“I agree that Mrs. Burdock doesn’t seem likely. I must say, Gid, that you aren’t helping yourself much.”
“As for me,” Cotton said, “I don’t see why we have to assume any God-damn enemy at all. I don’t see why we can’t assume a good citizen who is against murder and wanted to tell the police something they should have been told sooner by someone else.”
“I’m strongly in favor of good citizens myself,” I said. “I’m almost as strongly for them as I am against being accused anonymously of murder.”
“Hold on, Gid,” Hec said. “You weren’t accused anonymously of murder. I pointed that out before. You were only accused of being where a murder was committed about the time it was.”
“That’s a great satisfaction,” I said. “Thanks for pointing it out.”
“However,” Hec said, “we still have the problem of what to do with you.”
“That’s no problem,” Cotton said.
“What’s your suggestion?” Hec said.
“What we have to do,” Cotton said, “is hold him on suspicion.”
“I guess that’s right,” Hec said. “I’m sorry, Gid, but I guess we have to hold you. You see how it is? You were there and all, and you didn’t tell about it, and that makes you suspicious at the very least.”
“Thanks again,” I said. “I feel chosen. May I go back to my office and tidy things up a bit?”
“I’m against it,” Cotton said. “You can’t let a murder suspect run around loose to do things like that.”
“By God, Cotton,” I said, “it’s impossible for me to tell you how much I admire your devotion to duty. Do you think it would be permissible to make a couple of telephone calls?”
“I can’t see any harm in a couple of telephone calls,” Hec said. “Can you, Cotton?”
“That depends on who he calls and what he says,” Cotton said.
“Who are you going to call, Gid?” Hec said.
“A couple of pretty seamy characters, if you must know. Millie Morgan at the office for one, and Sid Jones at home for another.”
“What are you going to say?” Cotton said.
“That may turn out to be a problem, now that you’ve put it to me. Not so much with Millie, maybe. After all, she’s only my secretary, and I guess I’ll just tell her directly that I’m going to jail for an indeterminate period, and ask her to sort of sit on things at the office for the duration if she can bear the association with a homicidal idiot. Sid’s another matter, however. As a wife, she may be expected to react a little more aggressively to the news that her husband is under arrest on suspicion of murder, and she may require a delicate approach. Can anyone suggest how I could tell my wife delicately that I’m going to jail?”
“I don’t have any suggestions,” Hec said. “Do you, Cotton?”
“How the hell would I know?” Cotton said. “I don’t even have a wife.”
“Gid,” Hec said, “I guess you’ll just have to go ahead and call and do the best you can.”
“Thanks. May I use your phone?”
“Sure. Go ahead and use it.”
I did, dialing the office number first, and Millie answered.
“Hello, Millie,” I said. “This is Number 1961.”
“What? What did you say? Is that you, Gid?”
“Yes, it is.”
“What was that about Number 1961?”
“Skip it. I’m just whistling in the dark.”
“Where the hell are you?”
“I’m in the office of Hector Caldwell, attorney-at-law.”
“Why are you calling? Why don’t you come back and tell me what he wanted with you?”
“Unfortunately, that’s not possible at this time.”
“Will you be long? I can hardly wait to hear.”
“Well, don’t hold your hand on your tail while you’re waiting, honey, because it might grow there.”
“Damn it, Gid, I simply can’t understand you. What do you mean, my hand might grow to my tail? What a hell of a thing to say!”
“Sorry, honey. More whistling. What I mean is, it appears at the moment that my absence may be prolonged. Cotton McBride, who is listening to this end of our conversation, is of the opinion that it may be permanent. In brief, I’ve been hauled into custody.”
“Are you serious?”
“Never more so.”
“Didn’t I warn you about that son of a bitch Hector Caldwell? And Cotton McBride is worse, if possible. Have you admitted anything? What are you suspected of?”
“I’m suspected of murdering Beth Thatcher.”
“The hell you are! You didn’t, did you?”
“I’m happy to say I didn’t.”
“I didn’t think you did, really.”
“It’s too bad that present company isn’t as easily convinced.”
“Cotton and Hector? Those two bastards have absolutely no brain between them.”
“I’m inclined to agree, but it’s beside the point. The point is, I’m under arrest, and I’ll be detained a while, and I wonder if you’ll sit on things at the office and more or less keep me in practice until further notice?”
“I’ve got some things here right now that need your signature. Do you want me to forge it?”
“You’d better not. One of us in jail at a time is more than enough. After I’m settled in my new accommodations, I’ll be allowed short visits from friends and associates, I think. Bring the papers over tomorrow, and I’ll sign them.”
“I’ll be there. And don’t you worry, Gid. I’ll bet you’re out of that jail in no time. Is there anything I can do to help? Maybe I could get that Hec Caldwell in a compromising position that would enable us to put some pressure on him.”
“Don’t bother, please. Just be a good girl and take care of things. Goodbye, now.”
I hung up and took a deep breath, getting ready for Sid, and began to dial my residence number. Hec Caldwell leaned back in his swivel chair and looked past me at Cotton McBride with an expression of complacency.
“You see, Cotton?” he said. “Nothing at all was said that could do the least harm.”
“Nothing harmful was said at this end of the line,” Cotton said, “but I’m
