Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Losers, Weepers
    Losers, Weepers
    Losers, Weepers
    Ebook198 pages2 hours

    Losers, Weepers

    By Ellery Queen

    3/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    An ordinary office worker finds a whole lot of money—and winds up running for his life—in this twist-filled thriller by a mystery master.

    Jim Morgan can’t afford the briefcase. His wife’s spending has strangled him with debt, and he’s down to his last $20. But the briefcase in the leather shop calls to him. It looks like something an executive would own. It smells like success. When he buys it, he feels a confidence he hasn’t felt in years. He tells off the office bully. He talks his way into a raise. The briefcase has made him a new man—and soon, it will be his downfall.
     
    Stopping on his way home for a cocktail, Morgan sets the briefcase on the barroom floor. When he picks it up, it’s filled with cash. He’s walked off with $100,000 in stolen money. And getting rid of it will turn his life upside down—or end it.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMysteriousPress.com Open Road
    Release dateSep 22, 2015
    ISBN9781504019149
    Losers, Weepers
    Author

    Ellery Queen

    Ellery Queen was a pen name created and shared by two cousins, Frederic Dannay (1905–1982) and Manfred B. Lee (1905–1971), as well as the name of their most famous detective. Born in Brooklyn, they spent forty-two years writing, editing, and anthologizing under the name, gaining a reputation as the foremost American authors of the Golden Age “fair play” mystery. Although eventually famous on television and radio, Queen’s first appearance came in 1928, when the cousins won a mystery-writing contest with the book that would eventually be published as The Roman Hat Mystery. Their character was an amateur detective who uses his spare time to assist his police inspector uncle in solving baffling crimes. Besides writing the Queen novels, Dannay and Lee cofounded Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, one of the most influential crime publications of all time. Although Dannay outlived his cousin by nine years, he retired Queen upon Lee’s death.

    Read more from Ellery Queen

    Related to Losers, Weepers

    Related ebooks

    Mystery For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      SAPPHIRE & STEEL

      Aug 14, 2019

      SAPPHIRE & STEEL
      7 min read

    • Article

      London’s Frost Fairs

      Nov 6, 2020

      London’s Frost Fairs
      2 min read

    • Article

      Felix Francis

      Jan 13, 2022

      Felix Francis
      6 min read

    • Article

      Coming Soon...

      Dec 15, 2020

      David Tennant stars as Phileas Fogg in this new adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel. Phileas is joined on his voyage by sidekick Passepartout (Ibrahim Koma) and journalist Abigail Fix (Leonie Benesch).  The cookery show returned earlier this year afte

      1 min read

    • Article

      Mysterious World

      Aug 27, 2020

      Mysterious World
      1 min read

    • Article

      The Sound Of Crickets

      Jul 10, 2022

      The Sound Of Crickets
      9 min read

    • Article

      Going for ALL GOLD

      Apr 1, 2020

      “There are times when life feels like an episode of Miranda . You know, the bits where she means well and tries to help but is so blundering and clumsy that it always seems to go wrong. The latest example of this is my Terry’s All Gold diplomacy. Le

      3 min read

    • Article

      New NEIGHBOUR

      Oct 21, 2020

      “It was a cold rainy morning and Mr Dear was staring out of the sitting room window. He does this because a) he thinks it makes him look wistful and sensitive, and b) he knows it annoys me when I’m dusting because he could be lifting up all the usele

      3 min read

    • Article

      Identity Crisis

      Feb 2, 2019

      Identity Crisis
      8 min read

    • Article

      Honestly

      Jan 8, 2024

      Honestly
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Inheritance

      Nov 4, 2021

      The Inheritance
      6 min read

    • Article

      A moral DILEMMA

      Feb 14, 2024

      There was a woman acting suspiciously in the charity shop the other day. In fact, she could not have been acting more suspiciously if she’d put on a mask and a striped top, and come through the door with a large bag marked Swag. I was serving a coupl

      3 min read

    • Article

      A cereal OFFENDER

      Jun 28, 2023

      Do we want a free ticket to Legoland?’ asked Mr Dear absent-mindedly one morning. It is breakfast time and, believe it or not, this question is evidence of a crisis at Chateau Dear. ‘I don’t think so,’ I reply, gazing into the fridge and wondering wh

      3 min read

    • Article

      Dirtnap

      Dec 15, 2019

      I was staying at Jean’s apartment in LA for two months to escape an especially dire Oregon winter and to test how much weight our relationship could bear. We had been conducting a long-distance romance for nearly a year then, back-and-forth visits an

