Which Way to Die? Read Free Page B

.”
    â€œI agree that Martello is more of a threat than the kooks who wrote the letters,” Baer said. “But even gangsters have feelings. The girl was his daughter.” There was something about Elizabeth Grant that he disliked on sight.
    Mrs. Grant huffed. “Are you saying, Mr. Baer, that a man like that is capable of feeling a decent emotion? I think, John,” she said to Alstrom, “we may have come to the wrong person.”
    â€œNow let’s not be hasty, Elizabeth,” Alstrom said; he looked uncomfortable. “Mr. Baer comes highly recommended.”
    â€œI don’t care . Anyway, Frank and Gerard didn’t kill that girl. Those confessions were forced out of them.”
    Baer’s bushy red brows elevated. He knew Tim Corrigan’s methods, and they did not include brutality where the rights of suspects were concerned. “If you don’t want me,” he said, beginning to rise.
    â€œSit down, sit down, Mr. Baer,” Alstrom said. “Mrs. Grant is naturally overwrought. What we came for is to hire you as a bodyguard for the two boys. The present plan is to take them from Sing Sing to a temporary hiding place for a week or so—that is, until the furor over their release dies down—then to quietly get them out of the country. We’ve been promised police protection, but we feel the boys will be safer with a personal bodyguard, too. The job should take no more than a couple of weeks.”
    â€œWhere is this hideout, Mr. Alstrom?”
    John Alstrom shook his handsome head. “Sorry, but the boys’ lawyers have advised us to avoid all possibility of a leak by keeping it secret until the last moment. We would like you to ride up to the prison with us on the release date. You’ll be told the details then.”
    Baer frowned. “If I’m to be responsible for your sons’ lives, I prefer to be in on the planning of the security.”
    â€œI’m afraid that’s impossible, Mr. Baer. Those are the conditions. We’re prepared to offer you double your usual fee if you’ll accept the assignment.”
    The private detective took a panatela from his humidor, twirled it in his fingers, and studied it. Then he threw it down. “In that case,” he said, “you’ll have to accept a disclaimer on my part. I’ll guard your sons, but I can’t accept responsibility for anything that happens to them.”
    â€œNothing will happen to them, I’m positive,” Alstrom said. “Mr. Narwald and Mr. Fellows and the boys have worked out a really brilliant plan.”
    â€œBut it’s their plan, not mine. Anyway, that’s got to be understood. Otherwise no deal.”
    Alstrom looked impatient. “Agreed. Then you accept the assignment?”
    â€œYes,” Baer said. “They’re to be released on Friday?”
    Mrs. Grant said fretfully, “Thursday morning, Mr. Baer. Friday was announced as a blind.”
    â€œWe’ll pick you up at eight-thirty Thursday morning,” Alstrom said. “A police officer from the Main Office Squad will also be coming with us.”
    â€œOh? Who would that be?”
    â€œA Captain Corrigan. The same officer who worked on the case four years ago, as it happens.”
    Baer hid a grin. He could imagine how Corrigan relished the assignment. It had to be an assignment; he could not see Corrigan volunteering for the job. Protecting the killers he had worked so hard to catch!
    But the big man said nothing.
    â€œI don’t understand why the Police Commissioner assigned him,” Mrs. Grant said in a whine. “He’s the man who beat those confessions out of Frank and Gerard.”
    â€œNow, Elizabeth,” Alstrom said. “The boys never claimed anything worse than psychological pressure.”
    â€œWell, he implied they’d be beaten if they didn’t confess—I don’t like that brute.”
    Alstrom began to look