Part 1 (2/2)

”I bet she does,” Heinie said and sighed. ”Her old man's throwing a party for her: it's her twenty-fourth birthday--just the right age. He's giving her the family diamonds.” He rolled his eyes. ”What a necklace! They say it's worth fifty grand.”

The blonde came over with his meal. She was careful to keep out of his reach. When she had gone, Heinie pulled up his chair and started to eat noisily. Bailey had finished. He sat back and began to pick his teeth with a match. He was thinking: fifty grand! I wonder if there's a chance of grabbing that necklace? I wonder if Riley would have the nerve to make a try for it?

”Where's the party--at her house?”

”That's right,” Heinie said, shoveling food into his mouth. ”Then she and her boy friend, Jerry MacGowan, are going on to the Golden Slipper.”

”With the necklace?” Bailey asked casually.

”I bet once she puts it on, she'll never take it off.”

”But you're not sure?”

”She'll be wearing it all right. The press will be there.”

”What time will she be at the roadhouse?”

”Around midnight.” Heinie paused, his fork near his mouth. ”What's on your mind?”

”Nothing.” Bailey looked at him, his fleshy face expressionless. ”She and this guy, MacGowan? No one else?”

”No.” Heinie suddenly laid down his fork. His fat face was worried. ”Now look, don't go getting any ideas about the necklace. You'd start something you couldn't finish. I'm telling you. Riley and you aren't big enough to handle a job like that. You be patient. I'll find something you can handle, but not the Blandish necklace.”

Bailey grinned at him. Heinie thought he looked like a wolf.

”Don't get excited,” he said, ”I know what I can and can't handle.” He stood up. ”I guess I'll be moving. Don't forget: if anything comes up, let me know. So long, pal.”

”You're in a hurry all of a sudden, aren't you?” Heinie said, frowning up at Bailey.

”I want to get off before Old Sam wakes up. I'm not buying him another meal as long as I live. So long.”

He went over to the blonde and paid his check, then he walked over to the Lincoln. The heat hit him like a clenched fist. After the whiskey it made him feel a little dizzy. He got in the car and paused to light a cigarette, his mind busy.

Once the word got around about the necklace, he was thinking, every little gangster in the district would sit up and wonder. Would Riley have the nerve to grab it?

He nudged Old Sam awake.

”Come on!” he said roughly. ”What the h.e.l.l's the matter with you? Don't you do anything but sleep these days?”

Old Sam, tall, wiry and pus.h.i.+ng sixty, blinked as he slowly straightened up.

”Are we going to eat?” he asked hopefully.

”I've eaten,” Bailey said and set the car moving.

”How about me?”

”Go ahead if you've got any dough. I'm not paying,” Bailey snarled.

Old Sam sighed. He tightened his belt and pushed his greasy, battered hat over his long, red nose.

”What's gone wrong with this outfit, Bailey?” he asked mournfully. ”We never have any money now. One time we were doing all right; now nothing. Know what I think? I think Riley spends too much time in the sack with that broad of his. He isn't concentrating on business.”

Bailey slowed the car and pulled up outside a drugstore.

”Give your mouth a rest,” he said and getting out of the car, he walked into the drugstore. He shut himself in a telephone booth. He dialed, and after a long wait, Riley came on the line.

Bailey could hear the radio blaring and Anna singing at the top of her voice. He started to tell Riley what he had learned from Heinie, but gave up.

”You can't hear what I'm saying, can you?” he bawled. ”Can't you stop that G.o.dd.a.m.n noise?”

Riley seemed half dead. Bailey had left him in bed with Anna. He was surprised he even bothered to answer the telephone.

”Hang on,” Riley said.

The music stopped, then Anna began to shout angrily. Bailey heard Riley bellow something and then the sound of a loud smack, Bailey shook his head, breathing hard down his nose. Riley and Anna fought all day. They drove him nuts when he was with them.

Riley came back to the telephone.

”Listen, Frankie,” Bailey pleaded. ”I'm roasting alive in this G.o.dd.a.m.n booth. Will you listen? This is important”

Riley began to beef about the heat at his end.

”I know: I know.” Bailey snarled. ”Will you listen? We've got the chance of grabbing a necklace worth fifty grand. The Blandish girl will be wearing the necklace tonight. She's going to the Golden Slipper with her boy friend-- just the two of them. I got the word from Heinie. It's the McCoy. What do you say?”

”How much?”

”Fifty grand. Blandish--the millionaire. How about it?”

Riley seemed to come alive all of a sudden.

”What are you waiting there for? Come on back!” he said excitedly. ”This is something we got to talk about. Come on back!”

”I'm on my way,” Bailey said and hung up. He paused to light a cigarette. His hands were shaking with excitement Riley wasn't as yellow as he thought, he said to himself. If we handle this right, we're in the money!

He walked with quick strides back to the Lincoln.

Old Sam looked at him sleepily.

”Wake up, stupid,” Bailey said. ”Things are cooking.”

2.

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