 Novak for hire sure I'm Pat Novak for hire that's what the sign out in front of my place says Pat Novak for hire it's the easy way because down here in the waterfront in San Francisco you can't afford to wait your turn you're gonna make a living down here you got to do everything you can you got to be out of the hen house by Sunup even then it doesn't work out always because you get trouble tax-free it's like leukemia there's nothing you can do about it there's no way to duck it you might as well try to start a conga line in the cathedral I found that out Monday night when I met an old friend it was a night before elections and I was sitting in the office scratching married women out of an old date book when Sam Tolliver showed up I hadn't seen him for years but it was a nice easy meeting what other way is there when you're good friends and you look just the same fancy yeah it's good to see you Sam sit down sure well I guess huh you get different stories where have you been all the hard luck stems Syracuse for a while and Joliet that's where I come from now yeah that's where they got a big prison they came too far Sam you should stop in Oakland huh that's right if you're out here to play small Robert you better think it over it's a tough time all right me Pat see I'm not Sam but once you start losing them it's hard to win again I just thought you might want to know about San Francisco thanks thanks but you don't have to worry Patsy I get a smart street I'm here mostly to ask a favor yeah can you spare me one for old time's sake medium-sized go ahead I want to borrow any of boats you come all away from Joliet to borrow a boat Sam if it's gonna hurt that much forget it I just asked all right when do you need it tonight it's to pick up a package in a bay about 9 o'clock sure I'll run you out no it's a little different Patsy I can't make the trip you'd have to do it for me the favor is getting bigger Sam you have to pick up the package and bring it back here I'll I'll be waiting at 10 o'clock I guess you won't buy our Patsy I'm not impressed it'd mean a lot to me Patsy it really would and you couldn't get hurt honest nobody gets hurt honest it's the other way I'm worried about I wish I could tell you Patsy but I can't you know how it is sometimes you can't but well it's that way now of it you'd be doing me a real favor and you wouldn't get hurt that's what Henry used to tell his wife all right Sam but you put out a bad story well Patsy you have to go buy the China star she's out in a stream just tell them you came for that package they want to ask just tell me I want the package yeah talk to the captain I'll be waiting here at your place about 10 o'clock and Patsy it's important don't let anybody else have it all right I'll see you here Tim thanks Patsy it's a big favor we're old friends yeah we're old friends not wrong with Emma no there's nothing wrong with old friends Sam except sometimes they wear out on you when Sam Toliver walked out of there I began to worry I don't know why because he was always a good guy but if you leave good silk out in the ring it'll shrink I was too late to change my mind now I was gonna get that package and say goodbye to Sam Toliver only things didn't work out that way you start with trouble and it never stops it's like offering to buy aspirin for a two-headed boy about 8 30 I took a boat and I started out into the bay half way out into the stream I had to give way to a tanker after she threw up by I picked up the China star tied up at boy 327 was a broken down old barge so old I expected to find Noah hiding out in the bilges well I went aboard and they took me into the captain's cabin was gonna be tougher than Sam thought the old man had some questions and it was about as smooth as a bag of fingernails right away I got the idea what do you want I came out for a package who are you what good will name do you who are you what do you care mr. this isn't our dance just give me the package and I'll leave keep shouting tough boy and when you're all through tell me your name no look I'm not out here to haunt your boat you got the right face for it I'm just passing through if you're running a small boat you got papers let's see yeah you're too handy in your own cabin no back you a pollock Novak yeah and it feels fine how's it being a pig these days I'll get jumpy I just asked who sent you here no I'll forget you asked just keep the package I'm going home walk home on the bottom and I looked Novak somebody steered you wrong maybe it was no questions once but it's not that way anymore just want to keep the book straight who sent you Sam's Oliver you need a pencil now that's enough questions you see Novak all you had to do was answer you can have the package now talk some more I'll take it now where is it on the desk behind you there yeah thanks captain didn't like company when he hit me I dropped down to the floor