James Chase - No Business Of Mine

sound while we fought, and it had been almost pitch dark. With luck,

I’d get away with it.

I passed a telephone booth, hesitated, entered, called Crystal. I

didn’t expect she’d be back from the Club as yet. It was only eleven-

fifteen, but to my relief she answered.

“It’s Steve,” I said. “No, don’t talk. This is serious. How long have

you been back from the Club?”

“An hour. I had a headache and thought I’d come home. Why?”

“Anyone see you come home?”

“No. What’s the matter, precious?”

“Plenty,” I said grimly. “I’m on my way over. I’ve been with you for

the past hour, and I’m spending the night with you. Is that all right?”

“Is it all right?” Her voice shot up a note. “You bet it’s all right!

You come right over.”

“I’m coming,” I said, hung up.

As I turned to leave the booth I had an idea. I put in two more

pennies, cal ed Fred Ul man of the Morning Mail .

When he came on the line, I said, “Pin your ears back, Fred. I’ve

got the biggest story that’s hit the head-lines for years! It’s exclusive

and all yours. Will you earn it?”

“I’ll earn it, if it’s as good as that, but you’ll have to convince me.

What do you want me to do?” he returned.

I leaned up against the wall of the booth and told him.

Chapter XX

I RETURNED to the Savoy the following morning soon after eleven

o’clock. As I asked the clerk at the Inquiry Desk for my key, I felt a

hand touch my arm. I took the key, glanced around.

Corridan, looking very massive and dour, was standing at my side.

“Well, well,” I said, with what I hoped was a friendly smile. “My

old pal again, always turning up like Boris Karloff. What brings you

here? Lost your way?”

He shook his head. His eyes were frosty, his mouth set in a hard

line. “I want to talk to you, Harmas,” he said. “Shall we go to your

room?”

“Let’s go to the bar,” I returned. “It’s just on opening time. You

look as if I need a drink.”

“I think we’ll go to your room.”

“Well, if you insist. Come along then. You don’t look your usual

sunny self. What’s troubling you? Don’t tell me you’ve fal en in love,

or is it indigestion?”

“This isn’t a joking matter,” he returned, walking with me to the

elevator.

“That’s the usual trouble with you,” I said. “You haven’t a sense of

humour.”

We entered the elevator, rode up to the second floor.

“If you did have a sense of humour you’d be a truly great man.

Take me for example,” I said, as we walked along the corridor to my

room. “Where should I be if I couldn’t crack a gag now and then? I’ll

tell you. I’d be in the depths of despair. And why? Because I’d think

you were going to arrest me.”

He shot me a sharp look. “What makes you say that?” he

demanded, pausing outside my door while I unlocked it.

“You have the appearance of a well-meaning flatfoot about to

make an arrest,” I returned. “Only you’re going to be disappointed.”

“We’ll see about that,” he said, entered the room, took off his hat,

faced me.

I noted the livid bruise on his temple where I had hit him with the

table leg, hoped he hadn’t any proof to connect me with the assault.

“Hello, hello,” I said, eyeing him. “My turn to gloat now. How did

you get that bruise? Trying to beat your head against a brick wall, I

suppose.”

“We’ll cut out this fooling if you please,” Corridan said. I had

never seen him so serious before. “Where were you last night? “

Here it comes, I thought, and wandered over to where I kept a

bottle of whisky.

“That is no business of yours,” I returned gently. “Have a drink?” I

unscrewed the cap, poured whisky into a glass.

He shook his head. “It is my business, and you’d better realize that

this is a very serious matter for you.”

I sipped the whisky, eyed him.

“Now I wonder what’s got into your head, Corridan?” I asked. “In

other words, what the hell’s biting you?”

“Ever heard of Henry Littlejohns?”

I nodded. “Sure. He’s a private dick. Why?”

“You employed him, didn’t you?”

“Well, yes. I still employ him for that matter. What’s it to do with

you?”

“Quite a lot. He was murdered last night.”

I gave what I hoped was a surprised start, put down my whisky,

said, “Murdered? Good God ! Littlejohns murdered?”

It wasn’t particularly convincing, and I could see it didn’t convince

Corridan.

“I warned you, Harmas, the next time you were connected with a

murder it was going to be unpleasant for you. Well, you know what to

expect, don’t you?”

“Now don’t let’s forsake our sense of humour,” I said. “You can’t

scare me, Corridan, or can you? I’ve nothing to do with Littlejohns’

death, and you know it.”

“I think you have,” he said, watching me closely.

I stared at him, and experienced a little difficulty in meeting his

penetrating eyes.

“Now wait a minute. You aren’t serious about this?” I asked,

managed a laugh. It sounded pretty ghastly even to me, so I cut it out.

“You’re kidding, aren’t you?”

“I’m not,” Corridan replied. “I’d advise you to be serious about

this, too.”

“All right, let’s be serious. Suppose you explain what you’re

talking about?”

“When did you last see Netta Scott?” he shot at me.

I wasn’t quite prepared for that one, and hesitated. He was quick

to spot that, and I saw his face tighten.

“I guess it must have been two years ago,” I said slowly. “You

didn’t see her last night?”

“Last night?” I repeated. “You crazy or something? She’s been

dead a week. Or do you mean you’ve found her body?” He wandered

to the arm-chair, sat down.

“Look, Harmas, this won’t do,” he said quietly. “We both know

that Netta’s alive.”

I looked down at my hands, saw they weren’t too steady, shoved

them in my trouser pockets.

“I haven’t seen Netta for two years,” I said steadily.

He studied me, nodded. “Where were you last night?”

“That’s something I can’t very well tell you,” I said, looking away.

“It involves a question of honour.”

Corridan control ed his temper with an effort. “Look, Harmas, if

you don’t tell me where you were last night, I’ll have no alternative

but to take you to the station. I don’t want to be official about this,

but if you’re going to act the fool and lie to me I damn well will be!’ ‘

“You’re not seriously suggesting that I killed Littlejohns, are you?”

I asked, staring at him.

“If you want me to caution you, and make this official, I will,”

Corridan said. “At the moment I’m treating you like a friend. If you can

convince me that you couldn’t possibly have been on the scene of the

crime, then- I shall be satisfied. If you can’t convince me, I’m going to

arrest you.”

I sat down, pretended to be shocked.

“Well, if it’s like that,” I said, “I suppose I’l have to tell you. I was

with Crystal Godwin.”

His face hardened. “Oh, were you? What time did you meet her

and what time did you leave her?”

I considered the question, said, “I picked her up outside the Blue

Club at-now, what time was it?-at ten-ten. I remember looking at my