Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

ie m fUl edia Every Tuesday groomed, and a pair ot iiorn-ritnmed pince- Incz, attached to a black ribbon, gave him quite an air of distinction. ■All right?" he asked, dropping the pince-nez and blinking; because they were totalh unnecessary to his sight. • Ail right." responded Bixby, advancing to the desk. "But the boys had to ventilate a cop." "That wasn't smart!" "An\ thing's smart—for t'nese!" Bi.\by brought out a handful of uncut gems. "That remains to be seen." Banford got to his feet. "Let's look at them in the work-room." He went to a tubular light fixture on the wall to the left of his desk, moved the c\linder of glass to one side, and pressed a button that had been concealed behind it. A portion of the panelling, the size of a narrow door, slid back, and they stepped into a dark passage. Banford closed the panel with the aid of a switch, and another panel opened. Bevond this second panei was a work- room fitted with benches, lathes and furnaces, and in it a number of men were cutting, polishing and setting precious stones, as well as repairing broken or damaged jewellery. Banford and Bixby went to a bench at wiiich a long-nosed and long-chinned man of about thirtv was working. His name was Gaston Duprez, but he was known to Banford and the members of his staff as "Frenchv. ■ "I heard on the radio," Fi-enchy said in a mincing manner which was one of his characteristics, "that a jewellery store was stuck up. ■ I was there," said Bixby, emptying the stolen gems from his pockets into a shallow tray on the bench. "Bov!" breathed Frenchy, as Banford screwed a magnifying-glass into his right eye and proceeded to examine the haul. "I'm gonna take my share and get m.\- teeth filled with 'em!" •I think they'll look even nicer on Crystal's throat," said Banford. "You're always putting the profits around her neck. " It was Bixby who made that remark, and Banford looked up at him. "Any objections?" he asked tartlv. "No."" "That's what I thought." The jeweller put the magnifying-glass back into his pocket. "Throw away the little ones. Frenchy." he said. ■They're dangerous evidence. Break up the bigger stones in the usual way. You know what I want." At almost the same moment. Captain Bill Dugan said to a number of plain- clothes men and uniformed officers he had summoned to his room at .the police station of the 14th precinct; "All right, you men know what I want. I want the men that killed Casey. I want 'em alive—and I want 'em now!" Dannv, who was present, stated con- fidently : "I can bring you in the name of one of them in twenty-four hoiu'S, if you'll give me leave of absence." Dugan frowned at him. '"I didn't notice any visiting-cards layin' around that jewellery store," he said witheringly. "No: but he left something just as good," said Danny. "I found a perfect print of the heel of his shoe, and I think that " 'I'll do the thinkin'!" Dugan inter- nipted. "Don't forget I'm still runnin' this precinct. Now, the rest of you know what to do. Ring door-bells, talk to land- ladies, plav the bars. That's all." "Don't worry," said Grazzi, "we'll get 'em—sooner or later." He went out from the room, and all the others marched out after him, except Danny. Bill Dugan sat holding his chin and gnawing his underlip, far too upset abotit the killing of Casey to bother his head about the new recruit. But after a couple of minutes' silence the new recruit ventured: 'Captain. I know how you feel about BOY'S CINEMA scientific police work. You think its a wa.stc of time." "Well, isn't it?" snapped Dugan. 'No, sir. I can show you a thousand cases that prove \ou're wrong. I—I didn't know Casey ver.\ long, but I want to try and help find the men that killed him." Kathleen entered the room, carrying a small basket, but stopped short to listen. "You can laugh all .vou want about tracing a killer by heel-prints " Dugan dismisse'd the per.sistent rerniit with a gesture: but Kathleen sailed over to the desk, and she said indignantly : "You can't prove he's wrong—not unless you give hini a chance to show himself up." ■Tiianks." murmured Danny gratefully. "Your liuich." Kathleen set the basket down on the desk. Aunt Rosie was too busy to bring it over." "Yeah. I know," growled her uncle, and he began to remove things from the basket. "Peanut butter, hard-boiled eggs, and potato salad. Hasn't changed for five years!" "Exactly." said Kathleen pointedly. "You want a change—and that s exactly what this precinct needs! Why don't you give Danny a break?" "All I want." pleaded Danny, "is one day on the detective squad." "Well, what're you stallin' around for? " Dugan barked at him. "Dyou want the killers to get out o' town?" ■ No. sir.' said Danny happil.