Originally Posted by Elli

Last One:

Death at Sunrise

Inspector Winters raised the tattered window shade, letting morning light into the dingy room of Nick the Nose.
In the courtyard four stories below, policemen were gathered around the shattered body of a young woman.

"Let's hear it again," the inspector said to Nick.

Nick, who hadn't sold one of his phony tips to the police in months, shifted nervously.

"About sunrise I'm sitting in this chair reading the racing form," began the greasy little informer. "I got the insomnia, see? Suddenly I hear scuffling, and I see Mrs. Clark. She lives right across the court on the fourth floor.

"Well, she's strugglig with a man in a uniform. He gives her a shove toward the window, and whammy, out she goes!

"The first thing I think of is you -- maybe you'll figure it's suicide instead of murder. So I run down to the drugstore and telephone you. I stayed with the body till we came up here, just to keep everything like it was for you."

Nick licked his lips. "I see the killer's face. I figure I can identify him or at least tell you what kind of uniform he had on. That ought to be worth something."

"It is -- this!" growled the inspector, delivering his foot to the seat of Nick's pants.

"Quite the appropriate payment," commented Haledjian when he heard of Nick's latest attempt at a payday.

Why did Nick get the boot instead of the cash?