      24 min read

    • Article

      The Real Deal

      Nov 25, 2021

      The Real Deal
      5 min read

    • Article

      Decisions, Decisions

      Aug 27, 2020

      Decisions, Decisions
      5 min read

    • Article

      Joshua Mohr: The Time I Robbed a Liquor Store

      Mar 10, 2017

      Our alibi was a sandy blanket in the back of my truck, an acoustic guitar, a knockout brunette in the passenger seat. Our alibi was a night picnic at the beach. When we got pulled over—if we got pulled over—the cop would peer in the cab and he’d thin

      6 min read

    • Article

      Journey INTO SPACE

      Jan 17, 2024

      "When I got back home from walking the dog, Mr Dear was washing the windows and singing a merry window cleaner’s song: ‘The blushing bride she looks divine, the bridegroom he is doing fine I’d rather have his job than mine, when I’m cleaning windows.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Rosemary Handy ANDY

      Jan 27, 2021

      “Readers who have been good enough to take notes might remember our neighbour Carolyn, who is something in insurance and obviously does very well because she drives a bright red soft-top car that makes Mr Dear sigh with envy every time he passes it.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Good news, BAD NEWS

      Nov 30, 2022

      The good news is that I’m still married. And the bad news? Well, we’ll come to that in due course. It is true that a temporary frost had descended over Dear Towers, as you’ll remember if you were good enough to visit last week. This was because Mr D

      3 min read

    • Article

      A balancing ACT

      Nov 23, 2021

      A balancing ACT
      6 min read

    • Article

      Drama! ACTION!

      May 19, 2021

      Drama! ACTION!
      3 min read

    • Article

      Kings

      Jun 5, 2023

      1.Kings lie down to zip up their jeans,buy Cetaphil, candy, magazinesat Walgreens because they canwalk there unsupervised, describeblowjobs they’ve given to seniorsin cars, spend what they think of astheir own money. Home sick from school,they learn

      6 min read

    • Article

      Proverbs Of A Faceless Time

      Dec 1, 2023

      Proverbs Of A Faceless Time
      9 min read

    • Article

      Cruel Intentions

      Feb 20, 2020

      Cruel Intentions
      5 min read

    • Article

      Falling In Love Again – In M&S

      Mar 6, 2024

      Jem Clarke is in his very, very early fifties, is five foot zero inches tall and has never left the family home in Cleethorpes, which he shares with his parents… Mother has revealed she was once engaged to the East Coast's most prolific housebreaker.

      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Losers, Weepers

    3/5

    4 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Losers, Weepers - Ellery Queen

      CHAPTER 1

      It was all Anita’s fault. If Anita weren’t the way she was about money, he wouldn’t be strangulated by debts. If not for the debts, he wouldn’t be bitter. With bitterness had come defiance. And if he had not been defiant, he wouldn’t have bought the briefcase.

      And if he hadn’t bought the briefcase, none of what happened would have happened.

      It went back to Anita in a straight line, damn her helpless eyes.

      That was surely the most troublesome briefcase of all time.

      The chain of events was inexorable. He would not have run into the leather-goods sale if Anita’s extravagances hadn’t made him try to skimp on his personal expenses. Ordinarily Morgan had lunch with some of the people from his office at a decent restaurant on Hope Street. Today, on the excuse that he had an errand to run for his wife, he drove over to the joint on Fourth and Los Angeles Street where the eighty-five-cent blue-plate special would save him sixty-five cents. Axton’s was next door to the hash house and he had to pass its display windows.

      And there it lay.

      It was beautiful—a dark brown case of hand-tooled calfskin which, according to the display card, had been reduced from $22.50 to $11.95, practically fifty percent. It was so beautiful it made Morgan think of the dirty manila envelope he had to use to carry papers to and from the office. It also made him think of the $75 alligator purse Anita had bought on her charge account the day before; none of her six other purses, it seemed, went with her sports clothes. Anger flushed him out like a stopped-up toilet suddenly, and he found himself striding into the department store like a man.

      The leather-goods department was just inside the main entrance, and the middle-aged clerk behind the counter, spotting the look in Morgan’s eyes, said, Is there something wrong, sir?

      A hell of a lot, said Morgan, "a hell of a lot. Let me see one of those briefcases you have on sale."

      The clerk knew a fish when he saw one. Either you know values, sir, or this is your lucky day. This is top-quality merchandise, and there’s nothing phony about that markdown. Our buyer overordered and we’re having to sell them out at cost. That’s a fact—eleven ninety-five is what we paid for them ourselves. It’s a wonderful buy. I bought one myself.

      Do you put gold initials on?

