Read Online The Blue Movie Murders by Ellery Queen - Free Book Online

do for you today, Mr. McCall? More questions?”
    â€œJust a few, sir.” McCall seated himself facing the man behind the desk and the campaign photo at his side. “I was reading your biography in one of the Chamber of Commerce publications last evening. I hadn’t known till then about your prior business experience.”
    Mayor Jordan smiled slightly. “You mean at Mann Photo?”
    â€œYes. You were plant manager there, I believe.”
    â€œThat’s correct.”
    â€œI was wondering.… Quite often city officials have some background in the law.”
    â€œThe law is fine, but in a city like Rockview an experienced businessman as administrator can accomplish a great deal.”
    â€œHow long were you at Mann Photo?”
    Mayor Jordan leaned back and closed his eyes. “Let’s see—probably about sixteen years. I was elected to the city council eight years ago, and I resigned from Mann Photo when I decided to run for mayor.” He gestured towards the picture. “I was elected to my second term last November.”
    â€œThen you would have been at Mann twenty years ago?”
    â€œCorrect.” Then, “What are you getting at?”
    â€œYou heard me ask Xavier Mann yesterday about blue movies produced at his plant. I’m asking you the same thing. It hardly seems likely that you could have been plant manager during those years without knowing what was going on.”
    â€œWhat went on after hours didn’t concern me, McCall.” His polite manner was growing thinner every minute. “What is this, anyway? Is Governor Holland trying to purge me from the party?”
    â€œHardly.”
    â€œThen give us a break. This damn strike has everyone nervous. Don’t make matters worse over something that happened years ago.”
    McCall leaned forward in his chair. “Tell me about Sol Dahlman.”
    â€œThere’s nothing to tell. Honestly, I never knew the man.”
    â€œBut you knew movies were being made there.”
    â€œTest films only, trying out their new film. The testing was carried on beyond my jurisdiction. I never really knew what they were doing up there. You see, McCall, there are two completely separate divisions to Mann Photo—the processing service and the film manufacturing. I was technically in charge of both, but only so far as day-to-day production went. Research, testing, and sales were all under the direct supervision of Xavier Mann.”
    â€œYou’re saying he was responsible for these sex films?”
    â€œI’m saying nothing of the sort! Show me one of these films, show me proof that it was made at Mann, then maybe I’ll believe it.”
    McCall sighed. “I can’t do that right at the moment, but I’m working on it. One other thing while I’m here, Mayor. Exactly what did Ben Sloane say when he phoned you Tuesday night?”
    â€œPretty much what he said in the letter. That he was looking for information about Dahlman, and that he’d pay for the information. I told him I knew nothing.”
    â€œWhat time did he call?”
    â€œIt was a little before ten. He said he’d just checked in. I gathered that Hollywood producers don’t mind doing business at late hours.”
    â€œHow many people did you discuss the letter with?”
    Jordan shrugged. “Xavier Mann, possibly my secretary. The police chief said he passed his on to one of the lieutenants. I don’t remember mentioning it to anyone else, until I gave it to that girl last evening.”
    â€œApril?”
    â€œYes. She asked me about Dahlman.”
    â€œBut between you and the others a great many people in Rockview could have known the reason for Ben Sloane’s visit.”
    â€œI suppose so.”
    â€œDid he give his room number at the motel?”
    â€œI don’t think so, no.”
    â€œAll right,” McCall said.
    â€œSatisfied?”
    â€œNo. I’ll be