by Jack Usher
“Next year, I think,” Chris answered.
“All right. With Allen under his thumb, Marlin would have been jumped over McCreery. With Cal inactive and Chris away most of the time, he would have dictated Baker policy. All of it. And that’s what he had to do.”
“But, why?” Chris asked. “He has a good job.”
“Not enough,” Pelchek replied. “I took a long walk yesterday and had plenty of time to think about this. A good job isn’t enough. How about this?
“Suppose a man knew he was the best man in an organization? He knew this because they handed him all the tough assignments and allowed him to shoulder more and more responsibility. Only when it came time to hand out the executive positions, he was always passed over. For the boss’s son. Or the boss’s nephew. Men without his qualifications; lesser men. Maybe he’d quit. Resign. And he might swear he’d never let such a thing happen to him again. Power’s a funny thing, and for a careful little man like George, it might be the most important thing in the world.”
“That isn’t much of a motive for murder, son,” Mathewson said. “Even if it’s true. All he’d have to do is wait.”
“Right! His plans were working out nicely. So there had to be another reason for killing Walker, and I think I know what it was. Walker probably noticed Marlin’s effect on Allen after Cal resigned as president. Maybe he began to put two and two together.” Pelchek turned to Marlin. “What did he do, George? Ask you about it? Threaten to tell Cal?” Marlin’s face turned crimson and his lips thinned.
“Let’s reconstruct a little,” Pelchek went on. “I suggest that Walker called Marlin to his home and confronted him with this. Asked him to resign. Then he called Cal and told him he wanted to see him about it. If it was the same day that Cal and Walker had their argument at the Casa pool, it gave Marlin a golden opportunity. All he had to do was wait for the natural patsy to walk into a murder frame.”
“That’s ridiculous, Pelchek!” Marlin broke in nastily. “It’s all conjecture and without proof of any kind.” He spoke with authority. “You’re trying to save Calvin Baker, but I’m afraid your story won’t hold up very long with Ed Newell or Judge Picari.”
“Orrosco isn’t conjecture, Marlin. What did he do? Come bumbling along at the wrong time?”
“Can you connect this guy with Orrosco?” Mathewson asked.
“I can’t, but I’m sure either Reyes or Romero can,” Pelchek replied.
Marlin stood up, a small smile on his lips. “Where are they?” he asked blandly, then looked at Pelchek. “You have no evidence to back any of these ridiculous claims, Pelchek.” He turned to the chief. “Unless you have something specific to charge me with, I’m getting out of here.”
“I’m afraid he’s right, boy,” Mathewson said quietly. “Unless you can prove a connection between him and Orrosco, I couldn’t even arrest him on suspicion.”
“Correct!” Marlin turned to Chris. “I had thought I could expect better treatment from you, Christine.”
She didn’t look at him.
“Very well,” Marlin continued. “If that’s all any of you have to say, I’m leaving.”
“Then come in this direction, George,” a new voice said.
It was Reyes.
CHAPTER 19
MARLIN whirled, eyes popping. Reyes and Mary Perrini stood in the doorway, eyeing him steadily. Marlin composed himself immediately, and as Reyes and the girl entered the office, he stared openly at them.
“You thought I was dead, George?” Reyes walked up to the blond man, stopping just short of bumping into him.
“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about,” Marlin stated, calm again.
“This is the guy, Steve. I’m sure of it,” Reyes said positively.
“How about whispering for me, doll?” Mary said coldly.
“Why?” Marlin asked, licking his lips.
“I want to hear what you sound like.”
“I have no intention of doing anything of the sort,” Marlin said, turned to Reyes. “What is this all about, Reyes? What do you—”
“You’re the one who shot me, Marlin. You’re the one who stripped Mary naked and kicked her in the stomach.” He turned to Mathewson. “This is the son of a bitch who left us in that powder house to die. Leave me alone with the bastard for ten minutes, Chief, and I’ll—”
“Hold it, honey!” Mary was staring at Marlin’s feet. She began to smile, then looked at Mathewson. “I’ll identify him, Chief. In court. The damned fool thought he had us so cold he didn’t bother to change his shoes.” She pointed. “See that light stitching on top of the soles? Well, some of it ain’t light any more.” She looked up at Marlin. “You know why, doll? My blood. The next time you kick a lady you—”
“That’s enough, Mary,” Pelchek interrupted. He turned to Mathewson. “That should be enough for you, Chief. A positive identification by an unbiased witness, and once you can tie him—”
“Don’t anyone move!” Marlin stood with his back to the wall, a pistol leveled at the group in the room. He inched toward the hall door, glared at Mary Perrini.
