Murder in Vegas by William R. Cox

Author:William R. Cox [Cox, William R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: noir, crime, Las Vegas, gambling, Classic crime
Publisher: Piccadilly
Published: 2022-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

IT SEEMS AS though Vegas never sleeps. Actually there are sixty thousand people in the city and bedrooms to go around. On the Strip along Route 91 fewer people slumber at the regular hours, but these are visitors out for all the fun and excitement they can get and determined not to waste time in the hay unless they have companionship worth the while.

At the Legion the movie company wanted to sleep because tomorrow was another hard day.

At the White Elephant Mary Sanders defied the coming dawn, drinking coffee laced with brandy, waiting with me for a summons from the sheriff.

It was five o’clock when Boyle came in, boiling. He flung himself down opposite me, poured himself coffee from the pot on the table, and made a face at its lack of heat. I ordered some more and asked him, “You didn’t need us? How come?”

He said a dirty word, apologized to Mary. He said, “This country has been clean since I arrived here. It still is clean. The pressure is from Carson City. One man, maybe more. We’ll get them, you can bet your goddamn shirt.”

“Fordyce didn’t want to be disturbed,” Mary Sanders said. “Fordyce is shooting an epic, he’s paying for it, he brought business to town, he telephoned someone. Tomorrow will do to question the movie people. Is that it?”

“That’s posi-goddamn-tively it,” said Boyle. He was sore as an inflamed ulcer. “You’d better go to bed, Miss Sanders, if you’re going to work today. Fordyce is angry because you’re not checked in.”

She said apologetically, “It’s my living. It’s even an art, to me. I have to believe it’s an art, to take the nonsense that goes with it.”

I stood up and helped her with her coat, on which were spots of Carry Cain’s blood. “I’ve seen your work, and it’s art the way you do it. And thank you for everything.”

Boyle forgot his rage for a moment, looming, taking her hand. “He’s right, Miss Sanders. If Fordyce hands you any guff, I’ll bear down on him a little when I get the chance.”

She smiled. “He won’t try anything on me. He needs at least one performer in the picture.”

She went out with her head high. I said, “That gal was a great help tonight.”

Boyle sat down and now his language was brilliant. When he had finished excoriating all politicians, he said, “If I could get at them when they’re half asleep and off-balance, it would be evens we could learn something. Tomorrow they’ll be on guard.”

I had ideas, but this was not the time to open up to Boyle. He might go off the handle, disobey headquarters and get himself in trouble, and anyway I wasn’t sure of anything. It was hard to talk with the law on even terms anyway; it wasn’t my habit, despite Kasmani and New York and past experience. It was easier to commiserate with him and remind him that he should also get some sleep and be fresh and ready for them tomorrow.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.