like a piece of hard working lint last thing I remember was Sam Toliver sending me out to this boat I knew then I had no more business here than second trumpet in a string quartet I could hear voices and people moving around but it didn't help much you can get that kind of service in a tomb somewhere along the line they moved me because when I woke up I was lying in a cloud of platinum on a couch in a different cabin class of people that improved she was bending over me with a cold towel and a warm look from where I was she had a figure like a shot of brandy on a winter night when she said hello you knew that all you had to do was send up a flare and relax good evening welcome back yeah how do you feel a little used up I need recharging put your head on my lap yeah that's it forget the towel I'll struggle along this way by the way whose lap is it I'm Ellen Marl where's your friend the captain I guess so the brave guy Axel arm he's down getting your boat ready what's he doing punching holes in the bottom he'll be back in a minute the package will be ready you can leave no you keep the package the last time I got a headache I'm sorry about that it was a mistake that's what they told me on the net by that time her head was 40 feet down the street what's in that package it wouldn't help if you knew you let me work that out work out the answer then how about Sam's I'm not going that fast you're going the wrong way I'll be lick your wounds darling but I'm not gonna get talking what do you got to lose what have I got to gain except your gratitude I can get that any night with a couple of drinks how does he look too comfortable on your feet no bag yeah you ought to rent that out sweetheart I'd sign a lease myself I'll finish the sweet talk no bag you get on your way here's a package you know I changed my mind about the package you keep it your boats ready unless you want to get tossed in like a mackerel take the package and beat it what's in it and where does Sam's Oliver fit once already with your head and her lap you want me to sit down well you got brains after all sorry I thought they were all in your fist yeah you're still smart take this package show them the boat Ellen I'm gonna remember you mister Ellen's gonna lead you by the hands of the dark stop people and settle for the simple places I will I'll remember you concentrate on Ellen you get a better memory I went out on deck with a girl and as I got to the starboard side I noticed her hair for the first time the way you're liable to suddenly notice a flower after a hard rain her hair was red and as the orange lights of the bridge reflected against it it seemed like a prairie fire away down in the valley flaring up quick and then burning low again rest of her would have made a good prairie fire too was the only good thing I could think of on the way across the bay the water was as quiet as a drowsy caterpillar and I had a chance to think why had they changed their mind about giving me that package and how wet were Sam's Oliver's feet well must have been about 1130 when I pulled into the pier and started on the run for my office the lights were on and I burst right in because I had a lot to ask Sam but it wasn't Sam I came here to meet a friend that's the guy laying in the corner you don't have to hurry no this isn't my friend it doesn't look like one I'm Sergeant grinds from homicide if you're no vac you're in trouble why a guy lying under your desk dripping like a broken ink well and you tried out a question like that well it's a bum keeper somewhere I was supposed to wait for a guy named Sam's Oliver it might as well have been a street car I'm not going to pressure no that guy don't care I'm just going to take you down town well this boy quit too late I've been in the bay the last two hours you can check I'm not there to pick up a package the one you got in your arm yeah it's for guiding Sam's Oliver let's say okay it doesn't say that says Mr. John Reedy 720 post street hmm I don't know what that means let's find out we'll take it by a Reedy's place I got it for Sam's Oliver you can buy him another we're going by a Reedy's before we get on sound what's the matter with you do you want it on an 18 foot screen I didn't kill a guy don't even know him I don't even know this John Reedy wait a minute Novak I believe you I believe every word you're saying except this is one time you'd be better off lying when we left my office I felt as if somebody had walked through my stomach on stilts there were loose ends bobbing up everywhere and you couldn't get to any of them was like chasing a spider with a bowling ball with all his new stuff I forgot about the ship who's gonna worry about blood poisoning if he's busy having hemorrhages I began to wonder more about Sam where was he and how was I gonna palm off that dead stand in Grimes didn't seem worried we got into his Nash and headed for 720 post