A Time for Murder by John Glasby

Author:John Glasby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mystery, hard-boiled, noir, private investigator, British, crime
ISBN: 9781479409426
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 2013-12-06T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

The newspaper offices were situated in a large white-stone building on the corner of the block at the intersection of Twenty-Fourth Street and James.

Fortunately, there was a spare space in front just waiting for me to drive into. A few people on the sidewalk paused to stare at the fresh scrapes along the side of the Merc, then hurried on as I glared at them.

Ed Carson’s office was on the fourth floor. He was sitting behind his desk, his legs propped on top, chair tilted back and a half-smoked cigar between his lips. He’d just put down the phone when I pushed open the door and went in.

“Don’t you ever knock, Johnny?” he grunted.

“Only when I’m not in a hurry,” said.

He grinned. “You’re always in a goddamn hurry.” He gave me an appraising look. “You’ll forgive me for saying so, but you look as though you’ve been through the wars.”

“I guess you could say that, Ed. I’ve been on the wrong side of some guy who tried to run me down in the street. I’ve been shot at and warned off by a couple of cops who reckon I’m hustling in on their private territory. Apart from that, it’s been a nice day so far.”

“So what can I do for you to make it better?”

“I’d like to look through some of your back copies. There’s something I’m not too happy about.”

Carson bent and opened the bottom drawer of his desk. He fished out a half full bottle of Scotch and a couple of glasses. He held the bottle up.

“Too early in the day for a drink?”

I shook my head. “I guess it’s never too early.”

He poured some into a glass and pushed it across to me. “Now, how far back do you want to go?”

“Four, maybe five, years. I’m looking for something about Charles Donovan.”

He looked surprised at that. “Lieutenant Charles Donovan—Homicide?”

“The same.” I lit a cigarette and sipped the whiskey appreciatively. It tasted good.

“Christ!” He rubbed his chin as if what I’d said was the most stupid and unnatural thing in the world. “You’re investigating him? What in hell’s name for?”

“In a way, I suppose I am investigating him. From what I’ve heard he was one of the best detectives in Homicide, but then something happened. Since then he’s been passed over twice for captain and most of the time he acts as if the whole world’s against him. Maybe there’s nothing in this, but it’s one loose end I’ve got to tie up. Otherwise I won’t sleep soundly at night.’”

He digested that for a minute and then relit the cigar, which had gone out. He looked at it, then back at me. “I won’t ask anything about the case you’re on, Johnny. That’s your business. We’ve been friends for a long time. But I will say this. If you’re serious about poking into Donovan’s past life, you’d better watch your back.”

I finished my drink and se the glass on the desk. “I’ll do that, Ed. Now, do you still have any copies going back to five years ago?”

“Sure.

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