Read Online So Nude, So Dead by Ed McBain - Free Book Online Page A

being hunted. He’d passed three cops on the way to Charlie Massine’s apartment, and each time his spine had curled up into his skull.
    Impatiently, he knocked again.
    “Hey, you want to break the door down?” The voice was deep and harsh. Ray took a deep breath as he heard heavy footsteps approaching the door. He steadied his hands by putting them into his pockets, then hastily withdrew them when the door began to open.
    It opened wide, revealing a man almost as tall as Ray, with broad shoulders that tapered sharply to a narrow waist. He was wearing an undershirt and the curly black hair on his chest showed dark against the white of the cotton. He was clean-shaven, but there was a blue cast to his chin and cheeks. He eyed Ray with open distaste, studying his features.
    “What college are you working your way through?” he asked. The irritated tone was still in his voice.
    “I want to ask a few questions about Eileen Chalmers,” Ray said.
    Massine’s face remained expressionless. “Yeah?”
    “Yeah.”
    A flicker of recognition sparked in Massine’s eyes. “Hey! You’re the guy who broke up the rehearsal this after—”
    Ray shoved his way into the room, slammed the door shut behind him. “That’s right,” he said. He was amazed by his own calmness. Maybe he’d licked the desire part. Maybe he wouldn’t need it again for a while.
    Massine walked over to a table, picked up a package of cigarettes. He speared one and hung it on his lower lip. Calmly, he lighted a match and held it to the tip.
    “So now you’re in,” he said, blowing out smoke. “So now what?”
    “What do you know about Eileen Chalmers?”
    “Nothing.”
    Ray stepped closer to Massine. The drummer blew out more smoke. “Barbara Cole says you knew her.”
    Massine took a deep drag. “Oh sure, I knew her.”
    “Well, what about her?”
    “I don’t have to tell you nothing, bud. There’s probably a million cops on your tail right now. All I have to do—”
    Ray’s voice was louder now. “Don’t give me any crap, Massine. I’d break you in two before you picked up the phone. What do you know about Eileen?”
    “You scare me, hophead.”
    “Don’t get me sore, Massine.”
    The drummer recognized the threatening tone in Ray’s voice. His hand paused on his cigarette, then he slowly removed it from his mouth. “I knew her on Kramer’s band,” he said. “She was Kramer’s wife. That’s all.” He paused, saw that Ray was waiting for more. “What the hell do you want? I just knew her to say hello.”
    “You’re lying.”
    “Look, hophead, I told you I don’t have to—”
    “You’re lying, you son of a bitch. You saw Eileen every day.”
    “Sure, while she was on the band. Hell, I—”
    “Even after she left the band. Even after she joined up with Scat Lewis. You saw her every day. Why?”
    “I didn’t see—”
    Ray reached out suddenly, wrapped his massive fist in Massine’s undershirt. He felt the give of the cotton as he yanked the drummer forward.
    “Start talking, Massine.”
    “I ain’t got nothing to—”
    Ray’s hand flicked out, slapping Massine across the cheek backhanded. “Talk!”
    “You wanna play rough, hophead, I can play just as—”
    The hand lashed out again, harder this time. Massine’s head snapped back, and his lips tightened over his teeth. “Look, you bastard,” Ray said. “I’m getting sick and tired of being the fall guy, understand? I want to know what you and Eileen did every day, and I want to know fast. I’m an impatient man, so talk. Talk now! ”
    “Make me, you—”
    Ray bunched his fist and threw it, all in one liquid motion. He felt his knuckles collide with Massine’s cheekbone, saw the red gash appear magically on the drummer’s skin. Massine drew back his head, ready to spit, and Ray gave it to him again, hard, square in the mouth this time. The blood splashed over his knuckles. Massine’s lip split open like a punctured balloon. The blood ran over his