D Is for Deadbeat

He got out, slammed the door, and headed up the path without a word. I was reasonably certain he wouldn't mention his outburst to his aunt and uncle, which was fortunate as I'd sworn I could talk to him without his getting upset. I was, of course, still in possession of Daggett's check, wondering if I'd be toting it around for life, trying in vain to get someone to take it off my hands.
    When I got back to my place, I spent twenty minutes unloading my VW. While I tend to maintain an admirable level of tidiness in the apartment, my organizational skills have never extended to my car. The back seat is usually crowded with files, law books, my briefcase, piles of miscellaneous clothing-shoes, pantyhose, jackets, hats, some of which I use as "disguises" in the various aspects of my trade.
    I packed everything in a cardboard box and then proceeded around to the backyard where the entrance to my apartment is located. I opened the padlock on the storage bin attached to the service porch and stowed the box, snapping the padlock into place again.
    As I reached my door, a dark shape loomed out of the shadows. "Kinsey?"
    I jumped, realizing belatedly that it was Billy Polo. I couldn't distinguish his features in the dark, but his voice was distinctly his own.
    "Oh Jesus, what are you doing here?" I said.
    "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I wanted to talk to you."
    I was still trying to recover from the jolt he'd given me, my temper rising belatedly. "How'd you know where to find me?"
    "I looked you up in the telephone book."
    "My home address isn't in the book."
    "Yeah, I know. I tried your office first. You weren't in, so I asked next door at that insurance place."
    "California Fidelity gave you my home address?" I said. "Who'd you talk to?" I didn't believe for a minute that CF would release that kind of information to him.
    "I didn't get her name. I told her I was a client and it was urgent."
    "Bullshit."
    "No, it's the truth. She only gave it to me because I leaned on her."
    I could tell he wasn't going to budge on the point, so I let it pass. "All right, what is it?" I said. I knew I sounded cranky, but I didn't like his coming to my place and I didn't believe his tale about how he found out where it was.
    "We're just gonna stand around out here?"
    "That's right, Billy. Now get on with it."
    "Well, you don't have to get so huffy."
    "Huffy! What the hell are you talking about? You loom up out of the dark and scare me half to death! I don't know you from Jack the Ripper so why should I invite you in?"
    "Okay, okay."
    "Just say what you have to say. I'm beat."
    He did some fidgeting around… for effect, I thought. Finally, he said, "I talked to my sister, Coral, and she told me I should be straight with you."
    "Oh goody, what a treat. Straight about what?"
    "Daggett," he mumbled. "He did get in touch."
    "When was this?"
    "Last Monday when he got to town."
    "He called you?"
    "Yeah, that's right."
    "How'd he know where you were?"
    "He tried my mom's house and talked to her. I wasn't home at the time, so she got his number and I called him back."
    "Where'd he call from?"
    "I don't know for sure. Some dive. There was all this noise in the background. He was drunk and I figured he must have parked himself in the first bar he found."
    "What time of day was this?"
    "Maybe eight at night. Around in there."
    "Go on."
    "He said he was scared and needed help. Somebody called him down in Los Angeles and told him he was dead meat on account of a scam he pulled up in prison just before he got out."
    "What scam?"
    "I don't know all the details. What I heard was his cellmate got snuffed and Daggett helped himself to a big wad of cash the guy had hidden in his bunk."
    "How much?"
    "Nearly thirty grand. It was some kind of drug deal went sour, which is why the guy got killed in the first place. Daggett walked off with the whole stash and somebody wanted it back. They were comin' after him. At least that's what they told him."
    "Who?"
    "I don't want to mention names. I got a fair idea and I could find out for sure if I wanted to, but I don't like puttin' my neck in a noose unless I have to. The point is I shined him on. I wasn't going to help that old coot. No way. He got himself in a hole, let him get himself out. I didn't want to be involved. Not with those guys after him. I'm too fond of my health."
    "So what happened? You talked on the phone and that was it?"
    "Well, no. I met him for a drink. Coral said I should level with you