Free Cop Out by Ellery Queen

“Byebye Bibby.”
    â€œYou could get sent up for feeding a kid the sauce,” Hinch said with a grin. “You want to get sent up, Goldie?”
    â€œListen, buster, when I’m sent up it’s going to be for something important,” Goldie said. “Like for murder?”
    â€œAll right, all right,” Furia said. “You better get going, Hinch.”
    â€œYes, sir ,” Hinch said.
    â€œAnd don’t go getting smart, Hinch. Just do like I told you. You remember what you got to do?”
    â€œWhat am I, a birdbrain? Sure I remember. Hang around town, keep my ears open. Right, Fure?”
    â€œThat’s right. Nothing else. No more booze, no picking up a broad, no anything. Just listen. And don’t call attention to yourself.”
    â€œThe best place to hear the dirt is Freight Street,” Goldie said. “That’s the street that runs past the railroad station. The old town rummies hang out down there. Cash their social security checks and run to the liquor store. Buy a bottle of cheap port, Hinch, and pass it around. They’ll tell you what’s going on. They get the word before the Selectmen do. You can park the car in the railroad lot. Everybody uses it.”
    â€œYes, ma’am, ” Hinch said, and started for the door.
    â€œWait a minute. I’m going with you. We can meet afterward at the lot.”
    â€œThe hell you say.” Furia banged on the table with the bottle. “You’re going no place, Goldie!”
    â€œWill you listen to me?” Goldie said wearily. “Before you blow your stack. I’ve got to get a few things.”
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œLike Tampax, for one, if you must know. I fell off the roof this morning. Also I need hair dye, I’m starting to sprout green around the roots. And some deodorant for Hinch. I can’t stand being around him any more. He stinks.”
    â€œI ain’t heard no complaints from my broads,” Hinch said hotly.
    â€œWell, I’m not one of your broads. Why don’t you break down and take a bath once in a while? We need some groceries, too, Fure. Bread, and there’s no milk for the kid.”
    Furia considered this.
    Hinch spat into the sink. “I thought you were the one so scared to show your puss around here.”
    â€œYou’re sore because I wouldn’t put out for you,” Goldie said, smiling.
    Furia went up to Hinch and stuck his jaw out. The top of his head came to Hindi’s chin. “You been making passes at Goldie?”
    Hinch backed off. “Fure, I never! I swear to God. She’s just trying to get me in trouble. She don’t like me.”
    â€œAnd that’s a fact,” Goldie said, still smiling.
    â€œYou lay one finger on her, Hinch, and you know what? You’re dead.”
    â€œI never,” Hinch mumbled.
    â€œJust remember I gave you the word. About going, Goldie, the answer is no. It’s too risky.”
    â€œIt might be if I went to a beauty parlor. But there’s a drug store in town that didn’t use to be here. And I noticed a supermarket last night that’s new, too. I’ll be careful, don’t worry.”
    â€œThe hell with the milk,” Furia said. “Nobody ever bought me no milk. I was lucky to get a glass of water without no cockaroach in it.”
    â€œWhatever you say, Fure.”
    â€œTell you what, Goldie. Long as you’re going, bring me back some of that frozen pizza pie crap. I feel like a pizza. And some cherry-vanilla ice cream.”
    â€œYou’ll go to hell in a hand basket,” Goldie said, laughing. “Okay, pizza and ice cream.”
    â€œAnd say. Does this wide place in the road have a newspaper?”
    â€œSure, a weekly. Comes out on Thursdays.”
    â€œThat’s today. Groovy. Pick me up one.” Furia chuckled. “I want to read my reviews.”
    Goldie nodded. She was in slacks and tight turtleneck and pea