Sadie dressed. She felt vaguely uneasy and wished now that she hadn’t told O’Hara anything. Well, they couldn’t do anything to her at the station house. She’d just tell them the truth and then they’d let her go. As she was about to leave the apartment she suddenly thought of something. She ran back to the sitting−room and scribbled a note to Benny. She put it on his pillow, hoping that if he came in he’d find it at once. Then she picked up her bag and went down to the hall.
In the meantime O’Hara met Lu, who was waiting in the street. “Listen, boss,” the cop said quickly, “we’re in a jam. Both Mendetta and the jane are dead, but there’s a little dame up there who saw Raven leave. She can identify him. I thought you wouldn’t like that. She’s on her way down now. I told her I was taking her to the station.”
Lu cursed under his breath. He stood thinking for a moment, then nodded. “Listen, tell her I’m a cop when she comes down. I’ll take her to Grantham’s apartment and he must decide what to do with her. When I’ve got her out of the way, continue your beat. You don’t know anythin’ about the killing, get it? The longer it remains under cover the better. It’ll give Raven a chance to get set.”
O’Hara nodded. “This’ll cost me my job if it comes out,” he said with a sly look.
“Don’t worry your head about that,” Lu said impatiently. “We’ll look after you. I’ll see you get somethin’
extra for this.”
“See that it’s worth havin’,” O’Hara said, and went back into the hall.
Sadie came down as he entered. He touched his cap respectfully. “An officer of the Homicide Squad is outside with a car, lady,” he said. “You go with him. I gotta do some phoning.”
He led her out to Lu, who was standing by his car. Lu raised his hat.
“This is Mrs. Perminger,” O’Hara said with a broad grin. “She’s the little lady who saw the guy I told you about.”