I made a trip to the Ritzy Muffin to ask if the NoLuk crowd had any info about Shamus . . . and to cop a couple of muffins. Gyn and AJ insisted on a curative poultice for my face. It was yellow and had a smell that killed my appetite.

I looked like I'd been hit with a pumpkin pie. Gyn left grinning.

AJ said the Irish boxers all worked for Shamus and that Brody was often there looking after the money.

"Was he there the night−?"

"I don't know. I wasn't fighting and Gyn was doing business for Madame Yu."

"Where were you, AJ?"

"Am I a suspect, Gunn?"

"If you don't answer." His look made my face hurt again. "I have to ask, AJ. It isn't personal."

Myna came out from the kitchen before he could answer, raising her eyebrows. That meant explain what's going on.

"Are you going to mention the threat, Miss Myna?" Gyn asked, appearing suddenly with a bag of of what I had hoped were muffins.

"Threat?"

"Nothing that concerns you, Tres."

There was no arguing with Myna.

************

Daisy made a face, grabbed the bag, spritzed the room with some lilac water while back-flipping her fingers at me sending me to my office. A sinker sailed through the door, bouncing on my desk. What no muffins? 

"I don't want to know about that thing on your face, but lose it."

I peeled the poultice off. My face actually looked better after washing. I applied a smaller covering, plastered it with adhesive and was permitted back into the office.

Told Daisy about the visit to Caroline and everything I'd learned then with great surprise, she related the kerfuffle with Loren Order getting bagged in the raid and how Lulu was there to whisk Buck Buchanan away.

How did she find this stuff out sitting in here?

*************

Annie's reporter friend verified her story so that closed that avenue. Lulu and Buck Buchanan interested me. Billy could tip me to where she holed up, and I could hit him with his omission about Annie.

I found his patrol car outside the Hiloff Apartments where he and Smith were having coffee and a chew. I pulled up behind and walked to Billy's side of the car.

"Glad my tax money is worthwhile."

Billy looked up and quickly finished chewing. "Gunn, what are you doing here?" He stared at my face and raised his eyebrows.

"Have you got minute, want to run something past you?"

Billy dusted his fingers and started out of the car when Smith called after him.

"Don't tell him nothin', McCarty."

I leaned down, snarling in the window. "Put a cork in it, Smith. It's none of your business or I'd tell you too."

"That's the trouble with you, Gunn, your nose is always where it don't belong. Looks like somebody pointed that out."

I moved away then froze. That voice. Those words. I leaned down again, staring straight at his hands. He was sneering then suddenly realized what I was looking at and folded them under his arms.

"You coming, Gunn? I am working you know."

I took Billy's arm, steering him away from the car.

"What the hell happened to your kisser anyway?"

"It was in the paper," I said, a little hurt.

I asked him where I might find Lulu, told him what Buck told me about Bruce and explained about the beating plus my suspicions about Smith.

"His fist is scraped. Jeez, Gunn, you think he's mixed up with the mob?"

"I'd believe anything about that flatfoot." He started back to the car and I grabbed his arm. "You never mentioned going back to her house, Billy."

"Uh- you don't have to bother about her, Gunn, I got what I needed."

"Yeah, I'll bet. Listen, nothing about any of this, okay?" I indicated my face and looked at his partner.

Billy nodded and got in just in time as Smith gunned the car away from the curb.

*************

I knew Smith mugged me and I would give that a lot of thought before I settled on what to do. Meanwhile, Billy's lead was gold. I found Lulu's flashy car parked near one of Shamus' love nests and after a bit of footwork, found Lulu.

A bent nose in a pin striped suit answered the door. One hand not so casually inside the jacket.

"I'm here to see, Lou- Mrs. McGinty."

"She ain't here."

"Yes, I am. It's okay, Cedrick. You can let him in."

I smiled past him and stopped in the living room entry and took in Louise McGinty.

She was lounging on a midnight blue sofa, wearing a white satin dressing gown. Her cigarette did little aerial twirls as she beckoned me in.

"Cedrick?"

Lou smiled and patted the sofa beside her.

"You found me, Tres."

"I'm a detective, Lou. It's what I do."

"Hmm," she placed the cigarette in a marble ashtray the size of a hassock and leaned over, about to kiss my cheek. "My god, what happened?"

Nobody was reading the paper. I sluffed it off with a macho wave.

She shrugged and the smile returned. "Been a long time, Tres."

"You didn't write, you didn't call . . ."

She leaned back, laughing. "You always did have a sense of humour. So, now what?"

"I want to know what you know about Shamus; why he bought it and who sold it."

"I don't know any more than you. I'm a suspect for Pete's sake."

"That's a given, Lou. All domestics are viewed that way. What does Brody have to say? Is he here by the way?"

Her face hardened and I saw the nervous nip she gave the inside of her mouth.

"No, he's not. Brody doesn't know any more than me."

"Really? I heard he was quizzing Buck Buchanan about Bruce and Bruce getting beaten up the same night Shamus was hit. Why do you suppose that was?"

Lou stared at me and from the look I knew she hadn't heard that part of the meeting.

"Brody may be your go to for mob business, Lou, but he's bad news."

She sat up and fumbled for another cigarette then threw the package down and turned back to me.

"Brody Delaney is none of your business, Tres."

My hands went up in surrender and I shrugged. "Okay then, what have you done with Buck Buchanan?"

She stood and walked to the window. I just sat and admired the view.

"I just didn't want to see the poor sap get hauled in for simply playing the piano."

"Ooh, of course. I should have guessed."

Lou turned around and lifted her chin. "Don't be so bloody smug. I don't know where he went after he left here."

"That night? Next day?"

"You are a real bastard, Tres."

"Look, Lou. I'm trying to find out what happened same as you and everyone else. I'm not trying to jam you up. Shamus was with Brody the night Bruce Buchanan disappeared and later the same night Shamus was killed.

You and Brody hunt Buck down and want to know where his brother is. Buck said he gave his brother a roll of money that apparently he owed your husband . Brody was with him, Lou . . . that night."

Her face was drawn and she rubbed her fingers together. I stood and started toward her.

"Don't, Tres. Don't."

"Lou−"

"I think you'd better go. I can't help you . . ."

"Can't?" I nodded my disappointment and grabbed my hat, starting for the door.

"It- it was good to see you, Tres."

I hesitated and turned back but Lou was hurrying from the room and Cedrick was wearing his, 'don't make me pound you to a pulp,' look.