      Oh, yes, sir. At no extra cost. That’s store policy in this department—always has been. Shall I wrap it up, sir?

      Uh, no. I’ll carry it.

      All Morgan had in his wallet was a $20 bill, $14 of which were reserved for the electric bill in his breast pocket. Also, he had forgotten that there was a sales tax on leather goods. He consoled himself with the thought that, tomorrow being Friday, he would have to buy only one more lunch this week, and Monday was payday.

      The electric company could wait four more days, Morgan decided with remarkable cheerfulness. They were accustomed to waiting for the Morgan bills to be paid. It was marvelous, this devil-may-care feeling. He walked out of the store briskly.

      Outside, a pretty girl passing by gave him a sidelong glance. He squared his shoulders and stole a look at his reflection in Axton’s window.

      By God, he looked like a junior executive. The reflection in the window did not mirror the threadbare condition of his conservative gray suit; it looked smart. And his worn shoes were well shined. Six full feet of lean junior executive; yes, sir. (Or could you call thirty years old junior?) Well, there was nothing wrong with that touch of premature gray at his temples. Executive vice-president type, he decided, pleased with the fancy. And all because of a new briefcase! He gripped it more firmly.

      Had he but known.

      On his way back to the office Morgan began having guilt feelings about his purchase. He really had only occasional need to take papers home; bargain or not, the briefcase was a luxury, and he had bought it at the possible cost of having the electricity turned off. The thought of Anita’s alligator purse lightened the guilt only a little.

      Morgan was a draftsman for the engineering firm of Christian & Howard, on Figueroa Street. As he drove into his assigned slot on the building’s parking lot, a Buick convertible pulled alongside. The blond Hercules behind the wheel was an engineer for Christian & Howard, and the slim golden-haired girl beside him was the receptionist.

      The driver bellowed, I’ve got a beef with you, Jim.

      Morgan climbed from his car as the other two got out of the convertible. What did I do now?

      First you marry my girl right out from under my nose, the big blond man said. Now, when I try to make time with another doll, all she wants to talk about is you. You might as well have come to lunch with us. What’s your secret power over the femmes, Jim?

      The girl with the golden hair reddened. What a silly thing to say, Give. I don’t think it’s funny at all.

      Morgan didn’t think it was, either. Clive Halpert’s humor tended to have considerable weight and meaty hands. Halpert had attended UCLA with Anita, and they had dated a few times when Halpert was a senior and Anita a junior. Halpert thought it hilarious to joke about their old college relationship. He also treated Anita with a familiarity which was not calculated to roll Morgan in the aisles.

      Morgan was not a jealous man; he liked Halpert well enough in other respects, and he put up with the man’s heavy-handedness philosophically. However, if Halpert now planned a new routine about a supposed romance building between Morgan and Stephanie McQuade, Morgan decided that he was not amused. The truth was, it was sort of dangerous territory. During the six months Stephanie McQuade had worked for Christian & Howard, Morgan had found himself thinking of her more and more. He had had to bring himself up short when he began to realize that his interest was accompanied by night sweats and erotic dreams. The realization deeply upset him; and now he found himself as angry at Halpert as he had just been at Anita.

      Don’t ever make a crack like that again, Clive.

      The blond giant stared at Morgan in astonishment. That was a joke, son. What are you so touchy about?

      Just lay off, that’s all, Morgan said, and headed for the building entrance.

      The pair caught up with him, the McQuade girl looking embarrassed.

      I didn’t mean anything, Jim, Halpert said. You don’t think I really believe Stephanie has a thing for you, do you? How could she, with me around, haha?

      Why don’t you just forget it? Morgan said.

      Yes, Stephanie said. Please, Clive.

      Okay, okay.

      They entered the building and paused before the elevator. Halpert pushed the button. Stephanie, trying to ease the tension, remarked on the new briefcase Morgan was carrying.

      Well, look who’s become an executive! she said. Where’d you get that, Jim?

      At Axton’s. They’re having a sale.

      Halpert said, Good-looking case. What did it set you back?

      Eleven ninety-five, plus tax.

      The elevator door opened then and they got on.

      Upstairs, in the reception room, Clive Halpert hesitated, then walked down the hall to his office. Morgan lingered for a moment.

      I hope that dumb crack didn’t upset you, Stephanie.

      Her cheeks pinked. Oh, it was just Clive’s idea of a joke. I really didn’t spend the whole lunch hour talking about you.

      Let’s not let it spoil anything. I value our friendship too much to want us to be self-conscious with each other.

