19

 

Back at the office, the next day, I was confused. I didn’t know who my clients were or what the hell. I decided to do something about it. I had the business number of Jack Bass. I rang him.

“Hello,” he said.

“Bass, this is Belane.”

“You son-of-a-bitch.”

“Take it easy, Bass, I got a black belt.”

“You’ll need it next time you bust in on one of my love sessions.”

“Jack, all I saw was a bobbing ass. I didn’t know it was you until you turned your head.”

“Who else do you think it was? You think some guy is going to slam her in my own home?”

“It’s been done plenty of times.”

“What?”

“I don’t mean your place, Jack.”

“Where then?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What doesn’t matter?”

“I mean, it doesn’t relate to your case. Let’s talk turkey.”

“What?”

“You want me on this case or not?”

“You’re not getting anywhere, just videoing my butt.”

“I’m right on your case, Jack.”

“Like what?”

“I got a tie-in.”

“What?”

“I got a link.”

“‘Tie-in?’ ‘Link?’ What are you talking about?”

“I can tie her in with this guy. I know him. A shady sort. They are up to no good.”

“You caught them together?”

“Not yet.”

“Why not?”

“I’m moving slow. I’m going to let them trap themselves.”

“Can’t you nail them now?”

“I got to wait until he rings the gong.”

“What?”

“Got to catch them in the act.”

“I don’t know if you know what you’re doing, Belane.”

“I know exactly what I’m doing. I’ll nail him as soon as he rings the gong.”

“I wish you wouldn’t talk that way.”

“The world is no kindergarten, Jack. I’m trying to get down on this case.”

“Get down?”

“I want to nail her ass. You want me to nail her ass, don’t you?”

“Just get me some proof.”

“The proof is in the pudding, Bass.”

“You getting close to something, Belane?”

“I can smell it, I can sniff it, I’m hot on the trail. I know this guy. He’s a Frenchman. And you know about Frenchmen, don’t you?”

“No, what about Frenchmen?”

“If you don’t know, Bass, I can’t tell you. I don’t have all day. Now, do you want me to follow up on this goddamned case or not?”

“You say you’re closing in?”

“I’m right on top of both of them.”

“What?”

“You want me or not, Bass? I’m gonna count to five. One, two, three, four…”

“All right, all right, follow it up.”

“Fine, Jack. Now, a little matter….”

“What?”

“I’ll need a month in advance.”

“A month? I thought you were hot on it.”

“I gotta lay the trap. I gotta set it up. I gotta make sure. When he hits that gong…”

“All right, all right, the check is on the way!”

He slammed the phone down on me. Acted like a guy in love. What a sucker….

 

 

 

Next I phoned Grovers. He had given me his business number. The phone rang 3 times, he picked it up.

“Hello,” he said, “This is the Silver Haven Mortuary.”

“Jesus,” I said.

“What?” he asked.

“Grovers, you play with stiffs.”

“What?” he asked.

“Stiffs. Stiffs. This is Nick Belane.”

“What do you want, Mr. Belane?”

“I’m working on your space alien case, Mr. Grovers.”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Tell me, Hal, why do you do what you do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Playing with the dead. Why? Why?”

“It’s my occupation. A man has to make a living.”

“But playing with stiffs? That’s kind of weird. That’s sick. Do you drain the blood? What do you do with the blood after you drain it?”

“I have an employee who does that, Billy French.”

“Put him on, I want to talk to him.”

“He’s out to lunch.”

“You mean, he eats?”

“Yes.”

I paused. I inhaled, I exhaled. Then I spoke. “Look, Grovers, you want me to follow up this case?”

“You mean, Jeannie Nitro?”

“Of course. You got any other space babes working?”

“No.”

“Well, you want me to get her off your neck?”

“Of course. But do you think you can? Looks to me like you struck out the only time you met her.”

“Grovers, even Ted Williams struck out now and then. I’ll finally slam that whore so far you’ll never see her again!”

“I don’t think she’s a whore, Mr. Belane.”

“Just a manner of speaking. No offense meant against the bimbo.”

“Do you think you can do anything about her?

“Even as we are speaking, Grovers, I am working on a link, a tie-in.”

“Like what?”

“I can’t tell you too much. But the fact that you play with stiffs and that she is a space alien, that’s a tie-in, a link.”

“What do you mean, Mr. Belane?”

“I can’t tell you too much. But I have been consulting with a specialist in these matters. He’s got a book on the space aliens but he requested more background on you.”

“All right, what do you want to know?”

“Hold it. Before I put any more time on this case, I’ll need another check. Two weeks in advance.”

“Do you think you can do something?”

“God damn it, I’ve just told you, I’m in full swing on this matter!”

“All right, Mr. Belane, I’ll get a check in the mail today. Two weeks.”

“You’re a wise man, Mr. Grovers.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, Mr. Belane, Billy French just came back from lunch. You want to talk to him?”

“No, but ask him what he had for lunch.”

“Just a moment…”

I waited. Then he was back. “He said roast beef and mashed potatoes.”

“That’s sickening!”

“What?”

“I’ve got to go now, Mr. Grovers.”

“But I thought you wanted more background on me.”

“I’ll send you a questionnaire.”

I hung up, swung my feet up on the desk. I was putting the pieces back in line. I was there. Nick Belane, dick. Yet I still had to solve the Red Sparrow affair. And then there was Celine and Lady Death. There was always Lady Death.

Now there was a whore.

I mean, what else could you call her?