"O.K., Joey. Come on up, and I'll call a squad car to take you home."
He gave me a bitter grin. "And have 'em coming after me again and again until they catch me? No, thanks, Inspector. In one minute, I'm going to walk across and ask 'em what they're following me for."
"You can't do that, Joey!"
He looked hurt. "Inspector, since when it is against the law to ask a couple of guys how come they're following you? I just thought I oughta tell ya, that's all. So long."
I knew there was no point in arguing with Joey Partridge. I turned and said: "Want some action, Your Grace?"
But he was already on his feet, holding that walking stick of his. "Anything you say."
"Come on, then. We'll take the fire escape; the elevator is too slow. The fire escape will let us out in the alley, and we won't by outlined by the light in the foyer."
I already had the bedroom door open. I ran over to the window, opened it, and started down the steel stairway. The Duke was right behind me. It was only three floors down.
"That Joey is too smart for his own good," I said, "but he's right. This is the only way to work it. Otherwise, they'd have him in the hospital eventually—or maybe dead."
"He looked like a man who could take care of himself," the Duke said.