Beware The Pale Horse by Ben Benson

Author:Ben Benson [Benson, Ben]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 2017-04-07T00:00:00+00:00

13

IT WAS A TINY ONE-ROOM EFFICIENCY APARTMENT ABOVE the store. There were a pullman kitchenette and a bathroom. In the main room there were an old brass bed and two upholstered living-room chairs, a table and two wooden chairs, a high chest of drawers.

“I’ll have to have the true story,” Paris was saying to Shapp.

Captain Springer leaned back in his chair and puffed at his pipe. Mr. Shapp, in woolen robe and carpet slippers, stood up and shuffled over to the bed. He stroked a bed post.

“Solid brass, Inspector,” he said. “My wife died in that bed. We had our own house then. I sold the house after. What does an old man like me need? The bed, that’s all. Soon I’ll die in that bed too.”

Captain Springer put his pipe down. “Don’t talk about dying,” he said. “It makes me nervous at my age.”

“I’ll have to have the true story,” Paris said again. “You keep changing the subject, Mr. Shapp.”

“I’m an old man,” Shapp said, smiling gently. “You must be patient with me.”

“I’m arresting Miss Dana in the morning,” Paris said. “I’m going to get the truth, one way or another.”

Shapp blinked his eyes. “You’re arresting Judy, Inspector? A young girl like her?”

“Yes.”

“But how can you put a child like that in jail?”

“She’s been obstructing justice,” Paris said. “She’s been acting as an accessory in a crime.”

“Ah,” Shapp said. “So serious you are. Too bad. And you’re so young too, Inspector. I know how it is with the young. They have a duty to perform, and nothing must stand in their way. Their hearts mustn’t feel anything. You think you’re fooling me?” He raised his hand and shook his head. “No, don’t stop me. I know, I know. I’ve watched you. Your heart goes out to that girl. I could see it when you were in the store this morning. And who would blame you? She’s such a warm, beautiful girl. But you don’t allow yourself to think of it.”

“This doesn’t buy you a thing, Mr. Shapp,” Paris said.

“There’s no girl like Judy,” Shapp said doggedly. “She’s one in a million. She has love for her brother. She would go to jail to protect him.”

“Then that’s where she’s going,” Springer said.

“No,” Shapp said. “She mustn’t go to jail. That would be evil.” He sighed and sat down slowly. “All right, if Judy won’t tell you, I will have to do it. I’ll tell you everything. I know the family, the aunt, Mrs. Pettigrew. I knew Judy’s father, Jonathan Dana. Fine man, the father. He used to buy a little glass from me once in a while. He never had a lot of money, but a good, straightforward man he was. He died two years ago. He left seven thousand dollars. Judy came to me six months ago and she talked to me about a partnership for her brother. She had the seven thousand dollars. I need help here, so I say yes.” He smiled softly. “Well, maybe I don’t need the help, but I say yes anyway.

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