Gamblers Don't Win Read Online Free PDF

up slowly, stared for a moment at the silent instrument, then went downstairs and got a cab.
7
    D ISTRICT ATTORNEY PIKE looked up from his desk as Lennox came into the office and nodded. “How are you, Bill?”
    Lennox settled himself into a chair. “I’ll live.” He found a cigarette and rolled it thoughtfully between his fingers. “Thought I’d better come down and have a little talk. Spellman suggested it.”
    Pike’s face got grave. “Listen, Bill. This office has always been on the level with you, hasn’t it?”
    Lennox moved his shoulders slightly. The D.A. wasn’t a bad guy. A politician, yes, with his eye on the main chance, but fairly honest, fairly smart. Ordinarily, Lennox would have told him what he knew, but he couldn’t tell him in this case, couldn’t talk, yet. Betty Donovan was Bert’s sister, and if he told what he knew, she’d be picked up, questioned, probably held. He didn’t want that, not until he knew more about the affair.
    She might be guilty, of course, but Lennox had played his hunches for years, and his hunch said she wasn’t. If that were true, it would merely block the trail to the real murderer if the cops got her. He said: “Sure, you’ve been a good guy, Pike, aside from a little unpleasantness now and then.”
    â€œWell,” the D.A. was leaning forward, “why don’t you play the game with us then? Why don’t you come clean, Bill? There was a girl with you at the hotel last night. We found that she met you in Hollywood, that she rode downtown with you in a cab, and that she rode up to Jarney’s floor in the same elevator. At least the descriptions we get from the cabman and the elevator boy tally. Who was she? What did she have to do with Jarney’s death?”
    Lennox hesitated for just a moment. He was used to thinking fast, to making quick decisions. He said: “Okey. There was a girl with me, but she didn’t have a thing to do with Jarney’s death and there’s no use in dragging her into this mess and get a load of bad publicity.
    Pike tried to make his eyes hard, to match his tone. “Now listen, Lennox. It’s for us to decide whether she’s tied up with this jockey’s death. That’s what we’re here for. If I give you my word that the papers won’t learn anything about it until after we’ve investigated her story, will you tell me who she is?”
    â€œNo.”
    Surprise crept into the District Attorney’s eyes, buried a moment later by anger. He was not used to being defied. Years of office had given him the habit of authority. His anger showed in his voice when he said, “Do you know what concealing evidence in a murder rap means?”
    Lennox’s voice was bored. “Don’t read the law to me. Pike. I know it as well as you do. I should. I’ve heard you fellows talk about it often enough. Okey, I’m not going to answer until I’m convinced in my own mind that telling you will help find Jarney’s killer. So what are you going to do about it?”
    â€œI’ll, by—” Pike was on his feet. “I’ll hold you. Ill make you talk.”
    Lennox stared up at him. “Listen, Pike. You don’t have to get hard with me. You can’t make me talk, and you know it. Pick me up on any charge you want to name, short of murder, and I’ll be out in half an hour. I called Sam Marx before I came down here.”
    The District Attorney sat down slowly. “All right, Bill.” He had gained control of himself. “I guess you’re right, but it’s not playing the game.”
    Lennox said: “Since when did you ever play the game? If I told you the girl’s name, it would be on page one of every paper in town. I didn’t kill Jarney. I don’t know who did; but the girl we’re talking about didn’t, and there’s no use dragging her into the mess.