Джеймс Чейз - Goldfish Have No Hiding Place

‘You’re right, honey.’ Chandler beamed at her. ‘Murder? What has happened?’

Lois looked at me.

‘You can tell us. Who is this man and why was he shot?’

‘I have no idea why he was shot,’ I said, aware she was staring curiously at me. ‘He managed the Welcome Self-service store.’

‘I know that! It was in the paper, but why?’

‘Even the police don’t know. Someone walked into his house and shot him dead. That’s all I know.’ I saw Chandler was looking bored.

‘Some drug addict after money,’ he said impatiently. ‘It happens every day.’

‘But surely on the Eastlake estate there are many more prosperous homes to go to?’ Lois said, still looking at me.

‘I don’t suppose this man had much money.’

‘I wouldn’t know.’

‘Well, I am disappointed,’ she said and smiled at me. ‘I was quite, quite sure you would have some inside information. I adore a murder case.’

Chandler leaned forward and patted her hand.

‘Look, honey, I have to talk to Steve. So suppose you two girls get together, huh?’

Lois lifted her elegant shoulders and turned to Jean.

‘Let’s go,’ she said. ‘Obviously we’re outstaying our welcome.’

When the door closed behind them, Chandler pushed back his chair and got to his feet.

‘We’ll go to my study. I want to see the Hammond pulls.’

It was not until after midnight that I escaped from his study. By then Jean had gone home and Lois had gone to bed.

Chandler was delighted with the Hammond article. He also talked about the President’s anti-inflation plans and together we mapped out an article explaining what the President had in mind. This would have to be written by Lancing. Chandler also talked about the Schultz article. He wanted that to appear in the following issue.

‘We’ll keep them on the run, Steve,’ he said, grinning like a schoolboy. ‘Hit them and keep hitting them. It’s good news — Wally will be all right. He’s a damn fine researcher. As soon as he’s on his feet, I’ll send him and his wife down to Palm Beach for some sun. How about a replacement until he can start work again?’

‘Berry can handle it. I have a lot of good stuff we haven’t used yet.’

As he walked me to the front door, he said, ‘You’re doing a fine job. Sorry Linda couldn’t come. I like that girl.’

I hesitated whether to tell him our marriage had broken down, but decided against it. There was time.

I got in my car, then drove to the Imperial hotel and using one of the telephone booths, I called Jean. There was a delay, then she answered.

‘Could I come over?’ I asked. ‘There’s so much to tell you.’

‘I’m sorry. I’m in bed. I’m utterly exhausted after two hours with that woman. It’ll have to wait until tomorrow.’

‘We never seem to have a moment in the office. Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night so I can bring you up to date?’

‘Not tomorrow. I have a date.’

‘But this is important, Jean. Can’t you break it?’

‘No.’

The curt note in her voice told me that was final. I then began to get worried.

‘Jean... I know nothing about you. May I ask if there is someone?’

A long pause, then she said, ‘There is someone... yes.’

When she said that, I really realised I loved her. I experienced shock and bitter disappointment.

‘Really someone?’ My voice turned husky.

‘I must get some sleep.’ Again that curt note in her voice told me that too was final. ‘Good night,’ and she hung up.

Walking slowly, I went to my car. I had never felt so lonely.

I had known her for eighteen months and had been blind to everything about her except her efficiency. Then suddenly I had seen her as a complete woman. It was like drawing aside a curtain and letting in the sun. I should have known that a girl like her must have a man in her life. Well, I knew now, but it didn’t help or console me.

I drove home and put the car in the garage. As I unlocked the door into the house a voice said, ‘Manson...’

I spun around.

Sergeant Brenner was standing in the shadows.

‘Turn the light off. I don’t want to be seen.’

We sat facing each other in my living room. As I looked at Brenner I got a shock. This wasn’t the hard tough cop that I had known. This was a different man: a man who seemed to have fallen to pieces. His face was white and drawn. The hard lines were ironed out and could there be sudden flabbiness in his body?

‘Listen, Manson, I want you to level with me,’ he said, his big hands turning into fists. ‘Did you get that film and the blow-ups? Don’t lie to me.’

‘I didn’t get them.’

He sagged in the chair.

‘Goldstein now knows Gordy was a blackmailer. He knows someone has the film.’

‘If you’re in the same mess as I am, suppose we put our cards on the table?’

He regarded me.

‘Yeah... go ahead. Don’t regard me as a cop. Level with me.’

‘We might help each other,’ I said. ‘My wife stole a bottle of expensive perfume from the store. She was caught on the scanner. Gordy wanted twenty thousand dollars for the strip of film, showing her stealing. He told me other husbands were involved. I decided to pay, but I couldn’t raise all the money. I went to Gordy’s house with three thousand. I found him dead. I was about to search the house for the film when a woman arrived. I got away while she was calling the police. I didn’t shoot him, but I’m sure the gun that killed him was the one I was given on the pistol permit. I had left the gun right here on that settee. My thinking is someone took it, killed Gordy, then replaced it. I’ve got rid of the gun.’ I stared at him. ‘That’s the story, Brenner. Feel like giving me your story?’

‘The same as yours.’ He lifted his fists in despair. ‘Why the hell do women do it? On my pay, I can’t give her all that much, but I thought she was happy. The scanner caught her. She was one of the first. The bastard wanted three thousand: that’s money I haven’t got. So he was selling me a frame from the film at a time for thirty dollars a week.’

Although I didn’t like him, I felt sorry for him.

‘If the film is found,’ he went on, ‘I’ll be finished. Goldstein has no use for me.’ He rubbed his hand over his sweating face. ‘When I got there, I found the shell case. I recognised it and I was sure you had killed him and had got the film and the blow-ups. That was why I gave you the shell case. I knew if Goldstein had found it, he would have traced it to you. My thinking right at that moment was I didn’t want anyone nailed for Gordy’s murder. That was stupid thinking. Goldstein now knows about the scanners and he has checked the store for film. There’s no film. He has checked Gordy’s house: no film. So... Goldstein is a very smart cookie. He knows Gordy’s killing involves blackmail and now he is starting an investigation, checking every customer who has used the store.’

‘That doesn’t mean he can prove anything unless he has the film,’ I said.

‘That’s right but he is like a goddamn mongoose. Once he gets his teeth into something, he never lets go.’

‘Let’s look at this, Brenner.’ I was glad to have someone to throw ideas at. ‘The film and the blow-ups could be in a safe deposit or they could be in the care of someone Gordy trusted or they could have been found by the killer. If they are in a safe deposit, sooner or later, Goldstein will find them. If the killer got them, he will have destroyed them.’ I paused, then went on, ‘But if someone Gordy trusted has them, you and I could still be blackmailed.’

‘I’ve thought of all that. That’s why I was hoping you had them. There’s no safe deposit. Goldstein has already checked. This means either the killer found them or else...’