"Here's my hand on it. No promises--only the best I can do for you."
"Well," Nelson cleared his throat, "in that case I'd better come clean.
There ain't no use confessing that I stole them pearls off old man
Rawlings about a year ago. You know that an' the insurance company
detectives know it. They knew it so well that there wasn't a chance for
me to dispose of them through the regular channels, so when I heard
that Lathrop was inclined to use his position as an honorable man to
get away with an occasional dirty little job, I went to him and offered
to sell and sell cheap--"
"No! It isn't true...." Lathrop's face was pitiful. "Nelson, please!
This will all be used against you."
"Sure--sure. And it'll be used against you, too," explained Jim
casually.
Lathrop cowered as Nelson continued the story of their negotiations.
When he finished Hanvey returned his attention to the figure of the
terrified jeweler.
"My family--my child--my business--"
"You're a fine slice of limburger," complimented Jim. "I suppose you've
been weeping your eyes out thinking about Tim Lannigan, haven't you?"
"Lannigan?"
"Yes--Lannigan, the lad you double-crossed--got him to try an' smuggle
in stuff that he didn't know was stolen. Well, you're clear of the
Lannigan case but we'll make you sweat for this. Ten years, maybe."
"Please ... for God's sake--anything but that--"
Jim regarded him steadily. "Tim Lannigan is a good friend of mine,
Lathrop. One of the best friends I have. It just occurs to me that we
might make a little deal.... Interested?"
"Yes. Yes. Go on."
"Well--all we've been after in this Rawlings affair is the stuff.
We don't care particularly about sending Teddy Nelson up. And since
we've got the pearls ... how about this: You sit down there and sign
a confession that you hired Tim Lannigan to smuggle in those jewels.
You can say that you didn't know they were stolen--that it was simply
a job on your part to beat the customs. That'll be proof enough that
Tim didn't know they were stolen--and, of course, proof that he wasn't
mixed up in the original robbery which'll keep him from serving twenty
years or so in a French prison for something he didn't do."
Jim paused. He fancied that he could hear the rustling of skirts in the
hallway. Lathrop looked up pleadingly--
"What can they do to me for that?"
"They can give you two years in the Federal prison--same as they did
Lannigan. But they probably won't. They did that to Lannigan because he
was known as a professional crook. You'll most likely get off with a
heavy fine--and it'll clear Tim of that French stuff."
"Are you telling me the truth?"
Teddy Nelson broke in, somewhat explosively--"Hell! Jim Hanvey ain't no
liar."
"You can choose," explained Jim easily, "between that and a certain
long stretch for this Rawlings affair."
Lathrop looked up piteously. "I'll do it," he said at length. "Tell me
what to write."
Hanvey dictated slowly and carefully, and when he was finished he
summoned Mary Lannigan to whom he read the confession. Then, with Mary
as a witness, Noah Lathrop signed.
The following day Jim accompanied Mary Lannigan to the Pennsylvania
Station whence she departed for Atlanta to break the gladsome news to
her husband. She was tearfully grateful--"Aw! stow it, Sister--I didn't
do a darn thing except have a little fun...."
From the train he went to an unpretentious hotel in the West Fifties
where, a few moments later, he found himself alone with Teddy Nelson.
Teddy was very much at ease. He waved his hand airily--"Have a seat,
Jim. Make yourself comfortable." Then, defensively--"But leave that
nickel-plated cigar case in your pocket. I don't mind talking to a
detective but I'm not willing to smell his cigars."
Jim ignored the request. And as the first horrid blast of cigar smoke
assailed Teddy, Jim vouchsafed a bit of information--
"I fixed it for you, Teddy. Saw Simpson and Clarke this morning--gave
'em the pearls. They were so tickled it was a cinch getting them to
promise to lay off you."
Nelson sighed relievedly. "Great stuff, Jim. I've been hanging on to
those things for a year--knowing that I didn't have a chance to get rid
of 'em, and hating to heave 'em in the river. Now they're safely gone
and I've helped a pal. Gee!" he smiled--"I'll bet Tim is gonna be happy
when he hears the news."
"You tell 'em, Teddy. But not near as happy as Mary was when things
come out all right. She sure done wonders for Tim--"
"Wonders, me eye. It was you who did it all, Jim. Wasn't it you who
came to me in the first place and suggested that I approach Lathrop on
this deal? Didn't you wise me up to the whole works and show me how
it'd be a better thing for everybody--me included? Mary did her part
all right, Jim--but the whole idea of my selling those pearls to Noah
Lathrop was yours--any thanks that Tim Lannigan is handing out is due
you. And I'm going to tell him so."
Jim regarded him gravely. "You're gonna keep your mouth shut, Teddy.
Shut tight. One yawp out of you to either Tim or Mary about that and
by gosh! I'll turn you and Lathrop both up. Which might not be so
hard on you, Teddy--but would be hell on Lathrop--him owning three
automobiles."