Chapter 6
Mill Town
ON THE WAY to the mill town I decided a few things. One was that Babe Mullens had talked big figures. The other was that there had been a steal of cash— big cash. But not two hundred thousand. Maybe fifty grand— maybe seventy-five. It had been Cherulli’s coin, or he had been passing it along. Someone had grabbed it. Then the killings had started. And finally Herb Steiner had figured me so dumb that I’d pack the coin in a bag.
I didn’t like the last thought so much. Didn’t figure that Steiner would rate me that way. But I was pretty sure that Lentz had known some coin was missing when he’d sent for me. And Steiner had been down to the Headquarters office, too.
My tongue felt a little better— but it was pretty swollen. My face wasn’t so bad. Steiner had been tricky— a
