Ackie shrugged. “Gawd knows. Could be anythin’. The point is that so many of the big shots have got their dough in the business that it’s mighty dangerous to start anything.”
“Vessi was the mug?”
Ackie nodded. “Sure Vessi was the mug. Some guy didn’t like his rake-off, so he plugs Richmond. This guy was connected with the firm. They couldn’t prosecute him without blowin’ the gaff, so they find a fall-guy. Vessi gets the killin’ pushed on to him. That’s the story, Bud—now forget it, will you?”
I said: “Who’s Lu Spencer?”
Ackie shot me a quick look. “Spencer was Richmond’s right hand. He’s the guy who’s taken over now Richmond’s dead.”
“Lu Spencer was the guy who killed Richmond, huh?”
Ackie’s face went blank. “I wouldn’t know that,” he said, a sudden caution in his voice.
“Okay, Mo,” I said, “you’ve given me the dope. Thanks a lot.”
Ackie got to his feet. “You ain’t goin’ to start any trouble?” he asked. There was a glint in his eye that told me he was hoping I would.
“Suppose we don’t go into that?” I returned. “Whatever happens, I’ll play this carefully. Didn’t they say that Richmond was playing around with Vessi’s girl, and that’s why Vessi knocked him off?”