Free Killer's Town by Lee Falk

casino, Koy sat at the bar and watched Pretty at the dice table. The crazy kid was having a run of lipk, and two of the "ladies" were draped around him, helping him rake in the money. Koy scowled. If the mad dog had enough sense to quit, he'd be way ahead. But that type never quit. And when he lost, as he must, he'd start to boil and make trouble. That one was bound to make trouble sooner or later. He'd be ready for him. Eagle walked by. Koy gestured to him.
"They find that stranger yet?"
"I'll see if they're in your office. Should be by now."
Eagle left, then returned. "No sign of them."
"Send Fats and Sport out to find them," snarled Koy.
Fats and Sports were in the middle of a double sirloin in the dining room and wanted to finish that first, but Eagle sent them out, angry and grumbling.
"Cook'11 keep the sirloin warm. Find those guys."
They found Greasy in the alley, out cold. They looked at his face in the light coming from the casino window.
"What's that on his face?"
"I dunno. Get Eagle."
Eagle came out, had a look, then rushed back for Koy to tell him about Greasy. Moogar, the black hoodlum, was at the bar getting drinks and caught something of Eagle's report. He followed them into the alley. Koy bent over the recumbent figure.
"Is he dead?"
"No. Knocked out, like he was hit with a brick."
"What's that on his jaw? Some kinda mark. Did he have that before?"
"No. Not that. Looks like—here, light a match, have a good look."
"Jeez, looks like a skull."
"Yeah, a death's head."
Moogar, still holding the two drinks, took a quick look, then pressed back against the wall, his eyes wide.
"Listen, you know what that is?" he said.
"You keep quiet about this. Where's the other one, Gutsy? Maybe he did this."
"Why would he? They're pals."
"Anyhow, that mark "
"Will you listen, you guys," said Moogar. "That mark "
"Keep out of this and keep your trap shut," said Koy angrily to Moogar. He'd seen the black man with Pretty—the two were buddies. That was enough to put Moogar in Koy's bad book. Sport and Fats had circied the inn, and found nothing.
"How about the girl up there in the cage? She might have seen something."
They looked up at the cage. The shape inside was vague against the dark sky.
"Go up and get her and bring her to my office. I'll talk to her," said Koy, suddenly remembering the trim beauty of the Colonel's red-haired daughter. Fats and Sport grinned and went inside the inn.
"Eagle, get some of the other boys, Scarface and Slim, to look for that guy Gutsy. I think he's playing games."
"Yeah, but how about the guy they were supposed to find with the sunglasses?"
"Yeah, find Mm too," said Koy, now eager to see the young girl in his office. As he started into the inn, he heard a voice from above. Fats and Sport had gone up to the top floor and pulled the cage near the window.
"Hey, boss," said Fats.
"What?" said Koy, looking up.
"Come up here."
"What do you mean, come up there? I told you, bring her to my office."
"She's not here."
"What do you mean, she's not there?"
"Come up, see," said Fats, and there was an edge of panic in his voice. Koy raced into the inn, up the stairs. What could have happened? Was the girl dead? Had some kook gotten into the cage, assaulted, and killed tier before he, Killer, could get hold of her, ruining his own plans for her?
Furious, he went up the stairs, three at a time. Moogar followed. Reaching the top-floor window, Koy peered out Fats and Sport had pulled the cage in. There was a body on the floor of the cage. Not the girl. A man.
"Who in hell is that?" said Koy.
"It's Gutsy."
"How in hell did he get in the cage?"
"I dunno. Maybe he came up after the girl."
"Then where's the girl?"
"I dunno."
"What happened to Gutsy?"
"He got slugged. Out cold, just like Greasy."
"The girl couldn't do that."
"No. Like Greasy—see his jaw?"
Sport had a flashlight. The beam was on the escaped lifer's jaw. The same mark as on Greasy. The Death's Head.
"I told you, you fools. You wouldn't listen. That's