"Elrod, P N - Vampire Files 09 - Lady Crymsyn E-Txt" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elrod P N)

"Some thought it might be him because he hated Lennet and then ended up owning
the place, but he never did anything with it, so that didn't make sense when it
came to a motive. It was a good-paying speak, too. A shame to let it go to
waste."
"Unless he knew about the body in the wall and didn't want to go stirring things
up."
Gordy shook his head. "Something like that wouldn't bother him. He'd either
leave it as is or get someone to dig it out and sink it in the lake. He knew
you'd be redoing the joint and might find it. Makes more sense that he didn't
know anything. This is probably one of Lennet's leftovers."
"Why did Nevis hate Lennet?"
"Ever see one junkyard mutt go up against another junkyard mutt? Those two
didn't need a reason; that's just how things were."
"Then Shivvey went to work for Lennet's enemy," I stated.
"Welsh Lennet and Booth Nevis didn't get along, but Shivvey's a for-sale kind of
mug. After Lennet's funeral he got on Nevis's payroll. He must have figured it
to be safer than trying to take his dead boss's place."
"Ever think he had anything to do with arranging the boom?"
A shrug. "He could have. Lots of guys could. The cops never got close to nailing
anyone for it and were probably told not to try."
"Who would have told 'em?"
"Back then, Big Al himself. Lennet's speak was the last in a lot of straws. The
camel's back broke. After the dust settled, everyone had to get into line and
stay that way or else. Al's a mean one with a baseball bat."
I'd heard stories to back up that opinion. "Not much good to him now." Capone
was presently doing his time in Atlanta for unpaid taxes.
"Don't kid yourself. Nitti still listens to him. Wanna meet Frank? He's here
tonight with some of the boys."
"No thanks. I've had enough excitement for one evening." I leaned my head back
and stared at the ceiling, not fighting the frown that took over my face. "I
don't look forward to the papers tomorrow. The morning edition's already out and
won't have anything on this mess, but the afternoon'sЕ"
"If you play it right, you can turn them in your favor."
"How so?"
"First, you say you knew nothing about the body, be surprised as the next guy
about finding it. That's all true, anyway. Second, you say something about crime
and criminals being bad. Everyone likes to hear stuff like that. And third, you
give the dead dame a good funeral."
I sat up straight, alarmed at this turn. "I couldn't do that!"
"You can afford it."
"It's not the moneyЧI'd be exploiting her death for cheap publicity, and
everyone would know it."
"Then do it on the sly. Don't tell anyone. Sooner or later some newshawk'll find
out who's footin' the bill. By not talking about it you come out a hero instead.
Everyone loves a secret Good Samaritan."
I shook my head. "No."
"Hey, someone's got to bury her. If nobody comes forward to claim her as their
long-lost relative, then how good you gonna look if you let her go to potter's
field? The papers would really love that one."
I'd been stuck fast in cleft sticks before and hated the squeeze. "All right," I