The Blue Movie Murders by Ellery Queen Read Free Book Online

narrowed. “You know something about that?”
    â€œHow much is it worth?”
    â€œThat depends.”
    â€œI need money, mister. The strike fund’s short-changing us blacks. Whitey’s takin’ all the money.”
    â€œI heard one of the reasons for the strike was that they were hiring blacks at good salaries.”
    â€œThey don’t like us. Especially Tanner. I hear you had a little run-in with him this afternoon.”
    â€œNews travels fast.”
    â€œMost of the whites don’t even talk to us, but that kid Kozinski does. He told me.”
    â€œI see.”
    â€œHe said you were askin’ about Sol Dahlman.”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    The black man pulled a folded letter from his pocket and spread it on the bar. It was one of Ben Sloane’s letters, asking for information. “He mentions a reward.”
    â€œBut he’s dead now.”
    The black man nodded. “I thought maybe you might have the reward.”
    McCall noticed the bartender moving casually closer. “Let’s get out of here,” he said. “I’ve got a car outside.”
    â€œFine by me.”
    The May evening had turned chilly, and although there was still another hour or more of daylight remaining, the sun had vanished behind a bank of thick clouds on the western horizon. The parking lot was almost deserted, with only a handful of cars at one end. Not many people came to Rockview this early in the season.
    â€œAll right,” McCall said. “Now what do you know?”
    â€œThey been makin’ these films,” George Watts began. “Bad stuff, the kind—”
    He was cut off in mid-sentence by the sudden gunning of a car motor behind them, and McCall turned in time to see a blue station wagon coming up fast. He had only an instant to act. He shoved Watts out of its path and dived to the other side as the car passed between them, then slammed on its brakes.
    â€œRun!” Watts shouted. “I’m the one they want.” His hand vanished under his coat and came out holding a tiny pistol.
    But he was not quite fast enough for the two men who jumped out of the station wagon. The nearer one hit Watts’ arm a glancing blow that sent the pistol spinning to the asphalt. The door on the driver’s side opened and McCall recognized Carry Tanner.
    â€œOkay, damn you,” Tanner rasped. “Here’s where we teach you black bastards a lesson!”
    McCall didn’t carry a gun, something he regretted at times like this. He scrambled across the asphalt for the fallen weapon, and heard Tanner shout, “Get that one and hold him! I’ve got a score to settle with him too!”
    But McCall knew a few tricks. As the striker fell on him he rolled to one side quickly and grabbed the man’s arm. He twisted it up and landed a sharp karate blow to the nerves in the man’s armpit. He knew that would keep him out of the action for a time.
    Then he had the gun in his hand, just as Tanner was swinging a short piece of pipe at Watts’s skull. He fired one quick shot from the ground, without aiming, and when Tanner ignored it he shot the pipe out of his hand.
    â€œDamn you!” the man screamed, turning his heavy body and clutching his bloody fingers. “I’ll kill you for that!”
    McCall got to his feet, still holding the gun. The third man had released Watts and was moving slowly backward. “I don’t think you’ll be killing anyone, Tanner. I can have you locked up right this minute.”
    â€œTry it! Lock me up and Mann’s plant will be closed till doomsday!”
    McCall wasn’t familiar enough with the local power structure to know just where he stood. Since Watts hadn’t actually been hurt, McCall knew his hand was weak. Tanner could claim he was acting in self-defence after Watts pulled a gun, and he’d have two witnesses to substantiate him.
    â€œAll right,” McCall