Rico started out of his chair.
‘What shamus? I haven’t heard anything about a shamus.’
Baird eyed him jeeringly.
‘Don’t get so steamed up. The night I went to Red River Basin I spot ed a fat guy tailing me. I caught him napping and softened his skull for him. He was an operator working for the International Detective Agency. Someone who doesn’t mind spending dough is having me watched. Maybe it doesn’t have anything to do with the Hater snatch, but somehow I think it does. We’ve got to find out why I was being tailed, and pronto.’
Rico took a long drink. His nerves were fluttering.
‘Maybe it’s Kile,’ he said hopeful y.
‘I don’t know, but I mean to find out. How long’s this red-head been working for you?’
‘You mean Zoe?’ Rico’s face was startled. ‘What’s she got to do with it?’
‘I don’t know, but every time I’ve shown up here she’s been watching me. Maybe she’s a plant.’
‘Zoe, a plant? Don’t make me laugh,’ Rico said. ‘I’ve known her three or four years. She came to work at the club when it first opened. I knew her when she was in show business before that. She’s okay.