Dead Reckoning Page #5

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to get his mail.

Martinelli would have destroyed it

by now.

No, he'd want to read it first.

Johnny would have written it in code.

My guess is, he's still trying

to figure it out. I'm going after it.

- Not back there?

- Yeah.

I just had my friend Baretto

on the phone.

He gave me the name of a safe expert.

He was so good the law

took a little slice out of his life.

- He's retired. Lives in this town.

- What good is...?

I don't think Johnny

killed your husband.

- Why?

- I knew him like my own birthmark.

Rip, there's something

I didn't tell the coroner...

...because Johnny wouldn't let me.

I was right there when it happened.

Johnny was afraid they'd blame me,

tie us both up.

Ex-nightclub singer and young college

professor murder her husband.

- But that wasn't the way it was.

- What way was it?

Stuart had always been crazy jealous.

That night, he was drunk too.

He started hitting me

and jabbing a gun into me.

He was mad enough to kill me,

and I was terrified.

Suddenly, Johnny came into the room.

He'd followed us home from the club.

He took the gun from Stuart,

or was trying to...

...but it seemed to go off

right in my ear.

I passed out and when I came to...

...Johnny was kissing me.

That was the last time I saw him

until he came back, two days ago.

I remember he said goodbye.

I think he was crying.

You don't believe me, do you?

Yeah.

Yeah, sure, I believe you...

...but I still want that letter.

Let's get out of this lobster trap.

We need salt air.

They say salt's antiseptic.

Rip, what's the matter?

Is something the matter?

- Yesterday you called me Dusty. Today...

- Johnny used to call you that.

Yes. What would you like to call me?

- I'll have to think about that.

- Yes, think of that.

- I want you to.

- We'd better get back to town.

I couldn't stand there looking

at her. I had to keep moving.

Her story about Johnny sounded real.

I'd buy it, on approval,

as the dolls say.

Only maybe I was buying a lot more

than that, and didn't know it.

McGee, 25 Palmetto Street.

It was a nice little house.

McGee, 25 Palmetto Street.

It was a nice little house.

He'd probably paid 4 or 5000 for it,

before houses went up.

From all I hear, it would

probably bring 15 G's by now.

And here was this guy, McGee,

all nicely reformed.

Chances are,

it's the first house he ever lived in.

When this is over, go see him, Father.

You two would get along.

But I had something else

on my mind right then.

- What'll it be?

- Phone company, checking calls.

Did you get one from St. Louis

a little while ago?

- Hiya, Murdock?

- Okay, McGee.

Step right in.

Oh, McGee, this is Mike.

Hiya, Mike?

I'm fine now.

- What a nice place you've got.

- It's messed up right now.

Joe, that's my kid, he brought

this junk back from Japan.

Joe took this off a Nip colonel.

Ain't it a pip?

Almost cut your head off, didn't I?

Joe says these are new.

- Those are German.

- That's what Joe said. How'd you know?

I'd turn them into Army ordnance.

Start coughing too hard...

...there'll be nothing left

but the gold in your teeth.

Holy smoke!

That Joe, collecting stuff like that.

It used to be just guns.

- What sort of trick you got in mind?

- A small wall type.

My family bible.

When you spot your job, holler.

- There. Am I right?

- That looks right.

That one? It's a pipe.

What's the layout?

Martinelli's private office

at the Sanctuary Club.

I was willing to turn a trick

because you're Al's friend.

I'd cut it off to here for Al.

But I ain't souping Martinelli's safe.

I've built up a legitimate business

here, with a positive future.

Forget it, Murdock.

Wash it out of your mind.

No grease. It wouldn't do me

any good with sand in my mouth.

If it's a pipe, couldn't you

show him how to do it?

How you like that?

Murdock, you got something there.

I have a letter I want to get,

and she wants me to get it.

Lady, there was a time

I could have used you.

I'll show you how

in five minutes flat. Come on.

- Where next?

- Where does Martinelli live?

Crescent Beach. Why?

Suppose you drive around, show me the

sights and wind up there after dark.

The letter wouldn't be

at Crescent Beach.

Maybe not. While I'm at the club, I

want Martinelli at police headquarters.

- I don't see the connection.

- Nobody can...

...without opening

the back of your car.

The trunk compartment.

Louis Ord's body's back there.

- How long you been driving?

- I didn't see the signal.

- It was my fault.

- Let's see your driver's license.

I just told her something

that startled her.

It must be here. I know it is.

It better be, unless you want

to come along to the station house.

- It isn't here. It just isn't here.

- Keep your head.

I guess we're hooked. She must

have left it in some other bag.

That's the standard answer.

Can we stop by the mayor's office?

We got a date with His Honour.

He's your pal, I suppose.

No, but he told me that if I got Mrs.

Chandler there by 4:00, he'd marry us.

That's what I'd just told her when

we went through that stop signal.

Is that a fact?

And I hardly know him.

Okay. Get along with you.

Hey, wait a minute!

- What did you say, lady?

- I said yes.

That was close.

That was a funny thing to say.

What was the matter with it?

He fell for it.

Yes. He found it easy to believe.

Martinelli's beach house fronted

on the Gulf.

A big place he'd probably built

with hot priorities and cold dice.

All right, get out, quick!

- Did they go for it?

- They said they'd send a police car.

What time have you got?

Five to 9.

Hello? Hotel Southern?

This is Mr. Murdock.

Give me the manager, will you, honey?

Well, this was gonna be it. If I got

that letter, it was all I needed.

If everything rolls on rubber,

I'll be at your place by 11.

- Can't I wait down the road?

- No. This is Operation Solo.

I don't want you hurt.

By the way, where is Surf 3181?

The penthouse at The Gables.

You won't take

any fool chances, will you?

Not any fooler than I'm taking now...

...doing that.

- Be careful.

- Sure.

It's funny how loud crickets

sound and the way you feel.

Funny, too, how a kiss stays on.

The way you can still taste it.

Martinelli was still up there.

Maybe the phone call hadn't worked.

But it had.

All I had to do was wait.

He was right on schedule.

I was thinking, "Go ahead.

Beat it to your big beach home. "

This is the same gag you pulled on me.

It's even the same corpse.

Only thing missing is a sledgehammer

highball and a pair of snake-eyes dice.

There was one joker. What if he'd

left a goon to watch his office?

Here I was again, back to

the scene of the TN T highball...

... with the pretty girl

camouflaging the safe.

Martinelli left in a hurry.

He hadn't turned the radio off.

Not that I don't like music,

but I work better in silence.

I'm crazy about you, sweetheart,

but move over.

She moved over, Father.

The safe was wide open.

Martinelli really had hauled freight

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