Private Dick Casefile 01 - Lily White Rose Red

like I thought of myself as Grey. If I were Mr. Big, would I send flowers to a dame and sign the card B for Big?
    Seemed kind of unlikely, but you never know how much a man’s ego could get twisted up when he fell for a broad.
    And maybe I could put the squeeze on Barry Jazz Morgan too.
    Yeah, I know, I thought if I could get him to talk first, maybe I wouldn’t have to see Mr. Martin again. Not that I’m yellow, just that I noticed Martin’s last name had the same number of letters as the word
    “danger.”
    And maybe I could see which way the wind blew with Miss Tina as well. I had to admit I was curious, I’d never really gotten up close with a T-girl who was on the stage.
    The disc got me past the bruiser at the door again without any trouble. Looking over the room, I didn’t see Reggie. That was good. I was going to be in enough trouble without having to fend him off as well.
    Last time I was there, I’d seen Phil Martin, AKA Mr. Big, disappear behind the blue curtain on the wall, and I figured if I played it cagey, no one would notice if I slipped in back there as well. As it turned out, all my subterfuge was for nothing; that was also the way to the restroom, and some guy came along right behind me. Apparently he thought I was taking numbers, because I had to show him my fists to convince him I wasn’t heading for the john to look for some action.

    Lily White, Rose Red: Grey Randall, Private Dick Casefile #1
    81

    Once I’d shaken him off, I eased down the hallway to find Phil Martin’s office. The first door I tried turned out to be Jazz Morgan’s dressing room. And he was at home, so I went right in.
    Without looking up, he said, “Sorry, men’s room is on the other side of the hallway. First door past the curtain.”
    “Jazz Morgan, just the man I wanted to talk to,” I said menacingly.
    When he got to his feet, I had to look up at him. He topped me by about six inches. It’s some trick to look up and scare someone, but I like to think I managed it.
    “Who the hell are you, white belly?” he growled.
    Kind of a strong reaction to an invitation for a friendly chat.
    Despite the fact that he was taller than me and bigger, and Reggie told me he boxed, I wasn’t going to let him get away with trying to intimidate me with his size. Brains over brawn, right?
    “Ooooh, racial slurs. I bet I can top it,” I taunted him back.
    “Miss Rivers told me some big-time, hotshot cop came by looking for me.”
    He crowded me against the wall. Looking up into those pretty amber eyes, I was surprised to see a tinge of amusement instead of anger.
    “I’m just a little fish in a big pond,” I said. “I’m not the law, I’m private.”
    “It don’t scare you that I’m black, does it?” I put my hand on his chest and shoved him away from me. “Not much.” I shrugged. “I care a lot more if you’re a killer.” He looked wounded. “I wouldn’t kill anyone. I’m not a saint, but I’m no murderer.”
    “Anyone can kill, it just depends on the circumstances,” I said cynically. I’d been strung plenty in my line of work.
    “And who am I supposed to have killed?”
    “Your girlfriend, Marguerite Saint-Ville,” I bluffed.

    82

    CATT FORD

    He clenched his fists and towered over me with a threatening expression on his face. And that’s when I saw it: underneath his anger, his guilt peered out steadily, even though I didn’t know exactly what he felt guilty for. Yet.
    “You find out who killed her, you let me know. I’ll deal with him,” he continued, but he backed up a step. He was turned inward now, contemplating his pain rather than me.
    I stood there, not knowing quite what to do. “So why’d she dump you?”
    His laugh was bitter. “She didn’t dump me, man, I tried to let her down easy. As soon as I found out—”
    “That she was interested in more than just the music?” He nodded. “You do know something, don’t you, little fish?” I was getting tired of people razzing me because of my size. “I know a lot more than you think I do. She ever do the high kick with you?”
    “Shit, man, check it out.” He seemed impressed that I knew more than he thought I did. “She told me about that, only did that to gents that was bugging her. No need for that here or for her to ward me off, she was hot for me. I’m on the square.”
    I nodded, I knew he was telling the truth, but he wasn’t telling me everything. “What about Miss Tina?”
    Jazz snickered bitterly. “No love