The Erection Set (35 page)

“Nope. Not until the old man's will was all probated and they took over. Until then only your grandfather and Jimmie Moore had the numbers. Now they're both long dead.”

“What about the combination to the old safe?”

“Hell, no trouble to that. Stoney here reset the combination to ten-twenty-thirty so we could all remember it. Maybe a dozen of us knew it, but like I said, wasn't anything in there worth stealing and if it was one of us it woulda been easier to turn the knob.”

“Makes you think, doesn't it?” Cramer suggested.

“They hold an inventory the second time?”

“Damn right. The payroll was in there, in cash. Nothing missing though. Everything checked out against the books. Old lady Thorpe, the comptroller, she's dead now too, she checked out all the files against her own memos so nothing happened. In fact, Jimmie Moore was in the vault with your cousins and watched while they counted up the cash. Alfred, he was more interested in the papers, but what the hell, it was all going to fall into their hands in a little while so he didn't ask any questions.”

“Odd,” I said. I took another drag on the butt. “Looks like somebody wanted something.”

Cramer nodded slowly. “But didn't get anything.”

“What could they be after?” I asked him.

He gave me a funny little grin. “That's what we're wondering. Now, old farts like us got holes in their memories, but if we keep thinking long enough, we might find out what it was all about. We still got a few friends around who remember a little better and we'll ask around. You going to be in Linton long?”

“Know the old house at Mondo Beach?”

They bobbed their heads in unison.

“My hidey-hole, and keep it under your hats.” Then I told them what was going to be happening around the plant when the movie company moved in. Their seamed faces broke out into broad smiles.

Stoney said, “Damme, all them girls around. Think we'll get to see any of them flesh scenes they make nowadays?”

His baldie friend looked at him and grunted. “Hell, why bother? You can't get it up anymore anyway.”

“Like hell I can't! Why just last month ...”

He was still telling the story when I left.

 

Bennie Sachs wasn't comfortable talking business at his home. He was still in his uniform with his gun belt hanging on the back of his chair and he looked tired. In the kitchen his wife made rattling noises at the sink and the two kids were asleep. Now he ran his fingers through his hair and watched me through those smoky eyes of his. “You're really going all out, aren't you?”

“Not yet,” I said.

“Look, you don't go dropping fag charges on anybody to start with these days. You never can tell whose toes you'll step on.”

“All I want to know,” I said, “is have you ever heard any noises in that direction?”

“I hear all kinds of noises, Kelly. I don't sit in judgment on moral issues, I simply enforce the laws.”

“Tangling with the Barrins got you shook?”

“Not one flipping bit, my friend. If they got out of line, they'd go the same route as anybody else. And let me add something before you try it. Yes, there are certain preferential treatments you give local citizens of justifiable character, otherwise, you'd be batting your head against the wall. There's no harm in going out of your way a little bit to do favors either, just as long as you spread the joy in other directions too. This isn't all that big a place where a cop can be totally impersonal and all the way out of it. I live here too. I know people. They know me. If there are strangers around here, you're one of them.”

“Let's get back to the first question with something added.”

“Look...”

“You know about the picture that's going to be made here, don't you?”

He stopped swinging in his chair and watched me.

“Yeah, they've already applied for permits.”

“Not because my cousins like the idea, buddy. I'm squeezing them. There'll be money in this town if the deal goes through, but that's not the end of it. I have to keep squeezing if I want Linton to stay alive.”

“Come off it; Kelly, the factory is going to ...”

“That's a lot of bullshit. There's a back alley fight going on that will probably make a junk pile out of the whole shebang if it works out wrong. Now look, I'm not asking for information. I'm looking for an opinion. I can go around you easy enough, but I haven't got the time and you're the most direct route.”

Something seemed funny to him and he let me see a begrudged smile. “People are known by the company they keep,” he said.

“What?”

“An old adage, Kelly. Like princes shouldn't consort with clowns. The stage makeup might rub off on the wrong sleeve.”

“Skip the philosophy.”

He stared at his hands and rubbed them together. “One of our proper but sissy citizens was up on a morals charge. He was bailed out, defended and released all through the efforts of an anonymous benefactor. It happened to another a year later and we put the hints together, but that ended it.”

“No name?”

“Draw your own conclusions,” he said. For a few seconds he sat there in thought, then turned around in my direction again. “In five years we had four cases of extreme brutality reported. The pattern was always the same ... a young whore all beat to hell but not willing to make any charges. Always a screwy story of falling out of a window or something. Invariably, big medical bills would be paid in full, in cash, and the twist would leave town for greener pastures well bankrolled. The last one was two years ago.”

“Just four?”

“Only that many were reported. Finding a beat-up whore isn't all that unusual. Finding four in the same age group is.” He was studying my face, then said, “What's wrong?”

“It's backward, that's what.”

“What's backward?”

“Nothing you'd be interested in, Mr. Sachs. I just think you blew a cute notion of mine to bits.”

“Maybe it's a good thing.”

 

Leyland Hunter sounded tired and told me that an old man needed sleep a lot more than the young studs, but he came out of his grouch when I asked him if there had been any news on a street kill a few days ago.

“That's been in all the papers, Dog ...”

“I haven't seen the papers.”

“May I ask why...”

“Did they get an identification?” I insisted.

“Yes. It seems the deceased was connected with the European underground. Incidentally, he apparently was in this country illegally. He was a French citizen with quite a lengthy criminal record.”

“Nothing more?”

“His ... killer hasn't been identified,” he told me. ‘Dog, look, if you're in some sort of trouble ...”

