XXVI

Blackmail

I had to push my client’s doorbell a lot before I got any play on it.

Finally the door was opened by the tall sunburned chauffeur. He was dressed in undershirt and pants, and had a billiard cue in one fist.

“What do you want?” he demanded, and then, when he got another look at me: “It’s you, is it? Well, what do you want?”

“I want to see Mr. Willsson.”

“At four in the morning? Go on with you,” and he started to close the door.

I put a foot against it. He looked from my foot to my face, hefted the billiard cue, and asked:

“You after getting your kneecap cracked?”

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