5 Detective Novels Magazine — page 81: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

DEATH TAKES ment house, and she described you. Where’s the kid?” Harigan lied again. “I turned him over to his mother like she asked. I don’t know where she went.” “Louie.” The scar-faced man stepped forward. “Yeah, Boss?” “This guy doesn’t understand,” Hilly Wright sad. “Maybe he’d understand better if you worked him over with the gun.” “Yeah.” Louie sounded pleased. “Sure, Boss. He’ll sing plenty when I finish with him. I—” E STOPPED, for someone was knocking loudly on the outside door. The men exchanged glances, then Wright said to Harrigan in a savage low voice, “Who the hell is that?” Harrigan shook his head. “I don’t know—maybe Thomas from the sheriff’s office. He called a while ago and sounded riled about something, said that he was coming up.” _ Wright swore under his breath. “We don’t want trouble. Get out there and tell whoever it is to go away. No tricks, either. Louie will have a gun on you.” Harrigan did not answer. He moved across the little entry hall, Then, taking a deep breath, he ripped the door wide open, plunged through and slammed it shut behind him. He piled into Phil Scott and almost knocked the attorney off his feet. The wall saved them both as they staggered clear across the passageway. Harrigan was the first to recover. He grabbed Scott’s arm and yanked him around the corner of the hall. “Got a gun?” he demanded without turning. Scott had recovered some of his breath. “I must say, this is quite a re- ception. I—” Harrigan cut him short. “Got a gun? There’s some fresh guys in my apart- ment who think they have the world by the tail. I’d like to show them they haven’t.” NO HOLIDAY 31 The lawyer did not answer, but drew a flat automatic from his pocket and slipped it into Harrigan’s hand. The detective slid around the corner and moved toward his door, keeping his big. body pressed tightly against the wall. He was as silent as a cat. When he reached the door, he eased it open very slowly and peered around it. Nothing happened, and he slid inside. After a few minutes, Scott cautiously followed him. Harrigan was standing in the center of the small kitchenette, looking disgust- ed. “They thought you were the cops,” he explained, “and went out the back way. I’ll have to settle with them later.” He bolted the kitchen entrance, re- turned Scott’s gun and told him to go back to the sitting room. Harrigan made drinks before joining the lawyer. “What’s on your mind that you’re wandering around so late?” he began. Scott apologized. “It’s Ray,” he ex- plained. “She’s in worse trouble than she thinks. I’d never had gotten her out on bail tonight, but the Gaudels talked to the district attorney.” Harrigan showed his surprise. “The Gaudels! You mean they helped her get out?” He sounded as if he didn’t believe it. Scott nodded. “Yes. You see, they aren’t really interested in Ray. What they want is to get custody of her son so that they can control his money. They don’t know where the boy is and they figured that if Ray was out on bail, she might lead them to the child.” Harrigan sipped his drink. “But she gave them the slip,” Scott continued. “She came to me and I sug- gested that she see you. I thought you might be a good one to take care of the boy.” “So now,” said Harrigan, “you want to know what I did with him.” COTT shook his head. “That’s the last thing I want to know. If they get me up in court, I want to be able to swear COnmniclooo S