Page 39 - Demo

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Station K-I-L-L
37
"Get this cage down quick I How come you're running it? Switchboard man off duty?"
"He went over to Madison A venue for some coffee."
"Swell. I want to phone without any publicity."
"Jerry, you toId me you weren't go- ing up to his apartment. If I'd only known, I could have warned you when he came in."
"I know. It was a dumb stunt. I went in the back way after I spoke to the hackman at the corner. Did Dunlap lure the same cab this time?"
"No. He stopped a roller."
They had reached the street lobby The doorman jumped to the deserted switchboard and plugged an outside wire.
"Police headquarters," Jerry growled. Hello? Jerry Tracy ! I want to talk
to Inspector Fitzgerald or Sergeant Kilian. Either one."
"Sorry, Jerry. They're both out right now on that Hilliard thing."
"Did they go back to the Hilliard home?"
"I don't think so. It was some other angle."
"Try all of the mid-town precincts. If you get 'em, tell 'em I'll be over at Hilliard's. Wait! Better tell 'em to give me a quick buzz before they start."
He gave them the number.
"Anything hot?"
"Hot enough. I've got a hunch two
more people are due to get the works tonight." . ,
"Wow! 0 . K."
again. Buzz-buzz-buzz. . . . Every man vetoed that. Then the front door
Tracy hung up and called the Hilliard
number. All he could raise was a busy
signal. Sweatmg, he waited and tried to avoid newspaper reporters. The police-
mmute he warted here he was giving
Dunlap additional time. And yet if he here."
quit and raced for a cab, he was giving him still more time. He got two more busy signals before he cursed and ran out into the street.
The doorman's whistle brought him the night-hawk hackman from the cor-
The word "bell" reminded Tracy sud- denly of the peculiar series of busy sig-
nals when he had tried to call Hilliard's home.
"Who's been using tl1is phone?" Marcom looked puzzled . "No one,
ner. Tracy slammed in and went streak- mg uptown and across to the west side.
There were lights on in tthe Hilliard home, but Tracy's ring at the doorbell went unanswered. Racing across the dark grounds, Tracy found that the side wmdow through which he had originally entered was still open. He squirmed over
the sill and darted for Hilliard' s study. To lus angry amazement Hilliard's
butler was seated calmly in an easy chair, smoking a cigarette. There was no sign of the cop who had been left on guard--or of anyone else.
"Why the hell don't you answer the doorbell ?"
Marcom said placidly, "The police- man told me to remain in this room and see that nothing was disturbed. After he went I thought I'd better not leave the
room."
Tracy felt a chill of anxiety He had
heard Fitz tell that cop to remain on duty until relieved !
"When did the cop leave?"
"I don't know. I stepped into the hall to speak to him a moment ago and he wasn't there."
" H as a guy named Dunlap been here? Did he and the cop go away together?"
"No, sir. Mr. Dunlap arrived be- fore that. The four of them-"
"What four?"
"Mr. Dunlap and Hilliard 's secretary, Mr. Furman, went away with Mrs. Hil- liard and Miss Hilliard. They all seemed very friendly , particularl y the two wom-
en, which puzzled me, sir."
"Me, too," Tracy growled. "What
happened ?"
"There was talk about going to Mr.
Hilliard 's Long Island estate in order
bell rang and the policemen left me