The records showed that he had.

I took a cab back to the hotel. I was past due for a lot of shut-eye.

Chapter Twelve

It was past noon when I went to Hale’s apartment. He was out. I had a combined breakfast and lunch at the Bourbon House and tried Hale again.

No dice.

I went down St. Charles Avenue to the apartment house where Roberta had lived and studied the place as carefully as I could while walking by. Then I went back to the hotel and wrote out a typewritten report for the office files, being careful to list all my expenses.

I went back to the apartment at about four. Hale was in.

He was, moreover, in a very jovial mood.

“Come right in, Lam. Come in and sit down. Well, young man, I think I did you a little good. I drummed up another customer for you.”

“That right?”