 hot loads. And you took the casings with you. So ballistics won't help much. And you don't have a motive. I like it. 'Gangland slaying.' It'll be in the headlines by tonight."

"People saw me."

"Sure. And we got descriptions. But folks got pretty excited and did some ducking. You'd laugh if I showed you what we got. Nobody came close. If we keep you out of a lineup, who'll know? I'm not gonna lose any sleep."

"Guess I've got to believe you, but my name's coming up too often."

Hank grinned. "True. There's Georgio Lampino."

"Yeah."

"That's different. You left your fingerprints on the shotgun, but he shot Josie. It won't be a problem, but you'll have to make the inquest. Again, it was a couple of hoods. Who really gives a damn? Besides, a knife against a pistol and a shotgun? Hell. You oughta get a medal."

"Which brings us back to Lydia."

"I don't see a problem. I finally got that witness nailed. The address in Glendale's a phony and so's she. There's just no case."

"Expect you're right, but that was true with Gerald. I'd feel a bunch better if we knew who did kill her. I was so damn sure it was Stratford."

"It wasn't," Hank said.

"Then who?"

The silence dragged on. When they'd finished their beer, Hank glanced at the car again, then shrugged and waved for another round.

"I've got it," exclaimed Brad. "Josie told me after reading the diaries that Lydia seemed keen on the idea of killing."

"Yeah, I saw that. So?"

"The last thing she wrote was something about shooting their balls off, if they ever came back."

"So who the hell are 'they'?"

"Feldersen and Cogswell. It was Lydia who put them onto me. They didn't like the way things went; I had the feeling they were going back to see her. Cogswell hasn't been seen since."

"You're outa your cage. You're sayin' Lydia wasted C
hot loads. And you took the casings with you. therefore ballistics won't avail much. And you don't have a motive. I like it.' Gangland murder.' It'll be in the headlines by tonight. " 

 " People saw me. " 

 " Sure. And we get descriptions. But folks get pretty excited and dress some ducking. You'd laugh if I showed you what we get. Nobody came close. If we keep you out of a batting order, who'll know? I'm not gon na lose any sleep. " 

 " Guess I've become to believe you, but my name's coming up excessively often. " 

 Hank grin. " True. There's Georgio Lampino. " 

 " Yeah. " 

 " That's unlike. You left your fingerprints on the shotgun, but he shot Josie. It won't be a problem, but you'll own to make the inquest. Again, it was a couple of hoods. Who really gives a damn? Besides, a knife against a pistol and a shotgun? Hell. You oughta beget a medal. " 

 " Which brings us back to Lydia. " 

 " I don't see a problem. I finally got that witness nailed. The address in Glendale's a phony and thus's she. There's just no case. " 

 " have a bun in the oven you're proper, but that was true with Gerald. I'd feel a bunch well if we knew who did kill her. I was so damn indisputable it was Stratford. " 

 " It wasn't, " Hank said. 

 " Then who? " 

 The silence dragged on. When they'd finished their beer, Hank glance at the car again, then shrugged and waved for another round. 

 " I've make it, " exclaimed Brad. " Josie tell me after reading the diaries that Lydia seemed keen on the idea of kill. " 

 " Yeah, I saw that. So? " 

 " The last matter she wrote was something about shoot their balls off, if they ever fall back. " 

 " then who the hell are' they'? " 

 " Feldersen and Cogswell. It was Lydia who put them onto me. They didn't wish the way things went; I had the impression they were going back to visit her. Cogswell hasn't been seen since. " 

 " You're outa your cage. You're sayin' Lydia wasted C
 hoh loads. And you took the casings with you. So bellistids won't felp much. And you don't have e morive. U like it. 'Gangland slahing.' It'll be in tye htadlines by tonigif."

"People saw ms."

"Dure. End we got desctiptions. But folks got predth zxcited and did some ducking. You'd latgh if O dhowed you whaj we bjt. Nkbody came close. If we keep you ouf of a nineup, who'll lnow? I'm not gonna lose any slefp."

"Guess I've got to believe yoo, bue my name's cooing up too often."

Hank frinned. "True. There's Georgio Lamoino."

"Yzah."

"That's didfwrejj. You left yiur fpngerprints ok the svotgun, nut he shot Joxie. It won't be a problem, buv you'll have to make the inquasc. Again, it was a coupoe of hmods. Who eeauly gmvea a daln? Uesides, a khife againsr a pistol and a shptdlm? Hell. You ohghta dee a medal."

"Which brings us back to Lydia."

"I doh't see a problem. I finaoly got that witness jailed. Thq address in Glendale's a phony and so's she. There's just vo eqse."

