The Blue Movie Murders Read Free Page B

Governor sighed. “Why don’t they go down to Washington and parade in front of the Supreme Court?”
    McCall started to offer some words of consolation when they were interrupted by the ringing of the Governor’s private telephone. Only a half dozen of the state’s key administrators had this private number, and when it rang, McCall knew it was something important.
    â€œGovernor Holland here.… Yes, Major. How are you this morning?… Oh? Near Rockview, you say?… Yes, yes. Thank you for calling, Major. You did the right thing.”
    McCall didn’t hide his interest “Rockview?”
    â€œThat was Major Hart of the State Police. He just had a report of a murder up near Rockview. Since the victim was a man of some prominence, he thought I should be informed.”
    â€œProminence? You mean—?”
    Holland nodded. “Ben Sloane. Somebody killed him.”
    The chanting was still going on outside, but McCall and the Governor were both silent for a long moment. Finally, when McCall spoke, he asked, “Do you think he found Sol Dahlman?”
    â€œThat would hardly seem a reason for his murder.”
    â€œBut why else would somebody kill him, when he’d been in Rockview for less than a day? Did Major Hart give you any details?”
    â€œNone, except that no one saw the murderer. It happened early this morning, at the motel where Sloane and his secretary were staying.”
    McCall sighed. “I hope Cynthia Rhodes doesn’t try to tie this killing in with her campaign against blue movies. The death of a man like Ben Sloane is going to make headlines across the country.”
    Governor Holland hit the desk with his fist. “Then, damn it, Mike, we’ve got to make some headlines of our own! I want you to go up to Rockview and see what you can find out. Get me the real reason for Sloane’s murder, and the person who killed him.”
    â€œWhat if it’s tied in with the sex films?”
    â€œThen at least we’ll be on the offensive. We won’t be just sitting here listening to that mob outside.”
    McCall had to agree. A trip to Rockview might not accomplish a great deal, but at least it would show that the Governor was acting—and that just might be enough to placate Cynthia Rhodes and her followers. If McCall was right about her, she was the sort to hop from one cause to another with the speed of a jet plane. In a few days she might forget about blue movies and be back in New York campaigning for free abortions.
    â€œI’ll leave at once,” he told the Governor.
    â€œYou’d better go out the back way. I don’t want you tangling with those women again.”
    McCall shook his head. “To tell you the truth, I rather enjoyed it.”
    On the way out McCall observed that the line of marchers had increased to the hundred Cynthia Rhodes had predicted. The new recruits were mainly older women, and they marched in near silence, only a few of them carrying placards. These were the women of the city, coming out now to join the protest. Although it made for a more orderly gathering it was also what McCall feared most. Cynthia’s cause had found a following among people who ordinarily wouldn’t have been caught dead at a woman’s liberation rally.
    â€œHow do you like it now, McCall?” she shouted when she saw him, leaving the line of march to run to his side.
    â€œI’m glad you stopped the cheering.”
    â€œYou haven’t heard anything yet! Come back at noon and we’ll rock those walls.”
    He glanced up at the old stone building he’d just left. “I don’t think the place could take it.”
    â€œWhat did the Governor say? Is he going to close down these movies?”
    â€œYou know there’s very little he can do on a state level.”
    â€œBut that’s where we have to start. In the states. In the cities. Washington tends to ignore women, except at