Maurer nodded. He knew how dangerous Ferrari was, and he was dismayed to find him here. He had to make an effort to get a grip on the situation.
“What the hell have you three been playing at?” he demanded. “Why haven’t you got rid of the girl? It’s three weeks since I’ve been away. She should have been hit days ago.”
“Not so easy,” Seigel said. “We don’t know where she is, for a start.”
“You knew where she was!” Maurer snarled. “Why didn’t you hit her then?”
“We took Weiner first,” Gollowitz said quickly. “He was the easiest.”
“The easiest! Don’t you realize she is the dangerous one? With her out of the way Weiner’s evidence wouldn’t have amounted to a thing! You should have taken her first!”
Gollowitz had long ago realized his mistake of killing Weiner instead of Frances, and it bothered him that Maurer had so quickly spotted the weakness of his strategy.
“You know she’s talked?” McCann said. “She claims to have seen you knock off the Arnot woman. That’s why there’s a warrant out for you.”
Maurer’s face turned a dusky red.
“Then she’s lying! I didn’t touch June!”