Soft Centre

by James Hadley Chase

  Lepski knew he could get into trouble if he searched the penthouse without a warrant. Hardy had connections with people important enough to put him in Dutch.

  ‘Then I’ll get a warrant. I have a couple of men outside. Why waste time, if you have nothing to hide?’

  ‘Get out of here!’ Hardy repeated.

  Lepski shrugged.?‘Okay, but I’ll be back.’ He started towards the door. ‘Remember! there are two of my men outside. You stay right here until I get back.’ As he passed Val, he took a firm grip on her arm.

  ‘Let’s go, Miss Sherrek. I have a story for you …’

  Hardy and Gina stood motionless, watching Lepski lead Val out of the penthouse. Lepski closed the door behind him.

  Williams, sweat beading his face, drew in a long slow breath of relief at the sight of Lepski. ‘Okay?’ he asked, staring at Val.?‘I don’t know. You stick here,’ Lepski said. ‘Don’t let anyone out. I’m getting a warrant. If anyone tries to leave, get tough. Me and the little lady are going to headquarters. You’ll have the boys with you in ten minutes.’

  Williams gulped.?‘Ten minutes?’

  Lepski moved Val to the elevator.?‘That’s what the man said.’ He nodded and thumbed the button. The doors swished to and the elevator began its smooth descent.

  ‘Just who are you?’ Lepski said, staring at Val with his hard cop’s eyes. ‘You’re not Mary Sherrek. I know her… so who are you?’

  ‘There was a mistake,’ Val said, fighting her panic. ‘That man thought I was Miss Sherrek.’ ‘You don’t work for the Miami Sun. I know all the dopes on that rag,’ Lepski said. ‘You’ll have to come to headquarters, baby. The Chief will want to talk to you.’

  Val controlled the urge to run. She stiffened and gave Lepski a cold stare.?‘If you must know: I am Mrs. Valerie Burnett. My father is Charles Travers. You may have heard of him. I am not going with you!’

  Lepski recognised her then. He felt as if he had stepped on the teeth of a rake and had the rake handle slam him in the face.

  ‘I didn’t know,’ he said, sure Terrell would skin him if he caused trouble with the daughter of Charles Travers. ‘I’m Sorry.’

  Val forced a smile.?‘It’s all right,’ she said and walked quickly out of the lobby. Lepski followed more slowly. He saw her wave to a taxi, get in and the cab drive away. The Patrol Officer joined him.’

  ‘Stick right here,’ Lepski said. ‘There could be trouble. Williams is up there. I’m getting a search warrant. Watch it!’

  Leaving the Patrol Officer staring after him, Lepski sprinted for his car.

  Jacko came out of the bedroom. His fat face was running with sweat: his mean little eyes vicious.

  ‘Let’s have the money,’ he said. ‘We’re off!’?‘You heard what he said,’ Hardy exclaimed. ‘You can’t go that way. There are cops out there!’

  Moe slid into the room.?‘No cop is stopping us,’ he said. ‘Let’s have the dough.’?‘You can’t do it!’ Hardy said, trying to control the quaver in his voice. ‘You start shooting and they’ll know I’ve been hiding you. We’ve got to think…’

  ‘Shut up!’ Jacko snarled. He waddled over to the settee and began cramming the money into the brief-case. He mapped the case shut, then took Hardy’s gun from his hip pocket and gave it to Moe.

  ‘Now, wait… for God’s sake!’ Hardy said.?‘The girl…’ Jacko jerked his head at Gina.?‘You leave her alone…’ Hardy began when Moe reached him.

  Moe hit him on the side of his head with his gun barrel. Hardy went down on hands and knees.

  As Gina opened her mouth to scream, Jacko dug a hard fat finger into her stomach. She jackknifed forward, gasping. He grabbed her and shook her viciously. The smell of stale sweat coming from him sickened her.

  ‘Shut up!’ he said. ‘You go out there and talk to the cops. You make one false move and you’ll get a second navel! Out!’

  He gave her a shove towards the door. She staggered, recovered her balance, then under the threat of Jacko’s gun, crossed the lobby. Jacko and Moe followed her. Jacko motioned her to open the front door. She hesitated, then opening the door, she stepped into the corridor.

  Williams, gun in hand, gaped at her. Sweat beaded his face, his mouth was dry. He was scared out of his wits.

  Gina stood staring at him.?‘Get back!’ Williams said. ‘You stay right in there… go on… get back!’

