out of the ring. He’d have tried, anyway.
Mrs. Irene Cotter was rather thrilled and wildly curious. Two men, detectives of all things, calling in one morning, and both about those Lindstroms. If you'd asked her, she'd have said-in fact, she was saying it now to Mendoza-that most any other tenants she'd ever had while she was manageress here, and that'd been eleven years, were more likely to bring detectives around. That blonde hussy in 307, for instance, or Mr. Jessup who was, not to beat round the bush, just a nasty old man-and there'd been that couple in 419 that got drunk most nights and threw things.
She told him about them all, at some length and, when she remembered, taking pains with her grammar, because this one was a lot more interesting-looking, and seemed more interested in her, than the first one. She always thought there was something about a man with mustache. This one looked a little bit like that fellow in the movies, the one that was usually the villain but personally she thought about a lot of the movies she'd seen with him in that the girl was an awful fool to prefer some sheep-eyed collar-ad instead, but there was no accounting for tastes. And a real gentleman too, beautiful manners; of course that was one thing about these Mexes, people said things about them, but of course there was classes of them just like anywhere, only when they were highclass like this one, you said Spanish.
'-And I tell you, when he up and left, and everybody knew it, nobody couldn't hardly believe it! You'd never have thought they was that kind at all, fly-by-nights I mean that don't go on steady, you know what I mean, all their lives. But I tell you, lieutenant, I like to sort of study people, and G-goodness knows I get the chance in my job, and I said to myself at the time, There's something behind it.'
'There usually is. The man left in August, you said, early.'
'I couldn't swear to the date, but it was after the rent was due-and paid. They was never a day late. Good tenants. Maybe the first week.'
And how long did the woman and boy stay on?'
'Oh, I can tell you that to the day. It was the twenty-second of September they left, she told me in the morning, late, round noon maybe, and they went that night. I remember because she was paid to the end of the month, but they went before, and I did think that was funny, because it must've meant she'd paid extra wherever they were moving, you know, to move in before the first. And already bein' paid up to the first here, you'd think-Of course, all I know, she didn't say, they might've been going back east or somewheres. I did ask, account of mail, not that they ever had much of that, mostly ads-but she never said, just looked at me as if I was being nosy. And I'll tell you something else, Lieutenant, you can believe it or not, but that was just exactly the fourth time I'd spoke to Ms' Lindstrom, all two years they'd been here. That was the kind they was-her, anyways. Why, they'd moved in a week or more before I ever laid eyes on her-it was him rented the place, and paid, and like people mostly do they moved in at night, after work, you know-not that they had much to bring, a few sticks o' furniture. But I was telling you about when he went. It was Mis' Spinner in 319 told me, right next to them, they had 320, you can see that I wouldn't notice right off, especially with them, sometimes I'd see him going off in the morning or coming home, but not every day.
And Mis' Spinner thought I ought to know he'd left, at least hadn't been there she didn't think four-five days, time she told me. Well, they was paid up to the end of August, I didn't go asking questions till then, none o' my business, but when September first come round, it was her come down to pay the rent and then I did figure, better know where we stood, if you see what I mean. Without wanting to be nosy,' added Mrs. Cotter virtuously. 'She wouldn't admit he'd gone and left her, froze right up and said I needn't worry about the rent, and some rigmarole about he was called back east sudden. But alla same, it wasn't a week before she had to get herself a job, so I knew all right. And if you ask me-'
'Where did she work, do you know?'
'Sure, it was a night job cleaning offices downtown-the Curtis Building. And that's what I was going' to say, Lieutenant-that kind of job, it shows you what she was like, and you ask me, it all ties in, it was prob'ly all her fault, whole thing. She was one of them old maids married like they say, for sure. Went around with a sour look alla time, never a smile or a friendly word in passing-and as for looks! Well, I don't s'pose she was more than forty, and I tell you, she looked like her own gran'mother! Hair screwed up in a little bun behind, and skin like a piece o' sandpaper, you could tell she never took any care of herself, prob'ly used laundry soap and that's that-never a scrap of make- up, and cheap old cotton house dresses was all I ever seen her in. You know's well as me there's no call for a woman to let herself go like that, these days! And if she acted to him the way she did to everybody else, even the youngster, well, between you 'n' me 'n' the gatepost, I don't blame him for walkin' out. A man can take just so much. She'd've been the kind wouldn't let him sleep with her either, a regular prunes-an'-prison old maid like they say, if you know what I mean. Why, if she'd taken a little trouble, fix herself up and act nice, she coulda got a better job, waiting in a store or something, you know, daytimes. There's just no call for a woman to look like that, if she's got any self-respect! But she wasn't one you could talk to friendly, you know, give any advice, like-she was downright rude to everybody tried to make friends, so after a while nobody tried no more, just left them be. And I do think he'd have been different. Times he came by to pay the rent, or if you met him going' out or like that, he always acted friendly and polite. I figure he just got good and fed up with the whole way she was-it musta been like livin' with a set bear trap.'
The detective grinned at that and she permitted herself a ladylike titter, smoothing her defiantly brown pompadour. 'I gather you didn't exchange much casual talk with the woman at any time.'
'Nobody did, she wouldn't let 'em… Ever hear her mention going to buy a doll? That I did not. It wasn't a girl she had, it was a boy, I thought I said. Marty, his name was. He favored his dad, I must say he was a nice-raised boy. Always took off his cap to you, and he was real quiet-for a boy, you know. He'd be about eleven or a bit past when they come, and that last year they was here, he all of a sudden'd started to shoot up, early like some do- going to be as big as his dad, you could see. A real nice boy, he was, not like his Ma at all… Well, I'm sure I don't know why she'd be buying a doll, unless it was for some of their fambly back east, might be she had a niece or something.
But for goodness' sake, Lieutenant, won't you tell me what this is all about-what's she done?-or is it him? I mean'
'I don't know that either of them's done anything. It's a matter of getting evidence, that's all, not very important.' He was standing up.
'Oh. I must say, I can't help being curious-two of you coming, same day, ask about them! You can't blame me for that, couldn't you just-'
'So Mr. Morgan was asking about the Lindstroms too?' He looked thoughtful, and then smiled and began to thank her. She saw she wouldn't get any more out of him, but that didn't stop her from speculating. The Lindstroms, of all people!
Mrs. Cotter watched him down the walk to his car, heaved an excited sigh after him, and hurried upstairs to tell Mrs. Spinner all about it.
The clock over the row of phone booths, in the first drugstore he came to, said ten past twelve. Mendoza spent an annoying five minutes looking up the number in a tattered book, finally got the office, and just caught Gunn on his way out to lunch.
'Oh, Luis-how's the boy?-good to hear from you. Say, I'm afraid Andrews' idea didn't pay off, you know, about that hood New York wants for jumping parole. It was a long chance, find him through the wife, and of course it may be she's collecting from some other county agency. If he wants- What's that? Sure thing, anything I can tell you.
… Morgan, well, he's probably having lunch somewhere right now.'
'It's one of his cases, that's all. And all I want from you is the present address. The name is Mrs. Marion Lindstrom. Apparently she's only recently applied for relief.'
'If we're working on it, that's so, within a few months anyway-it'll be right here in the current file, hang on and I'll look.'
