Page:That Royle Girl (Balmer).pdf/281

 "Tell Mr. Clarke," bid Heminway to Seifert. "He's just tried Ketlar, you know."

Seifert, nodding, mouthed his much-chewed and unlit cigar.

"I bin out on Considine, Mr. Clarke. There's a break coming on Baretta—on 'count of the Considine bump-off. There's a 'skirt' who's rapping; but there's nothing doing on the Considine job yet. Nobody'll rap on that. But she's spieling on the Ketlar shooting now. 'Why don't this office get Baretta for that?' they say."

"What?" asked Calvin.

If we want Baretta, why don't we get him for killing Adele Ketlar?' they say," Seifert repeated; and Ellison, well knowing Clarke, interpreted.

"Seifert picked up a straight tip that George Baretta killed Ketlar's wife," he said.

"That is impossible," said Calvin.

"It's the fact, sir; I got it absolutely straight," Seifert returned, positively. "The Considine crowd knows and knew all along; George got mixed up with that Ketlar girl and killed her; and, if we handle it right, they'll come through with the stuff on him."