Page 23 - Demo

PDF Studio - PDF Editor for Mac, Windows, Linux. For Evaluation. https://www.qoppa.com/pdfstudio
over to Radio City. He always came and went by the rear elevator used by bandsmen with their bulky instruments. It was insurance against nuts and cranks. Tracy 's broadca st was done from a private studio. The public never saw him at the mike; and if they hung around the rear corridor, Butch 's shoul - der took care of that.
But Butch didn't try to shove away the girl in the furred wrap. She stepped quickly in front of Tracy .
"Please! I've got to talk to you."
It was Alice Hilliard. Slim and love- ly, with blue eyes and hair the coior of strained honey. Butch and Tracy got the same look at her, but saw different things. Butch noticed the slender line of thigh and hip candid ly molded by the evening gown, the soft cleft of her bo- som as she swayed appealingly toward Tracy . Tracy saw only her eyes. They were filled with tears.
"Jerry, don't do it! I realize you're trying to pr otect me. But, Jerry, you 're not God! You can't judge a man and condemn him and punish him in one-"
So she knew! That made it tougher. " Who told you?"
"The woman who phoned you the
scandal tip was vicious enough to tele- phone me, too. Jerry , you're so wrong about Bert. He's a straight shooter.''
Tr acy's nostril s whitened. " Not so damn ed straight at that,'' he . said. "Al- most six inches too high."
"Wa it until next week before you-"
"A week and you'll marry the louse." He stared at her. "Won't you?"
field. His expression was cool aand re-
mote, like a Briti sh gentlemen in an ad
for Scotch whiskey.
Alice Hilliard gave him a quick,
frightened look. "Bert, you mustn't„"
" I'm afraid I mu st," Lord said. He
took her gently by the arm and turned her toward the street ex.it. "A black- mailer can always be reasoned with - that's the heart of his trade. Wait for me in the public lounge , darling. I think I can promise you there'll be no dirt concernin g you and me on the w irel ess this evening."
Alice hesitated, then she obeyed. It irk ed Tra cy to witness her child like sub- mission. After she had left, Butch stared grimly at the fresh white carnation in Lord 's lapel.
"He musta just bought himself a new one. Jerry , is this guy the louse?"
Lord's gloved hand tightened . on his Malacca stick. But he kept his hard, smiling gaze on Tracy.
"I'm not us ed to hag gling. What's your lowest price?"
"Take him, Butch," Tracy snapped. "I want his gun."
Butch dove with a low growl of pleas- ure. Lord's cane struck like a whiplash at Butch' s skull, be he swerved and ttook the blow on his hunched shoulder. There was a quick, panting tussle, followed by a shrill squeal. Lord's st ick was
wrenched from his grasp and fell clat- tering to the floor.
One of Lord's arms was twisted be- hind his back. The painful angle at which it was bent drained Lord's face
Station K-1-L-L
21
Before she could answer, a suave, of color. Butch's big knee was poised
perfectly modulated voice sounded be- for an upward thrust at the belly of
hind them . "Mr. Jerry Tracy, I believe ·? The scandal-monger?"
The man had stepped noiselessly into
the corridor from the street. The first
thing Tracy saw was the fresh white gun.
carnation in his lapel. He was a tall, "What did you do with it?" Jen·y strongly built man in his middle thir- asked him tonelessly. "Park it some- ties, with a dark smudge of mustache
and a scrubb ed, pink skin. His clipped
voice was insulting ly polite. He was
wearing dinner clothe s under a Chester-
his antagonist.
"Stand still , pal, or I ' ll rupture you.
Go ahead, Jerry."
Tracy frisked the man. There was no
where after you went over the backyard fence? " .
Lord didn't say anything until Butch released him. Then profanity bubbled