1974 - Goldfish Have No Hiding Place by James Hadley Chase Read Free Book Online

again. “I rather admire him. So many of us on the estate do it. Why shouldn't he horn in?”
    “Two thousand is a little different from twenty thousand.”
    “Gordy's bright. He judges his customers. After all, Linda looks rich. I don't.” She regarded me, her green eyes mocking. “You are rich, aren't you, darling?”
    I moved to the door, asked, “Are any of the other husbands paying?”
    She shrugged.
    “How would I know? I do know no other husband has hit his wife.”
    “Maybe that is a pity,” I said and left her.
    At least I now had a little information. This woman had said she had bargained with Gordy: could I do that? This would have to be fixed with Gordy before the Schultz article appeared. Once Gordy knew about that, he could up his price.
    I drove to the bank.
    “Sit down, Steve,” Mayhew said. “You're busy. I'm busy, so let's get down to it. I've looked into the situation. The best I can do is to fix a five thousand overdraft. Would that be any good to you?”
    “Can't you make it ten, Ernie? This is an emergency.”
    “Sorry. I'm bending over backwards, advancing you five. I don't run this bank. I have three directors breathing down my neck.”
    “Could I raise money on the house?”
    “You have an up-to-the-hilt mortgage already . . . not a hope.”
    I forced a grin.
    “Well, thanks, Ernie, I'll accept the five.”
    “I wish I could do more. Is Linda's mother bad?”
    “I guess so.”
    Looking at him, as he gave me a sympathetic smile, I wondered if his wife, Martha shopped at the Welcome store and if she was also a thief.
    I reached my office, said hi to Judy who worked the switchboard. She told me Jean hadn't come in yet. I said I knew about it and went into my office.
    My last hope now was Webber. If he failed me, I would have to go to Lu Meir and borrow at sixty percent.
    I went through my mail, then Webber called.
    “One hell of a thing has happened,” he said in his hard, cop voice. “My office was broken into last night and ten of my files were stolen. The Gordy file was among them.”
    My fingers gripped the receiver until my knuckles turned white.
    “Can you remember what was in his file?”
    “Look, we have fifteen thousand confidential files here. Jack Walsh put Gordy's file together eight months ago. He left us last month. I only read files when I have to.”
    Was there something in the tone of his voice that hinted that he was lying?
    “Where's Walsh?”
    “I wouldn't know. He was a drip and I got rid of him. Anyway, what's the interest in Gordy? Is he something important to you?”
    “What do the police say about the breakin?”
    He gave a rumbling laugh.
    “I haven't reported it. They love me like cancer. What's the use, anyway? It was a professional job and the missing files aren't important.”
    “Then why were they stolen?”
    A long pause, then he said, “I've told Mr. Chandler. He says let it go and leave the cops out of it.”
    “That doesn't answer my question. You've lost ten files. At least one of them must be important.”
    “Some nut. Look, I'm up to my eyeballs with work. Suppose you take it up with Mr. Chandler if you feel that curious,” and he hung up.
    I replaced my receiver, thought for, some minutes, then I dialled Webber's number again.
    The girl said, “The Alert Detective Agency.”
    “This is Truman and Lacey, solicitors. I understand Mr. Jack Walsh worked for you. He is a beneficiary of a will. Could you give me his address?”
    She didn't hesitate.
    “I'm afraid you are mistaken. No one of that name has ever worked here.”
    I replaced the receiver. I knew now for certain that Webber had been lying to me.
     

3
     
    W ith a knock on the door, Max Berry, my other researcher, came in. Max was a big husky, around thirty years of age with a rather flattened face, having been a keen boxer at his university. He wasn't quite in the same class as Wally as a researcher, but he was good and as tenacious as a terrier after a rat. He dressed