The Case of the Angry Actress: A Masao Masuto Mystery by Howard Fast Read Free Book Online Page A

at least one hundred thousand dollars worth of modern-Italian-Southern-California decor; but today the bright edge of wealth was muted by the haze of death. The men and women who worked in the offices of Northeastern were depressed by the fact that it was incumbent upon them to be depressed by the death of Al Greenberg.
    The girl at the reception desk looked upon Masuto bleakly as he told her that he had an appointment with Mr. Anderson. She spoke into the phone and then she rose and led Masuto through a section of minor offices to the rear of the floor. This whole end of the floor was divided into three offices. According to the names on the door, the center office belonged to Al Greenberg, the one on the left to John D. Cotter, and the one on the right to Murphy Anderson.
    Expressionless faces examined them as they walked through, and when they reached Anderson’s office, the big, white-haired man opened the door himself, invited Masuto to be seated, and closed the door behind him. Masuto lowered himself into a straight-backed Italian import, and Anderson apologized for not having Cotter there with them.
    â€œYou don’t know what this has done to us, Sergeant. Jack’s been at the bank all morning, and that’s only the beginning. I have been talking to five hundred people and trying to help Phoebe arrange the funeral proceedings at the same time.” He looked at his watch. “As a matter of fact, I have a very important luncheon meeting at one. I imagine we can finish by then. I have been talking to your boss at the police station, and he agrees that there is absolutely no sense in pursuing the murder angle. We have no evidence of murder, no real suspicion of anyone, and a very definite knowledge of poor Al’s illness. Jack Cotter is willing to forget what he heard. Do you agree?”
    â€œIt hardly matters whether I agree or not,” Masuto said, spreading his hands slightly. “Mine is a negative search—simply to dispel any lingering doubts. I think the very fact that this was kept out of the papers helps your desire.”
    â€œThank God for that. I don’t mind telling you—but in confidence—that we are in the middle of the biggest move in the history of this business, the acquisition of the remaining library of World Wide Films—for eighteen million dollars. Jack Cotter finished signing the papers this morning. If this had broken as murder, the deal would have been postponed or killed completely.”
    â€œThen if we were fanciful,” Masuto smiled, “we could say that the murderer attempted to frustrate your deal.”
    â€œThen why didn’t she break the story to the press?”
    Masuto shrugged. “Who knows? Could you tell me something, perhaps, about your company.”
    â€œTo what point?”
    â€œAgain—who knows? But I am curious. If I am not mistaken, Mr. Greenberg began the company some fifteen years ago?”
    â€œCloser to twelve years. He and I began together, and then we took Jack Cotter in. Al began to produce TV shows about fifteen years ago. He was one of the first. I was his lawyer, and he organized the company to produce and I went in with him. But I don’t take any of the credit. I am a lawyer and a businessman, a good lawyer and a pretty good businessman, but I think I would make a lousy producer. Whatever Northeastern is, Al Greenberg is mainly responsible.”
    â€œHow did Jack Cotter come into it?”
    â€œJack was a sort of Western star back in the late ’thirties. He made five feature films for Asterlux, and they went bankrupt in 1940—or almost bankrupt. They liquidated their assets and settled. They owed Jack a hundred thousand dollars in back wages, and as a settlement they gave him the American distribution rights to the five Westerns. Who ever knew then how TV would eat feature films! Back in 1957, Jack proposed to throw his five features into our operation in return for a piece