Administration,” Holding said. “The Commissioner wouldn’t encourage an investigation that might embarrass Creedy. He and Creedy are good friends.”
“And, of course, Rankin is hoping to become Captain and needs to keep his nose clean,” I said. As Holding didn’t have any remarks to make on that one, I went on, “So no one is sticking his neck out except me, is that it?”
“Judge Harrison has considerable influence. We have a newspaper with a wide circulation. You would have to be careful, of course, but providing you carry out an orthodox investigation no one would interfere.”
“Except Creedy and Hertz.”
Holding tapped out his pipe.
“I think you said you could take care of Hertz.”
“Yes, I think I could, but I don’t say that my methods would be orthodox.”
“That’s something, perhaps, I had better know nothing about.”
I thought for a moment, then said, “Okay, I’ll see what I can do. The position as I see it is that I make an investigation, present my findings to you and you persuade the Commissioner to make an arrest. Right?”
Holding went back to the pen tray again. He seemed to get a lot of comfort from pushing it around.
“Not quite. I think perhaps the best plan would be for you to make the investigation and pass the facts to the Editor of the St. Raphael Courier. He is a firebrand who is willing to publish anything so long as it hits at the Administration. Then when it is published, the Commissioner will have to act.”
I grinned.
“And you and Rankin keep out of it? So if anything goes wrong, you’re right where you are, safe and happy.”
He didn’t like that.
“Until the Administration . . .” he began, but I cut him short.
“Okay, skip it.” I got to my feet. “I’ll handle it. Not because I’m pulling your chestnuts out of the fire nor because I want to see Judge Harrison running for a Reform ticket. I’m doing it because my partner was killed, and a thing like that is bad for my business.”
He nodded, looking wise.
“I can understand that.”
“Although he was my partner and I’ve a sentimental feeling about turning up the killer,” I went on, “I can’t live on air forever. If your mob rides into office because of what I turn up, I’ll expect them to meet my expenses.”
He looked as if he had suddenly bitten into a quince.
“That might be arranged, but we would have to be sure first that this case is connected with Creedy.”
“That’s understood. In the meantime do I get any help from anyone?”
“Rankin knows what I’m arranging with you. If you will contact him at his home from time to time he will let you know what progress he has made. You’ll find him in the book.”
“What’s the name of this Editor you mentioned: the firebrand?”
“Ralph Troy. You can rely on him. Give him the facts and he’ll print.”
“But first I’ve got to find the facts.” I looked at him. “Well, I’ll see what I can dig up. So long for now.”
He offered a limp hand.
“Good luck and be careful.”
No one could say he was a ray of sunshine. I knew I would need some luck and I was certainly going to be careful.
III
On my way out I wondered if I was too late to catch a glimpse of Marcus Hahn. I was curious to get a look at him without him getting a look at me.
I asked the desk sergeant where the morgue was, explaining that I wanted a word with Lieutenant Rankin if he were still there.
The sergeant told me to follow the corridor to the rear door, turn left and I’d see the morgue light straight ahead.
I followed his directions.
The entrance to the morgue was across the yard. A blue lamp above the door made a ghostly light. Two windows of the low building showed lights and, moving quietly, I crossed the dark courtyard and looked in through one of the windows.
Rankin was standing by a table on which lay Thelma Cousins’ body, covered to the neck by the sheet. Facing him was a slightly built man with a mass of corn-coloured hair and a chin beard to match. He was wearing a cowboy shirt of blue and yellow checks, black trousers, skin tight at the hips and that belled out around his ankles. On his feet he wore Mexican boots with high heels, and with some tricky inlaid silver work on them.
He was good looking if you could accept the long hair and the beard. He had a good nose, deep-set, intelligent eyes and a dome of a forehead.
While he listened to Rankin, he kept smacking the side of his boot with a thin riding whip.
Maybe if he had had a horse with him he would have been impressive. Without the horse, he looked just another Californian screwball.
Rankin seemed to be doing most of the talking. Hahn just nodded and uttered a word here and there. I could see from Rankin’s expression that he was getting nowhere. Finally he flicked the sheet over the dead girl’s face as a signal the interview was over, and Hahn started across the room for the door.
I stepped quickly back into the shadows.
Hahn came out, crossed the yard with long strides, flicking his leg with his whip. He disappeared through the doorway, leading to the street exit.
I moved around to the entrance to the morgue, pushed open the door and went in.
Rankin was just about to turn off the lights when he saw me and his hard, tight face showed his surprise.
“What do you want?”
“Was that Hahn?”
“Yeah: a phony if ever there was one, but he does all right with his pots. He must be making a small fortune out of the sucker trade.” Rankin suppressed a yawn. “Know what he told me? This will kill you.” He touched the dead girl’s arm. “She wasn’t only religious, but she never went around with men. She hadn’t even a boyfriend unless you can call her priest her boyfriend. He was the only one she went around with, and then only to help him collect for the poor. Doc says she’s a virgin. I’ll talk to the priest tomorrow, but I think we can believe Hahn.”
“And yet she went around with Sheppey.”
Rankin grimaced.
“Was he all that good? Could he have made a girl like her fall for him?”
“I wouldn’t put it beyond him. He had a technique all of his own, but I don’t like it a lot. He didn’t go for the religious type. Maybe he and she were on the level. She might have been helping him: giving him information.”
“Would they go swimming together; sharing the same cabin if it was only that?”
I shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
“Well, at least, it doesn’t look as if we’ll have to look for a boyfriend, does it?” He wandered over to the light switch and turned it off. “You playing along with Holding?” His voice came out of the semi-darkness. The light from the outside blue lamp made a silver puddle on the morgue floor.
“I said I would. He tells me I can look you up at your house if I want any information.”
“He didn’t tell you you could look him up at his house, did he?”
“No.”
Rankin moved over to me.
“He wouldn’t. He never takes chances.” He put his hand on my arm. “You want to watch him: you’re not the first guy he’s taken for a ride. He’s been in office now for four years and he hasn’t got there or stayed there without a lot of help. He has a nice, well-developed talent for getting someone else to row his boat for him. He’s the only
