Part 23 (1/2)
”Yeah, but how it got stuck into Val, I couldn't say”
”This one wasn't stuck into Val,” Brody said ”This one was found on a shelf in your kitchen cabinet less than a half hour ago” He then put the duplicate knife on the desk top ”This was the one found stuck in Val”
Johnny looked fro
”How do you account for that?” Brody asked
”I don't know,” Johnny said, without expression
”Could Big Joe have left it in the house at some time, and somebody have put it on the shelf?” Brody asked
”If he did, I don't know about it,” Johnny said
”All right, that's your story,” Brody said ”Let's get back to Val When was the last time you saw him?”
”It was about ten minutes of four when I ca and the players didn't wantfor me”
”Wasn't that unusual?” Brody interrupted
Johnny looked at him
”Why didn't he coe 'bout that,” Johnny said ”He liked to set in my car and play the radio He had a set of keys, hiency 'cause I never let him drive And he's set in it by the hour I suppose ithe'd been setting there I didn't ask hi to Reverend Short and he had so to tell me But ere late and I was afraid the ould break up before we got there--”
”He said he'd been talking with Reverend Short?” Brody interrupted again ”At that ti, rather?”
”Yeah, but I didn't think anything about it at the time,” Johnny replied ”I told hiot to Seventh Avenue he said he didn't feel like going to the wake He said he was going away, he was going to catch an early train to Chicago and he didn't knohere he was going from there and I'd better listen to what he had to say 'cause it was important I pulled up to the corner and parked He said he'd been up to the preacher's church--if you call it a church; he'dand they'd had a long talk But before he'd got to say anybeside the parked cars across the street and I kneas going to try to steal the A and P store e poke I said, wait a minute, let's watch this little play There was a colored cop naer while he unlocked the door, and there was so the play, too This stud lifted the poke froer saw him, and he and the cop took off after him--”
Brody cut him off ”We know about that What happened after Reverend Short got up?”
”I didn't knoas the preacher until he got up out of that breadbasket,” Johnny said ”Funniest thing you ever saw He got up and began shaking hi When I ured he was full of that wild cherry brandy and opium juice he drinks, then he took another drink fro and shaking hi, too He said you can't hurt a drunk Then all of a sudden I thought of hoe could pull a good gag I told Val to go across the street and lie down in the breadbasket where the preacher had fallen and I'd go around to Haht joint and telephone Mamie and tell here there was a dead man there who'd fallen out of herHamfat's place is on 135th and Lenox, and it wouldn't have taken er than fivethe phone and I figured by the tih so would have been lost--”
”How did you go to Hamfat's?” Brody interrupted
”I drove,” Johnny said ”I turned up Seventh Avenue to 135th Street and crossed over I didn't know he'd been stabbed until Ma from the house, or anyone at all on the street when you drove up Seventh Avenue?” Brody asked
”Not a soul”
”Did you tell Mauise nized nized it?” Brody insisted
”I don't think so,” Johnny said ”But I couldn't say”
”Okay, that's your story,” Brody said ”Nohat did you go to Chicago for?”
”I was trying to find out what it was Val wanted to tell ot himself killed,” Johnny adht after the funeral and clairand from me to open up a liquor store, I wanted to knohat it was I was going to give hirand for to know He never had a chance to tell me, and I had to find out forforward slightly
Grave Digger bent over froh to hear better, and Coffin Ed stepped forward from the shadows
”Yeah,” Johnny said in his toneless voice, his face reure he was going to askto take Doll Baby with hih listening for a sound that would presage the instant of danger
”Would you have given it to him?” Brody asked
”Not so you could notice,” Johnny said
”Was it his idea or hers?” Brody insisted
”I couldn't say,” Johnny said ”I ain't God”
”Would she have done it for him if he had made her, tried to make her?” Brody kept on
”I couldn't say,” Johnny said
Brody kept ha ”Or would she have killed him?”
”I couldn't say,” Johnny said in his toneless voice
”What was chink Charlie doing in your house?” Brody continued ”Was he black her about the knife?”
”I couldn't say,” Johnny said
”Ten thousand dollars in hundred-dollar bifis were strewn over the bed in the other bedroom,” Brody said ”Did he come to collect that?”
”I couldn't say what he coot”
”It was your money,” Brody persisted
”No, it was hers,” Johnny said ”I got it for her when I carand she elcoet out It was easier for rand than to have to kill her”
”Do you have any idea where she one?” Brody asked
”I couldn't say,” Johnny said ”She's got her own car, a Chevy convertible I gave her for Christone anywhere”
”Okay, Johnny, that's all for now,” Brody said ”We're going to hold you on hter and suspicion of et you out on bail”