  Then Moe like an evil black ghost, slid around the doorway and his gun spat flame. Williams didn’t even see him. He felt a shocking thump in the middle of his chest and the gun slipped out of his hand. He went down, his face scraping along the lush carpet of the corridor. He came to rest at Gina’s feet. For a long moment, he twisted and turned, then he became still. Gina clapped her hands across her mouth and backed away from Moe who come further out into the corridor, his black eyes rolling, his mouth a vicious line. He paused to make certain there was no other cop in the corridor, then he moved into the elevator. Jacko came waddling out, carrying the briefcase. He was panting, his face ashen. He threw himself into the elevator as Moe groped for the button.

  Hardy, rolling on his side, looked through the open doors of the lounge and the front door. He saw Jacko’s massive body against the grill of the elevator. He pulled his borrowed gun from his hip pocket and fired in one lightning movement. The gun exploded as the elevator doors swished shut. Falling on her knees, Gina began to scream.

  Moe heard the shot and saw Jacko heave back. He watched with horrified eyes the great mountain of fat slowly collapse like a stricken elephant. He saw the splash of blood below Jacko’s left hand shirt pocket. He didn’t have to touch Jacko to know that Hardy had killed him. Shuddering, his black face glistening with sweat, his lips drawn off his teeth, Moe snatched up the brief-case.

  As the elevator came to rest and the doors swung open, Patrol Officer Jamey, gun in hand, came rushing blindly into the lobby. The two men fired simultaneously. jamey’s slug nicked Moe’s left ear. Moe’s slug took Jamey squarely between the eyes. Jamey went down like a pole-axed bull.

  The sound of the shooting brought people out on to the street. Cars stopped. Two or three women began to scream.

  Moe, panting, ran down the corridor to the basement stairs. The Janitor, poking his head out of his office, saw him, gave a smothered yell and threw himself flat on the floor. Moe swept past him and down the stairs.

  Cursing, Moe blundered along a dimly lit corridor as the approaching sound of Police sirens added to his panic. He reached a door, pulled back two bolts, dragged the door open and stepped into hot sunshine and a narrow alley that led to the waterfront. He ran down the alley, paused at the end of it and looked back. There was a woman leaning out of a window in the apartment block, staring down at him: a fat, middle-aged woman with blue dyed hair. As she saw him look at her, she started back and began to scream.

  Moe shoved the gun into the waistband of his jeans and walked quickly along the waterfront. Within fifty yards was Fris-Fris’ bar. Fris-Fris had once been Moe’s lover. He was a fat, elderly Jamaican, a reefer addict, who made a reasonable living organising a Call-boy service for the degenerate rich of Miami.

  Moe entered the dark little bar. At this hour, only FrisFris was in the bar. He was dozing behind the counter, a sporting sheet spread out before him, a cup of cold coffee near at hand.

  Moe grabbed his arm.?‘Fris! Get me under cover! The cops are after me!’

  Fris-Fris sprang out of his daydreams. He moved with the smoothness of a snake. Holding Moe’s arm, he drew him into a room at the back of the bar, pulled aside a curtain, shoved Moe into another room where a man slept on a straw mattress, past the sleeping man and into a narrow corridor.

  Fris-Fris fiddled with a hidden catch: a panel that looked like a continuation of the wooden wall slid back and he shoved Moe into a small recess.

  ‘Wait, I’ll fix it,’ he said and closed the panel.

  He scurried back to the bar, settled himself and closed his eyes. A minute later, two patrol office
rs came in. One of them reached across the bar and slapped Fris-Fris across his fat face.

  ‘Wake up, Queen,’ the officer barked. ‘Where’s Moe Lincoln?’

  Fris-Fris blinked the tears out of his eyes.?‘Lincoln? I haven’t seen him in weeks.’

  The two officers, guns in hands, went through the sordid little building, but they didn’t find Moe.

  While the hunt for Moe was going on, the news of Williams’ death was flashed to police headquarters.

  *****

  Terrell and Beigler bundled into a police car and rshed over to Hardy’s penthouse. Lepski was already there.

  Hardy lay on the settee. A livid bruise from Moe’s gun showed on his white face. Gina, sick looking, her eyes dark with fear, sat in an armchair, sipping whisky.

  Lepski was prowling around the room, jumpy and ready to hit out at anyone.

  As Terrell and Beigler entered the apartment block, four white coated interns staggered out, carrying Jacko’s gross body on a stretcher. Terrell stared at the vast mound of flesh, hidden under the sheet, grunted and then walked with Beigler to the elevator.

