Read Online The Glass Key by Dashiell Hammett - Free Book Online
Authors: Dashiell Hammett
Tags: Crime
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me. You ought to know that. I didn't mean anything by what I said except that-well, that you can always count on me."
Ned Beaumont said, "That's fine," without much enthusiasm and stood up.
Farr rose and came around the desk with a red hand out. "What's your hurry?" he asked. "Why don't you stick around and see how this West acts when they bring him in? Or"-he looked at his watch-"what are you doing tonight? How about going to dinner with me?"
"Sorry I can't," Ned Beaumont replied. "I've got to run along."
He let Farr pump his hand up and down, murmured a "Yes, I will" in response to the District Attorney's insistence that he drop in often and that they get together some night, and went out.
3
Walter Ivans was standing beside one of a row of men operating nailing-machines in the box-factory where he was employed as foreman, when Ned Beaumont came in. He saw Ned Beaumont at once and, hailing him with an uplifted hand, came down the center aisle, but in Ivans's china-blue eyes and round fair face there was somewhat less pleasure than he seemed to be trying to put there.
Ned Beaumont said, "'Lo, Walt," and by turning slightly towards the door escaped the necessity of either taking or pointedly ignoring the shorter man's proffered hand. "Let's get out of this racket."
Ivans said something that was blurred by the din of metal driving metal into wood and they went to the open door by which Ned Beaumont had entered. Outside was a wide platform of solid timber. A flight of wooden steps ran down twenty feet to the ground.
They stood on the wooden platform and Ned Beaumont asked: "You know one of the witnesses against your brother was knocked off last night?"
"Y-yes, I saw it in the p-p-paper."
Ned Beaumont asked: "You know the other one's not sure now he can identify Tim?"
"N-no, I didn't know that, N-ned."
Ned Beaumont said: "You know if he doesn't Tim'll get off."
"Y-yes."
Ned Beaumont said: "You don't look as happy about it as you ought to."
Ivans wiped his forehead with his shirt-sleeve. "B-b-but I am, N-ned, b-by God I am!"
"Did you know West? The one that was killed."
"N-no, except that I went to s-see him once, t-to ask him to g-go kind of easy on T-tim."
"What'd he say?"
"He wouldn't."
"When was that?"
Ivans shifted his feet and wiped his face with his sleeve again. "T-t-two or three d-days ago."
Ned Beaumont asked softly: "Any idea who could have killed him, Walt?"
Ivans shook his head violently from side to side.
"Any idea who could've had him killed, Walt?"
Ivans shook his head.
For a moment Ned Beaumont stared reflectively over Ivans's shoulder. The clatter of the nailing-machines came through the door ten feet away and from another story came the whirr of saws. Ivans drew in and expelled a long breath.
Ned Beaumont's mien had become sympathetic when he transferred his gaze to the shorter man's china-blue eyes again. He leaned down a little and asked: "Are you all right, Walt? I mean there are going to be people who'll think maybe you might have shot West to save your brother. Have you got-?"
"I-I-I was at the C-club all last night, from eight o'clock t-t-till after t-two this morning," Walter Ivans replied as rapidly as the impediment in his speech permitted. "Harry Sloss and B-ben Ferriss and Brager c-c-can tell you."
Ned Beaumont laughed. "That's a lucky break for you, Walt," he said gaily.
He turned his back on Walter Ivans and went down the wooden steps to the street. He paid no attention to Walter Ivans's very friendly "Good-by, Ned."
4
From the box-factory Ned Beaumont walked four blocks to a restaurant and used a telephone. He called the four numbers he had called earlier in the day, asking again for Paul Madvig and, not getting him on the wire, left instructions for Madvig to call him. Then he got a taxicab and went home.
Additional pieces of mail had been put with those already on the table by his door. He hung up his hat and overcoat, lighted a cigar, and sat down with his mail
Ned Beaumont said, "That's fine," without much enthusiasm and stood up.
Farr rose and came around the desk with a red hand out. "What's your hurry?" he asked. "Why don't you stick around and see how this West acts when they bring him in? Or"-he looked at his watch-"what are you doing tonight? How about going to dinner with me?"
"Sorry I can't," Ned Beaumont replied. "I've got to run along."
He let Farr pump his hand up and down, murmured a "Yes, I will" in response to the District Attorney's insistence that he drop in often and that they get together some night, and went out.
3
Walter Ivans was standing beside one of a row of men operating nailing-machines in the box-factory where he was employed as foreman, when Ned Beaumont came in. He saw Ned Beaumont at once and, hailing him with an uplifted hand, came down the center aisle, but in Ivans's china-blue eyes and round fair face there was somewhat less pleasure than he seemed to be trying to put there.
Ned Beaumont said, "'Lo, Walt," and by turning slightly towards the door escaped the necessity of either taking or pointedly ignoring the shorter man's proffered hand. "Let's get out of this racket."
Ivans said something that was blurred by the din of metal driving metal into wood and they went to the open door by which Ned Beaumont had entered. Outside was a wide platform of solid timber. A flight of wooden steps ran down twenty feet to the ground.
They stood on the wooden platform and Ned Beaumont asked: "You know one of the witnesses against your brother was knocked off last night?"
"Y-yes, I saw it in the p-p-paper."
Ned Beaumont asked: "You know the other one's not sure now he can identify Tim?"
"N-no, I didn't know that, N-ned."
Ned Beaumont said: "You know if he doesn't Tim'll get off."
"Y-yes."
Ned Beaumont said: "You don't look as happy about it as you ought to."
Ivans wiped his forehead with his shirt-sleeve. "B-b-but I am, N-ned, b-by God I am!"
"Did you know West? The one that was killed."
"N-no, except that I went to s-see him once, t-to ask him to g-go kind of easy on T-tim."
"What'd he say?"
"He wouldn't."
"When was that?"
Ivans shifted his feet and wiped his face with his sleeve again. "T-t-two or three d-days ago."
Ned Beaumont asked softly: "Any idea who could have killed him, Walt?"
Ivans shook his head violently from side to side.
"Any idea who could've had him killed, Walt?"
Ivans shook his head.
For a moment Ned Beaumont stared reflectively over Ivans's shoulder. The clatter of the nailing-machines came through the door ten feet away and from another story came the whirr of saws. Ivans drew in and expelled a long breath.
Ned Beaumont's mien had become sympathetic when he transferred his gaze to the shorter man's china-blue eyes again. He leaned down a little and asked: "Are you all right, Walt? I mean there are going to be people who'll think maybe you might have shot West to save your brother. Have you got-?"
"I-I-I was at the C-club all last night, from eight o'clock t-t-till after t-two this morning," Walter Ivans replied as rapidly as the impediment in his speech permitted. "Harry Sloss and B-ben Ferriss and Brager c-c-can tell you."
Ned Beaumont laughed. "That's a lucky break for you, Walt," he said gaily.
He turned his back on Walter Ivans and went down the wooden steps to the street. He paid no attention to Walter Ivans's very friendly "Good-by, Ned."
4
From the box-factory Ned Beaumont walked four blocks to a restaurant and used a telephone. He called the four numbers he had called earlier in the day, asking again for Paul Madvig and, not getting him on the wire, left instructions for Madvig to call him. Then he got a taxicab and went home.
Additional pieces of mail had been put with those already on the table by his door. He hung up his hat and overcoat, lighted a cigar, and sat down with his mail
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