McNally's risk

work out a deal satisfactory to both of us. I'm ready, willing, and able to sign a personal note for the remainder to be paid over a period of time at regular intervals.'

'You mean like an IOU?' I asked.

There was a brief silence. Then: 'Well, yeah,' he said finally, his voice tense, 'something like that. How about us getting together and discussing this arrangement like gentlemen?'

'Suits me,' I said.

'Hey, that's great!' he said, heartily now. 'Let's do just what we did last night: I'll drive over to your place at ten o'clock and we'll sit in my car and crunch the numbers. Just you and me. And we'll both end up winners- right?'

'Right, Heck,' I said.

I hung up and stared into space. I believed it extremely unlikely that he had raised fifty thousand in cash in such a short time. And I thought his offer of an IOU was a clumsy ploy. I reckoned he had another motive for wanting to meet with me and I suspected what it was. Definitely not comforting. So I phoned Sgt. Al Rogoff at police headquarters.

'What a coincidence,' he said. 'I was just about to give you a tinkle.'

'Give me a what?' I said.

'A tinkle. A phone call. Ain't you got no couth?'

'I'm awash in couth,' I told him, 'but tinkles I can do without. Why were you going to call?'

'Good news for a change. The Lauderdale cops grabbed Reuben Hagler.'

'That is good news, Al,' I said. 'You have no idea how happy it makes me. They're holding him?'

'Yep. He's in the slam.'

'Very efficient detective work,' I said.

Rogoff laughed. 'I wish I could say the same but actually it was just dumb luck. He was beating up on that Pinky Schatz in her condo, and she was yelling and screaming so loud that neighbors called 911. That's how they nabbed Hagler. And the icing on the cake is that the Schatz woman is sick and tired of getting bounced around so she's talking.'

'Wonderful,' I said. 'Did she identify Hagler as the killer of Shirley Feebling?'

'She can't do that, Archy,' the sergeant said. 'She wasn't an eyewitness and Hagler never told her that he had done it. But she's supplied enough to hold him on suspicion.'

'Al,' I said anxiously, 'don't tell me he's going to walk.'

'He probably will,' Rogoff admitted, 'unless Lauderdale gets more evidence. Like finding the murder weapon hidden in his closet wrapped in his jockstrap. Right now they haven't got enough to convict. Why did you call me?'

'Listen to this,' I said, 'and try not to interrupt.'

I started repeating everything I had told my father: what I knew, what I surmised, what I planned to do. I was halfway through my recital when Rogoff interrupted.

'Why are you telling me all this horseshit?' he demanded. 'I'm not interested in prenuptial agreements. What has it got to do with the PBPD?'

'Please,' I begged, 'let me finish. I need your help.'

I described in detail the scam I had already set in motion and what I hoped to gain from it.

'That certainly affects your homicide investigations,' I pointed out. 'If my con works, you'll clear both the Marcia and Silas Hawkin cases.'

He was silent a long time and I could almost see him, eyes slitted, calculating the odds.

'What you guess happened makes a crazy kind of sense,' he said finally. 'I can buy it. But what you're planning is strictly from nutsville. If you're right, you're liable to get blown away.'

'And if I am,' I said, 'it'll prove I was right, won't it? Then you can take it from there.'

'I always knew you were a flit,' he said, 'but I never suspected you were a total cuckoo. But if you want to take the risk I can't stop you. What do you want from me?'

'The showdown is tonight at ten o'clock. We'll be in Johnson's white Lincoln Town Car parked on the turnaround behind my house. He keeps insisting that just the two of us be present. I was worried he'd bring Reuben Hagler along, and then I'd really be in the minestrone. That's why I was so happy when you told me Hagler is behind bars in Fort Lauderdale. Now what I'd like you to do is park your squad or pickup someplace where Johnson can't spot it. Then be in our garage at ten o'clock-concealed, of course-in case I need assistance.'

'Yeah,' he said, 'that's a possibility.'

I ignored his irony. 'If I need your help,' I went on, 'I'll give you a shout.'

'Oh sure,' he said. 'But how are you going to do that if he's got his mitts clamped around your gullet?'

'He won't,' I said with more aplomb than I felt. 'I'm not exactly Charles Atlas, but I assure you I'm not a ninety-seven-pound weakling either. I mean brutes don't kick sand in my face on the beach without inviting serious retaliation.'

'Cuckoo,' Al chanted in a falsetto voice. 'Cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo.'

'Your confidence in me is underwhelming. Just tell me this: Will you be hidden in our garage at ten o'clock tonight?'

'I'll be there,' he promised.

I hung up, satisfied that I had done all I could to prepare to play Wellington to Hector Johnson's Napoleon.

I saw little reason to venture out into that scruffy climate so I decided to stay home, bring my journal up to date, futz around and wait for the great denouement that evening. That plan evaporated, for my next phone call was from Theodosia Johnson. Southern Bell was having a profitable morning.

'Archy,' she wailed, 'I'm going cuckoo.'

I laughed. 'Two of a kind,' I said. 'What's the problem?'

'This miserable weather is suffocating me. And father has been a bear. He was bad enough last night but this morning he got a phone call-I don't know what it was about-and I thought he was going to blow a fuse. Ranting, raving, cursing. And he started drinking directly from the bottle. Have you ever done that, Archy?'

'Thirty-six years ago. But it had a rubber nipple on it.'

It was her turn to laugh. 'You always make me feel better,' she said. 'Listen, I'm going to drive daddy over to Louise Hawkin's place. He says he'll be there all afternoon. The two of them will probably get smashed-but who cares? Anyway, I'll have the car and I'd love to meet you for lunch at that funky place you took me to.'

'The Pelican Club?'

'That's it. Tonight I'm having dinner at the Smythe-Hersforth mortuary so I've got to build up my morale, and you're the best morale builder-upper I know. So how about lunch?'

'Sure,' I said bravely. 'Meet you at the Pelican in an hour. Can you find it?'

'I can find anyplace,' she said, and I believed it.

I didn't bother getting duded up, just pulled on a navy blazer over the white Izod and tan jeans I was wearing. The snazziest part of my ensemble was the footgear: lavender New Balance running shoes.

Madam X was already seated at the bar of the Pelican Club when I arrived. She and Simon Pettibone were engrossed in a heavy conversation. They seemed startled when I interrupted.

'Glad to see you've met our distinguished majordomo,' I said to Theo.

'Met him?' she said. 'I've already asked him to marry me, but he says he's taken.'

'I think I've just been taken again,' Mr. Pettibone said solemnly. 'Mr. McNally, this young lady could charm the spots off a tiger.'

'Stripes,' I said. 'And she could do it. What are you swilling, Theo?'

'Vodka martini on the stones.'

'Oh my,' I said, 'we are in a mood, aren't we? I'll have the same, Mr. Pettibone, if you please, and hold the fruit.'

I took the bar stool next to Theo and examined her. She was dressed as casually as I. Her jeans were blue denim and she was wearing a black T-shirt under a khaki bush jacket. Her makeup was minimal and her hair swung free. Her appearance was enough to make my heart lurch.