      It won’t make me self-conscious, Jim, Stephanie said, rather dryly. You’re a married man. Glancing at the clothestree in the corner, she said in an obvious attempt to change the subject, Mr. Christian’s hat is there—he must be back. Don’t you want to see him about your raise?

      What kind of mood was he in before lunch?

      Average—only about half mad at the world. You’d better not take that briefcase in with you.

      Morgan grinned. You’ve got the instincts of a great general, Stephanie. At that, if he sees the case he’ll think a rich uncle died or something. I’ll dump it in the drafting room. Thanks.

      He left his briefcase and hat in the drafting room and went back to the reception room. Stephanie was just switching off her desk intercom.

      He’ll see you now, Jim.

      Christian, the senior partner, handled business and personnel matters; Howard concentrated on the engineering problems. All Morgan’s working contacts were with the junior partner. Even after four years with the firm, Morgan was not on close terms with Christian.

      Christian was a red-faced portly man of sixty with a chronically sour look. He could be pleasant with clients, but employees approached him gingerly. Morgan found his palms sweating when he entered the big office.

      Christian waved him to a seat. He said grumpily, A problem, Morgan?

      Well, yes, sir, Morgan said, and he cleared his throat. Excuse me … I was wondering about the possibility of a raise, Mr. Christian. I haven’t had one in two years.

      Christian drew heavy eyebrows together. The company is paying draftsmen twenty percent over the average for this area now. Aren’t you drawing around eight thousand?

      Yes, sir, but living costs … I mean, I can’t seem to make out on eight thousand.…

      Your fellow draftsmen do. Arnold Long doesn’t complain, and he has four children. You don’t have any, do you?

      No, sir, but—

      Your problem is probably budgeting. You seem to be able to afford a new car every year, and every time I see your wife she has on a new outfit. If you got a salary increase, your standard of living would undoubtedly go up, too.

      There wouldn’t be much doubt of that, Jim Morgan thought miserably. Anita was no more capable of living on a budget than of flapping her lovely arms and taking off. He had asked for a raise chiefly because he was tired of listening to her wifely whining about the rut he was in.

      At the same time, Morgan was offended by Christian’s assumption that his life outside the office was anyone’s concern but his own.

      He found himself saying distantly, I don’t think my budgeting is something, the company should worry about, Mr. Christian. If you can’t afford a raise, that’s that. Thanks for your time.

      Christian looked at him in his shrewd way. Don’t be so touchy, Jim. There’s nothing wrong in an employer’s being interested in his employees’ problems. How long have you been with us?

      Morgan was taken aback. The senior member of the firm had never before addressed him by his first name. Four years.

      According to my partner, your work has been extremely satisfactory. I’ll take the matter of a raise up with Howard and let you know.

      Morgan was so astonished he found himself stammering. As he left the office, he wondered if he had stumbled on the key to Christian’s weakness. Most of his employees treated him with the cringing wariness buck privates reserved for chicken colonels, and Christian snapped orders at them with a colonel’s contempt. The way to handle him was to stand up to him instead of meekly yessing everything he said.

      Stephanie raised her brows in inquiry as he passed through the reception room. He held up two fingers in a V-for-victory sign, and she gave him a flashing smile. She was really a damn attractive girl.…

      Arnold Long, the balding draftsman who shared the drafting room with Morgan, was seated at his drawing board. He looked up and said, Long lunch hour?

      I’ve been in the boss’s office, Morgan said.

      Oh? Long looked curious, but he asked no further question and Morgan volunteered no information. He suspected that, if he told Long he had asked for a raise, the man would immediately march to Christian’s office and demand one, too. That might well queer it for both of them. Besides, he had no particular affection for Long, who was not a companionable man.

      As he tacked a sheet of drawing paper to his board, Morgan wondered if he should not withhold the good news from Anita. If he didn’t tell her about it, he would be able to apply the extra pay to overdue bills and some attempt at budget-balancing before she could run up more bills than she was already doing. But then he shook his head. He had a stubbornly old-fashioned idea that marriage had to be founded on honesty. What good was a relationship that relied on subterfuge and outright lying for some semblance of serenity? Anita was a handful where economy was concerned, but it was a cross he had to teach himself to bear.

      No, he would tell her, he decided; but at the same time he would put his foot down about her spending.

      CHAPTER 2

      Morgan was working on a map of a housing tract showing streets, sewers, power lines, elevations, and traverses. The map was too big for him to take home to work on, and he had no other assignment at the moment. Just to have something to carry in his glossy new briefcase, he thrust into it a few sheets of scratch paper on which he had made desk computations.

      He felt a quirk of amusement as he put the papers in the case. It was like

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1