Round the Clock at Volari's by W R Burnett

Author:W R Burnett [Burnett, W R]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fawcett Gold Medal
Published: 1961-09-18T23:00:00+00:00

***

Pat made no attempt to interrupt. He sat opposite Jim in the back room at Clancy's, with a stein of beer at his elbow, and listened in silence to the long recital. At first Jim had tried to take it point by point; he soon found that to be impossible. In order to take something point by point there must be a certain degree of logic in it. There was no logic here at all. Like the puzzle of his dream, nothing seemed to fit. Finally he thought he had told Pat everything and then suddenly remembered the odd circumstance of Marty and the stranger. Pat glanced up sharply at this bit of information.

"What's the matter, Pat?"

"Got a gun?"

"Yes," said Jim, "I have"

"Carry it. And just keep this in mind at all times: there's two hundred thousand dollars at stake. A fortune, even in this day and age."

"I'll remember," said Jim, smiling wryly. "How do we check on this Mond fellow? Or do you think I'm reaching too hard?"

"I do not," said Pat. "What I mean is, something was happening at Volari's that bears looking into. Let me check. Be right back."

Pat went out. Jim rang for the waiter and ordered a stein of beer. The waiter and Pat returned at the same time. As soon as the waiter had gone, Pat said: "He was staying at the Regent all right. Checked out last night; no forwarding address. He was registered as from New York, Bannerman Apartment Hotel. I talked to Joe Carr, the assistant manager, an old friend of mine. He says Mond is a salesman for a chemical company. He didn't know what company. Mond ran up a big bill, and paid it in cash. It was the only thing about him that struck Joe as unusual. Bills of that size are usually paid by check, traveller's check, or the client is billed-you know, the credit arrangement."

There was a brief silence, then Pat said: "This waiter-Tony. What's you idea about him?"

"It's wild," said Jim. "But remember the young fellow who went to both Gus's and Ben Ziegler's to pick up their clothes? From the vague descriptions we got, it might have been him. I'm just reaching, Pat."

"Keep reaching. I told you the first time we talked that I didn't buy the story, that there was something wrong with it. I'm still in the dark, but I have a sneaking feeling we're getting some place."

"Pat, what do you think about the Zena business? To me it doesn't make sense. The way I get it, this girl hated to be alone and she was very dependent on the girl she was living with. All of a sudden she just moves out, says nothing."

"I'd say she was scared of something."

"Mond probably. But why?"

Pat shrugged and glanced at his watch. "Sorry, Jim; but I ought to be on my way. Keep plugging. We may unscramble this one yet."

They shook hands, then Pat started out but turned back. "Make sure you're not being followed, Jim," he said.

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