team.
‘Let’s go,’ he said, hanging up. To Meadows, he went on, ‘I’ll report to you, sir, as soon as I get back.’
As I walked behind Renick out of the office, I wondered if I could borrow money from him to pay Holden. I decided not to try. I couldn’t imagine he would have fifty dollars on him anyway. I just hoped that Holden wouldn’t mention that I hadn’t paid him. It wasn’t much of a hope, but there was nothing I could do about it.
As we reached the head of the stairs, I saw Renick give a quick signal to the two waiting detectives.
They followed us down the stairs to where two cars were waiting. Renick and I got in the back of one, the two detectives got in the front with the driver. The car shot away, followed by the second car with the technical men.
We reached East Beach around six o’clock. The beach was still crowded.
Renick told his men to remain in the cars. Nodding to me, he walked to the entrance of the bathing station. I plodded behind him, feeling the way a steer probably feels when going to be slaughtered.
Bill Holden was in his office. He looked up as Renick and I came in.
‘Why, hello, Mr. Barber,’ he said, getting to his feet. He looked inquiringly at Renick.
‘This is Lieutenant Renick, City Police, Bill,’ I said. ‘He wants to ask you a few questions.’
Holden looked startled.
‘Why, sure, Lieutenant. Go right ahead.’
Here it comes, I thought. This is something, if I can’t lie myself out of, that’ll sink me.
Renick said, ‘We’re trying to trace a girl: she’s around twenty, pretty, with red hair and wearing a blue and white cotton dress. She wore big sun goggles and ballet type shoes. Mean anything to you?’
Holden didn’t hesitate. He shook his head.
‘I’m sorry, Lieutenant, it’s no good asking me a thing like that. I see thousands of girls here during the season. To me, they’re like so many grains of sand. I never even see them.’
‘We have reason to believe this girl was here around midnight on Saturday. Were you here Saturday night?’
‘No. I went off duty at eight.’ Holden looked at me, ‘but you were here, weren’t you, Mr. Barber?’
Somehow I managed to look a lot calmer than I felt.
‘Not Saturday, Bill. I was at home.’
Renick was staring at me.
‘Well, then I guess I can’t help you, Lieutenant,’ Holden said.
‘What makes you think Mr. Barber was here on Saturday night?’ Renick asked in a deceptively mild voice.
‘I just imagined he was. He…’
I cut in.
‘I had rented a cabin here, John. I was planning a book. I found I couldn’t work at home.’
‘Is – that – right?’ The unbelief in his voice was painful to hear. ‘You didn’t tell me that.’
I forced a grin.
‘The book didn’t jell.’
Renick stared at me for a moment, then turned to Holden.
‘Were all the cabins locked on Saturday night?’
‘Sure,’ Holden said. ‘I locked them myself: except Mr. Barber’s cabin of course. He had the key.’
‘None of the locks had been tampered with?’
‘No.’
‘Did you lock your cabin, Harry?’ Renick asked.
‘I think so. I can’t be sure. Maybe I didn’t.’
‘Which was your cabin?’
‘The last one on the left, Lieutenant,’ Holden said. He was now uneasy and he kept shooting glances at me and then at Renick.
‘Anyone in the cabin now?’
Holden looked at a chart on the wall.
‘It’s empty right now.’
‘Have you ever seen Odette Malroux here?’ Renick asked.
‘The girl who was kidnapped?’ Holden shook his head. ‘She never came here, Lieutenant. I’d know her. I’ve seen enough pictures of her. No… she never came here.’
‘I’ll take a look at the cabin. Got the key?’
‘It’ll be in the door, Lieutenant.’
Renick started for the door and I started after him.
Holden said, ‘Oh, Mr. Barber…’
