1944 - Just the Way It Is (27 page)

‘We’re nearly there,’ she said, after she had been driving for some time. She turned off the main street and a few minutes later she drew up outside Schultz’s house.

Joe’s head cleared slightly when the car stopped. He watched her get out and then opened the car door. His legs nearly let him down and he had to cling to the car. The smell of the flowers in Schultz’s garden had an almost overpowering effect on him.

Lorelli came round the car and took his arm. ‘What’s the matter with you?’ Her voice was hard and impatient.

She peered at his face and saw how ill he looked and her eyes hardened. She saw that Joe was not going to be much use to her, anyway for the time being. While she stood looking at him, the thought entered her head that this was the time to leave him and look after herself.

Joe sensed this and clutched at her arm. ‘You’d better stick close to me,’ he said. ‘If you try a double-cross you’ll get a surprise.’

‘What’s the matter?’ she said. ‘Don’t you trust me?’ She knew that she could easily wrench away from him, but she remembered how quick he was with a gun, so she decided to wait.

‘I don’t trust anyone,’ he said, going with her to the house. He fumbled for the key, tried to open the door, but his hand shook so that he gave it to her. ‘You open it,’ he said, impatiently.

They entered the dark hall and stood listening, then entered the sitting room. Lorelli turned on the light. They both saw Cullen.

Lorelli’s wild scream scared Joe. He struck at her feebly and she jumped away.

‘Who is it?’ she gasped, backing against the wall.

Joe moved forward cautiously. ‘Duke’s pal,’ he said, and then Lorelli recognized him.

‘Pete Cullen,’ she said, shuddering.

They stood staring at him.

‘You were crazy to come back,’ Joe said, unevenly. He walked over to the sideboard and poured himself out a stiff brandy. The liquor cleared his head.

Lorelli turned blindly to the door. ‘I’m going,’ she said. ‘Quick, Joe, let’s get out of here.’

Hallahan and O’Malley were standing in the doorway watching them. They had guns in their hands and as Lorelli saw them and caught her breath in a sob, Hallahan said, ‘Don’t move!’

Joe saw the steel buttons and he went for his gun. It was entirely a reflex action and he could do nothing about it.

Hallahan shot him between the eyes as he was jerking up his gun. Joe reeled back and crashed into the fireplace, scattering the fire irons, his gun sliding out of his hand.

Lorelli stood shivering, staring at the wound in Joe’s head, then she covered her eyes and began to cry.

A quiet voice sounded in her ears. ‘You should never have gone with him, my pigeon,’ said the voice, and a fat, hot hand took her arm.

She gave a frightened cry and tried to get away, but Schultz held her.

‘She’s nervous of me,’ Schultz went on to Hallahan, ‘I’m not surprised, leaving me and running around with a little killer like that.’

Hallahan put up his gun. ‘It’ll save the State a trial,’ he said, indifferently.

Schultz pushed Lorelli into a chair. ‘Sit there,’ he said, ‘and don’t move until I’m ready for you.’

While Hallahan was making sure that Joe was dead, Schultz quietly picked up the boy’s gun. He took out his .38 and slid Joe’s gun into his pocket. It was done very swiftly and neither Hallahan nor O’Malley saw him do it.

As Hallahan straightened, Schultz handed him his gun. ‘The boy killed Cullen,’ he said. ‘You’ll find the slugs match.’

Hallahan glared at him. ‘Why didn’t you leave it where it was?’ he snapped, taking the gun. ‘You’ve left fingerprints.’

Schultz’s saucer-like eyes were bland. ‘I never thought of that,’ he said. ‘Still, the boy’s dead. You don’t need evidence.’

Hallahan grunted. ‘Maybe Mr. Spade will call it suicide again,’ he said in disgust.

Schultz shook his head. ‘I don’t think so,’ he said, and laughed. ‘No, I really don’t think so. It’s a nice clean case, Captain, you have the murderer,’ he waved towards Joe. ‘And I’ve found my little girl again.’

‘What’s she doing with him?’ Hallahan said, looking suspiciously at Lorelli.

‘I’ve told you already,’ Schultz said, smoothly. ‘The boy had an odd influence over her. She’ll be all right now. You don’t have to worry about her.’ He grinned at him. ‘Mr. Spade always favours her, doesn’t he, my pigeon?’ The thick fingers dug into Lorelli’s muscles and she shrank away.

Hallahan hesitated. ‘Okay,’ he said. We’ll send the wagon over for these guys. You’ll have to bring her to court.’

Schultz nodded. ‘She’ll be there tomorrow,’ he said. ‘And thank you, Captain. I’ll be glad to get rid of these two. It makes my home seem a little unnatural.’ He laughed again.

Hallahan stared at him and then turned to O’Malley. ‘Stick around,’ he said, ‘I’ll fix things at the station,’ and he went out.

O’Malley eyed the whisky bottle hopefully, but Schultz said, ‘You might wait outside the house, Sergeant. I want to be alone for a while.’

Lorelli suddenly screamed out, ‘Don’t leave me,’ and she tried to break away from Schultz.

O’Malley stared at her and then looked towards Schultz.

‘She knows I’m going to punish her for running off with this boy,’ Schultz said, holding Lorelli firmly by her arm. With his other hand, he took out of his pocket a crumpled roll of notes. He pressed them into O’Malley’s hand.

‘You might leave us, Sergeant,’ he said, and grinned evilly.

