“You called from a public phone?”
“Yah.”
“From Englewood to Hopewell. How much money did you feed the pay phone?”
“Was thirty-five cents.”
I looked at Welch, who was standing there like a fireplug, and looking just about as intelligent. I made a writing motion with my finger and he looked at me blankly for a moment, then nodded, and took out his notebook and wrote down what Johnson had just said.
“What movie did you see, Red?”
“Saw two. Don’t remember names. Sorry.”
“Who was in the first one? What was it about?”
“Uh, funny movie. That fat guy and skinny guy.”
“Laurel and Hardy?”
He nodded vigorously.
“What about the second feature?”
“Fighter and little kid. Sad picture.”
I looked at Welch.
Welch smirked and scribbled.
“You know where that ice-cream parlor is?”
Johnson nodded and reeled off the address; Welch wrote it down.
“What about this milk bottle they found in your car?”
He shrugged. “What ’bout it?”
“What was it doing there?”
“I guess I forgot to throw it out.”
“Where’d you get it?”
“I bought bottle of milk on my way up to Hartford, Wednesday morning.”
“Where?”
“Can’t remember exactly. Guess it was somewhere along the road, near Englewood.”
“What was the idea of buying a bottle of milk? Somehow I picture you drinking something a little stronger, Red.”
“No, no. My stomach bad. Doctor told me drink lots of milk.”
“What doctor?”
“Morrow family doctor, in Englewood. Forget his name.”
Welch stepped in. “Now listen, Johnson—where is that baby?”
“So help me God, I don’t know. I don’t know a thing about it!”
“You know Betty Gow pretty well?” pressed Welch.
“I guess you could say that.”
“Where’d you meet her?”
“Up in Maine, over year ago.”
“How?”
“Well, I work for Mr. Lamont, and his estate was near Morrow summer place.”
“When d’you see Betty last?”
“Sunday. No—Monday night.”
Welch straight-armed him. “Which—Sunday or Monday?”
“Both!” Johnson winced with pain.
“Where did you see her?”
“In Englewood.”
Welch grabbed his shirt front, wadding it in a tight fist. “Why did you call her and ask about the baby, the night of the kidnapping?”
“Because it was on account of baby that she broke her date with me! Naturally, I ask about baby.”
“Ever been in Lindbergh’s home?”
“Yes.”
“How many times?”