street it was an apartment hotel and Reedy lived up on the third floor on the way in Grimes picked up a key at the desk and we rode up in the elevator with one of those shifty-eyed little guys who'd sell his mother if he didn't have to fatten her up when we got to Reedy's door Grimes took over maybe you can't hear you Grimes nobody home let's go in why we don't know him well enough to sneak in I read a hunch no bank okay the lights on your side leave it out let's look around okay the stray bodies belong to you Grimes you go look in that set of bedrooms I'll check over here in the library give me a yell if you see him all right two of them I got one by the desk the other started on the fire escape I'm going down in front take this gun and stand by the fire escape he may get trapped and start up to keep your eyes off I walked into the library the window was open and the curtains were blowing over the dead man's face was a good thing because you can't split the difference with a service 45 I took him for the heels and dragged him away from the window his eyes were rolled back as if he expected somebody to tap him on the shoulder and tell him it was all a mistake his face was contorted and frightened maybe a little embarrassed like a deer caught in a traffic jam well I stayed at the window about 10 minutes and watched the fire escape there was no action there and Grimes wasn't back so I started for the door I had company right away I don't know back you move oh hellman it's a big gun you got last junior here on the floor he thinks it's even bigger I'll check myself sure and it's going to be easy because it's right in the family yeah yeah belongs to one of your boys down in homicide go ahead a sergeant by the name of Grimes steamed in here and knocked down junior and then he beat it down to get the other guy I don't believe it will talk to him that's why I don't believe it there's nobody on the force named Grimes on this one you're all alone Novak there's got to be a Grimes the guy had on a uniform I don't care if he had on a play soup Novak the guy's a phony it's not from homicide he's a killer that's what I met Helman I knew Helman was right if Grimes was on the level eat a book me instead of coming up here he came up to readies with murder in mind even if they believe the story about Grimes I was still in a spot that made me accessory to murder and I was gonna look worse when Helman found the guy down in my office on that one I had star billing every word I turned things were worse I knew it was gonna take a low budget miracle to bail me out was like trying to give nose drops to a herd of elephants Helman seemed to like the idea Helman rolled the guy and there was no identification but he never works for nothing a few bucks in the guy I'll put it in a safe the only safe you got has suspenders on it I don't like that Novak all you do anything for a buck Helman if you got the right bid you'd sell a tomb of the unknown soldier thanks Helman I'm getting a big list tonight I can do all of that I want Novak because you're in the corner pocket now I got a tip off from the Chronicle to come up here and I find you holding last right you got a bigger headache Helman there's another stiff down at my place that's right Grimes again he was sitting there when I walked in where were you out in the bay picking up a package it's right there on the desk what's in it I don't know it was for a friend of my name Sam Toliver he's disappeared and Grimes brought the package up here I'll take it downtown you better tag by the China Star that's where I picked up the package it's out in the bay so you'll need a boat even a guy with your complex needs a boat I'll touch all the bases Novak you just stayed 10 cents away from headquarters you can pay your own way into the can yeah well that's what'll happen if I wait for you I'll be standing out in the downpour that's right Novak if there's a chance I want to see you get first prize now I'm gonna be stuck unless I shop around myself because you got locked jaw the brain helmet yeah that wouldn't hurt you so much but if it spreads you're gonna be in trouble that's what I'm waiting for well something didn't happen soon I was gonna be about as embarrassed as a hostess with leaky plumbing I was counting on Helman to shake down the skipper of the China Star if that didn't work I could close shop I didn't have any leads it wasn't anything I could do but sit on my hands was like taking your niece to a nightclub I had to stumble around until something showed so I looked up the only honest guy I know an ex doctor and a boozer by the name of Jaco Madigan he was alright until he found out sometimes you can feel as bad the next morning without a hangover I toured the town and finally found him at Lupo's trying to put the vineyards out of business ah Patsy you're just in time to start the day off right Mama Lupo some wine for Mr. Novak