“I’m tired of being the fall guy,” I said, flicking ash on the floor. “I’m going to bust Paradise Palms wide open.” I pointed a ringer at him. “That’s why I’ve come to you.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Go on,” he said.
“Two things, both of them Federal business: smuggling aliens into the country and counterfeiting.”
“Where’ll that get you with Killeano?”
I smiled. “That’s my end of it. I’m not giving you all the work to do; just part of it.”
“Go on.”
“Tonight a boat will unload a parcel of Cubans at Pigeon Key. They’ll be leaving Havana around nine o’clock. The boat’s a thirty-footer, painted dark green, no mast, no outriggers, broken windshield in the pilot house. I’ll be glad if you’d take care of it.”
“Sure?”
“Sure, I’m sure. It’s a hot tip.”
“Okay, I’ll take care of it.”
“Another thing. I want Killeano to get the credit for the tip-off. Davis will handle the publicity. Okay with you?”
He frowned. “What’s the idea?”
“Just part of the little plot,” I said. “Is it worth your while playing along with me if I turn over the counterfeiting plant and the boys who work it?”
“It might be,” he said cautiously. “You seem to know a hell of a lot about this business, Cain. Suppose you open out. And don’t think you can use this office to further your own interests, because you can’t.”
“Now you sound just like a cop,” I returned. “Look, I’m giving you a boat full of undesirable Cubans, and I’m going to show you where this dud money comes from. Where’s your gratitude?”
He grinned. “Well, okay,” he said, “but don’t start anything we can’t finish.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” I said. “Come to Paradise Palms on Thursday night. Meet me at 46 Waterside at eleven o’clock and come prepared for trouble. If you can arrange to have some of your boys within reach, so much the better, but they are not to show until trouble starts.”
He stared. “What’s the idea? That joint’s a brothel. Why there?”
I winked at him. “Don’t you ever relax, brother?” I asked as I made for the door..
5
Six o’clock the following morning, Davis came bursting into my bedroom. I woke with a start, grabbed my gun from under my pillow, saw who it was, sank back.
“That’s the way guys meet with accidents,” I said crossly, rubbing my eyes. “What time is it?”
“I like that,” Davis snorted. “I’ve been slaving all through the night and come over here to show you how bright I am, and you talk of accidents.”
I yawned, lit a cigarette, sat up in bed.
“All right,” I said. “Shoot.”
He handed me a copy of the Morni
“It’s all there,” he said proudly. “Careful how you handle it, the print ain’t dry yet. Howja like it ?” He sat on the foot of the bed, breathing heavily, his eyes alight with excitement. “Gawd knows what Killeano will do to the editor when he sees it. Gawd knows what the editor will do to me if he ever finds out Killeano never said a word of what I’ve said he said. But this is the way you wanted it, and you’ve got it that way.”
“My pal,” I said, and read the banner headlines:
CITY ADMINISTRATOR SWOOPS
NEW POLICE CHIEF’S LIGHTNING ATTACK ON ALIEN SMUGGLERS
Late last night, Ed. Killeano, Paradise Palms’ City Administrator, in his new capacity of Chief of Police, struck a crippling blow at the Alien smuggling racket.
Too long has this notorious scandal openly flourished along the coast of our fair city. We, representing the citizens of Paradise Palms, are proud to be one of the first to congratulate the new Chief of Police for tackling this racket so courageously and with such speed. It should be remembered that the former Chief of Police made no attempt to suppress the smuggling racket, and it is all the more to Ed. Killeano’s credit that he has taken such prompt action when only being in office a few hours.
In an exclusive interview with the
Acting on information from a secret source, the new Chief of Police ordered Coast Guards to seize a mysterious motor-launch operating off Pigeon Key. A desperate battle ensued, and the motor-launch was sunk, but not before some twelve Cuban nationals lost their lives… .
There was a lot more in this vein, photographs of the boat half in and half out of the water, of Killeano and the Coast Guards. It was a nice piece of work, and I told Davis so.
“But wait until Killeano sees it,” he said, scratching his head vigorously. “When he realizes how he’s been committed, he’ll have the shock of his life.”
“I guess he will,” I said, jumping out of bed. “And there isn’t a thing he can do about it. This is terrific propaganda for his election campaign. He daren’t deny he sold Gomez out: not even to Gomez. And if he did, Gomez wouldn’t believe him.”
I scrambled into my clothes.
“Where are you going at this ungodly hour?” Davis demanded. “I’ve never seen such an energetic guy. Me— I’m dead on my feet.”
“Hop into bed, then,” I said. “After that write-up I wouldn’t deny you anything. I have a date with Gomez.”
“Yeah?” Davis said, kicking off his shoes “Where do you think you’ll find him at this hour?”
“With Lois Spence,” I said, making for the door. “If he isn’t there, I can always look at the dame. She interests me.”
He took off his coat and stretched out on the bed. “She interests me too,” he said with a sigh. “But not with that Gomez thug hanging around. He cools my ardour.”
I took Tim’s Mercury convertible, drove out to Lexington Avenue. The night staff were still on duty, and I walked over to the hall porter’s cubby-hole.
“Hello, dad,” I said, smiling at the old boy. “Remember me?”
He remembered me all right. There’s nothing like a little folding money to impress your personality on anyone.
“Yes, sir, “he said, brightening up. “I remember you very well, sir.”
“I thought you would,” I said, and looked round to make sure no one was watching us. I produced a fifty- dollar bill, folded it slowly, giving him ample time to see it, then hid it in my hand.
His eyes started out of his head like organ stops
“Gomez with Miss Spence?” I asked casually.
He nodded. There was nothing casual about his nod.
“Both tucked up together with nothing between them but their dreams?” I went on.
“I wouldn’t know about their dreams, sir,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t think I should want to know about them. Hut they’re up there all right.”
“That’s fine. I’d like to drop in and see them. Kind of surprise them,” I said, eyeing him “Would there be a pass-key to their room within reach?”
He stiffened. “I couldn’t do that, sir,” he said, shocked. “I’d lose my job.”
