The Lock and the Key полностью

“That’s great. Thanks a million.”

“No trouble at all. By the way, your signal is coming in very strong. I’d like to talk to you sometime.”

“Good, perhaps later in the evening. Thanks again.”

Coggeshall made a slight manipulation with a dial, then spoke into his microphone. “WF32W calling WC33L, in Burbank, California. Can you hear me?”

A new voice came over the loudspeaker. “Hello, WF32W, this is WC33L. I can hear you fine.”

“Hello, WC33L, how are you? I talked to you several months ago and I believe you told me then that you had a telephone connection hooked to your radio.”

“That’s right. Would you like me to call somebody for you?”

“Yes, I would. It’s, ah, rather an urgent call I’d like to make and I don’t have a telephone myself. The number is...” Coggeshall looked inquiringly at Tommy.

“Granite 2-5911.”

“Granite 2-5911,” Coggeshall said into the microphone. “It’s a Hollywood number, I think.”

“Yes, it is. I can dial it. Hold a minute.”

The dialing came distinctly over the loudspeaker and then a voice that Tommy knew spoke: “Melrose Lock and Key Shop.”

Tommy stepped forward and took the microphone from Coggeshall’s hand. “Mr. Roan, you know who this is...”

Roan’s voice was startled: “Yes, of course. I... I’ve been expecting your call all day.”

“Is the party I talked to this morning in the shop?”

“No, but...”

Then Betty Targ’s voice came over the radio, clear and sparkling. “Tommy, this is Betty.”

Tommy exclaimed. “What are you doing there, Betty?”

“I’ve been here for hours and hours, waiting for your call, Tommy.”

“You’re all right?”

“Of course I am.”

“What about — you know who?”

“That’s why I’m here. He... he let me go, so I could tell you myself it was all right.”

“He isn’t there with you?”

“No. Tommy, listen — where are you?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Why not? It’s all right, I tell you. He wants the, well, the money, more than anything.”

“Betty,” said Tommy, “it isn’t as simple as that. Believe me. All right, he isn’t there with you, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t nearby... if you know what I mean. Outside. You... you know about W.T.?”

There was a slight pause, then Betty’s voice, sounding worried, came on again. “Yes, I know, but... well, I can’t tell you about that, not over the phone. But everything’s going to be all right, and Tommy — I want to come to you. No matter where you are, no matter”... Her voice caught for an instant — “No matter what.”

Tommy said in a low tone, “There’s nothing in the world I’d like more, Betty, but it won’t work.”

“I think it will, Tommy. I’m sure. He... he won’t press that about the... the money.”

“I wasn’t thinking about the money,” Tommy said. “It’s the other...”

“But you had nothing to do with that. I know. I... I can even help you prove that. We can work it out. I know, Tommy. I know.”

Of course she knew. She had been at the Mulholland Drive place when Faraday had got it. Her word was as good as Paul deCamp’s. And there was Louie. Louie had been with Tommy at the time. Louie was Trent’s man and now that Trent was gone, Louie could be made to tell the truth.

Yes, but there was Trent. They were accusing him of that. Still, if it could be proven that Tommy had had nothing to do with Faraday’s death, it would be in his favor — and against deCamp. But in a case like that, deCamp would use the money charge against him — for spite.

But he had stolen the money. And for that he had to pay.

Tommy said into the microphone: “All right, Betty, I’ll come in.”

“No, no, you mustn’t!” Betty cried. “I mean, I want you to — to give up, but you mustn’t come in. You know why. They’re looking for you and I... I’m afraid of what would happen. I’ll come to you, Tommy. No matter where you are. I’ll come to you. But you mustn’t show yourself now. Stay where you are.”

Tommy looked at Coggeshall. “Just where is this place?”

“Eight miles from Palmdale. It’s about six miles out on the Littleneck road. There’s a wooden sign there, on the left side of the road — Four Square Mine, 2 miles. The road isn’t very good, but you can’t miss it.”

“Did you hear that, Betty?”

“Yes, Four Square Mine. I’ll be there, Tommy. My car’s outside and I’m leaving right away. Don’t do anything, Tommy. Just wait for me.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Tommy said. He reached over to the panel and flicked off a switch.

Coggeshall sprang forward. “You shouldn’t have turned it off. I wanted to thank WC33L.”

“Thank him some other time.”

Coggeshall frowned, but shrugged and turned off the other switches. “So, it’s going to be all right?”

“It’ll have to be all right. I didn’t kill anyone.”

“But you have got the money in that briefcase?”

“Yes,” said Tommy, “I’ve got the money. I stole it from Paul deCamp’s safety deposit box at the Hollywood-Highland Bank.”

Coggeshall nodded thoughtfully. “This deCamp fellow, from what I heard on the radio, he’s a sort of mystery man, isn’t he?”