Brass Rainbow Read Online Free PDF Page B

chair.
    â€œWeiss was only a messenger. Sent to try to collect,” she said. “Walter owed the money to a man named Paul Baron. It happened over a period of time.”
    â€œYou know Paul Baron?”
    â€œI know Mr. Baron. A smooth animal. Walter told him that Jonathan wouldn’t pay this time. He told Baron that he would pay the debt off in installments. It seems that Baron had other ideas.”
    â€œDo the police know that the money was owed to Baron?”
    â€œNo. Walter is afraid of Baron. He sees no reason to involve Baron. Weiss came to Jonathan, not Baron.”
    â€œIt was Baron’s $25,000,” I said.
    â€œYou think we should tell the police?”
    â€œI know you should.”
    â€œYes, all right, but I’d rather Walter told them.”
    â€œAs long as someone does,” I said. “Where did you go after you left Jonathan with Weiss?”
    â€œTo my hairdresser. I had a one-thirty appointment. I was there until three-thirty. Is that what you want to know?”
    â€œYes,” I said. “Where was Walter all this time? He and Ames say they left the apartment before noon, right?”
    â€œHe took the twelve-ten train from Grand Central for North Chester. He was there all afternoon. He was there when Jonathan was … found.” Her voice rose in pitch, the words coming out faster. “Uncle George was at his club. Mrs. Radford was there, but could not get in. I don’t know where three hundred cousins were! The butler was in North Chester!”
    She stopped on a high, rising note; breathless. Her chaste bosom heaved. She drew deeply on her cigarette. “Leave us alone, Mr. Fortune. This has been a horrible shock to the family. Such a stupid death for a man like Jonathan. Go away with your dirty questions. Can’t you understand how terrible it is for the family?”
    â€œIt’s pretty terrible for Sammy Weiss.”
    â€œHe killed a man! For money!”
    â€œMaybe,” I said.
    â€œNo one else was there! Don’t you think the police have checked?”
    â€œHow about Paul Baron?”
    â€œThen talk to Baron!”
    â€œDo you know where I could find him?”
    â€œNo! I mean, I’ve met him at quite a few places. At this hour …” She chewed at her lip. “There’s an apartment on University Place where I’ve met him about this time.” She gave me the address.
    I stood up. “I’d still like to talk to Walter.”
    â€œI’ll tell him.”
    She had recovered her cool exterior. On my way out I picked her blue cloth coat from the floor inside the door. I handed it to her. When she took it, our hands touched. I felt the touch low in my back where you feel a woman who has something you suddenly know you could want very much. I sensed that she felt it, too. She stiffened, and her nostrils flared quickly. I smiled. She backed off, her eyes dark and hostile. I left.
    University Place wasn’t far, so I walked. It was cold, and still, and the crust of frozen snow crunched under my feet on the dark streets. I thought about Sammy Weiss who just automatically played the big man, who had to say it had been his own $25,000 he had gone to collect. I had a sinking feeling that Weiss was not only running from a murder charge, he was running with $25,000 Paul Baron considered belonged to him.
    The University Place building was big and bright with lights. I went up to the apartment Deirdre Fallon had named. I got no answer to my ringing. This lock was a deadfall, police-type. I couldn’t open it if I had wanted to. I rang some more. When there was still no answer, I went back down and across to the I.R.T.
    On the uptown platform I walked to the rear away from the thickest part of the early night crowd. I figured I’d have a new try at George Ames. He’d called the cops to get me off the case awful fast. If that didn’t work, I could try to find Weiss again. I thought some