Death in North Beach Read Online Free

things seem to be going, I’ll die there too.’
    â€˜Not too soon, I hope.’
    â€˜I plan to be around for a while.’
    â€˜I’d like to think I will too. I might need your help with that.’
    â€˜Beyond the police, do you think your life is in danger?’
    â€˜That’s something I cannot know without knowing who killed Whitney. So, you see, I have very important reasons to find the murderer.’
    â€˜I need a list of all those people Whitney was writing about – that you know of. I need to know where he hangs out? What people he hangs out with? Friends, girlfriends. Can you do that?’
    â€˜Yes,’ he said, sitting again. ‘I can write them down now, if you like.’
    â€˜Good.’
    She handed him a yellow legal tablet. He pulled out a black Mont Blanc pen from inside his jacket and began to jot down names.
    â€˜I’m going away,’ William said without looking up.
    â€˜Where?’
    â€˜Just away.’
    â€˜For how long?’
    â€˜I don’t know yet,’ he said, looking up.
    â€˜It will make you look guilty. Running away.’
    â€˜I go away a lot,’ he said. ‘I don’t tell people where I go. I could be in Europe for three months. No one would know. For all practical purposes, I’m not running. I simply have an engagement elsewhere.’
    â€˜How will I contact you?’
    â€˜I’ll be in touch.’ He reached in his breast pocket and pulled out a stack of banded bills. ‘Retainer. I know you can’t guarantee that you can investigate without getting noticed, especially the police, but I’d appreciate as much discretion as possible.’
    He finished writing the list.
    â€˜I’m not sure the killer is on the list. But it’s a start, I hope.’
    â€˜It is.’
    â€˜Thank you,’ he said, nodding to her with a smile.
    Paladino thought he didn’t seem frightened. There was a confidence, or maybe aloofness, in his persona that suggested he was at home in the universe or, at best, had made peace with it. It was an attractive quality.
    â€˜William,’ she said getting up and temporarily interrupting his departure.
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜This list,’ she said, ‘how do you know all this?’
    â€˜He told me. He was going to “slice and dice” them. That’s how he said it. He told me who because he wanted what I knew about them. Some of them I didn’t even know. Some are dead. They aren’t on the list.’
    â€˜So that’s a complete list?’
    â€˜I can’t guarantee that. Those are the people he said were on the list, the people he was going to get.’
    Again he started toward the door. This time, he had it open.
    â€˜William.’
    He paused, turned back slowly, waiting for her question.
    â€˜What were you arguing about?’
    â€˜What?’ he asked.
    It was a reflexive remark. He had heard her. He wanted time to think before answering.
    â€˜You and Mr Warfield.’
    â€˜What I told you. He was intentionally going to hurt other people.’
    â€˜Other people? Not you?’
    â€˜Me too, of course.’ His smile let her know he was aware of having been caught.
    â€˜Why? How was he hurting you?’
    â€˜Some of these are people whose lives I’ve shared and because of caring for them I’ve been rewarded with kindness. We established that earlier, didn’t we?’
    â€˜Wow,’ Carly said. ‘Did we dance around that one?’
    â€˜We did.’ He smiled again. ‘Let’s do it next time with a little music.’ He moved back toward her. ‘Discretion is important. If you need more specific answers for your investigation, I’ll be happy to share some deeply personal moments. But if this is for your . . . one’s . . . personal curiosity, I’d prefer to leave this vague.’
    â€˜We’ll see, William. I may need to know. I may