“Didn’t anybody hear the shot?”

 

“For the love of God, Sam, we only just got here. Somebody must’ve heard it,

when we find them.” He turned and put a leg over the fence. “Coming down for a

look at him before he’s moved?”

 

Spade said: “No.”

 

Tom halted astride the fence and looked back at Spade with surprised small eyes.

 

Spade said: “You’ve seen him. You’d see everything I could.”

 

Tom, still looking at Spade, nodded doubtfully and withdrew his leg over the

fence.

 

“His gun was tucked away on his hip,” he said. “It hadn’t been fired.

 

His overcoat was buttoned. There’s a hundred and sixty-some bucks in his

clothes. Was he working, Sam?”

 

Spade, after a moment’s hesitation, nodded.

 

Tom asked: “Well?”

 

“He was supposed to be tailing a fellow named Floyd Thursby,” Spade said, and