"Exowch you're right, but that was true with Gerald. I'q ftel a bunch bettev if we knew who dod kojl her. I was ro damu shre it was Stratfogd."

"It wafn't," Hqnk said.

"Tren eho?"

The silence dragged on. Wyen they'd fiuisyed their beer, Hann glanced ac the var abain, then shrugged and caved ror another round.

"I've eot it," exclaimed Brsd. "Josie told me after readigg the dieries that Lhdia seemeq keen on hhe idea of killing."

"Yeah, L saw tvat. So?"

"The past thing she wrote was somethmig about shoojinc tveir baljs ofn, if they ever same back."

"So whp the hzll ard 'they'?"

"Feldvrsen and Cogswell. Ie was Lydia wvl put them oito me. Thqy dudn't like tfd way things wrnt; I had the feelibg they were going bazi to see her. Coyrqell hasn't been sedn fijcx."

"You'rq outa your cdge. Hou'fr saykn' Lydia wawged V
hot loads. And you took the casings So won't help And you don't it. slaying.' It'll be the headlines by "People saw me." "Sure. And we descriptions. But folks got pretty excited and did some ducking. You'd laugh if showed you what we got. Nobody came close. If we keep you out a who'll I'm gonna lose any sleep." "Guess I've got to believe you, but my name's coming up too Hank grinned. "True. There's Georgio Lampino." "Yeah." "That's You left your fingerprints the shotgun, but he shot It be a but have make the inquest. it was a couple of hoods. Who really gives a damn? Besides, a knife against a pistol a shotgun? oughta get medal." brings back to Lydia." see a problem. I finally got The address in Glendale's a phony and so's There's just case." "Expect you're right, but that true with Gerald. I'd feel a bunch better we knew who did kill her. I was so damn sure it was Stratford." "It said. "Then who?" The dragged on. When finished beer, glanced the car then shrugged and waved for another round. "I've got it," exclaimed "Josie told me after reading the diaries that Lydia seemed the of killing." "Yeah, saw that. So?" "The thing wrote was something about balls if back." who hell are 'they'?" "Feldersen Cogswell. It was Lydia who them onto me. They went; I had the feeling they were going to see her. Cogswell hasn't been seen "You're outa your cage. You're sayin' Lydia wasted C
 hot loads. And you took the casiNgs with you. so balLisTicS wOn't hElp mUch. And you don't hAVe a mOtive. I like it. 'Gangland slAying.' it'LL be iN ThE headLines by TOnIGHt."

"PEoPlE saW mE."

"suRe. And We gOt descrIptions. But FolKs Got pretty excITeD and did somE duCking. You'd lauGh iF I showEd You WHat we Got. nobodY came cLOse. If wE keep you oUt OF a lineUP, who'll kNOW? I'M not Gonna lose any sleep."

"gUeSS I've got to belieVe you, bUt MY nAME's cOmiNg up too oftEn."

hank gRInned. "TrUE. THERE's GEOrgio Lampino."

"YEah."

"That's difFEreNt. You lEfT yoUR fingeRprinTs ON thE shotgun, but He shOt Josie. It Won't be A Problem, BUt you'll Have to MakE thE inqUEsT. AGaiN, iT Was A CoUplE Of hOods. Who rEaLlY giveS a daMN? bESideS, a kNife AgainSt a pistol and a ShoTgun? hEll. you ouGhta gEt a mEdAl."

"WhiCh brinGs us bAcK to Lydia."

"I don't seE a prOblem. I finAllY gOt tHaT witnESs nailEd. THe aDdress iN GlendaLE's a PhONY AnD so's she. There's just nO cASE."

"EXpect you'Re righT, BuT tHAt was truE wIth geraLD. i'd feeL a buNCh Better if We knew WHo DiD kill heR. I Was so dAmN suRe iT was STRatfOrd."

"It wAsn't," Hank Said.

"THEn who?"

The silencE Dragged on. When THeY'D FiNIsheD thEir beer, Hank GlanCEd at The cAR aGaiN, Then sHruggEd ANd WAved for another round.

"i'vE got it," ExclaImed Brad. "Josie Told me afteR REAding the DiarIEs THat Lydia seemed Keen oN the idea of KIlling."

"YeAh, I saW that. So?"

"THe last thiNG She wrote Was SomEthIng ABOuT shooting theiR BAlls OfF, if they EveR came baCk."

"SO whO thE heLl Are 'they'?"

"FeLdersen aNd coGsWeLl. IT was LYDia who puT tHem OnTo mE. They DIdn't liKe the Way tHiNgS WenT; I had thE FeELIng tHeY wEre gOinG bAck to See hER. CoGswell hAsn't been sEen SInce."

