Donelly swore softly. “Listen, Ourney,” he said slowly, “I think you’re a good guy. A lot of good guys go wrong in this man’s town. Dot Ellis is out— and now Donner’s out. You stood a rap for Ellis, and you didn’t rate it. I spotted you right away. You don’t know me, but I worked the Ellis case. She was a bum. Why don’t you take a trip west?”
I grinned. “Why should I take a trip west?”
“Why should a guy live?” Donelly asked pointedly.
I didn’t answer that one, but I got the idea. We moved toward the vestibule of the boardinghouse. We went down the steps together. The morgue wagon hadn’t arrived yet. The lean detective and Red Salmon were standing near the curb. Two cops were keeping the crowd away. An elevated train clattered, a half block away. It had started to rain again.
Donelly sm
