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

carelessly, wearing baggy, hairy suits and a red tie that always managed to work its way towards his left ear.
    “This is a hell of a thing about Wally,” he said as he shut the door.
    “It certainly is. Sit down.” I was still coping with the shock that Webber was no longer on my side. Quite why, I hadn't time to think. My immediate reaction was his wife, Hilda, had also been robbing the Welcome store. That could be the only explanation: anyway as first thoughts.
    “I've just come from the hospital,” Max went on, dropping into a chair. “Sweet grief! They certainly worked him over! How I wish it had been me! Poor Wally isn't equipped for that kind of trouble. I'd have given those punks something to remember me by.” He ran his fingers through his mop of black hair. “Any ideas, Steve? Do you think Hammond is behind this?”
    “Could be.” And Hammond could be, but I was so close to the Welcome store, I couldn't get it out of my mind. “I don't know. It could be mugging.”
    “I don't think so. Wally had a briefcase stuffed with trouble. He's a cagey sonofagun. He came to me last night and we went over the Hammond estimates, but I got the idea, only half his mind was working on it. I have the feeling he was onto something else that's now landed him in hospital. Did he confide in you?”
    I moved my pen from right to left. Wally and I had always been close. I could trust him with any personal confidence, but I wasn't sure about Max. He was like a bull that rushed in, tossed its horns and if anyone got caught it was just too bad so long as he got a sensational story. I could imagine his reaction if I told him what had been going on at the Welcome store. He would probably charge down there and try to bludgeon Gordy to talk.
    “You know Wally,” I said cautiously. “He kept everything close to his chest. I think Hammond fixed him.”
    “That's my thinking. We have nearly all the facts. Wally was after a photocopy of the contract Hammond signed. We talked about it last night. I offered to get it, but he said he would get it. He has better contacts than I have.” He leaned forward, staring at me, his dark eyes somber. “I'll get it now.”
    “You know this article about Schultz,” I said. “It was Wally's special thing. It's all tied up and in proof. I've been thinking about it. Look, Max, what happened to Wally could happen to you and me. My thinking tells me that we should drop the Schultz article until we have handled Hammond. We could need police protection, and if we publish this article about Schultz that's the last thing we're going to get.”
    He rubbed his flat nose with his thumb.
    “Police protection? How can they protect us?”
    “They can give us gun permits. Chandler could swing that.”
    He grinned.
    “I don't need a gun.” And he looked down at his big hands now into fists.
    “Three toughs could take care of you, Max. You're not Superman.”
    He shrugged.
    “Okay. I'll leave it to you. I'm going after Hammond.”
    He got to his feet. “I'll be in after lunch,” and he left.
    I looked across the smog and saw the lights were blazing in Chandler's penthouse office. I hesitated for only a moment. This could be the means of relieving the pressure.
    I called Chandler's secretary.
    “Could I come over?” I said. “I want an important word with Mr. Chandler.”
    “Hold it.” A pause then she said, “If you will come right away. He's due off for Washington in an hour.”
    I got over there - you could call it dangerous driving - in five minutes.
    Chandler was at his desk, a stuffed briefcase by his feet, a dust coat and his hat on a chair.
    “What is it, Steve?” he said as I came in. “I'm just off. I've a session with the President. I could have something for you when I get back.”
    Carefully choosing my words, I explained that in view of the attack on Wally, and because I thought the attack could have come via the City Hall with Hammond behind it, I thought we should hold back our