  ‘This slob was hiding them,’ Lepski said as Terrell and Beigler came into the penthouse. ‘I don’t give a damn what he says… he was hiding them!’

  ‘Okay,’ Terrell said. ‘Get after Lincoln. Tom. I’ll handle this.’

  Lepski snarled at Hardy who had slowly sat up. Then he walked out of the lounge. Hardy knew at he met Terrell’s cold, hostile eyes, that this was his moment of truth. He had either to play his cards right or he would land in the gas chamber.

  ‘Chief … they came here last night,’ he said. ‘Jacko and Moe. I was out. They settled in: threatening Miss Lang. When I came in, they told me they had knocked off Henekey. He had double-crossed them in some deal. They didn’t say what. They wanted a get-away stake… five thousand. At first, I wouldn’t play, but they had me. They said if I didn’t give them the money, they would crucify Gina Miss Lang. Those were Jacko’s very words. When that hood promises to do something like that … he does it. So I got the money. Then Lepski came here. Those two were in the bedroom. They heard Lepski tell me there was an officer outside. When Lepski left, they forced Gina to go out there and talk to the officer, then Moe went out and killed him.’ Dramatically, Hardy tossed his automatic on the table. ‘I killed Jacko. I admit it. When I heard the shooting, I grabbed my gun and fired at him as he got into the elevator.’

  ‘All right,’ Terrell said curtly. ‘Let’s start again.’ He looked at Beigler. ‘Let’s have it down in writing.’

  It was a little after five o’clock that evening that Terrell heard from Lepski that he had met Val Burnett in Hardy’s penthouse and that she had been there representing the Miami Sun. Terrell was both tired and worried. Moe Lincoln had again slipped through the police dragnet. Terrell had arrested Lee Hardy for killing Jacko, but Hardy’s lawyer had got Hardy out of the hands of the police on bail. Hardy had claimed he had been forced to kill Jacko as Jacko was about to shoot Gina. As Gina supported this story, there was nothing Terrell could do but to allow Hardy out on bail.

  At first he couldn’t believe that Val Burnett had masqueraded as a press reporter, but when Lepski had finally convinced him, he got in his car and drove fast to the Spanish Bay hotel.

  Val received him in the sitting-room of her suite.?‘I’m sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Burnett,’ Terrell said as he came into the room. ‘I understand from one of my officers that you were in Hardy’s penthouse a few minutes before this shooting affair.’

  Val, who had been expecting this call, had prepared her story, and although she was tense, she faced Terrell calmly enough.

  ‘Yes, I was there. It was very stupid of me,’ she said. ‘Do sit down. Of course you want an explanation.’

  Terrell sat down.?‘I understand you told Hardy you were Mary Sherrek of the Miami Sun, Mrs. Burnett. Is that correct?’

  Val sat down, facing Terrell.?‘Yes. It was like this: Miss Sherrek wanted to go home. She was short of money. I was sorry for her so I bought her press card. I suppose I had no right to do it, but I wanted an excuse to help her and I also wanted to amuse myself.’

  ‘She had no right to sell the card to you.’ Terrell said sharply. ‘I don’t understand: just why did you buy it?’

  ‘Oh, a sudden impulse.’ Val made a vague gesture with her hands. ‘I suppose it is difficult for you to understand my position. I am wealthy. I have nothing to do. I have always been fascinated by crime.’ She forced a smile. ‘This woman’s murder… Sue Parnell… more than interested me. I’ve followed the case in the papers. It suddenly occurred to me while I was talking to the girl it would be amusing and interesting to meet some of the people connected with the case. I realised if I had a press card, I could go to these people’s homes and talk to them. So I just couldn’t resist the temptation and I bought the card from this girl. I called on Mr. Hardy. You’ll probably think this is rather morbid, but people like myself who have too much money and not enough to do, do these things for—for kicks.’

  Terrell stared at her. He didn’t believe a word she was saying, but he had to be careful.?‘It was a very foolish and dangerous thing to have done, Mrs. Burnett,’ he said finally.?‘Yes, wasn’t it? Well, I’m sorry if I have caused trouble. Perhaps you will be kind enough to write it off as a silly, rich woman’s whim.’

  Terrell wasn’t to be taken in by this kind of humility.?‘When you were in the penthouse,’ he said, ‘had you any idea these two killers were there?’ ‘Oh. of course not!’?‘Could I have Sherrek’s press card, please?’

