Continuing Reveille's exciting serial .sx VICE KING'S SWEETHEART .sx HIDE-AND-SEEK WITH A KILLER .sx by Douglas Enefer .sx A glance in the driving mirror told me I was being tailed by another car .sx I knew the man at the wheel .sx His name was Ugo Caramello .sx I had met him a few days earlier- after I had found lovely Anna Pavone dead in Rome's famous Fountain of Trevi .sx He had been with Anna's sister , Adriana , when I went to tell her the news .sx Adriana had denied that her sister was dead .sx And Ugo had threatened me .sx Events moved rapidly after that .sx I had run across New York vice-boss Frank Delgarra in Rome in the company of a call-girl , Gina Vanoni .sx A few hours later I found Gina murdered- and Adriana left for New York to collect an oil fortune she should have shared with her sister .sx Helping her to collect would be her fiance , business tycoon Lance Mallory .sx I followed .sx I talked to Adriana in her penthouse suite .sx She told me her sister had died- in a car crash .sx Her eyes and lips had been inviting .sx But I had snubbed her and stalked out .sx Now watchdog Ugo was following me .sx And he had a gun in his hand .sx I WAS still being tailed by Ugo Caramello in his blue Chev when I drove downtown through Columbus-circle .sx He was still keeping the sort of distance he figured necessary for me not to know I was being followed .sx But I had seen him .sx At Times-square I made a sharp left turn and went down Eighth-avenue as fast as the traffic would allow .sx I had not shaken him off , but I was widening the gap .sx Then I slewed into Greenwich-avenue and twisted and turned in the little side streets with their curio shops and outdoor art shows west of Washington-square .sx When I finally ran the car into a narrow alley I knew I had Caramello beat .sx I got out , walked to the mouth of the alley and stood back under a shop awning waiting for him .sx Three minutes later the blue Chev poked its nose into the street .sx Ugo had his dark glasses off now and was peering around .sx His dark Sicilian face was savage with annoyance .sx He killed the car engine , stepped out and dodged into a corner drugstore across the street .sx I waited for a second , then drifted over the street and pushed the drug-store doors open .sx Inside four teenage kids , two boys and two girls , were drinking cokes and chattering .sx THE counterman , a hefty lad with the shoulders of a quarter-back , was polishing glasses with quick , deft movements .sx In the middle of the store a middle-aged guy with waxed moustaches was reading as much of a magazine as you can do without buying the thing .sx No sign of Signor Ugo Caramello .sx Then I saw the telephone booth .sx I strolled down to the end of the long counter and pushed my ear against the side without glass .sx I could just hear Ugo's voice .sx It seemed a bit agitated .sx " Is that Plaza 6-1079 , please ?sx " A pause , then :sx " Who is speaking , please ?sx " Again a pause .sx " This is Caramello .sx I follow him but he disappear in the traffic .sx " Another pause .sx " No , I do not know where he went .sx I- oh , damn .sx " I heard the phone slam back on its rest and went fast into the street and across to my car .sx I sat in it until Caramello came out and drove off .sx Then I went back into the drugstore .sx The counterhand eyed me coldly .sx " You want something , mister ?sx " I bought a pack of cigarettes , shut myself in the telephone booth and dialled Plaza 6-1079 .sx " Mr. Lance Mallory's residence , " said a voice .sx I let the receiver slide down on its cradle and went back to my car with a head full of thoughts- none of which started to make sense .sx I drove home .sx Lesley , the brown-haired girl who operates the switchboard in my apartment block , looked up pertly as I came in .sx " Did you have a nice time in Rome , Mr. Power ?sx " " Swell .sx " " You've a good tan , but otherwise you don't look like a man fresh back from sunny Italy , " she said critically .sx " And why aren't you at the office ?sx " " I've two more days' leave before I check in , " I told her .sx GOING up to the little railing which protects her from the harsh world , I leaned over and kissed the top of her head .sx " I've been counting the hours to that , " she said .sx " Put your face up and I'll do better , " I said recklessly .sx Her smooth oval face came up directly .sx Her mouth was warm and a little moist and not immobile .sx Finally she moved away from me and said , briskly :sx " A telephone message came for you while you were out .sx From a Miss Adriana Pavone .sx " She eyed me mockingly .sx " So they even follow you from Italy , do they ?sx " " Oh , sure- I see them in rotation , " I said .sx " What did Miss Pavone want ?sx " Lesley tapped her small teeth with a newly-pointed pencil .sx " She said she wanted to speak to you rather urgently , but as you weren't in she would send a written message .sx About a half-hour later this came .sx " She handed me a small , pale-blue envelope .sx " Thanks , Lesley .sx " I had started for the elevator when she asked innocently :sx " Aren't you going to open it , Mr. Power ?sx " I grinned .sx " Yeah- where you can't watch my emotional reactions .sx " I went up to my apartment and read the letter .sx I didn't know quite what I had expected- if I had expected anything in particular- but what it said shook me .sx Dear John- I was very distressed when you left me with those dreadful words .sx I simply do not know what I can do to convince you how wrong you are .sx But I shall never have the opportunity- because tonight I am flying back to Rome .sx I have been uncertain for some time about my engagement to Mr. Mallory and today I decided not to marry .sx I have