Scrambled Hard-Boiled

by E.R. White, Jr.

It was dusk when I got back to Warhill and settled into my motel room. I went into the bathroom and examined myself in the mirror. I had a scrape or two on the side of my forehead where I’d been kicked a glancing blow, and my ribs ached something fierce, but they didn’t feel broken. I took a long, hot shower, took some aspirin and collapsed into bed.

  I was exhausted.

  I woke up the next morning sore and stiff, but functional. I took another shower to loosen my joints, and after eating breakfast, drinking a quart of coffee and downing some more aspirin, I felt almost human again.

  I took stock of the situation.

  I knew a bit more about Susan Bowman now, where she came from, and some of her past. She’d been a hooker some twenty years ago and had eventually made her way to Las Vegas by the mid to late sixties. I pulled out the old picture taken in Asheville of Susan Bowman and her fellow call girls that I’d managed to get from the Lucy Baylor before all hell had broken loose. I flipped it over and was pleasantly surprised to find the name of each girl written on the back.

  I made note of the names and slipped the picture back in my coat pocket.

  Swinson had said he was looking for stuff to tarnish Susan Bowman’s reputation. Well, I guess being a whore for hire was a good start. I made a mental note to tell Ernie to make a record search under Bowman’s real name, Myrtle Baylor. There was a good chance we might turn up some more dirt or leads.

  All things considered, I was sort of pleased with myself. I figured that we had enough information and leads to milk this job for quite a bit more money. I was really excited about the possibility of a trip out to Las Vegas, since that was the last known whereabouts of Bowman before she turned up in Warhill.

  Yep, I could see Ernie and me drawing this thing out for quite a while longer and making a killing.

  I called the office in Charlotte and got hold of Maisy. She said Ernie was out. I gave her the facts about what I’d found out about Susan Bowman and said I’d call later and talk with Ernie. I hung up the phone with her and then called Swinson’s office.

  I talked with his secretary told her I had some important information about the Slatterson case and needed to meet with her boss to discuss it. She said he’d be free around by ten o'clock, and I said I’d be there.