“I'm not.”

Hunter didn't sound a bit reassured. “I hope not.”

“Look,” I said, “how about standing in for me when that stockholder's meeting comes off.”

“I expected to, not that it will do much good. Nothing has changed except the fact that McMillan has picked up a little more support. They can still outvote you. Oh, you'll have a seat on the board if you want, but he'll hold the reins. The first thing that happens is that your cousins will be ousted and you'll be left like the rest, holding a lot of worthless paper.”

“Suppose I could force his hand.”

“Dog. Nobody forces Cross McMillan's hand. He's a friend to no one and an enemy to most. You're in a losing game.”

“You know what's happening at the plant?”

“All eyewash, Dog. The picture being made there will be of temporary human interest, coupled with the fact that Barrin has a minor resurgence of activity, but after that it will be all over. Sometimes I'm sorry you even bothered to come home.”

“I'm not all the way home yet, Counselor.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let's say it's like I'm on third base.”

He grunted and I could picture him shaking his head. “Then let's say it's like the bottom of the ninth, a weak hitter is up and there's already two strikes on him.”

“That leaves only one answer then, friend.”

“Oh?”

“Sure, I steal home with the winning run.”

“Impossible.”

“At least it's a chance,” I said.

S. C. Cable moved his company into Linton with all the fanfare my buddy Lee Shay and a top publicity outfit could muster. The caravan was quartered at two motels with offices in the old hotel uptown and the production crews getting the sites ready for filming. Somehow there seemed to be an aura of prosperity hanging over the town and everyone moved a little quicker and a little happier.

McMillan was playing his cards right too, making the front pages of the local paper with photos of himself, Walt Gentry and S. C. Cable, the story recounting his association with Walt in other ventures, and to the casual reader the whole deal looked like his idea to start with. It was going to make a big impression on the stockholders when the meeting took place and if there were any swing votes left, they'd damn well go to his side. Old Cross was a real cutie, all right. Funny thing was, I was beginning to like him. Good enemies were hard to come by. When he wanted something he'd go all out to get it.

The sun was starting to set in the west and I climbed up to the widow's walk that jutted up from the roof, lay down on the weathered boards and scanned the beach area with my binoculars. A few birds were still charging at the surf, pecking furiously into the wet sand for late tidbits and the tall grass rippled under the pressure of the breeze. A quarter mile away a large stray dog sniffed among the dunes, but outside of that, the beach was empty. A pair of fishing boats cruised by, outriggers up, heading for home. The lone sportsman in the second one was stretched out on the deck enjoying the late sun. He's lucky, I thought. Not a damn thing to think about except who was going to clean his fish.

I put the glasses back in the case, went downstairs and got into my car. It was getting to be about that time.

 

The few that were left were older now, wearing their regal armor of corsets and tiaras with a posture two generations old, beat-up old biddies with their aging consorts and subservient relations in strict attendance somehow dominating the ballroom of the hotel.

Rose said, “They belong to you?”

I grinned at her and shook my head. “That's another end of the Barrin chain. The ones who made sound investments and held onto their dough.”

“Society, huh?”

“High, kiddo. Real high”

“Your cousins are stupid. Look at them kissing hands.”

“They'll kiss more than that to stay in good with the family. Those old dolls pull a lot of weight.”

“Which one am I supposed to go after?”

“Alfie. The one with the snake face.”

“If what you think is true ...”

“It won't go that far. I'm just hoping you're as good an actress as you say you are.”

“When it comes to johns, I'm the best.” She looked at me over her champagne glass, one eyebrow cocked. “And if I pull this off I get a part in the picture?”

“Uh-huh. Guaranteed.”

“You sure Lee knows about this?”

“Up to a point. He's shaky enough without giving him all the details.”

“Suppose I have to ball him?”

I laughed at her then. “You're profession sort of calls for that sort of thing, doesn't it?”

“So I want a bigger part”

“Okay, another page of script.”

Her laugh tinkled out and she dipped her tongue in the champagne. “Only kidding, Dog. I'll take care of my end.” She glanced over to where Alfred was hanging over the oldest aunt in the family, studying him carefully. “You know, if you're right, he won't be capable of balling anyway. I've seen those types before. They take out their inabilities in other ways. I still have a few scars to show for it.”

“Then you'll know when to cut out.”

“You have the room all set?”

I handed her the key and she dropped it into the tiny purse she carried. “Exactly as I diagrammed it. Everything is preset, available light is all you need, the activators are in four selected positions and if things get touchy, you bust out through the closet in the bathroom to-the next suite. Extra clothes are there if you have to run bare-assed.”

“Money sure can buy everything, can't it?”

“Not everything,” I said.

“How do I look?”

“Like you took off ten years someplace. How'd you do it?”

“Cosmetic science, a clear conscience and a happy mind.”

“Kid, you can sure rationalize.”

“A girl in my position has to. I don't want to be a whore all my life.”

“Then marry Lee.”

“I'm thinking about it. He's asked me twice in the last three days.”

“Why didn't you take him up on it?”

“Because I'm not too sure he won't have regrets about my past. Most men want to start out with a fresh one.”

“Not Lee, baby. He wants to ride a mount already broken to the saddle. He means what he says.”

“You sure?”

“One hundred percent.”

After a few moments she smiled and nodded, her lips pursed in thought. “Okay, I'm convinced.”

“Then get to work.”

“Roger, boss man.”

Leyland Hunter waited until she left, then walked over to me. “You're taking a big chance.”