Dead Set by Frank Kane

Author:Frank Kane [Kane, Frank]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mystery
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 1961-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

4

Lydia Johnson was sitting by the pool when Johnny Liddell returned to her place in Beverly Hills. She wore a light-blue dressing gown that made it highly debatable that she wore anything under it. She listened to Liddell’s report on the interview with Angelo and frowned.

“Eddie Match?” She chewed on the end of a highly shellacked nail, considered it. “Then it won’t be money they’ll want, it’ll be a management contract.”

Liddell sat on the end of the chair, nodded. “That’s the way it sounds. What kind of a stable does Match have anyway?”

“A lot of big names. He keeps adding all the time.” The frown between the girl’s eyes grew deeper. “You think that’s the way he gets all his clients? By blackmail?”

Liddell shrugged. “I don’t know how else a pimp could get to be a top talent agent so quickly otherwise.”

The girl winced at the word “pimp.” She reached for a cigarette, tapped it on the arm of the chair. “One way or another it looks like I’m cut out to peddle my wares for Eddie Match, doesn’t it?”

“How about your studio? Would they stand up if there was a showdown and those pictures were circulated?”

“I don’t know. They’ve got an awful lot invested in me, but I don’t know if they could afford to stand up against that kind of a blast.” She lit the cigarette, blew twin streams through her nostrils. “I’m over a worse barrel than I thought. I guess I’ve just wasted your time, Liddell. This isn’t going to be a single payoff deal. It looks like I’m hooked from here on in.”

Liddell growled deep in his chest. “Maybe not. I still haven’t had a talk with Match. Maybe I can persuade him to be nice.”

“Nobody, but nobody, talks Eddie Match out of a buck.”

“You’d be surprised how persuasive I can be.” Liddell reached over, took a drag from her cigarette. “Where’s the best place to run into him?”

“He has an office on Sunset. Near La Cienaga. But I don’t imagine it will do any good.” She reached over, crushed out her cigarette “I don’t suppose you heard Laura St. Clair’s broadcast tonight?”

“About Angelo’s?” Liddell grinned. “What a drool.”

The redhead shook her head. “I mean about you.”

Liddell scowled. “About me?” He shook his head. “Angelo turned it off right after the plug for his joint. What about me?”

Lydia shrugged. “Oh, she didn’t mention you by name, but she warned one of the big studios that one of its stars was flirting with bad headlines by getting mixed up with a notorious private eye. She meant me — and you. By tomorrow, the eager beavers from the studio’s publicity department will be begging Laura for details and you’ll be ruled off the track.”

“That gives us tomorrow to work on Eddie Match.”

“You’re still game? Laura can throw an awful lot of weight around. She can ruin you in this town. At least in my case the studio will try to protect an investment.”

“Like I said, we still have tomorrow.

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