Part 21 (2/2)
6.
For two interminable hours, Anna Borg had been locked in an isolated cell below stairs at Police headquarters. She was now both scared and exhausted. During the first hour she had yelled, screamed and cursed but no one had come near her. She felt buried alive and her nerves were rapidly going to pieces.
She kept asking herself why she had been picked up and bustled into this cell. When Eddie had rushed off to talk to Ma about Johnny, Anna had decided to quit. She had had enough of Eddie and the Paradise Club. As soon as she had heard his car drive away, she had thrown some clothes into a suitcase, taken Eddie's store of money he kept in the apartment against an emergency and had taken a taxi to the railroad station.
She had told herself she would go to New York. She knew she could always get some kind of a job in a clip joint until she had time to look around. Anything now seemed better than hanging around with Eddie and getting nowhere with a chance of getting caught up in some trouble with Ma Grisson and her stupid son.
But as she paid off the taxi, two large men stepped up to her from nowhere and one of them flashed a badge at her.
”Anna Borg?”
”You can say 'Miss', can't you?” Anna snapped, glaring at the two detectives. But for all her aggression, she had a sudden cold sinking feeling. Were these baboons going to arrest her?
”Police Chief wants to talk to you, baby,” one of the men said. ”Won't keep you long.”
A police car slid up. Anna was aware that pa.s.sersby were pausing and staring.
”I've got a train to catch,” she said angrily. ”You can tell that egghead to drop dead.”
A large hand rested on her arm.
”Come on, baby,” the detective said persuasively. ”You don't want trouble, do you? It won't take long.”
”Take your paw off me!” Anna flared. She stood hesitating, then as the other detective moved forward, she got into the car. The two detectives got in after her and the car shot away. ”I'll make trouble for you two,” she threatened. ”I'll get my lawyer to fix you! You'll be pounding a beat before you know where you are!”
The older of the two detectives laughed.
”Be your age, baby,” he said. ”Relax.”
Anna swore at him, then relapsed into a sullen silence. Fear was nibbling at her. Had they connected her with Alvin Heinie's death? It seemed a long time since she had discovered that Heinie had been staying at her hotel and that he had ratted on Riley. She had gone to his room in a fit of furious impulse and had shot him as he had opened the door. She had regretted the act ever since. But up to this moment she had felt sure the shooting couldn't be traced to her; now she wasn't so sure.
At police headquarters, she had demanded to speak to her lawyer, but the desk sergeant merely gave her a bored, blank stare and waved to a hard-faced wardress who caught hold of her and pushed her, struggling and screaming down a pa.s.sage and into a dark cell. The door slammed and locked behind her.
The two-hour wait had quieted Anna. When eventually the lock snapped back and the door swung open, she jumped anxiously to her feet.
The wardress beckoned to her.
”Come on,” she said. ”The Chief's ready to talk to you now.”
”Someone's going to pay for this!” Anna said but without much conviction.
She was led up the stairs, through the charge room and into Brennan's office. She came to an abrupt standstill in the doorway when she saw Fenner sitting on the window sill, Brennan behind his desk and two detectives leaning up against the wall. She stared at Fenner, her eyes round.
The wardress gave her a push and she staggered forward a few paces, then she heard the door close behind her.
”You're going to be sorry for this!” Anna yelled at Brennan. ”I want my lawyer!”
”Sit down, Anna,” Brennan said quietly. ”I want to talk to you.”
”Where do you get this Anna stuff from?” Anna snapped. ”I'm Miss Borg to you.”
”Sit down and shut up!” one of the detectives barked.
”Ape!” Anna shrilled, but she sat down, looking uneasily from Brennan to Fenner.
”We have reason to believe that Miss Blandish, the girl kidnapped four months ago, is being held at the Paradise Club,” Brennan said.
Anna stared at him. Her face was bewildered.
”Have you gone nuts?” she demanded. ”Everyone knows Frankie Riley s.n.a.t.c.hed the girl. What are you getting at?”
”That's what we thought, but we know different now,” Brennan went on. ”The Grisson gang took the girl from Riley. We're pretty certain she is in the club right now.”
”Are you trying to frame Eddie?” Anna said, her eyes narrowing. ”Don't expect me to help you, copper. I don't know nothing about any s.n.a.t.c.h.”
Fenner said, ”Time marches on, Brennan. Let her see the exhibits. If they don't soften her, nothing will.”
Brennan nodded. He signaled to one of the detectives who moved over to Anna.
”Come on, baby. I've got something to show you.”
Anna looked uneasily at Brennan.
”I want my lawyer. You can't keep me here...”
”Come on; don't talk so much,” the detective said.
Anna got to her feet. She followed the detective out of the room. Fenner and Brennan exchanged glances.
”I don't think she knows anything,” Brennan said. ”We could be wasting our time.”
”We can but try,” Fenner said and lit a cigarette.
They waited.
After ten minutes or so, the door pushed open and the detective brought Anna back. He was supporting her. Her face was white and her eyes were pools of horror. She dropped limply into the chair and she hid her face in her hands.
”Can you identify him as Riley?” Brennan asked.
She shuddered.
”You dirty sonsofb.i.t.c.hes,” she said. ”How could you do this to me?”
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