MODELS FOR MURDER Page 2

  appointments with—”

  to worry about. Nothing at all.” He turned to

  “Take care of them,” I flung back over my

  me. “Coming?”

  shoulder, for I was already halfway to the

  “Go ahead,” I said. “I’m going to find a

  door.’ “You’ll have to run things. I don’t

  phone and turn over my little beauty to the

  know when I’ll be back.”

  cops. We’ll see what happens then.”

  APTAIN LUNDINE and Inspector Roff

  CHAPTER II

  Cof the homicide squad said, “But of

  course you can see him. He’s over at the

  No Chary Chase

  morgue.” They took me over to the morgue

  and showed me Jimmy Wabash, or what was

  ENRY GRAYLORD came into my left of him.

  of

  H fice almost as soon as I arrived, and Lundine said, “Poor devil! Whoever did it put a copy of the morning paper on my desk.

  must have hated him. Only a man crazed by

  “I thought you might be interested in this.” He hate would have beaten him up that way.”

  pointed to a story in the right-hand column,

  “I know who did it,” I said, turning away.

  headed: PHOTOGRAPHER FOUND

  The sight of Jimmy’s broken body sickened

  MURDERED.

  me.

  PRIVATE DETECTIVE STORIES

  6

  They both stared at me. Lundine was a

  kidnapped the girl. Aren’t you going to do

  little man, not much bigger than Jimmy had

  anything about it?”

  been, and they looked something alike. He

  Inspector Roff spread his hands. “What

  screwed up his gray-green eyes and asked:

  can we do? We’ve been interviewing girls and

  “Who?”

  manufacturers all morning and we can’t get a

  “I don’t know what his name is,” 1 told

  straight answer out of any of them. They’re

  them, “but I called the police about him last

  lying, we know it, but they tell us with a

  night. He and I had a fight in one of the

  straight face that they never heard of such a

  garment lofts on Twenty-Second Street, and

  thing. Why, Clinton lvor, the man who owns

  he was knocked out. The ambulance came and

  the loft where you had your fight yesterday,

  took him away, but he must have been swore that he’d never seen Bobo before and released. His name is Bobo something or that he had no idea who he was. Don’t think other.”

  we’re giving up, but—”

  The two men looked at each other, then at

  “I’m not giving up,” I said, sticking my

  me; and Lundine shook his head. “Sorry Mr.

  jaw out and realizing even as I did so that this Gardner, but that’s out. The man you’re was silly. Here were two police officers. I talking about is Bobo Grimes. He’s a small-knew they were honest and yet they admitted

  time chiseler and former fighter. As soon as

  that this had them stumped.

  we heard about this missing model, we started

  But inside of me was a burning anger. I’d

  checking up on him. Wabash had told his

  never felt quite like that before and I couldn’t sister about the fight, but we’re out of luck.

  explain it even to myself. I’d liked Jimmy, but Bobo couldn’t have killed Wabash because

  I knew a great many people whom I liked as

  Bobo was still at the hospital, being patched

  well. Why then should I butt my head against

  up, at the time of the murder.”

  something which was none of my affair?

  I stared at them, not believing my ears.

  Could it be the girl? Was I worried about

  Then I turned and looked at the broken man

  Mary Ingersoll?’ That didn’t make sense. I’d

  on the wheeled table. It was so obviously

  seen her only once. She was beautiful, yes, but Bobo’s work. This was the way he would like

  in my business, beautiful women are a dime a

  to kill a man, breaking him to pieces until the dozen. I’d go back to my office and forget the

  flicker of life went out of his victim. I turned whole thing. Sooner or later the cops would

  back. “Look, wouldn’t it be possible that this

  find Jimmy Wabash’s murderer. They always

  Bobo could have slipped away from the did.

  hospital, killed Wabash and slipped back in,

  I said goodby to the two officers and

  thus establishing an alibi? I’ve read of such

  headed uptown, but I didn’t go to my office. I

  things, and—”

  went on up to the Bronx.

  “You’ll find,” the police captain told me,

  “that they happen much more often in movies

  IMMY WABASH’S sister was a thin-

  J

  than they do in real life. However, we checked

  faced, tired-looking woman in her late

  very closely on this one, and we’re certain that thirties. Her hair had the same gritty, sandy

  Bobo didn’t leave the hospital; nor was he in

  look that Jimmy’s had had, and her nose was

  such good shape to kill anyone. You gave him

  almost as pointed. It gave me a turn to look at a very thorough beating, Mr. Gardner.”

  her.

  “Not as much as I’d have liked,” I said,

  “I’m Austin Gardner,” I said, as she

  grimly. “Look, this model association, or showed me into the small, dark living-room.

  whatever it is, that Bobo is connected with.

