'That you, Lieutenant?' A deep, rich voice, which Ken instantly recognized as Sam Darcy's, whispered in his ear. 'The Lieutenant's out. I think he's at headquarters.' There was a pause, then Darcy said, 'Can you take a message?'
'I guess so.'
'Okay, tell him a guy who looked like Johnny Dorman was seen on Tux's cruiser, Willow Point. My man only caught a glimpse of him and he won't swear it was Johnny.'
Ken felt a tingle of excitement run up his spine.
'I'll tell him.'
'The cruiser's anchored in the estuary. He'll know.'
'Okay,' Ken said, and hung up.
For a long moment he stood thinking, then he put a call through to police headquarters.
'Give me Lieutenant Adams,' he said to the desk sergeant.
'He's not here. Who's calling?'
'He's on his way down. Hasn't he arrived yet?'
'He's been in and he's gone out again. What is it?'
Ken replaced the receiver.
Suppose Dorman left the cruiser before he could tell Adams where he was? he thought. If he were to get out of this jam, he had to help himself.
He would go to the waterfront and watch the cruiser until Adams came.
He went to Adams' desk, wrote down Darcy's message, added that he was going to try to find the Willow Point and urged Adams to come as quickly as he could. He left the message on the table, grabbed his hat and left the apartment. He cautiously opened the front door.
Rain was falling, and the wet darkness gave him a feeling of security. He went down the steps and, turning left, he walked as quickly as he could towards the river.
CHAPTER VI
I
Sean O'Brien tapped on Gilda's dressing-room door, waited a moment, then turned the handle and entered.
Gilda was changing. She reached hurriedly for her wrap, then changed her mind when she saw O'Brien, and went to him quickly.
'Sorry,' he said, smiling at her. 'I should have waited a little longer.'
'Is it all right, Sean?' she asked, her great green eyes dark with anxiety.
'Of course.' He took her in his arms and kissed her. 'You should lock the door, kid. Anyone could have walked in.'
'I thought I had. What happened, Sean?' She moved back to the dressingtable while he watched her, thinking how beautiful she was.
'Manchini won't worry you again. I've had a scare thrown into him, and he scares fast.'
She slipped into a simple white evening dress that made her look, to O'Brien's eyes, much more seductive dian when she was wearing her nightclub finery.
'I don't know what I should do without you,' she said, going to the dressing-table and sitting down.
He laughed.
'That's what I'm here for.' He took a cigar from his case, sat down and slowly removed the band. 'So Manchini saw Johnny last night?'
'That's what he said, but I don't believe him'. He was trying to scare me into taking him back to my apartment.'
'Then you don't think he gave Johnny Fay's address?'
She hesitated, then turned to face him.
'I know he didn't. Darling, forgive me, I didn't tell you the truth about Johnny. I did see him last night. He was at my apartment when I returned from the Casino. He's scared of you, Sean. He dunks you made me put him in the home. He made me promise not to tell you I had seen him. I've told him over and over again you had nothing to do with putting him in the home, but he doesn't believe me. He stayed the night with me. That's why I know he couldn't have killed Fay.'
O'Brien nodded, and wondered why she continued to lie to him.
'You should have told me that before, kid. Never mind. Is he still at your place?'
'No. He's gone. I'm worried, Sean. He left no note. He's just vanished. You don't think the police have arrested him?'
O'Brien shook his head.
'Of course not. I should have heard. Relax, kid. He's probably decided to get out of town. Didn't you say he was going to New York?'
