5 Detective Novels Magazine — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

90 doing very well by concentrating his at- tention on one mob that sneered at any- thing less than a five-figure take. So Malik wasn’t interested in the girl who had entered his store—until the door of his private office opened and he looked up and saw her standing there. She was smiling, and Malik noticed that the smile showed complete self-confi- dence. She closed the door and, without invitation. walked over and seated her- self in a chair that stood at the opposite side of his desk. “Hello, Malik,” she greeted him airily. “‘How’s every little thing?’ She spoke easily in a nice contralto voice. But Malik stiffened a little. He was quite sure he had never seen the girl before and he did not care for fa- miliarities, especially from slightly over- dressed girls. He noted, too, that she was the type that went a bit too strong with the make-up. Even at that, she was an exceptionally pretty girl. “Everything is all right with me,” he replied with a frown. ‘But I don’t quite remember having—” “Of course, you’ve never met me be- fore,” she broke in with a little laugh. “But what’s the use of a formal intro- duction between parties—who ought to be friends. To my way of thinking we have a lot in common.” Joseph Malik didn’t like this approach at all. He had guessed already that the girl was a cheap little crook who had heard that he had been known to buy slightly warm merchandise. She’d prob- ably pull out a junky diamond ring and try to sell it to him for twenty bucks. He’d have to get rid of her as quickly and quietly as possible. “If we have anything in common, I am not aware of it,” he said sharply. “And I might as well tell you right now that I am not running a pawnshop. I buy only from regular wholesale mar- kets.” “Sure, I know,” she said, and her tone was mocking. “I don’t blame you for being a bit slow on the bite. I’m not so dumb as to think I could walk in here cold and get you to handle something without producing some very good refer- ences. I’m not local talent, Malik. I’m from Chicago. Not hot there at all. Just came on here with a pal for a change of FIVE DETECTIVE NOVELS MAGAZINE scenery. But before we left Chicago we were advised by a very knowing guy that you might be in the market for high-class stuff if the price was right.” “T can assure you that vou have been misinformed,” Malik told her. “I am not in the market for any kind of ‘stuff’ —at any price. I am running a strictly legitimate business here.” “Sure.” She smiled _ knowingly. “Strictly legitimate, except when you absolutely know that you’re dealing with the right people. Now I’m right people and I can prove it. I have what you might call a letter of introduction. Just take a glimmer at this.” H*" HAND came out of her big purse with a paper in it. She unfolded it and placed it on the desk before Malik’s eyes. It was a newspaper clipping. Malik stared at it uncertainly for a mo- ment. The curiosity got the better of ste and he picked it up and read it. It said: COPS NAB MAN IN STICKUP The police grabbed one of two men who par- ticipated in an armed robbery at the Belton Arms Apartments last night. The victim of the robbery was Mrs. Henry Staunton. Mrs. Staun- ton had attended a large reception during the evening and was wearing a diamond necklace valued at more than a hundred thousand dol- lars. The two men confronted her as she was entering the lobby of the apartment hotel. One of them covered the clerk at the desk while the other tore the necklace from Mrs. Staunton’s neck. Up to this point the robbery was a suc- cess. But Patrolman John Hapnick happened to pass the entrance to the building just as the two yeggs were leaving. Mrs. Staunton screamed and Hapnick called on the two men to stop. They ran for it. Hapnick fired and hit one of them in the leg. The other bandit ran around a corner and got away in the darkness. The captured man refused to talk but he has been identified as a well known criminal from Chicago. Although both the yeggs were dressed in coveralls and masked, police suspect that the smaller of the two may have been a woman. Unfortunately the one who escaped had the necklace. Police are checking with Chicago authorities in an effort to get a line on the fugitive gunman. Mrs. Staunton stated that the necklace was fully covered by insurance. Joseph Malik finished reading and looked up. The girl was smiling broadly. “That’s my letter of introduction, Malik,” she said brightly. “But you ain’t -seen nothing yet. Here’s my reference.” MICLOO (CO) <S) (C(O) im