  “I came out to see if there was anything I

  I’m certain that they killed Wabash and could do to help!”

  MODELS FOR MURDER

  7

  That wasn’t quite true. I’d come out to ask

  I’ve been trying to remember. I even thought I

  questions, but after one look at her, I couldn’t heard your name mentioned.”

  bear to bring up the subject of the murder.

  I stared at her, startled. “My name?”

  She brought it up herself. “Jimmy would

  “Probably I didn’t,” she said. “We’d been

  have been proud to have you here,” she said.

  talking about you at dinner, what you were

  “He thought you were a great man, one of the

  going to do for the girl. Jimmy even said that

  greatest.”

  he might work for you, part time anyhow,

  This was embarrassing and I fumbled for

  taking pictures of her.”

  words, not knowing quite what to say. She

  “Poor devil.” It came out without my

  saved me the trouble. Words came out of her

  meaning to speak, but the woman took no

  with a rush. I guess it was a relief to have

  notice.

  someone to talk to.

  “Anyhow, I must have dozed off, for the

  “The girl killed him,” she said. “Oh, I

  next I knew I heard the sounds of this fight.

  don’t mean that she beat him herself, but it

  First I thought it was in the alley out back,

  was on account of the girl. Ever since he saw

  then I realized that it was in the dark-room. I her first he’s been kind of screwy. I don’t

  got up, and ran to the door, calling to Jimmy,

  know whether he was in love with her. I don’t

  but it was locked and I couldn’t get in. Finally think Jimmy was ever really
in love the way

  I gave up and called the police.”

  most boys are; at least he never had any girl

  “And the girl, you didn’t see her?”

  friends. He was always nuts about pictures,

  The woman shook her head. “Not a sign.

  taking them, cutting them out of magazines,

  Her bed had been slept in but it was empty

  anything.”

  when the police got here.”

  I said, weakly, “I know he was. A great

  “And there’s another way out of the dark-

  guy.”

  room? I mean the murderer didn’t come back

  “In his way.” She nodded. “Kind of through the hall?”

  screwy, but good-hearted. I—” She broke off

  She shook her head. “There’s a fire-escape

  and I thought for a minute she was going to

  down to the alley. He’d have to drop only one

  cry. “It was pretty terrible, seeing him, after . .

  story.”

  . after it was over.”

  I thanked her and left the apartment. I

  “I know, I saw him.”

  meant to go back to the office. There were a

  She seemed to derive a little comfort from

  million things that demanded my attention, but

  that. “I don’t know what it’s all about,” she

  I found myself giving the cab driver the

  went on. “Jimmy didn’t tell me much. He

  address of the Twenty-second Street loft.

  brought this girl home. She wouldn’t eat. She

  went right to her room.”

  CHAPTER III

  “And that’s the last you saw of her?”

  The woman nodded. “After dinner Jimmy

  Lady On the Lam

  went into the darkroom.” She indicated the

  pullman-like hall at one side. “It’s on the end.

  LINTON IVOR was certainly not glad to

  I didn’t think much about it. He spends most

  Csee me. His face, when he realized who it

  of his evenings in there. Around twelve I

  was, turned the color of dirty cheese-cake and

  heard the apartment buzzer. I was in bed. I

  he took half a step backward as if to retreat to heard Jimmy go to the door, then the mutter of

  the cutting room.

  voices.”

  “Wait a minute,” I said. “I just want to talk

  “How many?”

  to you.”

  She shook her head tiredly. “I don’t know.

  “Haven’t you caused enough trouble?” He

  PRIVATE DETECTIVE STORIES

  8

  still wore the lavender shirt, or, judging from boring into my back.

  its freshly laundered appearance, another of

  the same shade. His hands fluttered up, long

  WICE on the way back uptown I had the

  and graceful as a woman’s. I eyed them, Tsensation of being followed, and I paused wondering if they were strong enough to have

  outside of Radio City to look back at the street beaten a man to death. The back of the right

  crowd, but could see no one who seemed

  one was discolored and there was a little piece suspicious.

  of tape over a small cut.

  However the impression persisted all the

  “I haven’t caused any trouble,” I told him.

  way up in the crowded elevator, and it was not

  “No? What do you call trouble?” he until I gained the shelter of my own office that demanded angrily, coming forward. “A fight

  I lost it.

  when my best buyers are in the room,

  Henry Graylord greeted me angrily.

  knocking down a man, beating him, and then

  “Where in the devil have you been? Fifty

  sending the police this morning to question me

  things have come up that needed your

  as if I were a criminal!”

  attention.” He proceeded to dump them onto

  “Aren’t you?”

  my desk, and I worked like mad for a full

  He looked startled for an instant, then hour. Finally my secretary came in hesitantly.

  angry red drove the yellow whiteness from

  “I hate to bother you, but there’s a girl

  under his skin. “Get out. Get out before I have here. She’s been waiting for over three hours

  you thrown from the building.”

  and she won’t see anyone but you.”

