Two Picks for EQ

"Kick."
By Hugh MacNair Kahler (1883-1969).
Found in Collier's, April 12, 1930.
Short short short story (1 page).
Reprinted in EQMM, April 1949.
Online HERE.

In the criminal world a strange code of honor prevails:

. . . "What'd we just pull off? A play with no jack in it—a—a—what did the kid call it? A good act?"

Joe got it. "Oh, a good deed, huh?"

"Sure," said Louie. "A good deed."  . . .

"No Alibi."
By Hugh MacNair Kahler (1883-1969).
Found in Collier's, February 11, 1939.
Short short short story (1 page).
Reprinted in EQMM, February 1950.
Online HERE.

The perfect murder . . . except for one little thing:

. . . He tiptoed toward the door into the living room. Beyond it he could hear the sound of faraway violins coming over the radio, and Waring's voice, dust-dry, talking a tone or two above the music. Murdock's lips twisted. Waring always kept the radio going while he dictated his dull stuff into that recording machine. It helped him think, he claimed.  . . .

Resources:
- Kahler was incredibly prolific, supplying plenty of copy for the slicks (a bibliography HERE) and even the movies (HERE).

Category: Crime fiction with no soft edges