  Val stiffened, then stared steadily at him.?‘I hope you’re not going to make trouble for the girl,’ she said. ‘I wouldn’t like that. All this is entirely my fault. I destroyed the card when I got back here.’

  Terrell shifted ground.?‘There’s another thing, Mrs. Burnett. It has come to my knowledge that you have given Homer Hare twenty thousand dollars. He claims it is a retainer for work to be done. I admit this isn’t my business, but I feel it is my duty to warn you that Hare is thoroughly unreliable and thoroughly dishonest.’ He hesitated, then went on, ‘On the face of it, Mrs. Burnett, it seems to me that Hare might be blackmailing you. Nothing would please me more than to put him away for fourteen years. Anything you wish to tell me that would enable me to get a conviction against him would be in the strictest confidence, I assure you of that.’ He paused, then went on. ‘Is there anything you would care to tell me?’

  Val felt cold. She sat for a long moment staring at Terrell, then she said, ‘I gave this man the money because I want him to do certain very confidential work for me. There is no question of blackmail.’ She got to her feet. ‘Thank you for your offer of help, but it is quite unnecessary. Please accept my apologies for my foolishness.’

  Terrell shrugged and stood up.

  ‘All right, Mrs. Burnett, but if you change your mind, you know where to find me. If I can be of help1 let me know.’ He moved to the door, then pausing, he said, ‘I’m sorry, but this isn’t the end of the matter. Hardy is coming up on a manslaughter charge. He could call you as a witness. I’m not satisfied you have told me the truth. Think about it. People have found it is better to have me on their side than against them.’

  He went out and shut the door quietly behind him.

  The time was seven-fifteen. Homer Hare, Sam Karsh and Lucille were in conference. Sam Karsh had just got back from hospital where he had been treated for bruises and shock. It had taken him more than seven hours to recover enough from the police beating to get back to the office. Even now, he held an ice-bag to his aching eye and he moaned now and then. Neither Hare, who was munching chicken sandwiches, nor Lucille paid any attention to him.

  ‘I said from the beginning I didn’t like it,’ Lucille said, ‘and now this.’?‘Terrell’s bluffing.’ Hare said, his mouth full. ‘He can’t prove the money isn’t a retainer. The Burnett woman won’t talk. There’s nothing to worry about.’?‘Yeah?’ Karsh whined. ‘How’s
about me? Look at the way those Nazis beat me up! Know what they said? They said every time they see me in the car, they will frame me for a traffic violation and they’ll do it! Look at my eye!’

  ‘Oh shut up about your damned eye!’ Lucille exclaimed shrilly. ‘Who cares? I think…’ The buzzer sounded in the outer office. The three of them looked uneasily at each other. Then Lucille got to her feet and was moving to the door when it opened. Even Hare was startled to see Val standing in the doorway. With an effort, he switched on his oily smile and got to his feet. He bowed elaborately.

  ‘Mrs. Burnett: I am honoured. Please come in.’

  Val looked from him to Lucille and then to Karsh who hurriedly hid the ice-bag behind him and stared at her uneasily.

  ‘All right, children,’ Hare said smoothly. ‘Run along. Mrs. Burnett doesn’t want you here.’ ‘But I do,’ Val said with quiet determination. She moved further into the office and closed the door. She was pale but there was an expression in her eyes and a hardness around her mouth that made Hare look sharply at her. ‘I think your two assistants know you are blackmailing me.’

  Karsh flinched and turned a putty white. Even Lucille, her eyes glittering, stiffened.

  ‘Now, Mrs. Burnett, we mustn’t have that kind of talk here,’ Hare said, his voice suddenly harsh.

  ‘That is exactly the kind of talk we are going to have,’ Val said. She walked to the chair opposite Hare’s desk and sat down. ‘I have been talking to the Chief of Police. He tells me he wants to send you to prison for fourteen years. He seemed quite serious about it.’

  Hare lowered his bulk bark into his chair.?‘What he would like to do, Mrs. Burnett and what he can do are two very different things.’ Val gazed steadily at him.?‘But he can do it. I have only to tell him you and your assistants blackmailed me for you and your assistants to go to prison for fourteen years.’

  Karsh said hurriedly, ‘Don’t bring me into this.’

  Hare glared at him.?‘Shut up!’ To Val he said, ‘Surely, Mrs. Burnett, I don’t I have to remind you of the consequences if you confide in Terrell. I admit we would get into trouble, but Terrell could not overlook the fact that your husband is a murderer. I was under the impression that you paid the money to keep that fact quiet.’