He turned his moon of a face to the detective and his cold eyes narrowed. “Dickie” never beat about the bush.

Labar was equally blunt. “Has a Mrs. Gertstein an account with you?”

“That hellcat. She’s in my ribs for a thousand or two.”

“Passing up settling day lately, I suppose?”

“She is and all. There’s been no settling day for her for a month or two. See you, I don’t mind a bit of rope, but, when a skirt plays this ‘heads I win, tails you lose’ game too often, it isn’t good enough for Dickie. That’s the worst of betting with women.”

“Ah. You’ve wanted to see the colour of her money?”