'He wanted-to skate with her, round and round, to the music,' said the boy faintly. 'I shouldn't never have left him there that night. I got sort of scared about it in the movies, I thought I'd better-and he was gone! I looked everywheres, but it was so dark and I didn't dare call at him very loud, people- And when I did find him, it was right there, that lot where- I didn't know then, I didn't, I never saw her! He had a lady's handbag, I didn't see that until we was down the street a ways, and I thought he'd stole it. I just dropped it, like, didn't know what else-he didn't mind when I took it, he-'
So that built up Ramirez for them. He saw the boy she was with taken out, and the girl left alone. So now was his chance to go skating round and round with his pretty doll who'd come alive for him-and that was all, probably, he'd followed her for: to tell her that, ask her. And the girl, confronted there in the dark, alone, in the empty lot, with the animal mouthings, the eager pawings, losing her head, struggling to get away- And that was all it had needed.
Mendoza said, 'All right, Marty, that's all for right now. You just try to stop thinking about it. Go to sleep and don't worry any more.'
'He was just wild, find the doll was gone's morning.' The boy lay back tiredly on the pillows, his eyes closing. 'I think even Ma was real scared then-so was I-and tonight, well, she'd been telling him all the while I'd-get it back for him-and when I said I couldn't, he-'
'Yes, we understand all that. Don't worry about it now-everything's over.'
As they turned to the door Lindstrom said rather desperately, 'Please, sir, I got to ask you-will they-will they do anything to-to my boy or me for being to blame about this? I mean, I want to do what's right, I ain't trying to get out of anything, but-'
Mendoza turned back to him. 'There's no legal responsibility involved here really, now the boy's dead, Mr. Lindstrom. I couldn't say, it's an academic question, under other circumstances very likely the D.A. and the grand jury might have decided to call it criminal negligence. As it is, I scarcely drink so. Certainly not the boy, a minor couldn't be assumed responsible… I might add, however, that at any time these seven years you could have taken action, if and when it seemed-indicated. A word to any of a number of agencies-police, county health, doctor, hospital-'
'She made us premise!' burst out the boy. 'She made us promise on the Bible!'
Mendoza looked at them a minute more, smiled, said good night, and followed Hackett out to the corridor. 'Any comment?' he asked, very soft and amused.
' Nada,' said Hackett heavily. 'Just-people. Leave it there. Are we wound up here?'
'I want to see Morgan.'
FIFTEEN
'The gun,' said Mendoza.
'Damn lucky-I had it on me,' repeated Morgan. He was all there, himself, sitting up smoking a borrowed cigarette, not much of a bandage to frighten his wife when she came; but he'd had just enough sedation to slow his mind somewhat, at the same time loosen his tongue.
'I don't deny it. You've saved everybody quite a bit of trouble including the expense of a trial. It's only a small point, Mr. Morgan, and maybe you'll think I'm being unnecessarily careful. But as of the moment, California law says you don't need a license for firearms unless you're carrying them on the person or- I needn't quote the whole thing, that's the relevant part. License, Mr. Morgan?-and not that it's any of my business, but how did you come to be carrying a loaded gun on a visit to one of your cases?'
'It's all shot to hell now,' muttered Morgan, 'all for nothing-and you know, I don't think-I don't think I could've done it anyway.' He looked at Gunn, at the other side of the bed-Gunn, who'd had to get dressed and come out after all. 'I'll tell you,' he said, 'I'll tell you-didn't go there to see Mrs. Lindstrom, Mendoza. I went to kill a man. A man named Smith.'
They heard about Smith in disjointed phrases. Gunn's round, amiable face got longer and more worried by the second. 'Oh, you damn fool, Dick-can't have been thinking straight-should've come to me, gone to the police, he couldn't-'
'Oh, couldn't he! Can't he! I remember enough law- Extortion? The law doesn't take your unsupported word, does it?'-turning on Mendoza, who shook his head. 'What could I do, what else could I-? Well, there it is-wasn't intended, I guess-and now we're right back where we were. God, I don't know'
'Smith,' said Mendoza. 'Description?' And when he'd pried that out of Morgan, 'Yes, well, he won't be troubling you for a while. His real name's Dalton, he's a small-time hood on the run from parole in New York, and we picked him up tonight in the middle of the other excitement. He's got two years coming back east.'
'Oh, God, you don't mean it-he's-all this for-'
'Take it easy, Dick,' said Gunn, sitting down, looking almost sick with relief. 'That doesn't mean you're out of the woods, but it makes it the hell of a lot easier. If the woman's so-tractable, the way you say, there shouldn't be any trouble. Put it through nice and quiet, get her to see a lawyer with you, there shouldn't be any contest, just a routine thing. Dalton wasn't after Janny, only the money, he wouldn't-'
'You think-no hitch, do it like that? If we-oh, God, I hope so, we've both been about crazy-' Morgan sat up and clutched Gunn's arm. 'You said Sue's coming?-want to tell her-tell her it's all right, or almost-'
'Sue's coming, you lie down. I called Christy, she's gone over to stay with Janny, and Sue'll be taking a cab down, on her way right now, probably.'
Mendoza stood up. 'There'll be an inquest, of course, but purely formal. You needn't worry about it. Self- defense, justifiable Homicide.
Which is a very damned lucky outcome for you, Morgan. You don't know how lucky. If you want the Luger back, you'll have to apply for a License.'
'Oh, well, keep it, I don't want it. I-I feel fine,' said Morgan, and laughed. 'Wish Sue'd get here. You can have the damn gun. Glad now-didn't use its the way I planned, anyway-'
'Just as well.' Mendoza looked down at him, smiling very faintly.
'I'd advise you, Morgan, not to get in a situation again where you start thinking about murder-in the first place, it never solves any problems, you known it creates more. And in the second place, from what you told me of your plans for this one, it wouldn't take a full-fledged lieutenant of detectives to spot you for X about half an hour after the corpse began to cool. However, as it is we're all very happy you happened to be in the right place at the right time-and congratulations on the rest of this working out for you.' He nodded to Gunn, still looking amused, and went out.
After a minute Morgan said, 'Damn him-that's-when I thought I was being so clever, too… but I suppose he's right, at that. Just something about him-puts my back up, is all.'
Gunn sneezed, said, 'Oh, hell it is a cold,' and took out another cigarette. 'Well, you know-Luis,' he added soberly, 'maybe he's just what they call overcompensating, for a time he was only another dirty little Mex kid in a slum street. You know? Tell you one thing, Dick, he's a damned good cop-if a little erratic now and then,' and he grinned. He found a packet of matches, looked at it without lighting the cigarette. 'He's also a very lonely man. Which, maybe he'll find out some day.'
Morgan moved restlessly. 'Give me another one of those, will you? I wish Sued come…'
'Philosophizing?' Mendoza came up behind Hackett in the lobby.
'Yeah, I guess you could say I was,' said Hackett, who'd been standing stock-still, staring vacantly at the wall. 'I guess so. You know, this whole thing-it just struck me-what for? What's it mean?'
Mendoza laughed and shrugged. '?Quidn sabe?-?Sabe Dios! Nice to think it means anything.'
'No, but it makes you wonder. You look at it and you can work up a fine righteous wrath against that damn fool woman, against the ignorance and false pride and plain damned muddle-headedness that's killed three people- four, if you count him-and all unnecessarily. But was it? The way things dovetail, sometimes-Morgan just happening to be there, and with a gun on him-because if he hadn't had, you know, I don't think he could have handled that one
