Free A Taste for Violence by Brett Halliday Page A

three men in rapid succession, then turned his eyes upon Elsa Roche. Her lids were closed, and she appeared to be in a stupor.
    “What do you mean by such a statement?” Persona’s swarthy face was darkly red.
    “It seems that Roche’s death was a lucky thing for AMOK. If this local labor disturbance was as important to the entire industry as you say, it might have been disastrous had Charles Roche lived to take over the management of the Roche Mining Industries.”
    “And just what do you mean by that?” Persona’s voice was ugly and challenging.
    “Perhaps I don’t fully understand the situation,” Shayne admitted, “but I gather that Charles Roche was soon to take over active management of the property previously held in trust for him under the terms of his father’s will. Is that correct, Gerald?”
    “Perfectly correct,” Gerald said stiffly. “On his thirtieth birthday. Tomorrow, in fact. The terms of his father’s will are common knowledge.”
    “And Charles was something of a liberal?” Shayne was deliberately goading them all now. “Not quite so averse to seeking a compromise settlement of the strike as the present management. In fact, it looks as though he was anticipating taking over control and was anxious to have a conference with George Brand beforehand to arrange terms of a settlement.” He spread out both his big hands and looked up at Persona.
    “That would have been a crushing blow to your organization, wouldn’t it? You say the entire south was watching the result of this strike,” Shayne went on placidly. “Wouldn’t you have had a rash of strikes immediately if the Roche miners had been successful?”
    “That’s true in a sense,” said Gerald impatiently. “But it isn’t true that Charles was arranging a settlement. That’s a barefaced lie on Brand’s part to build up his defense by proving lack of motive. Charles was as determined as I that we should never give in to the miners’ demands. Isn’t that true, Elsa?”
    They all turned toward her. Elsa Roche opened her eyes wide and stared at them. “What? Oh, I guess so,” she answered listlessly. “Charles didn’t discuss business with me much, but I’m sure he was killed by that man, because he positively told him there’d be no change in policy after he took charge.”
    “How can you be so positive, Mrs. Roche?” Shayne asked mildly.
    “I heard… he told me,” she said evasively. “Come on over here and sit beside me, Seth.” She sank back and closed her eyes again.
    “It’s perfectly obvious,” Persona snorted. “What other motive could Brand have had?”
    “The fact remains,” Shayne said coldly, “that his death, in effect, brought the strike to an end.”
    “It was already breaking up,” Gerald said shortly. “The men were trickling back to work.” He turned away, walked over to Elsa’s chair and looked down at her for a moment. She did not open her eyes.
    Shayne lit a cigarette and observed the two through a cloud of smoke. He said, sharply, “May I take it, Mrs. Roche, that you are satisfied to let things stand as they are?”
    She said listlessly, “I don’t know what you mean.” Her eyes remained closed.
    Shayne stood up and stalked to her chair. “If George Brand is innocent,” he said brutally, “are you willing to let him be railroaded for your husband’s murder as an effective means of preventing future strikes in the Kentucky coal mines?”
    “That’s an absurd question,” Seth Gerald broke in before she could answer. “There isn’t any question of Brand’s innocence, and if there is, he will receive a fair trial. Certainly Mrs. Roche wants her husband’s murderer brought to justice, but I’m quite sure she doesn’t think Centerville needs any outside help in dealing with a local problem.”
    “I’d like to hear the lady say it herself,” Shayne insisted grimly.
    Elsa Roche sat up and exclaimed wildly, “I don’t know! It’s all mixed up. I… oh God… I