Joe Larkin said: "The court's paroled you in my custody for a couple of hours, Wally.
How about a ride in the fresh air?"
I thought it sounded swell, and told him so.
After going through a few formalities, he took me out of the courthouse by a side door
and led me to his car, which was parked halfway up the block.
I got in and sat beside him, as he took the wheel.
Suddenly he nudged me. "There's one of the witnesses."
I looked. Climbing into a small sedan on the opposite side of the street was a man
whom I recognized--Landi's mechanic Vetti.
Larkin spoke again: "He looks worried about something. I'm going to follow him!"
But before he could start the car, someone opened the door on my side and crowded
himself in alongside me with a grunt: "Move over! The D.A. says I'm to come along!"
It was the detective from Sweeney's office--the big guy Grossman. He was as welcome
as the smallpox, but I had to pretend I was glad to have him along, or he'd think Joe
and I were framing an escape.
Joe drove through the winding streets of the town, following Vetti's car, and then
out into the country, heading over a wooded back road which led to a town called Arden.
It was dark now, and the arc lights were on. Then I saw that Vetti's car had stopped
and pulled over to the side of the road.
Larkin slowed down, crawled up to within a dozen feet. Vetti had the hood of his car
up, and was tinkering with the spark plugs. After a few minutes, he seemed to have every-
thing fixed, and he went to resume his place in the driver's seat.
It was then that I heard a horrible scream come from his car. I looked--and I too
felt like screaming. I could see Joe Larkin's hands shaking as he held the wheel. For
there was a figure in the driving seat of Vetti's car now--a figure that had appeared
from nowhere.
Joe Larkin showed a lot of nerve then. He started up and drove close to Vetti's car,
then turned and flashed his headlights right on the figure in the driving seat, so that
the face could be plainly seen.
It was Rocco Landi, just as ghastly white as he'd been on the day of the race.
I saw Vetti on his knees, eyes staring, hands lifted in prayer. Then, at a sign
from Rocco Landi, he got up and sat in the seat beside him.
The car started off, and Larkin followed.
