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〃Did Beth socialize with the other tenants？〃
〃Good lord； no。 The third…floor right…rear room has got private steps； so Beth didn't have to e in through the front door like the other girls； and she never attended any of the coffee klatches I put on for the girls after church on Sunday。 Beth never went to church herself； and she told me； 'Girls are good for chitchat once in a blue moon； but give me boys any day。〃
〃Here's my most important question； Miss Janeway。 Did Beth have any boyfriends while she was living here？〃
The old woman picked up the Bible and hugged it to herself。 〃Officer； if they'd e in the front door like the other girls' beaus； I would have seen them。 I don't want to blaspheme the dead； so let's just say I heard lots of footsteps on Beth's stairs at the most ungodly hours。〃
〃Did Beth ever mention any enemies？ Anybody she was afraid of？〃
〃No。〃
〃When was the last time you saw her？〃
〃Late October； the day she moved out。 She said； 'I've found more simpatico digs' in her best California girl voice。〃
〃Did she say where she was moving to？〃
Miss Janeway said 〃No；〃 then leaned toward me confidingly and pointed to Koenig； loping back to the car tugging at his crotch。 〃You should talk to that man about his hygiene。 Frankly； it's disgusting。〃
I said； 〃Thank you； Miss Janeway；〃 walked to the car and got in behind the wheel。
Koenig grunted； 〃What did the cooze say about me？〃
〃She said you're cute。〃
〃Yeah？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃What else did she say？〃
〃That a man like you could make her feel young again。〃
〃Yeah？〃
〃Yeah。 I told her to forget it； that you're married。〃
〃I ain't married。〃
〃I know。〃
〃Then why'd you tell her that？〃
I pulled out into traffic。 〃You want her sending you mash notes at the Bureau？〃
〃Oh； I get it。 What did she say about Fritzie？〃
〃Does she know Fritzie？〃
Koenig looked at me like I was mentally defective。 〃Lots of people talk about Fritzie behind his back。〃
〃What do they say？〃
〃Lies。〃
〃What kind of lies？〃
〃Bad lies。〃
〃For instance？〃
〃Lies like he got the syph fucking hooers when he worked Ad Vice。 Like he got docked off a month from duty to take the mercury cure。 Like he got bounced to Central dicks for it。 Bad lies； even worse stuff than that。〃
Chills were tickling my spine。 I turned onto Cherokee and said； 〃Such as？〃
Koenig slid closer to me。 〃You pumping me； Bleichert？ You looking for bad things to say about Fritzie？〃
〃No。 Just curious。〃
〃Curiosity killed the kitty cat。 You remember that。〃
〃I will。 What did you get on the Sergeant's Exam； Bill？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃What？〃
〃Fritzie took it for me。 Remember the kitty cat； Bleichert。 I don't want nobody saying nothing bad about my partner。〃
1842； a big stucco apartment house； came into view。 I pulled over and parked； muttered； 〃Talk job；〃 then headed straight for the lobby。
A wall directory listed S。 Saddon and nine other names…but no Linda Martin…in apartment 604。 I took the elevator up to the sixth floor； walked down a hallway smelling faintly of marijuana and rapped on the door。 Big band music died out； the door opened and a youngish woman in a sparkly Egyptian outfit was standing there； holding a papier maché headdress。 She said； 〃Are you the driver from RKO？〃
I said； 〃Police。〃 The door shut in my face。 I heard a toilet flushing； the girl returned a moment later； and I walked into the apartment uninvited。 The living room was high…ceilinged and arched； sloppily made…up bunk beds lined the walls。 Suitcases； valises and steamer trunks were spilling out of an open closet door； and a linoleum table was wedged diagonally against a set of bunks without mattresses。 The table was covered with cosmetics and vanity mirrors； the cracked wood floor beside it was dusted with spilled rouge and face powder。
The girl said； 〃Is this about those jaywalking tickets I forgot to pay？ Listen； I've got three days on Curse of the Mummy's Tomb at RKO； and when I get paid I'll send you a check。 Is that all right？〃
I said； 〃This is about Elizabeth Short； Miss…〃
The girl put out a big stage groan。 〃Saddon。 Sheryl with a Y…L Saddon。 Listen； I talked to a policeman on the phone this morning。 Sergeant something or other with a bad stutter。 He asked me nine thousand questions about Betty and her nine thousand boyfriends； and I told him nine thousand times that lots of girls bunk here and date lots of guys； and most of them are fly…by…nights。 I told him that Betty lived here from early November to early December； that she paid a dollar a day just like the rest of us； and I didn't remember the names of any of her dates。 So can I go now？ The extra truck's due any minute； and I need this job。〃
Sheryl Saddon was out of breath and sweating from her metallic costume。 I pointed to a bunk bed。 〃Sit down and answer my questions； or I'll roust you for the reefers you flushed down the toilet。〃
The three…day Cleopatra obeyed； giving me a look that would have withered Julius Caesar。 I said； 〃First question。 Does a Linda Martin live here？〃
Sheryl Saddon grabbed a pack of Old Golds off the bunk and lit up。 〃I told Sergeant Stutter already。 Betty mentioned Linda Martin a couple of times。 She roomed at Betty's other place； the one over on De Longpre and Orange。 And you need evidence to arrest someone； you know。〃
I took out my pen and notebook。 〃What about Betty's enemies？ Threats of violence against her？〃
〃Betty's trouble wasn't enemies； it was too many friends； if you follow my drift。 Get it？ Friends like in boyfriends？〃
〃Smart girl。 Any of them ever threaten her？〃
〃Not that I know of。 Listen； can we hurry this up？〃
〃Simmer down。 What did Betty do for work while she was staying here？〃
Sheryl Saddon snorted； 〃edian。 Betty didn't work。 She bummed change from the other girls here； and she cadged drinks and dinner off grandfather types down on the Boulevard。 A couple of times she took off for two or three days and came back with money； then she told these fish stories about where it came from。 She was such a little liar that nobody ever believed a word she said。〃
〃Tell me about the fish stories。 And about Betty's lies in general。〃
Sheryl stubbed out her cigarette and lit another one immediately。 She smoked silently for a few moments； and I could tell that the actress part of her was warming to the idea of caricaturing Betty Short。 Finally she said； 〃You know all this Black Dahlia stuff in the papers？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； Betty always dressed in black as a gimmick to impress casting directors when she made rounds with the other girls； which wasn't often； because she liked to sleep till noon every day。 But sometimes she'd tell you she was wearing black because her father died or because she was mourning the boys who died in the war。 Then the next day she'd tell you her father was alive。 When she was out for a couple of days and came back flush； she'd tell one girl a rich uncle died and left her a bundle and another that she won the money playing poker in Gardena。 She told everybody nine thousand lies about being married to nine thousand diffe