you can only have a court we're running low like it's almost midnight Jaco I got to talk to you we're not gonna turn into pumpkins you need some wine no I don't Patsy when you die the artwork is going to be simple on your grave they'll chisel a picture of a pair of slacks a hamburger and a double malt all right Jaco the final symbols of a decayed civilization because that's as close as you ever got to civilization a remote connection at best like a bookie they love horses but they die on a stock farm it's the same with you and civilization you all through Jaco I won't fight against your sober babble what's the matter there's a dead guy down in my office a friend of ours no that's too bad we'll miss the week I'm gonna get half hung by homicide the other half is dead up in a post-treat apartment Helman thinks I'm the boy Patsy I wish you wouldn't hang around me when you just killed somebody you tarnish my declining years I went out to the bay to pick up a package when I got back to my place instead of a friend named Sam Toliver there was a dead guy there and a phony cop called Grimes how do you make the distinction he grabbed the package and we took it up to post street after a quick hassle in the dark I'm standing over a dead guy in John Reedy's apartment John Reedy yeah do you know him most people do he's running for office tomorrow is he the dead man I don't think so what about Reedy he's running for a board job yeah would anybody have a reason to work a plan on him maybe what's he like oh sort of liberal by marriage a reactionary with a rich wife supposed to be a good man how about the opposition a lot of them are running one is Simpson he couldn't beat an asthmatic turtle across a tennis court we're getting somewhere at least if Reedy's good the gambling dough would frame him to lose yes if politicians can ever lose a murder in his apartment would look too phony though yeah but maybe that package wouldn't Jaco you got to help me I want you to check on the registration of the China star and then knows around to find out what you can about tomorrow's election will you if we lived in a monarchy this wouldn't happen that fast double play has got something to do with this election now hurry up Jaco and when you're through tagged by my place I'll call you there have your bottle in the house there's a tap in the kitchen that'll have to do now thanks outside of a child in pain the most pathetic sound in the world is running water good night lover I left Jaco inducting to a phone booth when I called Helman he poured out news like a rotary press they broke open that package down at headquarters it was full of dope plain garden variety the kind of man uses to forget either his wife or secretary I was sure then the package was a plant on reedy Helman didn't see it that way he said the two dead men were gunsles last address before San Francisco State Prison at Joliet I needled him about that phony cop grimes Helman said they just got a tip-off by telephone Grimes was an ex-sgt. in homicide whose real name was big Rothery I asked him who phoned in the tip-off and Helman said he didn't know the guy his name was Sam Tolliver I got out of the chronicle Morgan looked up everything I could on John Reedy all politicians children sit on the floor there was a picture of Reedy there with his family grouped around him on the floor I pulled the clips on Vic Rothery it was Grimes all right a lot gave me something to work on so I went on the prowl for Ellen Marrow I found her running a dice game in a little after hours joint on Eddie Street you want chips now back you don't want to play against yourself yeah give me some all right see how good it's your point yeah you've seen Sam Tolliver make your point that's it where's Sam Tolliver five you're not even warm you're not warm on Sam either he left me hanging with a murderous friend double-crossed you double-crossed you too another five you're in a rut he turned in Grimes that's right baby they know he's Vic Rothery now you still like Sam Tolliver keep rolling darling this Grimes your boyfriend he used to be I'm sentimental where Sam Tolliver the Herakotel when you see him tell him I sent you I will if we talk that long that's right I guess I lose that's he I guess you do be seeing you baby she changed when I left first time out she was alive and breezy like the main coast in July but now she was broken up and lonely looking and as I walked out I thought of an old Dixie cup somebody had used up and thrown in the alley well I got down to the Herakotel but Sam Tolliver wasn't there maybe it was better that way I left a note for him a short note that even a Mongolian idiot couldn't trip up on if Sam was gonna show his hand he had to do it soon when I got back to my apartment Jaco was already there he was giving a concert for the mice oh she pushed a baby carriage she pushed a baby carriage in the merry merry