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in?’
    â€˜That’s the question.’
    â€˜Maybe Marcy—’
    â€˜She still has her key, Jack,’ I said. ‘Look, I better go and see how she is, and stay with her while the detectives question her. She’s ready to fall apart.’
    â€˜Eddie,’ Entratter said, ‘are you sayin’ somebody came into my hotel and killed my secretary?’
    â€˜I don’t know what else to say, Jack.’
    â€˜She could’ve done it herself,’ he said. ‘Maybe the door was left unlocked, maybe—’
    â€˜What did she stand on?’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜To tie the belt around the pipe and then hang herself,’ I said, ‘what did she stand on? There’s no chair, no ladder—’
    â€˜The trash can?’
    â€˜Not big enough.’
    â€˜Maybe she stood on the edge of a sink—’
    â€˜She could’ve done that, and jumped off,’ I said, ‘but still … how did she reach the pipe to tie off the other end of the belt? And we don’t even know if it was her belt?’
    â€˜Jesus … did you tell Hargrove this?’
    â€˜Oh no,’ I said, ‘Detective Hargrove wants to find out the facts all by himself.’
    â€˜But you are gonna tell him, aren’t you? Sometime?’
    â€˜Jack, if I figured it out, he should be able to figure it out, don’t you think?’
    â€˜He’s kind of an idiot, Eddie.’
    â€˜Yeah, well,’ I said, ‘maybe his partner will dope it out. He’s kinda smart.’
    â€˜Jesus,’ he said, ‘murder. Man, I hope you’re wrong, Eddie.’
    â€˜So do I, Jack.’

TWELVE
    T he floor was closed off. Nobody allowed up, nobody allowed down. I sat in Entratter’s office with him, trying to talk about something other than a possible murder.
    The subject of Edward G. Robinson came up.
    â€˜Oh damn …’ Jack said.
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Eddie Robinson is comin’ in tomorrow.’
    â€˜Well, that’s tomorrow,’ I said. ‘The cops should be gone by then.’
    â€˜Let’s just hope you’re not in jail tomorrow.’
    I sat up straight in my chair.
    â€˜Why would I be in jail?’
    â€˜Because Hargrove hates your guts,’ Entratter said. ‘If he can hang this on you, he will.’
    â€˜My experience with Hargrove tells me he’s gonna call this a suicide.’
    â€˜Maybe it is.’
    â€˜She have any reason to kill herself?’ I asked.
    â€˜Not that I know of.’
    â€˜And Marcy doesn’t know. Is-was she close to anyone else?’
    â€˜Not that I know of,’ Entratter said, ‘but then I don’t know who she’s friends with.’
    â€˜She wasn’t a very pleasant woman,’ I said. ‘Maybe she had no friends.’
    â€˜She wasn’t pleasant to you,’ he said. ‘She didn’t like you. That didn’t extend to everyone.’
    â€˜Well,’ I said, ‘it’ll be up to the cops to find all that out – if they bother to ask.’
    Entratter frowned.
    â€˜Now, wait a minute,’ he said. ‘I wouldn’t want this to be called a suicide if it’s not.’
    â€˜That’s gonna be up to Hargrove,’ I said. ‘He’s the man in charge.’
    â€˜I was kiddin’ you, Eddie,’ he said. ‘I don’t expect him to arrest you, but I do expect him to investigate.’
    â€˜He will investigate,’ I said, ‘unless he calls it a suicide.’
    Entratter sat back in his chair, looking unhappy.
    â€˜When does Robinson get in?’
    â€˜Tomorrow at noon.’
    â€˜And Frank?’
    â€˜He’ll be here tomorrow around three.’ He was still frowning.
    â€˜Am I supposed to take Mr Robinson to the tourist sights?’
    â€˜No,’ Jack said, ‘he wants to play poker.’
    â€˜In the casino.’
    â€˜No, the way they play it in the