Free Murder at the 42nd Street Library: A Mystery (Thomas Dunne Book) by Con Lehane Page B

a promise or a threat?
    *   *   *
    Still mad at Harry, Ambler had lunch at O’Casey’s on 41st Street, so he could have a pint of Guinness with his hamburger, think, and cool off. He felt better after the stout and was walking back to the library, in the middle of the block between the library at Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue on 41st Street, when Benny stepped out of a doorway. He looked stricken.
    “The cops came to my house.”
    “About the assault?”
    “What assault?”
    “Max—”
    “That wasn’t an assault.” He glared at Ambler. “I knew they were coming because Kay told me they would. When they called up from the front door, I left by the back stairs. They’re going to arrest her, too.”
    “Did she take off also?”
    “No. She got a lawyer after they questioned her about the murder. She knew something was wrong. The police told the lawyer they might arrest her and me.”
    “Why would they arrest you?”
    “They think I helped her kill the guy.”
    “Did you?”
    Benny’s eyes went wide. “Do you think I did?”
    Ambler looked into his friend’s eyes. “If you tell me you didn’t, I’ll believe you.”
    “Why do I got to tell you? Wouldn’t you know?”
    Ambler sighed. “No. People who commit murders often don’t know they’re capable of murder until it happens.”
    “I don’t know the guy; I never had anything to do with him. Why would I kill him?”
    “What about Kay Donnelly?”
    Benny’s expression clouded. “She wouldn’t do something like that.”
    Ambler rolled his eyes. “We just went through this, Benny. She isn’t the type to kill someone doesn’t cut it. Do you know for sure, know where she was at the time of the murder? Was she with you?”
    Benny froze. After a few seconds, he narrowed his eyes and looked at Ambler suspiciously. “Why would you say that? Why would she be with me?”
    Ambler smiled. It was good to know his friend was a lousy liar. After a moment, he said, “A friend of McNulty’s is a criminal lawyer, who for some reason owes him favors.”
    Ambler put his arm around the shoulder of the frightened younger man and steered him around a couple of corners to the Library Tavern. He ordered a beer for himself and a brandy for Benny, who wasn’t much of a drinker but could certainly use something at the moment.
    When McNulty got a break, Ambler explained the situation.
    McNulty gave Benny the lawyer’s contact information. “He’s gonna quote you a big number,” McNulty said. “He likes to think of himself as high-priced. You tell him I sent you and to see me about the bill. He’ll curse a lot, but he’ll do it.”
    Ambler left Benny outside the bar on the corner calling the lawyer on his cell phone.
    *   *   *
    When he got back to his desk, he called Mike Cosgrove. “You’ve scared my friend Benny half to death,” he said as soon as he heard “Cosgrove” at the other end of the line.
    “That’s not something I can talk to you about.”
    “He’s a suspect? You’re going to arrest him?”
    “You’re not hearing what I said?” It took a few seconds for Ambler to understand that his friend was embarrassed because he couldn’t talk openly and angry because he was embarrassed.
    “I know. You have a job to do. Maybe it’s not even you. Still, let me tell you this. I don’t know about the Donnelly woman. But I can tell you for sure Benny isn’t a guy who comes up on someone from behind. If you spent—”
    “Ray, please. I can’t talk about this. But I do have some information on the girl you asked about.”
    Ten minutes later, Ambler got off the phone and sat staring in front of him. What Cosgrove told him about Emily Yates hit close to home.

 
    Chapter 7
    Nelson Yates needed a drink. Maybe he shouldn’t have started again. But he had, so there it was. Right now, he needed to get the cobwebs out, after that only enough to stay even. The empty pint bottle on the kitchen counter must have been from last night—too bad