Miss Callaghan Comes to Grief

by James Hadley Chase

  Benny said, “What the hell has it to do with Sadie?”

  Jay leant forward. “Suppose Sadie saw the killer? Suppose she reported it to the cops? Suppose they got excited and saw that she was goin’ to bust up their racket? What would they do? Give her a cake and a bronx cheer? Like hell!”

  Benny sat very still. “What could they do with her?”

  “They could either knock her on the head or else give her over to Grantham. You’ve got to face it, Perminger. If her body ain’t found in a week or so, then she’s in one of his houses.”

  “They can’t do a thing like that!” Benny said wildly. “By God! I won’t let them do it!” He got to his feet.

  Jay said, “You don’t understand. You’ve got to take it. There’s nothing we can do. Now listen; they know I’m on to their racket, so what do they do? I’ve got to go to New York to cover the Tammany Hall trial. That’s just getting me out of the way. I’ve got no come−back. I gotta do it. If I turn it down I’m on the black list, and I can’t afford to be on that.”

  Benny said thickly, “And what am I supposed to do? Sit around and let them get away with it?”

  “If I hadn’t told you, you wouldn’t have done anything. I’ve got no proof of all this. No, you’ve got to wait.

  Go and see Grantham and try and sell him some trucks. Try and find out who’s taken over the organization.

  Maybe it is Grantham, but somehow I can’t see him holding a job of work down as big as that. Anyway, snoop around. Don’t start anything. Just snoop. When I get back I’m goin’ to go after this business with both hands.”

  Benny said, “If you think I’m going to sit around while Sadie’s in those bastards’ hands you’re crazy. I’m going right over and split Grantham open.”

  “You sucker,” Jay said. “How far will that get you? If you make it too hot you’ll ran into a belly−load of slugs. Will that help Sadie? No, there’s only one way of handling this, and that’s by taking it slow. We can’t help her now. Whatever’s happened to her or is going to happen to her we can’t stop. The cops won’t listen to you. You can’t force your way in twenty brothels and search for her. You’ve got to consider she’s dead. Do you understand? You’re not looking for her, you’re avenging her.”

  He got to his feet and went to the door. “I’ve got to catch my train. Stick around, Perminger, and take it.”

  Benny sat in the chair and watched him go. His hands gripped the chair−arms until his knuckles showed white. He began to swear slowly and obscenely, using words that he never spoke aloud. Then quite suddenly he put his hands over his face and began to cry.

  21

  June 6th, 3 p.m.

  SADIE OPENED her eyes as the door swung open. She had fallen into an exhausted sleep and her dreams had been terrifying. She sat up on the bed, her hand going to her mouth and her eyes dark with fear.

  Fan came in and shut the door behind her. The silk wrap that she wore outlined her full figure. There was no mistaking what she was.

  Sadie caught her breath when she saw her. Her mouth was so dry that she couldn’t say anything.

  “Take it easy,” Fan said, leaning against the door; “I’ve been told to have a little talk with you.”

  Still Sadie couldn’t say anything. She continued to stare at her with growing horror.

  Fan said crossly, “Don’t look at me like that. You’re givin’ me the heebies. Relax, sister.”

  “Who are you?” Sadie managed to get out.

  “What does it matter?” Fan asked, giving a hard little smile. “You worry about yourself. You’re in a spot.”

  “Where am I? What does all this mean?”

  Fan came over to the bed and sat down. “I’ve got to talk to you,” she said. “Don’t think I want to, but when I’m told to do anythin’ in this joint it’s easier to do it than to kick. The old cow downstairs has sent me up to scare you. Well, I ain’t goin’ to. I’m goin’ to tell you what’ll be good for you, and what you ought to do.”

  Sadie said, “But tell me where I am.”

  “Can’t you guess?” Fan said bitterly. “Take a look at me? What do you think I ama nun?”

  Sadie felt herself go suddenly very cold. She flinched away from Fan.

  “Skip it, sister,” Fan said roughly. “You don’t have to take it that way. You’re in the same boat as me. I don’t know why they’ve picked on you, but they’re goin’ to put you through it. If you take my advice you’ll do as you’re told and get off lightly.”

