Free Until You Are Dead by John Lutz Page B

in his police department, for almost all of his time was occupied by sleeping and eating; but then, besides listening to the monotonous watery hum of the air conditioner, there really wasn't much else to do in Suite 24.
    Snodman's mind dwelt on how much the syndicate would pay to have Capastrani killed. It dwelt on Commissioner Moriarty and his thorough knowledge of The Snuffer. The commissioner had even consulted a police psychologist. Snodman had seen the gleam in the commissioner's eyes as he'd discussed the cunning assassin, and he was sure that Moriarty had dedicated himself to foiling or even capturing The Snuffer. A policeman's dream, Snodman said to himself, smiling.
    The long day went by without event. The patrolman outside the door had changed when the three o'clock shift came on. Capastrani had emerged from his room only to eat a late breakfast and lunch, which he'd wolfed down before returning to stretch full length and fully clothed on the bed. Snodman had read a travel magazine three times. He yawned and looked at his watch: five o'clock.
    At five forty-five he was speaking frantically into the telephone to Commissioner Moriarty. "You'd better come over here right away with a lab man, sir. I think somebody tried to poison Capastrani!"
    Within five minutes the door to Suite 24 flew open. Snodman's police revolver was out of its shoulder holster in a flash, but he relaxed as he saw it was the commissioner and a lab man. They looked in surprise at Snodman's revolver as Wilson, the uniformed patrolman guarding the hall, closed the door behind them.
    "It's all right," Commissioner Moriarty said. "We should have knocked."
    Snodman slipped the revolver into his suitcoat pocket. "Have a look at this," he said, pointing to the tray of food that room service had brought up for Capastrani's supper. To the lab man he said, "I think there's arsenic on the steak."
    "I'm glad you called me personally," Commissioner Moriarty said. "You did the right thing."
    Snodman smiled. "I knew you had a special interest in the case," he said. "I thought you'd want to come right over."
    The commissioner nodded soberly. "That's why I chose a hotel only two blocks from headquarters."
    The three of them leaned over the tray of food. "You can't see it now," Snodman said, "but there were traces of white powder on the underside of the steak when it was brought up. Most of it's dissolved in the juices now."
    The commissioner picked up the plate and sniffed. "What made you suspicious?" he asked, replacing the plate.
    Snodman shrugged. "A hunch. And I thought there was a peculiar odor about the steak."
    "Check it out," the commissioner told the lab man. Then he drew Snodman over to the sofa to talk with him. "Capastrani know about this?" Moriarty asked. Snodman shook his head. "He's still asleep. I was going to wake him when supper came."
    "Hmm," the commissioner said. "I don't understand how anybody could have slipped arsenic into that food. I toured the kitchen this morning and checked out the help myself. They're all trustworthy, long-time employees."
    "Maybe somebody was bought," Snodman suggested. "The Snuffer would be able to afford it."
    "Good point," the commissioner said. "Does Capastrani eat steak every night?"
    "It's a standing order with room service. That's just the sort of habit The Snuffer would take advantage of. You said he studied his future victims carefully before each job."
    "I didn't say that," the commissioner said. "He did -- in his poem."
    The lab man, a studious looking young fellow, walked over to them. "There's arsenic on the steak," he said. "I checked the salt, pepper, ketchup, coffee, even the cream for the coffee. Everything on the tray besides the steak is okay." Then he held out the slip of paper in his right hand. "This was stuck to the bottom of the steak plate, sir."
    The commissioner took it, unfolding it slowly as Snodman watched closely. They read:
    Â 
    I am quite sure my little trick
    Nicely stilled your