“You cheap little slut! I should’ve blown your goddam head off—” He gestured quickly with the gun. “Hold it, Mathewson! Move one more time and I shoot this bitch,” he said coldly.
He moved slowly to the door, reached back his free hand to grasp the knob. No one else in the room moved.
A shot sounded in the tension-filled office and Marlin was slammed against the wall, pistol falling from his fingers. He slumped to the floor, clutching his shoulder.
The rest came out of their immobility as Mathewson quickly retrieved the fallen gun. All turned to the large desk in the center of the office.
Frank McCreery sat calmly erect, smoking pistol in his hand. He peered at the fallen man without expression and placed the weapon back in the open desk drawer.
“Thanks, McCreery,” Pelchek turned to Mathewson wearily. “That does it. Can you get the rest?”
“I’ll get it,” the chief replied. “When I get it down on paper I’ll call in Ed Newell. We’ll take it to Judge Picari personally.” He walked over to a stunned Elena. “I’ll do my damnedest to have your husband home in twenty-four hours,” he said and watched the girl fall weeping into her grandfather’s arms.
After the semiconscious Marlin had been taken out, Pelchek turned to Reyes.
“It worked, Al.”
“Yeah. We were lucky Mary noticed the shoes. He might not have broken down otherwise,” Reyes said.
“What did the guy have?” Mary asked. “An arsenal? He had a gun up at the mine, too.”
“Most of our top men have gun permits, young lady.” It was McCreery. “They sometimes have to carry large sums of money to some of the outlying properties. Marlin could have picked up one from one of the desks.” He walked up to Chris Baker, stood very straight. “You’ll have my resignation in an hour, Miss Baker. As soon as I can clear out my desk.”
“Not accepted,” she snapped. “Who’s going to run Baker Land? Me?” she asked coldly. “Don’t be so noble, McCreery. You’ve carried a horrible picture around for years and you’ve seen what it turned you into. And made you do. You’ve made some mistakes and so have I. And Allen,” she added bitterly. “You just stay on the job until Cal takes over. Maybe he’ll want you to get out. I don’t. You’ve given us thirty years. That should count for something.”
He stared at her for a moment, then left the office.
“What did Marlin have on Allen, Steve?” she asked Pelchek.
“Carmen Valdez thinks it has something to do with a girl named Rodriguez. Mathewson will get the details. It’ll all come out now.”
“Yes, I guess it will,” Chris said. “And won’t everyone feel proud.”
He shrugged. “Maybe the town needed it. Maybe we all did. Who knows?” He beckoned to Mary and Reyes. “I want you two to hear this. As far as that goes—” he looked over to Elena and the old man—“the whole bunch of you can
hear it.”
He reached out and took Chris Baker’s hand. Pulled her to her feet. She looked at him quietly.
“I’ve been real wrong about you, Chris. But then, I started out being wrong about Cal. Anyway, I’m sorry and I hope you’ll forgive me. I love you and I think you love me. Will you think about marrying me?”
They stood in the patio doorway and looked at the moon casting reflections on the still pool. Chris looked up at him. “May we get a little basic again, Pelchek?”
He looked down at her. “You asking?”
“I’m asking.”
“All right, Chris.”
“And we’re good?”
“The best.”
“Then I’d better put on some perfume and stuff.”
“Yeah.”
“And you’ll be careful of my bad shoulder?”
“Right.” He took a deep breath. “Can I tell you something? About how I feel about you?”
“Moment of truth?” she asked, smiling.
“Why, yeah. I suppose it is.”
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19