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aid gave me his office number and when I called him he was appreciative and invited me to lunch at The Chimes； a sedate and expensive restaurant on East Fifty…seventh Street。 My taste didn't run to exotic French cuisine； but the change could be different and I made a one o'clock date to see him there。 I tried another call to the office and Velda's apartment but she was at neither place so I rang Eddie Dandy and he was glad to take a beer； break with me for a half hour。
I had to laugh when I saw him。 It wasn't the hell he had caught from the network for making waves or the embarrassment of sweating out the snide remarks from the rest of the staff。 It was the agony of having to sit on a story he knew was hot and not being able to release it。
He downed a tall schooner of lager without stopping； belched once and called for another。 〃Only one thing got me； buddy。 Suppose somebody else pieces it together the same way I did。〃
〃Quit worrying。 By now they have it all nicely organized with everybody briefed properly and they'll be able to con the best cynic into taking their word for it。 Right now it's a dead issue。〃
〃Not to a couple of guys I know。 They couldn't picture me doing an about…face like that。 You catch my retraction？〃
〃Missed it。〃
〃That's the trouble with color TV。 They could see the egg all over my face in bright yellow against screaming red。 It wasn't easy； pal。 I hope when I make the next announcement I'm not a pasty white。 If they don't get that stuff this whole country could be wiped out。 You know anything about the germ warfare developments？〃
〃Just what I read in the papers。〃
〃Well； it isn't pretty and you're not going to be reading much about it at all。 That stuff is as top secret as it can get。 Right now they're flooding us with news stories from every direction you can think of just to keep the public's mind off my big squeal。 It may work and it may not。 We've had the switchboard lit up like a star burst since I broke it and have operators working overtime with nice pat explanations。 They're even sending form letters out to those who want them。 It's rough； boy； rough。 What are you up to？〃
〃Some simple legwork on a simple matter；〃 I said。
〃You still on that Sullivan deal？〃
I nodded。
〃A lost cause； Mike。 They pull the cops in to track down Schneider's killers； they schedule a special political parade to cover the vacation wipe…out； the Crime mission is laying it on heavy and you couldn't bust a cop loose for special detail work for anything。 Nope； you won't get any leg up from the cops until this is over。〃
〃I'm not asking for any。〃
〃Okay； you know the story。 You're making a federal case out of a simple murder and robbery。 Why？〃
〃Beats me；〃 I told him。 〃Maybe because I believed something nobody else believed。〃
〃Hell； people will believe anything。 Look what happened with me。〃
〃So waste time。 So feel lousy。 What's left to do？〃
〃I told him about the wallets and my date with Dorn。 I didn't mention Heidi Anders at all。
〃William Dorn？〃 he asked。
〃Know him？〃
〃Park Avenue offices？〃
〃That's the one。〃
〃Sure； he's chairman of the board of Anco Electronics； his March Chemical pany engineered that new oil refining process the industry has turned to and now he's gone heavy in mining。 You're traveling in fancy pany； kiddo。 I never thought I'd see the day。 Ole Mike Hammer； denizen of the side streets； partying with cafe society。 Better not let it get to be a habit。〃
I looked at my watch。 〃Well； if it does； it starts now。〃 I finished my beer； flipped Eddie for the drinks； won the toss and told him so long。 At one o'clock on the nose I walked into The Chimes； got a disapproving stare from the Maitre d' until I asked for Mr。 Dorn's table； then his professional subservient attitude returned with a fawning nod and he bowed me to a table in a hand…carved； oak…paneled booth on the dais…like section of the main room that was obviously reserved for only the most select clientele。
Most actors would like to age into a man like William Dorn。 A few have； but only a few。 He was tall and lean with a tanned； rugged face and intelligent eyes under a thick shock of wavy hair streaked with gray。 When I took his hand he had a strong； sure grip and I knew he wasn't as lean as he looked。 Suddenly I felt like a slob。 He was one of those guys who could look good in anything and I knew why the amused woman； with the hair so raven black it was darker than the shadows she sat in； could be so much at ease with him。
〃Mr。 Hammer；〃 he said in a pleasantly deep voice； 〃William Dorn； and may I present Miss Renie Talmage。〃
She had held out her hand and I took it gently。 〃A pleasure；〃 I said。
〃Very nice to see you； Mr。 Hammer。〃 Her smile broke around a set of even gleaming white teeth and she added； 〃Please sit down。〃
〃Miss Talmage is head of accounting at Anco。 Have you heard of us？〃
〃Just this afternoon。〃
〃Don't let it bother you； Mr。 Hammer。 Our business is not one that goes in heavily for publicity and promotion。 Care for a drink before lunch？〃
〃Rye and ginger'll do；〃 I said。
The waiter hovering behind me took the order and disappeared。 I pulled Dorn's wallet from my pocket and handed it to him。 He took it； flipped it open and scanned his credit cards and held it up to show Renie Talmage。 〃Now that is efficient police work。 Imagine。〃
〃Strictly accidental； Mr。 Dorn。〃 I pushed a receipt and my pen across to him。 〃Mind signing for it？〃
〃Not at all。〃 He scrawled a signature in the proper place and I folded the receipt back into my pocket。
He said； 〃In a way； it's a shame to put you to all the trouble。 I've already canceled the credit cards； but my driver's license and club cards are really the valuable items。〃
〃Sorry you didn't get your money back too。 It rarely happens； though； so feel lucky you even got anything。〃
〃Yes； I do。 Very。 There's a matter of a reward that I mentioned。〃
〃A check to the Police Athletic League will do nicely； Mr。 Dora。〃
For the first time Renie Talmage leaned out of the shadows。 She was even lovelier than I had taken her to be。 I figured her age in the early thirties when a woman was at her best； but it was almost impossible to pin it down accurately。 〃Mr。 Hammer。。。your name is very familiar。〃
I had to give her a silly grin。 〃Yeah； I know。〃
〃Are you。。。〃
I didn't let her go any further。 〃Yeah； I'm the one；〃 I said。
Dorn let out a little laugh and gave us both a quizzical look。 〃Now what is this all about？ Trust Renie here to e up with something odd about even the most plete stranger。〃
〃What she means； Mr。 Dorn； is that I'm not with the police department at all。 I'm a licensed private investigator who gets into enough trouble to make enough headlines to be recognized on occasions； which； funny enough； is good for business but hell on the hide occasionally。 It was a guy I once knew who had your wallet among others。 I located them and I'm paying my last respects by getting them back where they came from。〃
Dorn recognized the seriousness in my voice and nodded。 〃I understand。 Quite long ago。。。I had to do something similar。 And