The Snake

all taken in night spots long since gone. In two of them she was with a party of six. In the other two there were four people, and in those she was with the same man, a lanky dark-haired guy with deep-set eyes who almost seemed like a hell-fire preacher touring the sin spots for material for a sermon.

'She was pretty,' I said.

'She was beautiful,' Sue said softly. 'I can still remember her face.'

'These were taken before you were born.' I pointed to the dates on the back of the photos.

'I know. But I can remember her. I remember her talking to me. I remember her talking about him.'

'Come on, kid.'

'Her hair swirled as she made a small negative gesture. 'I mean it. She hated him.'

'Sue... they were married.'

'I don't care.'

I looked at her sharply. 'Want me to be blunt?'

She shrugged and bit into her lip.

'Your mother was an alcoholic. Sim tried everything to dry her out. Alcoholics hate that. If she hated him it was because he wanted to help. Get it out of your mind that he killed her.'

'She told me the snake killed her.'

'Drunks see snakes and elephants and everything else. Don't go getting wrapped up in an obsession.'

'She told me to look for a letter. Someday I'll find it.'

'You were three years old. How could you remember those things?'

'I just do.'

'Okay, you look for it then. Meanwhile, I want you to do something for me.'

'What?'

'Don't cause trouble. You stay out of his hair until we clear this thing up. Promise me?'

'Maybe.' She was smiling at me.

'What do you want?'

'Kiss me.'

I grunted. 'I just got done kissing Geraldine King.'

'You're nasty, but I don't care.' She sidled around the desk and stood there with her hands behind her back. 'I'll take seconds,' she said.

So I kissed her.

'Not like that.'

'How?' The damn game was getting out of hand. The big broads I could handle, but how do you get the kids off your back?

Then she showed me how in a moment of sudden violence that was all soft and tender yet filled with some latent fury I couldn't understand. The contact was brief, but it shook me and left her trembling, her eyes darkly languid and her face flushed.

'I hope you like seconds best.'

'By far, kid, only don't do it again.' I faked a laugh and held her away. 'Stay cool, okay?'

'Okay, Mike.'

Then I got out of there and back into the taxi where I gave the driver Pat's address.

Chapter Six

The new Inspector was a transfer from another division, a hard apple I had seen around years ago. His name was Spencer Grebb and one of his passionate hatreds was personnel from other fields poking around in his domain, with first cut going to private investigators and police reporters. From the look he gave me, I seemed to have a special place in his book and was target one on his big S list.

Charles Force was a D.A. out for Charlie Force. He was young, talented, on the way up, and nothing was going to deter his ambition. He was a nice-looking guy, but you couldn't tell what was going on behind his face. He had made it the hard way, in the courtrooms, and was a pro at the game right down the line.

Now they both sat at one side of the room with Pat in the middle, looking at me like I was game they were going to let out of the box long enough to get a running start so that hunting me down would be a pleasure.

After the introductions I said, 'You check those slugs out, Pat?'

'Both from the same gun that killed Basil Levitt. You mentioned Marv Kania. Could you identify the guy, the guy who pulled the trigger?'

'If he's Kania I could.'

'Try this.' Pat flipped a four-by-five photo across the desk and I picked it up.

I looked at it and tossed it back. 'That's the one.'

'Positive?'

'Positive. He's made two passes at me, once in the office building and today with a truck. It rammed a taxi I was in.'

Inspector Grebb had a hard, low voice. 'This you reported right away.'

'Now I'm doing it. At the moment it could have been a simple traffic accident. I ducked out because I had something to do. Now I'm tying it all in.'

His smile was a twisted thing. 'You know, it wouldn't be too hard to find a charge to press there, would it, Mr. Force?'

Charlie Force smiled too, but pleasantly. A courtroom smile. 'I don't think so, Inspector.'

As insolently as I could make it, I perched on the edge of Pat's desk and faced them. 'Let's get something straight. I know what you guys would like to see, but I'm not going to fall easily. The agency I represent is Federal. It's obscure, but pulls a lot of weight, and if you want to see just how much weight is there, push me a little. I'm operating in an official capacity whether you like it or not, which gives me certain latitudes. I've been around long enough to know the score on both ends so play it straight, friends. I'm cooperating with all departments as Captain Chambers will tell you. Just don't push. You'd be surprised what kind of a stink I can raise if I want to.'

I looked at Charlie Force deliberately. 'Especially in the publicity circuit, buddy.'

His eyebrows pulled together. 'Are you threatening me, Mr. Hammer?'

I nodded and grinned at him. 'That I am, buster. That's one edge I have on you. A bad schmear and you can go down a notch and never hit the big-time. So play ball.'

They didn't like it, but they had to take it. In a way, I couldn't blame them a bit. An ex private jingle coming in with a big ticket isn't easy to take. Especially not one with a reputation like mine.

The D.A. seemed to relax. He was still smiling, but it wasn't for real. 'We've been advised to cooperate.'

Thanks, Rickerby, I thought. You're still paying for The Dragon.

Pat said, 'We ran a pretty thorough check on Basil Levitt.'

'Anything?'

'We located a girl he used to shack up with. She told us he was on a job but wouldn't say what it was. He said he was getting paid well for it but there would be more later and he was already making big plans. Outside of a few others who knew he had fresh money on him, nothing.'

'What about the rifle?'

'Stolen from a sporting goods store upstate about a month ago. We had the numbers on file. He must have worn gloves in the room where he had the gun set up, but got careless when he loaded the clip. There was a single print that tied him in with it.'

Before I could answer, Charlie Force said, 'Now what we are interested in knowing is who he was shooting at.'

I looked at my watch and then at his face. 'Art Rickerby clued you in. You know what Velda was involved with.'

'Yes,' he agreed pleasantly. 'We know. But I'm beginning to wonder about it all.'

'Well, stop wondering.'