hard, and their nervous systems had had a tough day. Aside from the killing of Nick Ferrone, whom they may or may not have loved, this was the bird who had made them play ball like half-witted apes in the most important game of their lives, to an audience of fifty million. If they really cut loose there could be another corpse in that room. 'Give me room, fellows,' Nat Neill said. 'I'm going to plug him.' Durkin didn't flinch. His jaw was quivering, and his eyes looked sick, but he didn't flinch. 'This is wrong,' Con Premiss said. 'He wants us to hurt him. He'd like to be knocked cold. He's not a coward, he's just a snake. Did you see his eyes when you said you'd plug him? That's what he wants.' 'It's a moral question,' Joe Eston said. 'That's the way to handle it; it's a moral question.' 283 Art Kinney shouldered between two of them to get his face within ten inches of Durkin's. 'Look, Beaky. You've been in baseball thirty years. You know everybody in the majors, and we know you. What do you think's going to happen? Where could you light? We've got you here now, and we're going to keep you. I'll send for the whole damn team. How will you like that?' 'I want a lawyer,' Durkin said in a sudden burst. 'By God!' Neill roared. 'He wants a lawyer! Get out of the way! I'm going to clip him!' 'No, Beaky, no lawyers,' Kinney said. 'I'll send for the boys, and we'll lock the doors. Where's the money? We know you got it. Where is it?' Durkin's head went forward, down. Kinney put a fist under his chin and yanked it up and held it. 'No, you don't. Look at me. We've got you, but even if we didn't, where could you go? Where you going to sleep and eat? You're done, Beaky. Where's the money?' 'Let me hold his chin,' Neill requested. 'I'll fix his goddam chin.' 'Shut up,' Eston told him. 'It's a moral question.' 284 Kinney's fist was still propping Durkin's chin. 'I think,' he said, 'the boys ought to have a look at you. They won't be sleeping anyhow, not tonight. Con, get on the phone and find them. You too, Lew--the one in the clubroom. Get 'em here, and get all of 'em you can. They'll come all right. Tell them not to spill it; we don't want any cops around until we get--' 'No!' Durkin squawked 'No what, Beaky?' Kinney removed his fist. 'I didn't mean to kill Nick.' He was slobbering. 'I swear I didn't. Art. He suspected--he asked me--he found out I bet a grand against us, and he threw it at me, and I brought him in here to explain, but he wouldn't believe me and he was going to tell you, and he got sore and came at me, and I grabbed the bat just to stop him, and when I saw he was dead-- my God, Art, I didn't want to kill Nick!' 'You got more than a grand for doping the drinks. How much did you get?' 'I'm coming clean. Art. You can check me, and I'm coming clean. I got five grand, and I've got five more coming. I had to have it. Art, because the bookies had me down and I was sunk. I was listed good if I 285 didn't come through. I had it on me, but with the cops coming I knew we'd be frisked, so I ditched it. You can see I'm coming clean. Art. I ditched it there in the radio.' 'What radio?' 'There in the corner. I stuffed it in through a slot.' There was a scramble and a race. Prentiss tangled with a chair and went down with it, sprawling. Nat Neill won. He jerked the radio around and started clawing at the back, but the panel was screwed on. 'Here,' I said, 'I've got a--' He hauled off and swung with his bare fist, getting his plug out of his system, though not on Durkin. Grabbing an edge of the hole his fist had made, he yanked, and half the panel came. He looked inside and started to stick his hand in, but I shouldered him good and hard and sent him sideways. The others were there, three of them, surrounding me. 'We don't touch it, huh?' I instructed them, and bent down for a look in the radio, and there it was, lodged between a pair of tubes. 'Well?' Wolfe called as I straightened up. 'A good fat roll,' I told him and the 286 world. 'The one on the outside is a C. Do you--' Beaky Durkin, left to himself on the table, suddenly moved fast. He was on his feet and streaking for the door. Joe Eston, who had claimed it was a moral issue, leaped for him as if he had been a blazing line drive trying to get by, got to him in two bounds, and landed with his right. Durkin went down all the way, slamming the floor with his head, and lay still. 'That will do,' Wolfe said, as one who had earned the right to command. 'Thank you, gentlemen. I needed help. Archie, get Mr. Hennessy.' I went to Kinney's desk and reached for the phone. At the instant my fingers touched it, it rang. So instead of dialing I lifted it and, feeling cocky, told it, 'Nero Wolfe's uptown office, Archie Goodwin speaking.' 'That you, Goodwin?' I said yes. 'This is Inspector Hennessy. Is Durkin there?' I said yes. 'Fine. Hold him, and hold him good. We cracked Gale, and he spilled his guts. Durkin is it. Gale got to him and bought him. You'll get credit for getting Gale, and 287 that'll be all right, but I'll appreciate it if you'll hold off and let it be announced officially. We'll be there for Durkin in five minutes. Hold him good.' 'We're already holding him good. He's stretched out on the floor. Mr. Wolfe hung it on him. Also we have found a roll of lettuce he cached in the radio.' Hennessy laughed. 'You're an awful liar, Goodwin. But you're a privileged character tonight, I admit that. Have your fun. We'll be there in five minutes.' I hung up and turned to Wolfe. 'That was Hennessy. They broke Gale, and he unloaded. He gave them Durkin, and they're coming for him. Hennessy doesn't believe we already got him, but of course on that we've got witnesses. The trouble is this: which of us crossed the plate first--you with your one little fact, or me with my druggist? You can't deny that Hennessy's call came before I started to dial. How can we settle it?' We can't. That was months ago, and it's not settled yet. 288 FR1;The publishers hope that this Large Print Book has brought you pleasurable reading. Each title is designed to make the text as easy to see as possible. G.K. Hall Large Print Books are available from your library and your local bookstore. Or, you can receive information by mail on upcoming and current Large Print Books and order directly from the publishers. Just send your name and address to: G.K. Hall & Co. 70 Lincoln Street Boston, Mass. 02111 or call, toll-free: 18003432806 A note on the text Large print edition designed by Kipling West. Composed in 16 pt Plantin on a Xyvision 300/Linotron 202N by Tara McSherry Casey of G.K. Hall & Co. Scarborough public library RC P2 GW A lie cc MS ES PU MCC
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