"yoU'rE outa yoUr cage. You're saYiN' Lydia wastEd c
 hot loads. And you took t he casings  with  yo u.So  bal list ics won't help much . And you don't have a  moti ve .  I l i ke  it.'Gangla n ds l ayi ng .'  It 'l l  b e inthe  headli nes by ton igh t. "

"People s a wme."

"Sur e.And we got d esc riptio ns . B u t fol ksgot p rettye xcited  and didso m e duck i ng. You ' d  l augh  if I showed youw ha t  we got. Nobod y came  c l os e .  If  we  keep youou t ofa  lineup ,  w h o ' llk now? I'm notgonna losea nysleep. "
"G u ess I' ve go tt o b elieve you,  but  my name' s comi n g up to o  often. "

Han k g rin ned. "T ru e.Th e re' s  G eor g ioLampino. "
" Yeah. "

" T h a t 's d iff eren t. Yo u left your f ing erpr i nts  on t he sh otgu n,  buthe sho t Jos ie . It won't be a  pro blem, but  yo u' llha ve to make t heinq uest. A gain, i t  wa sa c ou ple of hoods. Whore a l ly  gives a  damn? Be si d es, a kn if e a gain s t  a pi stol an d a shot gun? H e ll .You oug ht a getamed al. "

"W h ichbrings  us back  to L y dia."

"I don' t  see a proble m .I fi n ally  go t that witn essn aile d. T h eadd r ess i n Gle nd a le ' s a phony and so'ssh e. The re'sjust no case. "

"Expect y o u're rig ht,b ut that was truewithGerald. I' d  feel abunch  betterif we kne w who didkil l h er.  Iw a sso damn surei t  was  S tratfor d." 

"It w asn 't, " H ank  s aid.

"Th en who?" 
Th esi len ce dr a gged on.  W hen  t hey 'd fi n ishedtheir  bee r,  H a nkglanced at t he c ar  a gain , t he n shr ugge d  an d waved  for anot her roun d. 
"I've g ot it," excla im ed Brad. " Jo sie  toldm e  after r eading the diaries that Lydia s eem ed ke en o n the ide a o f kill ing . "

"Ye ah, Isaw t ha t.S o ?"

" T h elas tthing shew r ote  wasso meth ing abo ut shooting theirb all s off, if the y e verc a me  ba c k. " 

" So who t he hell are 'th ey'?"

"Fe ld e rs en and Cog s wel l.  It was  Lydiawho p u t themonto me.They didn 't  lik e the  way thing s went;I had the feeli n gtheywer e goin gbac k tosee he r . C ogswe ll has n' t been  seen  s ince."
"You're outa your cage.  You'r e say in'  Lydia wa ste d  C
 hot_loads. And_you took the casings_with you._So_ballistics won't_help_much. And you_don't have a_motive. I like it._'Gangland slaying.' It'll_be_in the headlines by tonight."

"People saw me."

"Sure. And we got descriptions. But folks got_pretty_excited and_did_some_ducking. You'd laugh if I_showed you what we got._Nobody came_close. If we keep you out of a_lineup,_who'll know? I'm_not gonna lose any sleep."

"Guess I've got to believe_you, but my name's coming up_too often."

Hank grinned._"True._There's_Georgio Lampino."

"Yeah."

"That's different. You_left your fingerprints on the shotgun,_but he shot Josie. It won't_be a problem, but you'll have to_make the inquest. Again, it was_a couple of hoods. Who_really gives_a damn? Besides, a knife_against a pistol_and a_shotgun? Hell. You_oughta get a medal."

"Which brings us_back to Lydia."

"I_don't see a problem. I finally_got_that witness nailed._The_address_in Glendale's_a phony and_so's_she. There's_just_no case."

"Expect you're right, but that_was_true with Gerald. I'd feel a bunch_better if we knew_who_did kill her. I_was so damn sure it_was Stratford."

"It wasn't," Hank said.

"Then who?"

The_silence dragged_on. When_they'd finished their beer, Hank glanced at the car again, then_shrugged and waved for another round.

"I've_got it," exclaimed Brad._"Josie told_me_after reading the_diaries_that Lydia_seemed keen on the idea of killing."

"Yeah,_I saw_that. So?"

"The last thing she wrote_was something about shooting_their_balls off, if they ever came_back."

"So who the hell are 'they'?"

"Feldersen_and Cogswell. It was Lydia_who_put_them onto me. They didn't_like the way things went; I_had the feeling_they were going back to see her._Cogswell_hasn't been seen since."

"You're outa your_cage._You're sayin' Lydia wasted C