5 Detective Novels Magazine Cover — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

DEATH ALL AROUND ME “Johnny, I told you not to forget the address. It’s apartment 4D in the Ad- more. You said it was such a cute apartment.” “Yeah,” I said. “You were, too.” “I hope I didn’t make any trouble for you, Johnny, but these policemen woke me up this morning and asked me a million questions. I didn’t know what to say at first. So I thought I’d better tell the truth, just as it happened.” “Just as it happened,” I nodded. “Baby, you did real well. I’m proud of ou 99 “I only did what I thought was right, Johnny.” Barr said, “That’ll be all, Miss Kane.” She came over and put her hand against my cheek. It was the warmest hand I’d ever felt. Maybe I was stone cold. Then she put her cheek against mine and finally kissed me just below the ear. “Poor Johnny, I hope you’re not in any bad trouble.” I watched her walk out. She twitched her hips in the prettiest manner. Barr brought me out of that daydreaming. “Craig, do you want to change your story now ?” I had another cigarette. I opened the match folder as if it were a heavy book, tore off a match, and scraped it. I did everything in slow motion. I needed time to think. I’d heard of frame-ups before—what lawyer hasn’t—but this was the first one ever meant to spring a self-confessed killer. I didn’t know any of the people the lieutenant had called in, but they told their stories so straight I wondered if I hadn’t wan- dered off in some sort of fog after I busted Sammy’s skull open. “Craig!” Barr snapped. I said, “I killed Sammy. I hit him on the head with a metal statue. He fell down. I had an eyewitness, but she blew out on me. I walked around, trying to make up my mind, and then I turned myself in. You can believe that or you can believe stuff these witnesses handed you. I’m getting so I don’t care much which.” “Look here,” Barr said. “The cab driver gave us our lead. He saw your picture in the papers this morning and recognized you. He went to a precinct 23 station to make a report. We give plaques to cab drivers who help us. They display them and get added tips. They all want to earn a plaque.” “Yes,” I said. “Maybe the Club In- time gives plaques, too, and maybe Cora Kane has several of them hanging over her bed. I’m telling you it’s all hog- wash.” Barr said, “I’ll admit you could have killed Sammy before you got into Finch’s taxi. But why did you lie about the way you spent the rest of the eve- ning? And what about that phone call you made before you left the club with Cora and the call you got at her flat?” “What phone calls?”:I asked blankly. E SHRUGGED. “Cora should have told you that. It’s all in the records. You asked for her phone number, then you left her and made a call from the booth in the cloakroom at the club. Around eleven o’clock you received a call—from a woman—at Cora’s apart- ment. She said she had to get out of bed to answer it.” “Did she get out on my side?” I asked. “That would have been nice.” “Damn it, Craig, I’m trying to get at the truth. That Haven woman mur- dered Sammy. She called you, and for some reason you’re trying to take the rap. It won’t work. Your story is full of holes.” I reminded him, “You said yourself I could have busted Sammy.” “Yes, because he might have been killed right after nine. We aren’t sure. But did you ever hear of a murderer who walked out, took a cab at the next corner, went to a night club, ate curried chicken and apple pie, flirted with a doll, dated her, went to her apartment, and went-to bed with her? All in direct sequence immediately after he bumped aman? It’s no good, Craig. You’re not telling the truth.” “l’m not clamoring for a man- Slaughter rap, Lieutenant, if that’s what you mean. But I don’t know where Mrs, ag is. I never saw her after the ilk” “She phoned you. Admit that.” “I can’t—because she didn’t.” “Then who phoned you at Cora Kane’s apartment?” CO DOO nn @) S (C@)