The talk was Regan told Eddie one night, right out in the open, that if he ever messed Mona up in any criminal rap, he'd be around to see him."
"Most of this is on the record, Harry," I said. "You can't expect money for that."
"I'm coming to what isn't.
So Regan blew.
I used to see him every afternoon in Vardi's drinking Irish whiskey and staring at the wall.
He don't talk much any more.
He'd give me a bet now and then, which was what I was there for, to pick up bets for Puss Walgreen."
"I thought he was in the insurance business."
"That's what it says on the door.
I guess he'd sell you insurance at that, if you tramped on him.
Well, about the middle of September I don't see Regan any more. I don't notice it right away.
You know how it is. A guy's there and you see him and then he ain't there and you don't not see him until something makes you think of it.
What makes me think about it is I hear a guy say laughing that Eddie Mars' woman lammed out with Rusty Regan and Mars is acting like he was best man, instead of being sore.
So I tell Joe Brody and Joe was smart."
"Like hell he was," I said.
"Not copper smart, but still smart.
He's out for the dough.
He gets to figuring could he get a line somehow on the two lovebirds he could maybe collect twice — once from Eddie Mars and once from Regan's wife.
Joe knew the family a little."
"Five grand worth," I said. "He nicked them for that a while back."
"Yeah?" Harry Jones looked mildly surprised. "Agnes ought to of told me that.
There's a frail for you.
Always holding out.
Well, Joe and me watch the papers and we don't see anything, so we know old Sternwood has a blanket on it.
Then one day I see Lash Canino in Vardi's.
Know him?"
I shook my head.
"There's a boy that is tough like some guys think they are tough.
He does a job for Eddie Mars when Mars needs him — trouble-shooting.
He'd bump a guy off between drinks.
When Mars don't need him he don't go near him.
And he don't stay in L.A.
Well it might be something and it might not.
Maybe they got a line on Regan and Mars has just been sitting back with a smile on his puss, waiting for the chance.
Then again it might be something else entirely.
Anyway I tell Joe and Joe gets on Casino's tail.
He can tail me, I'm no good at it.
I'm giving that one away. No charge.
And Joe tails Canino out to the Sternwood place and Canino parks outside the estate and a car come up beside him with a girl in it.
They talk for a while and Joe thinks the girl passes something over, like maybe dough.
The girl beats it.
It's Regan's wife.
Okey, she knows Canino and Canino knows Mars.
So Joe figures Canino knows something about Regan and is trying to squeeze a little on the side for himself.
Canino blows and Joe loses him.
End of Act One."
"What does this Canino look like?"
"Short, heavy set, brown hair, brown eyes, and always wears brown clothes and a brown hat.
Even wears a brown suede raincoat.
Drives a brown coupe.