Cover-Up Story Read Online Free PDF Page A

meant well. Usually, I liked him. A feeling of great weariness descended on me and I slumped into the chair behind the desk.
    â€˜Hell, Doug – I’m sorry. I didn’t know she’d take it like that. I know this is a hell of a time to have this happen. With the sleeping partner’s brother in town, and all.’
    And all. And maybe ready to take over Perkins & Tate; to step in as boss and show us how to run the company. Why not? He could scarcely do worse.
    â€˜Arrrgh! I don’t know why we keep trying!’ Gerry stubbed out the cigar, reached for another, and drew back. ‘People are always saying, “Where are the Great Press Agents? Why don’t we have publicity stunts like they used to have in the Good Old Days ?” ’
    He was the only one I’d ever heard saying that, but I just nodded. He’d read all the books about the Good Old Days. They’d gone to his head.
    â€˜But I say, “Where are the Great Clients?” They’re all gutless wonders these days. They think reporting a jewel robbery is the way to get their names in the paper’s. Where are the Clients who’ll put their shoulders to the wheel and co-operate? Where are the Clients who’ll dress up in an Admiral’s uniform and review the Fleet? Who’ll cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope today?’
    â€˜Blondin was a tightrope-walker to begin with,’ I put in.
    â€˜Gone, all gone,’ he shook his head sadly. ‘Now they hand you a mug shot beaming over a birthday cake or an engagement ring and expect you to get headlines for that. Or a baby. How the hell can you get a four-column cut for a bratling, after the first shot with doting mummy in hospital?’
    It was a good routine. Perhaps Sam would be impressed by it. It isn’t our fault, it’s the Client’s. Everybody’s out of step but Gerry and Doug.
    â€˜Oh, well,’ Gerry sighed, and raised his hand solemnly. ‘Never, never again, do we mention the name of that hyphenated-hag. No free publicity for her, ever.’
    I raised my right hand. ‘Never again.’
    â€˜Enough of my troubles,’ Gerry said. ‘How did you get on with the Homebreakers – or whoever they are?’
    Despite the cheery front, his morale was too low for the truth. It might do me a world of good to confess my uneasy feeling that Black Bart and the Troupe were going to join the ranks of the Great Unmentionables – after doing us a lot of damage first – but I had to consider the business.
    â€˜Okay,’ I said.
    Because of my connections with Sam and Nate, I was to be liaison man with The Troupe. Gerry was to hold down the office and take care of any other assignments that might float in. He wouldn’t be able to do his best if he were wondering when the axe was going to fall on me.
    â€˜Thank heavens that’s one place we’ve got an in, ’ Gerry said soberly. ‘Marcowitz has them all tied up, and they can’t sack us – or refuse to pay.’ He was brightening by the minute. ‘Treat ’em gently, Doug, they’re our meal tickets for the next six weeks.’
    Before turning in, I tried to call Sam, but the hotel said he had gone out with Miss Harper and her party and they hadn’t returned yet. That didn’t surprise me. From the little I’d seen of Crystal Harper, I’d figured her more for Sam’s type. But I wondered how Bart would like the competition tagging along. If he reported unfavourably to Nathan, we might not have Little Brother watching us for long. It was a thought to cheer me briefly.
    In the morning, I managed to contact Bart, who sounded none too happy at being disturbed at the crack of dawn – otherwise known as eleven a.m. – and put my idea for a few paragraphs about Zeke and the Conjure Woman to him. He wasn’t delighted at the thought of anyone else in the Troupe getting any publicity but, after half an