl car and three or four of the boys—” “That’s just what I don’t want! We'll be just a step ahead of Rincon. If he spots a prowl car he'll know something is wrong.” “All right,” Brent said after a mo- ment. “Pick me up on the corner of Broadway and Fifth in fifteet minutes. That'll give us a chance to get a couple miles out of town before you make your call.” 4: XK * They were beyond the city limits. Spen- cer looked at his watch. “We'd better find a phone, and fast. ” “There’s an all-night service station up ahead,” Brent said. He sat stiffly in his corner of the seat. His mouth was swollen and there was a lump on the side of his jaw. He fingered the jaw and looked sideways at Spencer. “I wish somebody would tell me why I’m doing this.” Spencer didn’t answer. He was thinking about the girl, wondering if she could put it across, wondering if now that she’d had time to think it over she might not be changing her mind. The lights of the service station showed. Spencer brought the coupe to a stop, climbed out. Brent followed him. “This I got to hear.” Spencer made the call, his cold hand around the receiver. He heard the ring, two rings. Then he recognized her voice. “Hello?” “This is Spencer,” he said softly. “Is he there?” “Ves,” she breathed. Then, Mary! What—” “T have the police with me. Remember what f said about letting him leave alone.” “Aunt Mary!” the girl said in a frightened voice. Spencer heard her tap the receiver buttons. “Aunt Mary! Say something !’’ “T’m hanging up,” he said softly. “Keep it up a few seconds longer.” He hung up. “Aunt EMOPMIE MOO KS (CO)