'The guard who checks in all visitors to Miss Arnot's place enters their names in a book,' McCann said, speaking slowly and deliberately. 'At seven o'clock on the night of the killing a girl named Frances Coleman called to see Miss Arnot. We're looking for her now, and she will be arrested as a material witness. Conrad thinks she may have seen the killer.'
Maurer looked at the glowing end of his cigar. A muscle in his cheek suddenly began to twitch, otherwise his face was expressionless.
There was a tight tension in the room.
Seigel lit a cigarette, his eyes on the back of Maurer's head. He licked his lips as if they had gone suddenly dry.
Gollowitz stared down at his hands, frowning.
McCann's hard little eyes took in each man, watching his reactions, a grinding, rising fury inside him made him feel short of breath.
'Well, say something!' he snarled. 'Is this something Gollowitz can take care of?'
Maurer looked up. The flat snake's eyes glowed as if they were on fire, and under his direct look, McCann's eyes gave ground.
'I want to talk to the Captain,' Maurer said softly.
Gollowitz immediately got up and, followed by Seigel, left the room.
When the door closed behind them, Maurer crossed one short fat leg over the other. He took his cigar out of his mouth, leaned forward and touched off the ash into a cut-glass bowl. He didn't look at McCann.
McCann sat still, his big fists on his knees, his face purple. Sweat gave an oily
appearance to his complexion.
'Frances Coleman, did you say?' Maurer said suddenly, keeping his voice down.
'That's right,' McCann said.
'Who is she?'
'Let's get this straight, Mr. Maurer, are you . . .?'
'Who is she?' Maurer repeated without raising his voice, but
McCann recognized the danger signals.
'She's an out-of-work movie extra. She checked out of her room on Glendale Avenue on the night of the murder. The Central Casting Agency haven't her new address.'
'Did she know Miss Arnot?'
'She worked with her on her last picture: a bit part.'
'You're looking for her now?'
'Yeah. We should turn her up in a few hours.'
Maurer nodded.
'Got a photograph of her?'
McCann took out a print from his inside pocket.
'I got this from the C.C.A.'
Maurer took the photograph, looked at it, then put the photograph face down on the arm of his chair. He looked up suddenly and smiled.
'You've finished your drink, Captain. Help yourself.'
'No, thanks,' McCann said.
He wasn't fooled by the smile. The atmosphere in the room affected him like
the pressure of an approaching electric storm.
Maurer got up and walked across the room to a door near the casement windows. He opened the door and went into the room that McCann knew Seigel used as an office.
McCann sat still, his cigar gripped tightly between his teeth. He was aware that his heart was beating unevenly and his mouth was dry.
Maurer returned from the office carrying a long white envelope. As he crossed the room, McCann got to his feet and faced him.
'I have been meaning to give you this for some time,' Maurer said, smiling. 'A little investment I made in your name came out pretty well.'
McCann took the envelope.
'Fifteen thousand bucks,' Maurer said in a voice scarcely above a whisper.
McCann drew in a slow deep breath. He slid the envelope into his hip pocket.
'Perhaps I can return the favour,' he said woodenly.
'Well, yes,' Maurer said, and moved over to the empty fireplace. 'I should like to be the first to know where Miss Coleman is to be found. Could that be arranged ?'