  Sadie looked at her in horror.

  “There’s a nigger who runs this house. She’s tough. Make no mistake about it. She’s had dozens of girls like you through her hands. Some of them stuck it for a hell of a long time. They wouldn’t do what she wanted.

  But they did in the end. You’ll do it too. Maybe you don’t think you will, but you will.”

  Sadie said, “Get me out of here. I’ll give you anything if you’ll get me out of here.”

  “Skip it. No amount of that talk will help. I can’t do anythin’ for you. All I can tell you is what’ll come to you if you buck.”

  Sadie controlled her nerves with a great effort. “They won’t make me do that,” she said fiercely. “They’ll have to kill me first. I won’t!”

  Fan took a packet of cigarettes from her pocket. “Have one?” she said, shaking two out on the sheet.

  Sadie didn’t even look at them. “If you won’t help me, then I want to see someone else,” she said. “You can’t do this sort of thing in this country and get away with it.”

  Fan lit a cigarette and put the odd one back in the packet. “Don’t be a sap,” she said. “A kid like you don’t know anythin’. Listen, sister, have you ever been whipped?”

  Sadie flushed hotly. “What’s that got to do with it?”

  “You tell me. Have you?”

  “Of course I haven’t. Why should I be?”

  “Well, I have.” Fan said grimly. “And believe me it ain’t pleasant. When Carrie comes up she’ll explain what she wants done. You’ll say yes or no. If it’s yes, then you’ll be okay; if it’s noGawd help you. She’ll tie you to that bed and she’ll whip you. She’ll whip you until you say yes. Don’t think she’ll get tired of itshe won’t. She’ll whip you every hour of the day until you can’t take any more of it. And when she’s broken you you’ll be doin’ what you said no to in the first place.”

  Sadie said quietly, “She can do anythin’ she likes to mebut I’ll never agree.”

  Fan sighed. “It’s always the same,” she said. “My God, I’m sick of all this! She sends me up to talk you kids into being sensible, but you all say the same. You all think you’ve got enough guts to take it and in the end you give way. Why don’t you be sensible? What the hell’s the use of being bashed about, losing your nice skin, just because you ain’t got the brains to know when you’re sunk?”

  Sadie shook her head. “Nothin’ you can say will make any difference,” she said.

  “Carrie distrusts a dame she has had to beat into submission. She makes sure that she’ll stick when she finally gives in. There won’t be much kick−back coming from you. Can’t you see this is the one time you can’t beat the rap? You can’t get away. Carrie’s got everything the way she wants it. She won’t have any mercy on you. I’m tellin’ you. Use your nut and give in right away. It’ll be tough, but it ain’t goin’ to be the hell you’ll make for yourself if you try and stick it. I’ve said my little bit. It’s up to you. She’ll be up in a while. Think it over.” She got off the bed.

  Sadie beat her to it. She darted across the room, wrenched open the door and ran into the passage. Fan grimaced. She made no attempt to intercept her.

  Sadie could see a flight of stairs at the end of the passage. Blindly she ran towards them. Halfway down the stairs she became aware that someone was waiting for her at the bottom. She brought herself up with a jerk.

  Carrie, her flat face expressionless, looked up at her. “Go back to your room,” she said har
shly.

  Sadie didn’t move. Her heart pounded against her side. She felt as if she had suddenly become involved in a horrible nightmare.

  “Go back to your room,” Carrie repeated.

  Sadie retreated one step up. Then, realizing that this would be her one chance of escape, she said, “You’ve got to let me godo you hear? You can’t do this to me.”

  Carrie began to climb the stairs slowly. Her big mouth gaped in a grin. “Go on back,” she said. “I’m comin’

  to talk to you. Look what I’ve got for you.”

  Sadie saw she was holding a thin length of whalebone in her hand. She caught her breath and turned to run up the stairs. A powerfully built negro was standing at the head of the stairs, blocking her escape. He grinned at her; his thick lips seemed to split his face in half.

  Paralysed with terror, Sadie turned again. Carrie was right on her. She said, “Go to your room.”

  Sadie suddenly clutched her head between her hands and began to scream. Her screams resounded against the walls.

