Vanity Row by W R Burnett

Author:W R Burnett [Burnett, W R]
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

As they neared the City Building corner, Roy said: “Take me in the front way. Time for the show.”

“This I want to see,” said Boley, sighing, and shaking his head.

He made the turn, then eased over into an inside lane so he wouldn’t get into a jam when he tried to move off the boulevard and onto the City Building ramp. Traffic was heavy and fast in this part of town. Motor cops kept it rolling to prevent tie-ups and blocks at the Freeway entrances.

It was a warm night, almost like summer. A canted half-moon rode high over the big buildings in a clear, cloudless, indigo sky. A mild breeze blew up from the river, carrying the smell of deep water. The atmosphere was light and gave you a feeling of space and freedom.

Boley sniffed the air as he drove. “This is the kind of night you should’ve been up at the beach instead of in that thunderstorm. That gold-headed bim! Wonder where she is tonight?”

Roy ignored him. He hardly knew who Boley was talking about. What was her name? Kit. Crazy kid—wanted to know about thunder!

The City Building was all lit up as if for a celebration. There were so many lights burning inside that the floodlights outside were dimmed. Cars were parked all over the first level above the street; some of them were parked crossways and looked as if they’d been abandoned suddenly. Boley and Roy saw a couple of uniformed coppers checking the cars.

“Those Press guys,” said Roy. “What do they use for brains?”

“Wesson does all right.”

Roy glanced at him. “Yeah. But there’s a mystery about Wesson. How does it happen a guy as smart as him makes as little money as he does? He’s not even in a profession where you can steal much of anything. You’d think at least he’d be in politics.”

They got out of the car and started across the wide cement plaza toward the big entrance doors. “Funny guy, Wesson,” said Boley. “No matter how much he drinks, he only gets so drunk. Never falls down, never even staggers, and he always knows what’s what. However, one night I met him in a bar and we tied one on. Pretty soon he’s telling me about his old home in England, and he’s got tears in his eyes. He’s been away seventeen years.”

“Yeah, and when he got through crying, I’ll bet he went on trying to pump you.”

Boley glanced sideways at Roy as they entered the building and turned down a wide, marble corridor toward the elevators. “Sure he tried to pump me. He’s always trying to pump everybody. But what I’m speaking about is, them tears. Wesson with tears in his eyes. It beat me. Wesson puts on the best fag act I ever seen, but he’s a real tough cookie and you know it.”

“Sure he is,” said Roy. “But the tears are easy. He was trying to soften you up, so you’d feel sorry for him, and break down and give him some info.

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