1956 - There's Always a Price Tag by James Hadley Chase Read Free Book Online Page A

then the nickel dropped and his hatchet face tightened. 'Now wait a minute. That kind of racket is dynamite. A blackmailer.'
    'Shut up, pea brain! Who's talking about blackmail?' I said, keeping my voice down. 'I'm offering you five hundred dollars to dig into Helen Dester's past and to turn over to me what you find. I didn't say anything about blackmail.'
    'I've had one run in with the cops, Glyn,' he said, 'I can't risk another.'
    'Who's talking about the cops?' I said curtly. 'But if that's the way you feel I can get someone else to do the job.'
    He studied me, then shrugged. 'Okay, I could use five C's. Just what do I do to earn it?'
    'I want the complete dope on the guy who fell out of the window, and when I say complete, I mean complete. Who he was, why he fell out, the coroner's verdict, who was with him when he fell out and how he figured in Helen's life. Get it? I want the works. Then I want a detailed picture of Helen's background. You'll have to go to New York and dig, but you won't be wasting your time.'
    'And what's going to happen to my business while I'm in New York?' Solly demanded.
    'You should care. Patsy can handle it. This is important. You know as well as I do it would take you a month of hard grind to make five hundred in your business. I'm offering you that amount for a few days’ work.'
    'Yeah, it sounds fine, but when do I get the dough?'
    'If I pull this trick you'll get it. If I don't pull it, then we're both unlucky.'
    'And in the meantime I've had to pay out for a trip to New York.'
    'For the love of mike! If that's the way you feel about it, then let's skip it.'
    He took a long pull from his glass.
    'I don't like any of it. That sort of racket could land us both in jail.'
    'What sort of racket?' I said, staring at him.
    'You know what I mean. Don't pull a little Eva on me.'
    'What are you worrying about? All I'm asking you to do is to supply me with some information. In return for the information I'll give you five C's, and your fare. You don't know why I want the information or where the five C's have come from. How can it get you into trouble?'
    He turned this over in his mind. It seemed to soothe him. 'But what about you? You could…'
    'I can look after myself. Are you going to handle the job or aren't you?'
    He shrugged.
    'Well, okay, I'll see what I can dig up. If I get you the information I don't want to know how you're going to use it. You've got to keep me out of trouble.'
    'I'll do that. Will you get off tomorrow morning? I want this dope fast, and when I say fast, I mean fast.'
    He finished his drink and got to his feet.
    'You'll get it. I'll call you. What's your number?'
    'No. I'll call you. I'll call you at nine o'clock on Friday morning at your apartment. Okay?'
    'Yeah, but watch your step. I don't think you realize how serious this could be for you. I hope you know what you are doing.'
    I grinned at him.
     
    * * *
     
    After Solly had gone, I had a quick supper and then took the bus back to the Desters' residence.
    The Cadillac had gone. With Helen out of the way, I thought it might pay dividends to see how Dester was getting along.
    He was lying in bed. A bottle of Scotch and a glass half-full of whisky stood on the night table. He was looking towards me, his face set, his eyes bloodshot. He had a .38 automatic in his hand. I saw it distinctly before he slid his hand and the gun out of sight under the sheet.
    'What do you want?' he said, his voice harsh. 'Can't you knock before you come in?'
    The sight of the gun rattled me, and I wondered if he knew Helen was waiting for him to die. Was he scared of her? Did he have the gun handy as a protection against attack?
    'I'm sorry, sir,' I said, standing in the doorway. 'I thought you might be sleeping. I just wanted to know if you were going out tonight.'
    I saw him relax. 'Come in, kid,' he said. 'I won't be going out tonight. I'm not feeling too well.'
    I shut the door and moved to the foot of the bed. It gave me a queer feeling to