Part 32 (1/2)
Speaking of stuck... ”Is my car back yet?” I asked Derner.
”No, Boss. I got them to lay off and just do the tires, though.”
Dammit. I could have gone to Detroit and back and had a whole new car made by now. I suppressed a growl, and asked, ”Has Kroun been in?”
”Not today. If he was steamed last night, he's gonna be boiling tonight.”
”Why?”
”The papers.”
”What's in them?”
”They're screaming about a mob hit on Roland Lambert.”
”What?”
”That's what they got. I didn't write it, that's what they got. Your club's all over it, your name, and they pulled out the Jane Poe case again.”
Oh, h.e.l.l. I shouldn't have talked to that reporter. I knew better. Give them one straw, and they'll spin a mountain of gold. I'd been known to do it myself. ”Hoyle will know that he missed killing me again.”
”Yeah, that's gonna p.i.s.s him off.”
”I'll send him flowers.”
”Hey, Boss, it's the way it is.”
”Yeah-yeah. Look, the guys who do know where he is ain't cooperating, that's plain enough. You put the word out that his location is worth two grand to them.”
He nearly choked. ”But that-that's-”
Two years' income to most, a tip to others. ”Take it out of petty cash. These bozos are gonna cost us five times that if they're left running loose. I'll be at Crymsyn if anything new comes in.”
I hung up before the sputtering started. The phone rang as I shrugged into my coat. My hat was gone. I suspected I'd lost it in the Stockyards during my binge.
Escott was on the other end of the line. His tone was tense. ”Good, I wanted to catch you before-”
”What's wrong?”
”b.l.o.o.d.y Evie Montana. The little-she slipped her leash.” ”Ah, jeez. How?”
”Oldest trick in the book, through the bathroom window and out.”
”When?”
”This afternoon. I should have antic.i.p.ated. She'd been harping all day about wanting to go home. I think the girl is rather backward-”
”Can it, Charles, we both know she's the original Dumb Dora.”
”Yet she managed to outfox me. I'd tried to explain the situation to her, but she seemed to think-oh, b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, she doesn't think. That's the problem.”
Hanging around smart women like Vivian and Bobbi had gotten him spoiled. ”Well, meet me at the club, and we'll try to hash out a way of finding her again.”
”Right.” He sounded tired. Apparently a day with Evie had not been a picnic.
With a twinge of guilt I realized I should call the hospital and ask after Roland. It wasn't his fault the papers were in a lather about the shooting. I had the operator connect me, not wanting to bother searching the phone book.
Eventually I got through to the nurses' station on Roland's floor and was informed he was doing well, whatever that meant. When I asked for more details I was told when evening visiting hours were, then the line went dead. Standard replies to the standard questions. If something was truly wrong, the answers would have been different. Maybe.
”Two grand for Hoyle?” asked Strome on the way to his car.
”Yeah. You know where he is?”
He shook his head. ”But I might know some guys who might know some guys who might. And they don't need to hear about the two grand.”
”No, they don't.” If Strome had been holding out on me... but I decided I didn't care. Whatever it took to get Hoyle in a box.
Roland's Hudson was still parked in front of Lady Crymsyn, along with another car. A hopeful reporter. Strome drove around back. I let us in that way, we walked through, then I unlocked the lobby door and let him out again.
Less than a minute later the hopeful drove off at a good clip. Strome came in, his face bland. I didn't ask questions and went up to the office.
Lights and radio off. Myrna was being different tonight. I turned both on and rummaged in the desk, finding a piece of cardboard in a box of typing paper. I lettered an optimistic CLOSED, BUT BACK SOON! on it in black ink, then went down to tack it on the entry door.
The lobby phone rang, startling me. I was the one who usually called in on it. Strome kept his hands in his pockets, so I answered.
”Jack?” Bobbi's voice.
”Yeah, honey? You okay?”
”I'm fine, we're all fine. It's been rough, but I got some sleep. I was hoping to catch you. I already tried at Charles's.”
”Oh, yeah?”
”I thought you should know I called everyone not to come in tonight.”
She just saved me a ton of effort. ”You're an angel. How's Roland?”
”He's in better shape than me and Faustine put together. The papers have been all over him. He's enjoying every moment.”
”Enjoying?”
”His name is in the news, people are wanting his autograph. This is the best thing that's happened to him in ages.”
”Yeah, but will he dance again?” That was a huge nagging worry I'd tried not to think about.
”He seems to think so. I wouldn't put it past him to be up and rehearsing tomorrow. I told him you'd closed the club for the time being, though. He said to tell you not to do that. I couldn't really explain that there was more going on, mostly because I don't know anything.”
”I'll tell you all about it whenever you want.”