Read Online Till Death Do Us Part by Louis Trimble - Free Book Online
Authors: Louis Trimble
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I lit a cigaret. Nace went over and sat on the bed and stared moodily at me. I anticipated him. I said, “Would you mind telling me what kind of information I’m using to make Mrs. Norton sweat?”
“That is what you must tell me.”
I said, “Even if I knew, why should I tell you? In fact, what are you doing here? This is no place for a city journalist. Or is there a hot story about to break?”
“I am working,” he said.
I wasn’t getting very far. I decided to try another angle. I said, “You don’t think I killed Pachuco and I don’t think you did. Any ideas as to who might have?”
He shrugged. I said, “Arden maybe?”
He took that in his stride. “What reason would she have?”
So he did know her. I suggested, “Navarro?”
“That I do not know.”
“What of Rosanne Norton herself or that baron of the cattlepens she’s engaged to?”
He said quickly, “You should know the answer to that better than I.”
“I wish I did,” I said. I stared at him, wondering if I should level with him, wondering if—considering how little he trusted me—levelling would do me any good.
I decided to try. I said, “Nace, Rosanne Norton hired me to come here to find out what Pachuco was up to. I found him dead and Navarro found me. He’s got me framed for killing Pachuco. There isn’t much evidence against me but the fact that Pachuco and I had trouble is reason enough for the cops to give me a bad time.”
“I know all this,” he said.
I didn’t ask him where he’d found out. I suspected that I already knew. I said, “Navarro’s price for silence was to have me keep him posted on what Rosanne is doing. Now they’re partners, but she doesn’t want to talk about him and he doesn’t trust her. Does all this add up to anything in your mind?”
He still looked moody. “I do not know—yet.”
I said, “You mean that you don’t trust me.”
He said flatly, “That is true.”
I said, “You’re a hell of a friend.” I tried to be light about it because Nace’s attitude hurt. “And after I rescued your girl friend too.”
That brought a response. His head came up in a quick snap and his moody look went away. “What does that mean, Tomaso?”
I said, “I caught Porter Delman pushing her around Rosanne’s office. He claimed he caught her listening at the door to Rosanne’s private office.”
“Did he hurt Amalie?” His voice was tight.
I said, “He bruised her a little.” I got up to put out my cigaret. “By the way, did you plant her there or did you pick her up because she worked for Norton Enterprises?”
Nace said, “You are very smart fellow, Tomaso.”
I said, “Smart enough to guess that it’s one or the other. And to figure that in either case, it means you have an interest in Norton Enterprises. Why?”
“Maybe I wish to invest some money,” he said.
I said, “Damn it, Nace, if you’d be logical instead of emotional, you’d damn well know I couldn’t have been the bastard the newspapers made me out to be. Try trusting me a little and let’s see if we can’t get this mess cleared up. Together we might be able to do something. Fighting each other, we’ll never get anywhere.”
“I know this,” he agreed. “With you about, I gain nothing. That is why I am telling you to go back to Mexico—to your tourists.”
That made me mad. I started to swear at him. He said imperturbably, “If you do not, I shall be forced to turn you over to the police for the murder of Pachuco.”
I said, “That’s Navarro’s privilege,
amigo
. And besides, maybe he doesn’t want me to leave.”
Nace made a face. I realized that I had come up with a threat that matched his against me. So there we were, at a stand-off.
Only I’d learned something. I’d learned that Navarro carried weight, even with him; and I’d learned that Nace badly wanted me out of this part of Mexico.
All I needed now was to know why.
I went quietly out of Nace’s room and
I lit a cigaret. Nace went over and sat on the bed and stared moodily at me. I anticipated him. I said, “Would you mind telling me what kind of information I’m using to make Mrs. Norton sweat?”
“That is what you must tell me.”
I said, “Even if I knew, why should I tell you? In fact, what are you doing here? This is no place for a city journalist. Or is there a hot story about to break?”
“I am working,” he said.
I wasn’t getting very far. I decided to try another angle. I said, “You don’t think I killed Pachuco and I don’t think you did. Any ideas as to who might have?”
He shrugged. I said, “Arden maybe?”
He took that in his stride. “What reason would she have?”
So he did know her. I suggested, “Navarro?”
“That I do not know.”
“What of Rosanne Norton herself or that baron of the cattlepens she’s engaged to?”
He said quickly, “You should know the answer to that better than I.”
“I wish I did,” I said. I stared at him, wondering if I should level with him, wondering if—considering how little he trusted me—levelling would do me any good.
I decided to try. I said, “Nace, Rosanne Norton hired me to come here to find out what Pachuco was up to. I found him dead and Navarro found me. He’s got me framed for killing Pachuco. There isn’t much evidence against me but the fact that Pachuco and I had trouble is reason enough for the cops to give me a bad time.”
“I know all this,” he said.
I didn’t ask him where he’d found out. I suspected that I already knew. I said, “Navarro’s price for silence was to have me keep him posted on what Rosanne is doing. Now they’re partners, but she doesn’t want to talk about him and he doesn’t trust her. Does all this add up to anything in your mind?”
He still looked moody. “I do not know—yet.”
I said, “You mean that you don’t trust me.”
He said flatly, “That is true.”
I said, “You’re a hell of a friend.” I tried to be light about it because Nace’s attitude hurt. “And after I rescued your girl friend too.”
That brought a response. His head came up in a quick snap and his moody look went away. “What does that mean, Tomaso?”
I said, “I caught Porter Delman pushing her around Rosanne’s office. He claimed he caught her listening at the door to Rosanne’s private office.”
“Did he hurt Amalie?” His voice was tight.
I said, “He bruised her a little.” I got up to put out my cigaret. “By the way, did you plant her there or did you pick her up because she worked for Norton Enterprises?”
Nace said, “You are very smart fellow, Tomaso.”
I said, “Smart enough to guess that it’s one or the other. And to figure that in either case, it means you have an interest in Norton Enterprises. Why?”
“Maybe I wish to invest some money,” he said.
I said, “Damn it, Nace, if you’d be logical instead of emotional, you’d damn well know I couldn’t have been the bastard the newspapers made me out to be. Try trusting me a little and let’s see if we can’t get this mess cleared up. Together we might be able to do something. Fighting each other, we’ll never get anywhere.”
“I know this,” he agreed. “With you about, I gain nothing. That is why I am telling you to go back to Mexico—to your tourists.”
That made me mad. I started to swear at him. He said imperturbably, “If you do not, I shall be forced to turn you over to the police for the murder of Pachuco.”
I said, “That’s Navarro’s privilege,
amigo
. And besides, maybe he doesn’t want me to leave.”
Nace made a face. I realized that I had come up with a threat that matched his against me. So there we were, at a stand-off.
Only I’d learned something. I’d learned that Navarro carried weight, even with him; and I’d learned that Nace badly wanted me out of this part of Mexico.
All I needed now was to know why.
I went quietly out of Nace’s room and
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