month of me alright Jaco she pushed a baby carriage she pushed a baby carriage she pushed it for a Williams man who's far far away oh stop it will you Patsy I wish you'd get rid of that radio and buy a good harpsichord what'd you find out Jaco nothing from the China star she weighed anchor and went to see it a quarter to 12 how about Reedy well there's heavy gambling money against him and they talk about a last-minute scandal all the newspapers had tip-offs where was he tonight at a rally in the mission district with his whole family well I'd leave time for a plant they broke open that package it was full of dope that makes sense he was once under treatment for malaria the drugs found in his apartment would make it look bad hello Novak talking I hope so because you got a lot to do what's on your mind helman a girl named Ellen Maro builder good day about 20 minutes ago Vic Rothery's picture was all over the place yeah they were chums you better pick up Sam Toliver he's at the Harry Hotel I'd rather have Vic Rothery haven't you picked him up yet no we're on our way out you better hurry Helman there won't be any voters left I thought Sam Toliver was a friend of yours well that's the trouble with close friends you give him the shirt off your back so they can see where to put in the knife after Helman's call I knew we were coming up for the last hand I met him and we rode down to Vic Rothery's Hotel was early morning just about the time dawn is too sleepy to get out of bed in the pale light Geary Street looked like a shabby old lady with a snoot full and Rothery's Hotel was worse Helman flashed a badge in the night clerk who reached over and handed us a key was a funny thing to notice then but the guy's hands were short and his fingers were peeled and stained yellow as if they'd been dipped in weak acid well we rode up to Rothery's room as we got out of the elevator and turned the corner somebody ducked into Rothery's room that was enough for Helman he started down the hall open up in there you got another customer Helman come on in you're gonna wake everybody up hello Sam come on in I'm under gun it's loaded you're a handy cop Helman that's it I close the door all right over near the window yeah go on sure you got an answer for Rothery here you too copper over near the window I ask you you got an answer for Rothery here you're looking at it mister you know Patsy I'm sorry you came I could bounce a few off of this guy with no pain at all but it's gonna hurt on you don't get me Sam I don't know why you came Patsy you could have left me alone I didn't mean to put you in for this things went wrong and you were in that saw but I didn't mean to do it Patsy give a man your gun you were a good guy to me Novak I'm sorry you drew the dose I'm really sorry because well you were a good guy to me well I'm not any more Sam you got five feet to make up your mind I got it made up Patsy now stay back let me try it out on him first you had practice stay back Patsy I'm in a hole now burn my way out you know that Patsy I'm in a hole I gotta get out don't kid me Sam I was your last friend all you got now is the road stay back Patsy please Patsy stay back I must have prayed wrong Novak yeah sorry Sam I'm a tough loser yeah you were right Patsy it's a bum down for a small robber for a while you looked big not for long no no you're a small-time bum Sam and you're better off dead I wouldn't I doubt it that's right how's your friend Novak let's go a friend ships over well Helman finally pieced it all together he got that skipper back and put him under the lights the story was damp but it fit together they were all in on a deal the railroad John Reedy Vic Rothery headed up a bunch to plant the dope in his apartment but Sam Tolliver got anxious and decided to get the stuff for sale he talked a couple of buddies into it and sent me out to the ship to pick it up the captain smelled a switch and knocked me out long enough to get word to Rothery on the beach Rothery got the guy in my office and the other guy that Sam posted in Reedy's place in case anything went wrong that left only Sam on the other team Rothery wore the uniform because it was an easy way to plant the stuff in Reedy's apartment but the time table went haywire and he got tripped up by that tip-off call to the Chronicle that's about the way it was well Helman asked only one question how come Sam Tolliver headed for the girls place and then Rothery's I don't know except maybe that note I left Sam how'd I know he'd believe a lie it worked out for everybody except John Reedy he lost the election anyway Jack will forget to mention the guy was a Republican that Novak for hire was previously released by ABC the American Broadcasting Company for listeners in the United States and rebroadcast for our men and women overseas this is the United States Armed Forces radio service the voice of information and education