“They could either knock her on the head or else give her over to Grantham. You’ve got to face it, Perminger. If her body ain’t found in a week or so, then she’s in one of his houses.”
“They can’t do a thing like that!” Benny said wildly. “By God! I won’t let them do it!” He got to his feet.
Jay said, “You don’t understand. You’ve got to take it. There’s nothing we can do. Now listen; they know I’m on to their racket, so what do they do? I’ve got to go to New York to cover the Tammany Hall trial. That’s just getting me out of the way. I’ve got no come−back. I gotta do it. If I turn it down I’m on the black list, and I can’t afford to be on that.”
Benny said thickly, “And what am I supposed to do? Sit around and let them get away with it?”
“If I hadn’t told you, you wouldn’t have done anything. I’ve got no proof of all this. No, you’ve got to wait.
Go and see Grantham and try and sell him some trucks. Try and find out who’s taken over the organization.
Maybe it is Grantham, but somehow I can’t see him holding a job of work down as big as that. Anyway, snoop around. Don’t start anything. Just snoop. When I get back I’m goin’ to go after this business with both hands.”
Benny said, “If you think I’m going to sit around while Sadie’s in those bastards’ hands you’re crazy. I’m going right over and split Grantham open.”
“You sucker,” Jay said. “How far will that get you? If you make it too hot you’ll ran into a belly−load of slugs. Will that help Sadie? No, there’s only one way of handling this, and that’s by taking it slow. We can’t help her now. Whatever’s happened to her or is going to happen to her we can’t stop. The cops won’t listen to you. You can’t force your way in twenty brothels and search for her. You’ve got to consider she’s dead. Do you understand? You’re not looking for her, you’re avenging her.”
He got to his feet and went to the door. “I’ve got to catch my train. Stick around, Perminger, and take it.”