“Bunk,” the detective said. “She’s stringing you along. Why don’t you take a tumble to yourself, sucker? This is the guy that’s beating your time. How the hell do you suppose she got here? She was riding down in the elevator with him. They were headed for her apartment when we picked them up.”
The clerk stared from the detective to Esther, then to me. I saw hatred come in his eyes. He shrilled, “That’s not true about Esther, but this is the man. I’ll swear it’s the man.”
The detective grinned at me. “How about it, buddy? You the guy?”
“No,” I said.
“Well, now, ain’t that too bad? Must be a case of mistaken identity. Do you want to help the officers clear it up?”
“Of course.”
“Then we’ll go over to the hotel and look around.”
I said, “No, we won’t. We’ll talk things over right here, or else we’ll go and see the D.A.”
“Oh no, buddy. You’re going to the hotel.”
“What do you expect to find there?”