The Four of Hearts by Ellery Queen Read Free Book Online Page A

victimized.’
    â€˜You’re riding high, Royle,’ said Park thickly, his cheeks muddy under the make-up. ‘Wait till you’re sixty-five, unable to get a decent part, sick as a dying dog, with a wife and crippled son to support. Wait.’
    Alessandro signalled to two of his men.
    â€˜Come on, fella,’ said one of them.
    â€˜Just a moment,’ said Blythe Stuart in a low voice. Her hazel eyes blazed like Indian topaz. ‘Alessandro, call a policeman.’
    â€˜Now, take it easy, Miss Stuart,’ said Alessandro swiftly. ‘I don’t want any trouble here –’
    Park cried out and tried to run; the two men caught him by his skinny arms. ‘No! Please!’
    Royle’s smile faded. ‘Don’t take it out on this poor fellow, just because you’re angry with me. Let him go.’
    â€˜I won’t be publicly humiliated!’
    â€˜Mother! What’s the matter?’ Bonnie Blythe, dazzling in an ermine cape, her golden curls iridescent in the light, appeared on Jacques Butcher’s arm. She shook it off and ran to Blythe.
    â€˜Oh, darling, this beast put this man up to pretending to be a Swami, and he brought me here and – and the beast unmasked the Swami as an actor or something,’ sobbed Blythe, melting into tears at the sight of a compassionate face, ‘and I’ve never been so humiliated in my life.’ Then she stamped her foot. ‘Alessandro, will you call a policeman or must I? I’ll have them both arrested!’
    â€˜Darling. Don’t,’ said Bonnie gently, her arm about her mother’s shoulders. ‘The man looks pretty much down in the mouth to me. I don’t think you’d enjoy seeing him in jail.’ She nodded to Alessandro over her mother’s sleek coiffure, and the gambler sighed with relief and signalled to his men, who hurried the man out. ‘But as for Mr. John Royle,’ continued Bonnie, her glance hardening, ‘that’s – different.’
    â€˜Bonnie,’ said the Boy Wonder warningly.
    â€˜No, Butch. It’s time he was told –’
    â€˜My dear Bonnie,’ said Royle with a queer smile, ‘I assure you I didn’t put Park up to his masquerade. That was his own idea.’
    â€˜Don’t tell me ,’ sobbed Blythe. ‘I know you , John Royle. Oh, I could kill you!’
    And she gathered her sweeping skirts about her and ran out of the gaming room, crying bitterly. Bonnie ran after her, followed by the Boy Wonder, whose face was red with embarrassment.
    Royle shrugged with a braggadocio that did not quite come off. He pressed some bills into Lew Bascom’s hand, nodding towards the door. Lew waddled out with the money.
    â€˜Place your bets,’ said the croupier wearily.
    Lew came back after a long absence. ‘What a night! It’s a conspiracy, damn it, to keep me from cleanin’ up the joint. Just when I was goin’ good!’
    â€˜I trust,’ sighed Ellery, ‘all’s well that ends well? Nobody’s murdered anybody?’
    â€˜Damn near. Bumped into Ty Royle outside, just comin’ in. Alec’s guerillas told him what happened and he tried to make Park take some dough. That kid gives away more dough to broken-down actors than half the relief-agencies in Hollywood. The old guy took it, all right. They’re all outside now, raisin’ hell.’
    â€˜Then it wasn’t a put-up job?’
    â€˜Hell, no. Though I’ll bet Jack’s sorry he didn’t think of it.’
    â€˜I doubt that,’ said Ellery dryly, glancing at Royle. The actor was sitting at the bar before a row of six cocktail glasses filled with Sidecars, his broad back humped.
    â€˜Park’s got cancer or somepin’, hasn’t had more’n extra-work for two-three years. What’d he want to come around here for?’ Lew made a face. ‘Spoiled my whole evening. Stiff old devil! I took him