They sent Colleen back inside and dragged the goon round into the alley, taking it in turns encouraging him to talk. He was a big guy and didn’t give easily. If they hadn’t been so worked up, they might even have admired him for holding out so long. But they did what they had to and at last he coughed out a name along with a snarl of submission.
‘Ross – he’s the boss, he got us out here.’
Tom glanced across at Sullivan, his eyes a glare of I-told-you-so. But any sense of triumph was undercut by the certainty that Fay was now in the worst danger she could be in. And it was his fault, no one else’s. His response was fierce enough to ensure the goon spilled the rest. He and the boys were playing cards when Ross got a call and they all piled into the Packard and raced out here; supposed to make it look like a liquor raid and have a good smash-up for themselves.
‘Ross was only after this guy.’ He nodded towards Tom. ‘Got us out quick when there was no sign. Lady wasn’t giving nothing away but she got in his face about some protection she pays the sheriff, and he said he’d have her for bait. Told Joey and me to hang back, see if Collins here would take it.’
‘What were you supposed to do when you got me?’
‘Take you back. Mikey told Joey – the other guy, who ran – not me. I don’t know what the plan was.’ The goon’s glance bounced nervously between them, not wanting to say any more, his fear of Ross returning to the fore.
‘Back where?’ Tom growled at him. ‘Where in hell did he take her? Was it to that goddamn fun palace on the hill?’
The goon’s eye’s narrowed, but he was beyond the point of lying. ‘No, not there. Too much going on. But not far. Mikey’s got a place he takes marks to work ’em. A construction site. Nobody else there. Nothing but half-built houses since the owner went bust. It’s quiet. Good place for that line of work.’
‘Where?’
‘It’s not like it has an address. He only ever takes us there when he needs the muscle.’
Another couple of slaps jogged his memory, and eventually he described a spot out the east end of Franklin, on the edge of Griffith Park.
Tom had an idea where it was and glanced over at Sullivan who nodded.
‘I know it.’
‘OK, let’s get him in the Mercer. I’ve got to run back in and—’
But Sullivan had a hand up, blocking him. ‘No, hold on now, Tom. I know you’re worried about your girl, and rightly so. But remember what he said. She’s bait. What Devlin wants is you. He won’t let Ross touch her. Not yet. We’ll sort this out together, right? Let’s at least get this one off our hands first. There’s a Gamewell down the block. I’ll go call someone out to pick him up.’
‘No way. What if he’s lying about where they’re at? We’ll have nothing.’
‘He’s not lying, Tom. He’s told us what he knows. What you got to think is how many more of them are out there. We’re going to need help. Do you think Mikey Ross is dumb enough to let us just come in and take her?’
He gave that idea short shrift. No way was he being taken out of the picture by calling out Sullivan’s pals from the detective squad.
‘Dumb is what Ross does best, Thad. You know what he’s like. He won’t keep his hands off Fay, not if he thinks she has anything to do with me. He’s going to hurt her. And I’m not sitting here letting that happen. We have to move now. Stick this guy in the roadster and we’ll take him with us. At least he can point out the right place.’
Sullivan had to admit he was right about Ross. Together, they dragged the goon over to the Mercer. Stared at the pair of neat little bucket seats, and the bulk of Sullivan and their captive.
‘That’s not going to work,’ Sullivan said. ‘C’mon, we’ll have to take mine.’
Tom didn’t so much as glance at Sullivan’s flivver. No way was he going in that – he’d be quicker running.
‘You go ahead in yours, Thad. Cuff Bozo to the door or something. I gotta run in and ask Herman something. I’ll catch you up in no time.’
Ignoring Sullivan’s scowl of displeasure, he ran back into the club.
Colleen was already on her way up with two glasses brimming with bourbon. He knocked one back, then took the other and had that too, laughing grimly as she drew breath at the torn and bloody knuckles on his hand. He told her was going to get Fay and not to worry but to lock up after him and stay safe with Herman, giving her a key to Fay’s apartment above, telling her to stay there until he got back. He didn’t wait for her answer, but went straight into the back office and shut the door.
He didn’t want to think too long about it, but he knew for sure that Ross would be armed, and there was no way now, even if he lost this battle, that he was prepared to lose the war. He dug his wallet from his pocket and slid out a business card and laid it beside the telephone on the desk. Then he opened the second drawer down, removed a rosewood box, tipped the contents out. A small, flat pocket automatic lay in the bottom, two full clips besides. He took all three, slapping one of the clips in with the heel of his hand and slipping the spare into his pocket. The gun he stuck in his waistband at the back. No point upsetting Sullivan. Then he rested his hip against the desk edge, running his fingers through his hair, before he made his decision.
He picked up the telephone receiver, clicked for the operator and asked to be connected to the Santa Monica number on the card. A voice answered with a gruff ‘Yeah?’
‘Is Cornero there?’ A request met with rebuff and denial. ‘I don’t have time for this,’ Tom said at last. ‘He’s the one gave me his card. You go get him, bud, tell him Tom Collins wants to talk, and it’s now or never.’