I glanced round the room, but the place was still empty except for Hank, who was keeping away from us. I lowered my voice. “I had a little adventure last night. A dame dropped in and pinched some dough off me.”
Ackie looked interested. “You mean she came in and took your roll or somethin’?”
“I was havin’ a shower and she got in, knocked off a nice slice of my rent and skipped without me seein’ her. A guy who lives opposite me saw her go. I’m tyin’ her up to this business, an’ I wondered if you might know who she was.”
Ackie looked incredulous. “Why the hell should I know?”
“Can you fit in a dame that’s blonde and dresses in black? Wears a big felt hat and looks like a real hot mamma?”
Ackie shook his head. “Why should you tie her up to the Vessi business?” he asked.
I wasn’t going to tell him that, but just as I was getting set to air off my imagination he got it. Ackie had a lot of brain under his hat. “Jeeze! That’s a howl,” he said, smacking his thigh and giving one of his grunting laughs. “You got paid, huh? They slipped you the ten grand already, an’ someone pinches it.” He leant against the counter and hooted.
When he’d got through with his fun, he mopped his eyes with his sleeve and grinned at me maliciously. “Gee! That’s tough,” he said. “So a blonde hotcha got away with your dough.”
I said “Yeah,” and gave myself another drink. “Suppose you cut out the sympathy and bend your brains on this. Can’t you give me a lead on the blonde?”
Ackie shook his head. “What do you take me for? Think I know all the blondes in town?”