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“Otherwise you acted yourself?”

“I focused on cocksure Any cop, good, bad, or indifferent, has to be cocksure to be taken seriously”

“Like us,” said Bell

“Except e disguise ourselves as someone with a lower profile than a cop”

“A detective,” said Bell

“Beg pardon?”

“Ten-to-one, our provocateur is a private detective”

“Why not a cop?”

“What cop could operate days apart in Gleasonburg, New York, and Chicago? Policemen can’t travel They’re locked in their jurisdiction But we can go anywhere in the country That’s why Joe Van Dorn is opening field offices Cops are stuck at houy He’s a private detective”

Wish Clarke nodded thoughtfully “Son, I keep saying you’re getting the hang of this detecting line and you keep proving ht He could most certainly be a detective In fact, I’d bet on it”

Bell asked, “Have you noticed we have three fellows sticking close behind us?”

“If you’re referring to the short, fat, and tall gents in bowler hats, they latched onto us where we left the auto”

“The short ugly one was hanging around Black’s”

They started across the Harrison Street jackknife bridge Wish pretended to adlanced back “The fat ugly one was stuffing his face at Little’s lunch”

“Do you happen to have your coach gun in your bag?” Bell asked