\". and he went off in haste. "Thanks, Uncle Bill." Kathleen mtir- mured. as the young enthusiast closed the door behind him. ■"AH right, all right." Dugan waved a hand. "But don't let Aunt Rosie know you're getting soft on a cop. She hates coppers. " Aimt Rosie was Captain Bill Dugan's wife, and there was no truth in the state- ment. But Kathleen was not concerned with Aimt Rosie's likes and dislikes. ■"Me soft on him?' she exclaimed. "Why. I wouldn't dream of " "Sure. sure, stire! " drawled Dugan. "I know you wouldn't!" THE PICTURE IN THE QUN ! EARLY in the morning of the second day after the robbery. Commissioner Fenton sent for Captain Bill Dugan, and that officer was in the Commissioner's room when Martin Banford entered the outer office with another jeweller named Huxley. Fenton's male secretary announced txieir arrival and ushered them into the Commissioner's presence. The door was closed, tlie secretary" returned to his own desk, and he was going through some doctuiients when Danny burst in upon him. ■"Is Captain Dugan in there with the Commissioner?" asked the intruder eagerly. "Yes," the secretary replied, "but you can't see him now. The Commissioner's got him on the carpet." ""Oh, I'll get him off!" declared Danny. ""You'll have to wait." he was told. Banford and Huxley had become seated on one side of Commissioner Fenton's desk; Dugan was standing stLffiy—and not at all happily—on the other side of it. "A month ago, when we were here," said Banford complainingly. "you pro- mised to stop tlae thieves who are driving OLU' jew"ellen- insurance rates sky-high. Instead, the epidemic is worse." "We haven't been asleep." the Commis- sioner assured him. •Splendid, splendid!" Banford stood up, resting a hand upon the desk. "In the last two months fifteen major jewel jobberies have been committed—and fifteen of them remain unsolved!" The Commissioner shifted uncomfort- ably in his swivel-chair. Robert Huxley, a portly little man, well known in the trade and highly respected even by his competitors, said mildly: ■Banford and I have beeri lucky. The t'nieves haven't invaded oiu' premises .vet." "We may be next.'" Banford said to him. ■■I'm prepared. I've installed the latest protective devices on the vault. I can't take an\ chances with iu\ latest .'^hio- ment from abroad." "Much?" inquired Banford. "The Vendervecr diamonds from Am- sterdam." "Uncut?" "Naturally." Commissioner Fcnlon pushed back his chair and ro.sc. "Well, gentlemen," he said, "I can't catch the crooks if you stay here talking shop." "That's right," smiled Banford, and he picked up his hat and gloves. Huxley hoisted himself out of the chair he had been filling. "I promise you," said the Commissioner, "we'll clean up this last case within a month." "Sooner than that, I hope.' Banford retorted. "Good-bye!" He went out with Huxley, and the Com- missioner looked up at Dugan. "You're on the deadline now! " he remarked. Danny appeared in the doorway. "Excuse me. Captain Dugan." he blurted. Dugan stared. "Yes, Blake?" he questioned curtly. "Captain, I was able to trace that heel- print." "Fine! Take it up with me at the station." Virtually it was a command to go, but the Commissioner raised a hand. "Heel-print? " he questioned. "Yes. sii"," said Danny. "So you're using more science in your precinct?" The question was addressed to Dugan, but Danny answered it. "We are. Commissioner. I think I know the man who engineered the Blue Dia- mond hold-up." "Good! " approved Fenton. "Come in and tell us about it." Danny stepped into the room, closed the door, and walked delightedly round Dugan to the side of the desk. From a large envelope he took out an unmounted photograph and held it across the desk. "You ought to put him in plain clothes." said the Commissioner, reseating liimself and looking at the photograph. "That the heel-print?" "Yes, sir," replied Danny. "It's a custom-made heel from McDuff & Com- pany. I figured out that the man who wore it must be about five feet ten, and weigh about a hundred and sixty pounds." "Aw, that description would fit a dozen different men!" snorted Dugan, inwardly furious. "Only three that bought this particular heel," stated Danny, who had done a con- siderable amount of investigation in a very short time. "The first is a banker who happened to be in bed when the robbery took place. The second is a lawyer who is in Europe." "And the thii'd?" inquired the interested Commissioner. "A fellow by the name of Charles Bixby." Dugan was startled. "Bixby?" he echoed. "Yes, sir. "Say. I've been tryin" to pin something on that guy for years! You bring him in and I'll make him talk." "If I can make a suggestion, captain," ventured Danny, "I wouldn't handle it quite that way." "No?" snapped Dugan. "No. If you arrest Bixby you're throw- ing away a pat hand." "I don't get you." "Well, we know that Bixby engineered the robbery, but we don't know who the top man is. Now. if Bixby doesn't know that we've got him connected with the mob. he may lead us to him." Dugan made a scornful noise in his throat, but the Commissioner said tersely : Koveniher llth, IT-J.