Free The Duchess of Skid Row by Louis Trimble Page A

start at the back. It looks less crowded there.”
    She followed me down the dark aisle. We came to the end of the row of machines. A cross aisle led to the left. A blank door lay straight ahead. I wondered if that was the way into Calumet’s office.
    I turned Stephanie left. We passed the entrance to two other aisles. The third aisle was the last one. It had two machines tucked into the corner made by the end and side walls. The machines were set so that they formed a particularly dark area.
    I said, “You’ve got a pocket full of money. Spend it any way you want. Just stay around here so I can find you again. I won’t be long.”
    I left her and went off to find Nick Calumet.
    I hiked back to the doorway at the end of the first aisle. I tried the knob. The door opened. I stepped into a hallway and let the door swing shut behind me. The hall was lighted with bright overheads. A shadow about ten feet from me moved under the harsh lighting as a door swung open.
    Nick Calumet came into view. He was still wearing his padded sport jacket. His hair was slicked down tight and greasy. He looked my way. His eyes were as unpleasant as ever.
    He said, “This is private, McKeon.”
    I walked toward him. “I’m looking for Hoxey.”
    “Try the other end of the block,” Calumet said.
    “If he isn’t here, you’ll do. Do we talk in the hall or where it’s more private?”
    Calumet’s hand twitched toward his coat as if he wanted to go for his knife. I kept moving toward him. He said, “I haven’t anything to talk to you about, McKeon.”
    I took a final step and stopped within reach of him. He said, “Don’t try throwing your weight around. I read the papers. Right now, you’re nothing.”
    I didn’t waste time arguing with him. I grabbed the front of his sport coat. I walked him backward, through the doorway and into the room he had come out of. He didn’t fight me. He didn’t say a word. He just took the pushing.
    He was almost too docile for Nick Calumet.
    We were in his office. I shoved him toward a desk. He went around it and sat down.
    He said, “Where do you think this will get you, McKeon? All I have to do is call the cops. They’ll run you out fast enough.”
    I laughed at him. “I’d like a framed picture of Nick Calumet calling the law.” I shook my head. “You wouldn’t. Not when you have a pair of imported goons to do your work for you.”
    “Do you know what you’re talking about, McKeon?”
    “I met Minto and Pooly, Nick.”
    He tried to look puzzled. He was a pretty fair actor. I couldn’t be sure just where he stood. I said, “Let’s start at the beginning. Somebody in this town is trying to hang a frame on me. They set me up by spreading rumors that I was helping the Combine get back into Puget City. I wasn’t even here to defend myself. When I did come home, I got put on the hook for Johnny Itsuko’s murder.”
    “What’s that got to do with me?” Calumet demanded.
    “Don’t try to tell me you didn’t know you were being investigated.”
    “In my business you’re always being investigated,” Calumet said. “And who in hell is Johnny Itsuko?”
    “He’s the guy who found out that someone around here is fronting for the Combine. That’s why he was killed. He was going to blow the whistle.”
    Calumet ran thin fingers over his jawline. He said slowly, “If I was fronting for the Combine, do you think I’d call attention to it by spreading the rumor that it was moving back into town? Use your head, McKeon.”
    “You might if you wanted to get at me. I’m the one who moved them out before. Maybe you figured getting rid of me would leave you a wide open field.”
    He said, “I don’t think that cute. Try somebody else. Try Arch. He’s just up from L.A.”
    “Why don’t you tell me to try Hoxey or Teddy.”
    Calumet was silent for a moment. Then he said, “That business with Teddy. That was a mistake, McKeon.”
    I said, “Hoxey works for you. And I hear you beefing at