  The negro ran down the few stairs and grabbed her. She nearly went mad with terror as his great damp hands closed on her.

  “Get her upstairsquick!” Carrie said angrily. “She’ll disturb my people.”

  The negro, grinning broadly, carried Sadie up the stairs. Her arms and legs banged against the sides of the wall as he carried her. She twisted and struggled frantically, but the grip round her arms and thighs was immovable. She continued to scream until she heard the door shut with a thud, and then she went limp.

  Carrie said, “She doesn’t know anythin’ yet. Put her on the bed, Joe.”

  The negro lowered her on to the bed and stood away. His face beamed. Sadie half lay, half crouched, looking at Carrie.

  The mulatto stood, her big hands hanging loosely at her sides and her big eyes blazing with a curious animal expression. “My girls know how to behave themselves in this house,” she said. “You better learn.”

  Sadie had lost her fear. She was nearly suffocating with rage. Her Southern blood had revolted at the touch of the negro. She said furiously, “You’ll pay for this! How dare you touch me!… How dare you touch me!”

  Carrie glanced at the negro. “All right, Joe. Fix her up for me.”

  The negro shuffled across the room. Sadie could see little red tints in his eyes as he came towards her. She said wildly, shrinking back on the bed, “Don’t touch me!” And then he was on her. The horrible rancid nigger smell of him sickened her, and she struck at him twice before he pinned her hands. He muttered, “She’ll sure take the hide off you for this, baby,” and twisting her arms, he turned her over on her face. His knee rammed down between her shoulders and she felt her hands being fixed to the bedposts.

  Sobbing with rage, she kicked and twisted, moving the bed half across the room. One of her ankles was seized and fastened to the lower bedpost. She kicked wildly with her free leg and she felt a jar as she caught the negro in his chest. He grunted, grabbed the flaying leg and fastened that too. Then he got off the bed and looked at Carrie with a little smirk.

  Sadie pulled and strained on the cords that held her, but they only bit further into her flesh. She was securely tied, face down on the bed.

  Then she gave herself up for lost. No one would come at the last moment and save her from this horror.

  She knew that she would not wake up to find that it had only been some strange and horrible nightmare. It was real and it was happening to her. And when the negro began to rip the clothes off her back she screamed like a terrified child.

  PART TWO

  1

  August 16th, 10.15 p.m.

  LITTLE JOE walked into the pool−room at the corner of 29th Street. He was pleasantly conscious of the sudden hush that greeted his entrance. Even the guys at the tables paused in their game and looked at him with interest.

  He was something to look at now. His suit was heavily padded at the shoulders and its colour compelled a second glance. When Little Joe first saw it hanging in a window of a Jewish tailor his mouth watered. He’d never seen a suit quite like it. He knew there couldn’t be another on the streets that came anywhere near it, so he went inside and bought it. Also he was persuaded to buy a pair of yellow shoes, a bowler hat that only just fitted him and a necktie that, to say the least, was completely surrealist.

  The barman wiped down the counter and smiled at him. “Why, Joe,” he said, “you’re lookin’ pretty good tonight.”

  Little Joe adjusted his bowler. “Like it?” he said. “I bet you ain’t seen anythin’ quite like this, huh?”

  The barman said truthfully he hadn’t. His tone was so dubious that Little Joe scowled. “Ain’t nothin’ the matter with it, is there?” he said. “I gave a heap of jack for this outfit.”

  The barman told him hastily that it was swell.

  Little Joe relaxed a trifle. “Gimme some Scotch,” he said. “Not every guy could wear a suit like this,” he went on, pouring out a liberal shot; “you gotta have somethin’ to get away with it.”

  A big fat guy, who had been playing snooker over the other side of the room, suddenly laid down his cue and came over. He owned a bunch of taxi−cabs that beat up a good business in the lower East side of the town. His name was Spade. Little Joe knew him well enough to nod to.

  Spade was looking worried. When he got close to Little Joe he said, “I’ve been wantin’ to talk to you, buddy. Come over to the table, will you?”

  Little Joe followed him to a corner of the room and sat down.