explained this to him and I think he understands- better , I am afraid , than you understand me .sx So it is goodbye- Adriana Pavone .sx I dropped the letter on my desk and rammed tobacco into the biggest pipe I have .sx The hell with Adriana Pavone !sx If she wanted to skip back to Rome- let her .sx I didn't give a damn .sx JUST the same , I found myself picking up the letter and reading it again .sx So she wasn't marrying Mallory .sx Maybe she wanted old man Power ?sx Maybe she didn't care about either of us ?sx Maybe she didn't care about New York once she had latched on to that five-million-dollar pay-off ?sx The thoughts jostled through my mind- and came to a sudden stop .sx She could not hope to conclude a deal like that in a couple of days , could she ?sx She was just stalling .sx " I'm flying back to Rome , my sweet , so you don't any longer need to poke your goddam nose into my affairs .sx . " That could be it .sx I grabbed the telephone and got through to the air terminal .sx " Is there a reservation on the night flight to Rome in the name of Signorina Adriana Pavone ?sx " I asked .sx " I have to contact her before she checks in .sx " A girl clerk answered :sx " Wait a minute , sir .sx I'll find out .sx " There was a long pause .sx I dragged pipe smoke in coughing clouds .sx Then the line came alive again .sx " Sorry , sir .sx We have no reservation in that name .sx " " The morning flight tomorrow , then ?sx " " I've looked , sir .sx No one of that name is booked to Rome .sx " " Thanks , " I said thickly .sx FIFTEEN minutes later I was driving north again .sx The commissionaire wasn't on hand at the plushy hotel where Adriana was staying , so I rode myself straight up to the penthouse suite .sx The door was locked .sx I banged on it three times .sx That made it open about a foot and a face came into slit view- a thin , faintly yellowed face with eyes like deadly sins and shining crinkly hair .sx He was around twenty-five years old and looked like a Filipino houseboy .sx Before , I had not noticed that she had one .sx " Miss Adriana Pavone , " I said .sx " John Power calling .sx " He twisted a wide mouthful of teeth into a grin .sx " Miss Pavone not in , sir .sx " " You know where she's gone ?sx " " No sir .sx But no come back .sx " The grin had died but the eyes were alert .sx Too alert .sx " I haven't seen you here before , have I ?sx " I put a foot in the door as I said it .sx He looked down at the foot and smiled a long slow smile .sx " If you are friend of hers , I tell , " he said .sx " Miss Pavone left just now with all her baggage .sx She fly back to Rome , sir .sx " " On the night flight ?sx " He started to nod , then checked himself .sx But he was too late .sx " The night flight doesn't take off until eleven-thirty , " I said .sx " She has some shopping to do first , I think .sx " His eyes were snapping at me now .sx A tiny globule of saliva pooled on the left side of his mouth .sx I swung my shoulder against the door .sx He reeled back , his arms flailing .sx I went in .sx " You're lying , Flip .sx Where's she gone- and why ?sx " He backed warily from me , going across the hallway towards the wide lounge .sx Then , without warning , he lunged .sx Something long and blue and shining had slid down his sleeve into his right hand .sx I hit him on the point of the jaw with everything I had .sx For a second he seemed to hang , suspended in mid air .sx Then he zoomed backwards , hit the floor and rolled over .sx But he was not done .sx He came face-upwards on the roll , his wrist angled for a knife-throw .sx I trod savagely on his wrist and ground it until he screamed his agony .sx The flick-knife jumped out of his hand , clattering over the floor .sx I reached down , hooked him up by his collar , and hit him one more time in the mouth .sx I felt a couple of his teeth crack .sx HE sat sprawled on a large sofa , his mouth full of blood and his eyes full of death .sx I felt inside his jacket and down the outside of his pants .sx He was not wearing artillery .sx " All right- talk , " I barked .sx He dragged a handkerchief from his breast-pocket and dabbed at his mouth .sx I took the gun from under my arm , the big Luger I thought I had not needed in Rome .sx " You can go into the bathroom and fix your mouth , " I said .sx He stood up soundlessly and speechlessly and glided across the hallway and through a door .sx I went in after him and watched while he got the dislodged teeth out of his face .sx " All right , " I said again , " tell it .sx " He smiled wolfishly , but no words came .sx " I could beat it out of you , Flip , " I said , " but I haven't the time and I haven't sadistic instincts .sx " On the other hand , I could drag you down to police headquarters and the boys could stand you under the lights .sx " He swayed against the wash-basin , killing me with his eyes .sx I shrugged .sx " I haven't the time for that , either .sx You stay tied up in the locked bathroom until I get back- with a gag in your mouth .sx And if it's damned uncomfortable I'm not going to shed tears .sx " I turned the lock and went into the big lounge .sx I dropped the key on to Adriana's writing desk .sx Something was on it .sx A piece of paper , pale blue , like that she had used to write to me .sx It had writing on it , too :sx Dear John- I was very distressed when you left me with those dreadful words .sx I simply do not know what I can do to convince you how wrong you are , but I would like- There was no more .sx Just a letter she had begun and then started again on another sheet .sx Pushed against the back of the desk top was a newspaper , folded down on black headlines which read :sx FRANK DELGARRA , BACK FROM ROME , TALKS OF BIG DEAL .sx