Read Private Dick Casefile 01 - Lily White Rose Red for Free Online Page A

under the skin?”
    “No, she was for real. No gaff. No hiding a roll of quarters under a garter belt or girdle.”
    I nodded at the slim colored girl. “That one’s only packing dimes.”
    Reggie laughed for the first time, and that made me realize that he was looking pretty sad. “Yeah, so I’ve heard. No, the Saint-Ville broad Lily White, Rose Red: Grey Randall, Private Dick Casefile #1
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    was a real live girl, but what better place to hide out if you’re on the lam?”
    I considered that. “What kind of broad ducks for cover with a bunch of queers?”
    “That I don’t know. I don’t know why the owner took her on, either. I’m pretty sure he knew she was legit.”
    “And who is the owner?”
    “Name’s Phil Martin.”
    I nodded. I’d heard of him. He ran a string of nightclubs, and you needed backing to make a success of that. “And he’s tied in with the mob.”
    “No direct evidence of that. And this wasn’t a mob hit.” I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I know. Usually they don’t take the time to strangle you. A clean bullet to the head is more their style.” Reggie’s eyes were mournful again, and I followed his gaze. He was watching the black dude play.
    “He’s your type,” I commented.
    “What do you know about it?”
    “I’ve noticed,” I said smugly.
    “Yeah, well I know your type too, peeper, I wouldn’t get too mouthy!” Reggie snarled at me.
    “Okay, what’s my type?”
    “The kind where you never see his face, because where you meet them, it’s too dark to see.”
    That stung. Reggie knew why I was the way I was, what happened to make me run when it was over, but I guess he couldn’t help lashing out. He was hurting, I could tell, but I still would have pasted him one, except it wouldn’t get me any further on the job, not to mention this wasn’t the place to get into a dustup. “So what’s with the piano player? You think he did it?”
    “No!”

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    CATT FORD

    I jumped at the vehemence of his tone. “All right, settle down. I was just asking. How can you be sure of that?”
    “He was dizzy for her. He wouldn’t have hurt her.” Now that his anger fizzled out, Reggie sounded defeated.
    “And you’re dizzy for him . Is he even queer?” Reggie laughed bitterly. “As a three dollar bill, but when she walked into the place, it was like he was bewitched or something.”
    “And did she go for him?”
    “She sure gave that impression. I don’t know for sure.” Reggie knocked back his drink and set the glass sharply on the table.
    “Sounds like motive to me. If she told him to take a walk, he might have lost his temper—”
    “Or maybe Miss Tina stuck a shiv in her when she horned in on her territory,” Reggie interrupted.
    “Except she was strangled.”
    “Details. Maybe you can make it stick.”
    “So you got competition for the player?”
    Reggie nodded but wouldn’t answer.
    A dark-haired waiter with a big nose slid up to the table. “Can I get you a refill?” he sneered.
    “Yeah. Same again,” Reggie said through clenched teeth.
    The nasty number didn’t even glance my way, just picked up Reggie’s empty.
    “Excuse me,” I said, loud so the waiter couldn’t pretend he didn’t hear me.
    “I suppose you want a drink too,” he said with an exasperated sigh. I wasn’t quite sure he could even see me around the schnozz.
    “Like you care. What’s the name of the broad singing?”
    “Miss Tina? Don’t even start, you wouldn’t stand a chance with her,” the waiter said with a contemptuous smile.

    Lily White, Rose Red: Grey Randall, Private Dick Casefile #1
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    “Her?” Maybe he’d be more forthcoming if he knew she wasn’t pulling the wool over my eyes.
    He grimaced, which was maybe his idea of a smile to acknowledge my keen sense of observation. “She doesn’t go for pipsqueaks like you. She likes ’em big.”
    “I heard there was another singer. White dame—” Grudgingly, the waiter conceded that he was going to have to