  “Well, what is it?” he asked, taking off his hat and brushing it carefully with his sleeve. “What do you want to see me about?”

  Spade rubbed his hand over his fat features and shook his head. He certainly looked as if he was in a lot of trouble. “What’s come over the town, Joe?” he said.

  Little Joe stared at him. “What the hell are you talkin’ about?”

  Spade fingered his glass. “Where’ve the girls got to?”

  Little Joe was non−committal. “What girls?” he asked.

  Spade shook his head again. “You know. There ain’t a floosie poundin’ a beat this side of 27th Street. A couple of months ago you couldn’t take a step without fallin’ over them. Well, where’ve they gone?”

  Little Joe grinned. “Can’t you find any comfort?”

  “It ain’t that,” Spade said. “It’s ruinin’ my business. I’ve gotta find out what’s wrong.”

  “What do you meanruinin’ your business?”

  “What I say. When one of those floosie’s found a sucker she took one of my cabs. My cabs were kept mighty busy doin’ that businessnow it’s all gone.”

  Little Joe looked perplexed. He hadn’t thought of it in that light. Spade was a member of the Hack Drivers Union and he’d got a certain amount of political influence.

  “What makes you think I know anythin’ about it?” he said cautiously.

  “I use my eyes and my ears. They said Raven’s at the back of the vice ring now. I know you’ve done a lot for Raven. You’re in the dough now. Anyone can see that by the fancy uniform you’re wearin’”

  “Let me tell you,” Little Joe said heatedly, “this suit cost me”

  “Skip it,” Spade said roughly. “What’s goin’ on?”

  Little Joe hesitated. “Maybe the girls’ve got scared,” he said at last.

  “If they’ve got scared, someone’s scarin’ them. You’d better lay off, Joe, an’ you can tell Raven to lay off too. No one’s goin’ to bust up my business without hearin’ from me.”

  “Take it easy,” Little Joe said hastily. “I don’t know a thing about ithonest. I’ll have a word with Raven. I can’t promise anythin’. He’s a hard guy.”

  Spade got to his feet. “So am I,” he said shortly. “Tell him that, too.”

  Little Joe watched him walk across the room and resume his game. He took a little splinter of wood from his pocket and began to explore his teeth thoughtfully. Then he got up and walked out into the da
rk night again.

  He knew Spade was a dangerous guy to cross. He’d got a lot of pull and he might make things difficult for them. Well, anyway, that was Raven’s look−out. He wasn’t paid to strain his brains.

  He made his way in the direction of St. Louis Hotel. The fact that he had now plenty of dough did not allow him to take a taxi. He had been so long used to being short that he could not bring himself to throw money away on unnecessary luxuries.

  It was a hot night, dark and moonless, and Little Joe moved slowly, his eyes searching the shadows. At the head of the street he noticed a woman step out of the darkness and stop a guy who was hurrying towards the main street. The guy paused, then waved his hand impatiently and went on.

  Little Joe grinned. Some dame was ignoring the warning he had circulated through the bookers. He put his hand in his pocket and his fingers touched the little bottle he always carried around with him. He took the bottle out and carefully removed the glass stopper. He put the glass stopper in a small metal box. Then, holding the bottle between two fingers, he sauntered slowly towards the woman.

  As he drew near he could see she was scared. She was watching him as he came on. He slowed down and looked at her, his free hand adjusting his tie.

  She must have thought he was all right, because she smiled at him. He could see her now. She was only quite a kid. She looked a little shabby, but she wasn’t a bad looker. Her professional smile wasn’t very gay.

  He said, “I bet you’re a naughty girl.”

  She came close to him. “Do you want a naughty girl?” she said, smiling with her mouth only. “I’ve got a little place just round the corner.”

  “What’s the big idea?” Little Joe asked. “I’ve walked two blocks an’ you’re the first girl I’ve met.”

  He saw the little twitch of panic at her mouth. “II don’t know,” she said. “Anyway, you’ve found me”

  “Yeah, I’ve found you all right. Maybe the other girls think it healthier to stay at home,” Little Joe said, tossing the vitriol into her face. He heard the little hiss as the acid travelled through the air. Then she began to scream horribly.