  “Who’s going to do it?” I asked. “Have

  I waved my hand. “Not today. Make an

  you got Bobo hiding in one of the back appointment or—”

  rooms?”

  The secretary coughed. She’d been with

  He stared at me, the red fading from his

  me a dozen years and I’d never known her to

  cheeks, leaving the lemon yellow as before.

  take liberties before. “I’m sorry, Mr. Gardner,

  “Bobo? Who is this Bobo? I know no one by

  but . . . well. I think you should see this girl.

  such an absurd name.”

  There’s something the matter. I don’t know

  “You knew him last evening,” I said, what it is, but she’s tremendously worried.

  dangerously. “When he was decorating your

  She says that you told her to call and that

  floor and bleeding all over the pretty rug.”

  Jimmy—”

  “Oh, you mean that one. Hah!” Ivor

  I had looked up in impatience. Suddenly I

  pretended to get excited. “That one I do not

  said. “What? What name?”

  know. He comes with the girl. Every time he

  “Mary,” said the secretary....She just asked

  comes with the girl. Her brother or something,

  me to tell you that Mary Ingersoll was here.”

  I think.”

  I jumped up from the desk so rapidly that I

  I knew he was lying. I knew that he didn’t

  turned the swivel chair over. “Mary? Jimmy?

  think anything of the kind, but at the moment I Why didn’t you say so before? Where is she?

  couldn’t prove it and I couldn’t see anything

  Bring her in here at once.”

  to be gained by saying so.

  The secretary’s mouth had fallen open.

  “Okay,” I said. “What was the girl’s She was past fifty, steady and unexcitable, and address?”

  I guess she’d never seen me act in this manner

  “Address . . . address? I don’t know. I—”

  before. “Yes, sir,” she gasped when she had

  “Look,” I said, losing patience. “You’re

  recovered her breath. She turned and

  really building yourself up a lot of trouble, my disappeared into her own office to reappear a

  friend.” I turned on my heel and walked out of

  minute later with Mary.

  the place, conscious that his black eyes were

  I came forward to meet her. Mary

  MODELS FOR MURDER

  9

  Ingersoll was without coat or hat and was still

  “There’s nothing to worry about, not one

  wearing the suit she had been modeling on the

  single little thing. With your testimony the

  preceding afternoon.

  police can put Bobo away and-”

  The secretary stood and stared at us until I

  She shrank before my eyes. “No, I can’t

  raised my head and looked at her, then slowly

  talk to the police.”

  she disappeared into her own office, closing

  My voice roughened. “Look, Jimmy

  the door softly b
ehind her.

  Wabash was a funny little guy, but he believed

  “Mary,” I said. “Where have you been?

  in you and he was killed trying to help you.”

  I’ve been hunting all over New York for you.

  “I know.” It was barely a whisper.

  So have the police.”

  “You owe him something,” I went on,

  She shivered a little at the mention of the

  “even if you don’t owe anything to yourself.”

  law officers, and I led her to a chair.

  “I owe the other girls something, too.”

  “You’re all right,” I said, “There’s nothing

  I stared at her. “What do you mean by

  to worry about. You’re perfectly safe.”

  that?”

  She started to cry then, not loudly, but

  She said, slowly: “If anyone of us were to

  silently, the big tears squeezing their way talk, they’d take it out on the other girls.”

  from under her lids and drawing little wet

  “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned

  paths along the curves of her cheeks.

  this mysterious they. Who are they? What do I put an arm around her shoulders and

  you know about them?”

  pulled her against me, feeling her tremble.

  She shook her head. “Nothing.”

  “Take it easy. You’re all right. Just tell me

  I lost what little patience I had left. “Do

  what happened.”

  you mean that you took Bobo’s word for it

  that there was someone else? He was probably

  HE told me in short, broken sentences.

  bluffing you, probably working by himself.”

  Sh

  S e had been awakened by the noise from

  “No he wasn’t.” Her voice gained

  the darkroom and had stolen out into the hall.

  strength. “I saw another man once. He spoke

  Then she had heard Jimmy Wabash’s sister

  to us. He was masked.”

  phoning the police and had fled the apartment.

  The phone on my desk rang sharply and I

  She had seen no one.

  reached over to pick it up. A man’s voice,

  “But where did you go—home? The curiously muffled, said, “For your own good, police checked your address and—”

  Gardner, keep out of things that are not your

  She shook her head. “I didn’t dare,” she

  concern.”

  said. “I rode the subway all night and this

  There was a click at the other end of the

  morning, until I thought you’d be at your