Part 13 (1/2)
”So the trail's cold?”
”It never was hot. It's a b.i.t.c.h of a case. The time and money we've wasted on it gives me nightmares. We're no closer to a solution than when we first started.”
Fenner pulled a face. The vision of laying his hands on thirty thousand dollars now began to look remote. He got to his feet. Then a thought struck him.
”What did this Borg girl do for a living when she was going around with Riley?” he asked.
”She did a strip act at the Cosmos Club, strictly for peanuts, but her main meal ticket was Riley.”
”The Cosmos Club?” Fenner suddenly looked thoughtful. He glanced at his watch. ”Well, I'm wasting your time, Captain. If I turn up anything, I'll let you know.”
”You won't,” Brennan said, grinning. ”There's nothing to turn up.”
In a thoughtful mood, Fenner drove back to his office. He found Paula waiting for him although it was after six o'clock.
”You still here?” he said as he entered the office. ”Haven't you a home to go to?”
”I'm scared to leave in case another millionaire walks in,” Paula said, her blue eyes wide. ”Oh, Dave! I've been planning how we'll spend all that beautiful money when we get it”
”The operative word in that pipe dream of a sentence of yours is when.” Fenner walked into his office. Paula trailed after him. ”Since you are still working, baby, make yourself useful. Check the dirty file and see if we have anything on Pete Cosmos.”
During the years Fenner had been a newspaperman, he had systematically collected every sc.r.a.p of information concerning the activities of the big and little gangsters in town. He had collected an enormous library of facts that often came in handy when he was trying to persuade some hood to give him information.
In five minutes, Paula came into the office with a pile of newspaper clippings.
”I don't know what you're looking for, Dave,” she said, ”but here's everything we have on Cosmos.”
”Thanks, sweetheart, now you trot off home. I've got work to do. How would you like to have dinner with me tonight to celebrate our riches?”
Paula's face lit up with delighted surprise.
”I'd love it! I'll wear my new dress! Let's go to the Champagne Room! I've never been there. I hear it's a knockout.”
”The only knockout about that joint is the check,” Fenner said. ”Maybe we might go there when we have got our hooks into the thirty thousand, but not before.”
”Then how about the Astor? For the money, they say it's the best in town.”
”Don't be simple, baby. They didn't say for how much money, did they?” Fenner put his arm around her coaxingly. ”I'll tell you where we'll go, the Cosmos Club. We'll combine business with pleasure.”
Paula made a grimace as if she had bitten into a lemon.
”The Cosmos Club? That joint's not even a dive and the food's poisonous.”
”Run along, baby, I've work to do. I'll pick you up at eight-thirty at your place,” and turning her, Fenner gave her a slap on her behind, launching her fast to the door.
He sat down at his desk and began to read through the ma.s.s of clippings Paula had given him. After some thirty minutes, he made a telephone call, then he put the clippings back into the filing cabinet, turned off the lights in the office, locked up and went down to his car. He drove to his two room apartment where he took a shower and changed into a dark suit. He checked his .38 police special and put it in his shoulder holster.
He found Paula anxiously waiting for him. One of the important facts of life that Paula had learned the hard way was not to keep any man waiting. She was looking cute in a black dress, relieved by a red carnation. The cut of the dress accentuated her figure so that Fenner took a second look.
”What kills me,” Paula said as she got into the car with a generous show of nylon-clad legs, ”is I always have to buy my own corsage. The day you think of buying me one, I'll faint.”
”Put your smelling salts away, baby,” Fenner said, grinning. ”I would never think of it. You haven't a worry in the world.” He edged the car into the traffic. ”I've got something on Pete. Boy! Won't his fat face turn red when I start talking to him.”
Paula looked at him.
”I hope we'll eat sometime,” she said. ”I foresee you and that fat Italian sitting glaring at each other and grinding your teeth while I starve to death.”
”We'll eat first, baby,” Fenner said and patted her knee.
She firmly removed his hand.
”That knee is reserved for my future husband,” she said. ”You can have an option on it if you want it, but it'll have to be in writing.”
Fenner laughed. He liked going out with Paula. They always seemed to have fun together.
The Cosmos Club was full when they arrived, but the maitre d'hotel, a seedy, narrow-eyed Italian, found them a table.
Fenner looked around and decided it was a pretty crummy joint. He hadn't been in the club for six months. He could see it had changed for the worse.
”Charming little morgue,” Paula said, looking around. ”I can't imagine anyone coming here unless they were too mean to go somewhere else.”
Fenner let that one ride. He was studying the menu. He was hungry. A grubby looking waiter hovered at his side.
After a long discussion they decided on the iced melon, and duck cooked with olives to follow.
”At least we can eat the olives,” Paula said. ”Even the cook at the Cosmos Club can't spoil olives.”
Fenner laughed.
”You wait and see. I bet you they'll be as tender as golf b.a.l.l.s.”
But when the meal was served, neither of them could complain. It wasn't good, but at least they could eat it.
Between courses, they danced. Paula attempted to get romantic, but Fenner deliberately trod on her toes. The dancing wasn't a success.
While she was choosing dessert, Fenner pushed back his chair and stood up.
”Business now, baby,” he said. ”I'm going to talk to Pete. You go ahead and stuff yourself. I won't be long.”
Paula smiled at him, her eyes furious.
”Go ahead, Dave darling, don't worry about me. I have lots and lots to talk to myself about. I'll expect you when I don't see you.”
”If we weren't in a public place,” Fenner said, stung, ”I would put you over my knee and slap you humpbacked.”
”A charming thought,” Paula said, waving him away. ”Run along and talk to your friend. I hope he spits in your right eye.”
Grinning, Fenner made his way to Pete's office. He didn't bother to knock. He walked right in and kicked the door shut behind him.
Pete was adding up figures in a ledger. He looked up, startled. When he saw who it was, he scowled.