Johnny Liddell's Morgue by Frank Kane

Author:Frank Kane [Kane, Frank]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4405-4032-5
Publisher: Adams Media
Published: 1984-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

A GAME OF MURDER

JOHNNY LIDDELL checked his watch with the big four-faced clock over the information booth, found he was six minutes slow. Grand Central Terminal was jammed with commuters on their way from Westchester and Connecticut to their midtown offices and shops. Liddell bucked the crowd, elbowed his way down to Track 36, where the Twentieth Century was in. By the time he got there, a stream of travelers was already headed up the familiar red carpet. Liddell flipped a cigarette into his mouth, squinted down the dimness of the ramp in search of Muggsy Kiely.

He scratched a match into flame, touched it to the end of his cigarette. He was just blowing it out when the girl bumped into him. He had a fleeting glance at a small, pert face, a shock of coppery red hair, a pair of wide, frightened blue eyes.

He dropped the match, caught her as she stumbled.

“Quick. Stand in front of me. Put your arms around me and kiss me.” Her voice was almost inaudible. “Please!” she begged.

Liddell dropped his cigarette to the floor, ground it out. He looked into the wide blue eyes, searching for evidence of a rib. “What’s the gag?”

“Please don’t ask questions. Just kiss me,” she pleaded.

“Never let it be said Liddell deserted a damsel in distress,” he shrugged. He slid his arm around her waist, kissed her. Her mouth trembled against his for a moment. Then, she placed her palms against his chest, pushed him away. “That’s enough.”

“Not for me, baby,” Liddell grinned. He put his face toward hers, but she turned away. He dropped his arm from her waist, scowled at her. “What the hell’s this all about?”

The redhead kept looking over her shoulder as though she expected to see some fearsome thing. “It was a man. He was following me. I came here to lose him.”

Liddell looked around. “See him any place?”

She shook her head. “That’s why I wanted you to kiss me. I thought he might pass us by looking for a girl alone.”

Liddell grinned ruefully, sighed. “Me and my fatal charm. Liddell, the red herring.”

“Liddell?” The girl eyed him with new interest. “Are you Johnny Liddell?” She was still frightened, but there seemed to be new hope in her eyes. “If I need you, can I call you?”

Liddell nodded. “Any hour of the day or night. Our services are always available. Have tuxedo, will travel.”

“I’d better be going now. Thanks a lot.” With a last look over her shoulder, the redhead melted into the crowds streaming down the ramp toward the Hotel Roosevelt.

Liddell felt a tug on his sleeve, turned to face Muggsy Kiely. “Muggs! Am I glad to see you.” He tried to kiss her, got pushed away.

“What was that?” Muggsy nodded her head in the direction the redhead went. “The night shift going off so the day shift can take over?”

“I never saw the girl before in my life,” he protested. “Honest, Muggs.”

Muggsy’s lips formed an unbelieving “No?” She dabbed at Liddell’s lips with her handkerchief, stared at the red stain with a moue of distaste.

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