“Me?” Ernie Shires shrugged his shoulders. “What should I do about it? I wasn’t Waldron’s bodyguard.”
“You were in the money, weren’t you?”
“Sure. I was getting mine out of Waldron’s racket. One grand a week to keep the gorillas working. But why should I worry? I ain’t eating snowballs. I’m a long way from being broke!”
Killer Durgan pondered. He continued to study his visitor.
He knew well why Shires had come to see him. If he had not understood the purpose of the gangster’s visit, he would not have granted him admittance. Shires was after a job with Durgan; and Durgan wanted to find out a few things about the gangster’s previous connection with the defunct Tim Waldron. He had learned one fact already; that Shires had been working for Waldron on a strictly business arrangement. That pleased Durgan.
There were reasons why he did not want a man who was nursing a vengeance. He was not anxious to embroil himself in a feud on account of Tim Waldron’s death. Still, he wanted to know more.
“Why did Marsland knock off Waldron?” he questioned.
“Don’t ask me,” responded Shires.
“Was he trying to muscle in on Waldron’s racket?”
“Nope. Waldron had that racket by the ears. He was the big noise, and he was making a go of it.”