Part 19 (2/2)
What had happened to her during that time? He thought of Slim Grisson and he shook his head.
Brennan came out and got into the car.
”I've given orders for Anna Borg to be picked up. A couple of the boys will be watching the club.”
Fenner grunted.
”Let's go,” he said.
Brennan started the car and drove fast out of the town and onto the highway.
3.
A little after five o'clock, Rocco left his apartment and walked briskly to the main street. He had rested on his vast bed for an hour after Maisey had gone.
The mysterious girl Maisey had told him about intrigued him. He had decided he would investigate. He knew Slim, Flynn and Woppy wouldn't be back until after nine. At this hour, it was unlikely Eddie Schultz would be in the club. That left only Ma Grisson and Doc Williams to worry about. He would have to be careful, but he felt pretty sure he could handle Doc if he had to. Ma scared him, but with any luck he wouldn't run into her.
It was Sat.u.r.day, and the warehouse next to the club was closed. Maisey had told him there was an entrance to the club through the warehouse. This entrance he intended to find.
The building next to the warehouse was a shabby hotel. He knew the owner, a fat Greek whose name was Nick Papolos. He told Nick with a wink that he wanted to admire the view from the hotel roof. Nick stared at him, shrugged his fat shoulders and told him to help himself.
”Just don't get me into no trouble,” the Greek said.
Rocco patted his arm.
”You know me, Nick,” he said. ”Strictly no trouble.”
He took the elevator to the top floor, opened a skylight and got onto the flat roof. From there it was easy to enter the warehouse. It took him twenty minutes of careful searching before he found the hidden door leading into the club. It took him only a few seconds to pick the lock and get the door open. He stepped into a dark pa.s.sage, gun in hand, his heart thumping. At the end of the pa.s.sage was another locked door. This he opened without difficulty, then he found himself looking into a large, well-furnished room with a big television set facing him. Across the room was a door, and for a long moment, he stood hesitating. He moved silently to the door and listened against the panel. Hearing nothing, he opened the door and peered into the ornate bedroom.
Miss Blandish was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring with blank eyes at the floor. She had on a white cotton dress that Slim had bought her. A cigarette burned between her slim white fingers.
Rocco stared at her. He had never seen a more beautiful girl. There was something familiar about her face. He felt almost sure he had seen this girl somewhere before.
He moved silently into the room.
Miss Blandish didn't look up. She suddenly let the cigarette slip out of her fingers. It fell on the carpet and listlessly, she put her foot on it.
”h.e.l.lo,” Rocco said softly. ”What are you doing here?”
The heavy drugged eyes stared at him.
”Please go away,” she said.
Her pinpoint pupils told Rocco plenty.
”What's your name, baby?” he asked.
”My name?” She frowned. ”I don't know. Please go away. He wouldn't like you to be here.”
Where had he seen this girl before? Rocco asked himself. He looked at the red-gold hair. Then a surge of excitement ran through him. In his mind, he saw the dozens of pictures that had appeared in all the newspapers of this girl. This redhead, sitting so lifelessly on the bed, was John Blandish's daughter! How the h.e.l.l had Grisson got hold of her? He was so excited he could scarcely breathe. What a chance to level his score! Besides, there was a reward of fifteen thousand dollars for this girl!
”Your name's Blandish, isn't it?” he said, trying to control his shaking voice. ”You were kidnapped nearly four months ago. Don't you remember?”
She peered at him.
”Blandish?” she repeated. ”That's not my name.”
”Yes, it is,” Rocco said. ”You'll remember in a little while. Come on, baby, you and me are going for a walk.”
”I don't know who you are. Please go away.”
Rocco put his hand on her arm, but she jerked back, her face tightening with fear.
”Don't touch me!”
The shrill tone of her voice brought Rocco out in a sweat. Any moment Doc Williams or Ma Grisson could walk in. He was determined to get the girl to his place. He was tempted to knock her unconscious and carry her out, but he knew this would be impossible in broad daylight.
”Come on,” he said, his voice hardening. ”Slim's waiting for you. I've got to take you to him.”
This was an inspired idea. Miss Blandish immediately got to her feet. She allowed Rocco to lead her into the sitting room. He guided her through the door to the pa.s.sage leading to the warehouse. She moved like a zombie.
It wasn't until he had got her from the warehouse, down the alley that ran along the back of the club and the warehouse and into a cruising taxi that he began to relax. He told the driver who was staring curiously at Miss Blandish to take them to his apartment.
While this was going on, Ma Grisson was talking to Flynn on the telephone.
”It's all fixed,” Flynn was saying. ”We're on our way back. No trouble at all.”
”Both of them?” Ma asked.
”Yeah.”
”Fine, fine. Hurry on back,” and Ma hung up. Her office door opened and Eddie Schultz came in. He had a livid bruise on the side of his jaw.
Ma glared at him.
”You and your G.o.dd.a.m.n women!” she snarled. ”That chippy could have blown the lid right off this setup.”
Eddie sat down. He lit a cigarette and fingered his jaw.
”It wasn't Anna's fault. What's happened?”
”It's fixed, thanks to me. Flynn's just been on. They wiped out both Johnny and that punk, Fenner.”
”It wasn't Anna's fault,” Eddie said. ”All she told this guy...”
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