Lorelli grabbed O’Malley’s sleeve and hung on, her big eyes wide with terror. ‘Don’t leave me with him,’ she gasped. ‘He’ll kill me . . . I know he’ll kill me!’

O’Malley jerked away from her and grinned. ‘He won’t do that,’ he said, putting the money in his pocket. ‘Will you, Mr. Schultz?’

‘She might think she’s going to be killed,’ Schultz said, twisting her arm and locking it behind her back, ‘but I won’t be quite so drastic as that.’

O’Malley moved reluctantly to the door. ‘If you want any help. . .’ he began, but Schultz waved him away.

‘She may scream a little,’ he said, ‘but don’t let it worry you.’

O’Malley went out and Lorelli shrugged wildly, screaming for him to come back. Schultz slapped her very hard across her mouth. The blow stunned her and, wailing softly, she fell on her knees.

Schultz said, ‘Well, my pigeon, this is the last time you’ll double-cross me. Where’s the money?’

‘Joe’s got it,’ she whimpered, trying to crawl away from him.

He slapped her again. ‘Give it to me before I tear your clothes to pieces. You’d never let Joe have it.’

With trembling hands, she produced the bonds. She had them under her dress and it took a few minutes before she could get them. She threw them at his feet.

He looked down at the oilskin wrapper and his eyes glistened. ‘Very nice,’ he said. ‘I’ve waited a long time for these.’

Lorelli scrambled to her feet and made a dive for the door. Schultz’s great hand shot out and hit her at the back of her neck. She pitched forward flat on the carpet.

He reached her in two strides. ‘No one will interfere this time,’ he said, softly, and his thick fingers closed round her throat.

She wriggled over on her back, fighting and tearing at his hands with her sharp fingernails. He swore softly and bunching his great muscles, he tightened his grip.

She fought him. She knew that he was going to kill her and if she couldn’t loosen his fingers there was no hope for her. The knowledge that O’Malley was only a few yards away drove her to make desperate efforts and Schultz had difficulty in holding her. He shifted and rammed his great knee down on her chest. She felt the breath leave her body in a concentrated gasp and she heard roaring in her ears and her tongue seemed to be growing in her mouth.

She no longer struggled, but lay pulling at his thick fingers feebly, her legs jerking spasmodically.

Then she heard Schultz give a groan. It seemed a long way off and his fingers suddenly slackened letting the breath come into her tortured lungs. She felt herself sinking into a sea of darkness, then someone said, ‘It’s all right,’ and she opened her eyes.

A little man with a shock of white hair was bending over her, supporting her head. ‘You’re all right,’ Sam Trench said, ‘I guess we were about just in time.’

Lorelli struggled up, holding her aching throat. Schultz lay on his side, a bloody gash on the side of his head. Al Barnes, swinging a length of lead piping, grinned at her. ‘Last minute rescue,’ he said. ‘Just like the movies.’

She stared at them blankly and tried to get to her feet.

Sam Trench supported her and led her to a chair. ‘Take it easy,’ he said. ‘You’ve got nothing to be scared of now.’

Barnes turned Schultz over, raised his eyelid and grunted. ‘I thought I’d killed him,’ he said, disappointment in his voice. ‘This guy must have a head like a strong room.’

Sam went over to Cullen and touched his hand. ‘He’s been dead some time.’ He looked over at Barnes and shook his head. ‘Poor Clare! She was fond of this boy.’

‘Look at them,’ Barnes said. ‘Two corpses, a guy with his brains oozing out and a judy with her neck stretched. Good enough for a horror play, ain’t it? I wish I’d got my camera. It’d make a swell picture for the Clarion.’

‘This is tabloid stuff,’ Sam said. ‘Our paper’s too classy for stuff like this.’ He glanced round the room and saw the oilskin packet that was lying next Schultz. He picked it up and glanced inside. Hey!’ he said. ‘Look at this!’

Lorelli struggled to get out of the chair, but she couldn’t quite make it. ‘That’s mine,’ she gasped, fiercely.

‘Oh, no,’ Sam said, ‘I don’t think so.’ He stood staring at the bonds, checked their numbers and screwed up his face. ‘Yeah, I think I know where this little lot’s come from.’

Barnes peered over his shoulder. ‘They’re pretty old, ain’t they?’ he said. ‘Gee! There must be nearly a half a million bucks there.’

‘This is Frank Noakes’s loot,’ Sam said. ‘I remember having the numbers sent to me nearly ten years ago. Pinder’s End! This explains everything, Al.’ He stuffed the packet in his pocket. ‘We’ll take her out the back way and we’ll have a little chat with her.’

Barnes grinned. He went over to Lorelli and helped her up. ‘Come on, honey,’ he said. ‘Your troubles are only just starting.’

Lorelli tried to wriggle away, but he held her. ‘Let me go,’ she panted. ‘And give me that money. It’s mine, I tell you!’

‘How you dames love to kid yourselves,’ Barnes said, good-humoredly, and pushed her out of the room.

An hour later, Captain Hallahan’s telephone rang and he sat for several minutes listening to Sam’s voice. He could hardly believe the startling information that Sam had to tell him. When the conversation finished, he hung up and sat brooding. Then, somewhat reluctantly he issued a warrant to arrest Paul Schultz for the murder of Peter Cullen. He was now convinced that he would not run for election after all and that the suicide wave had come to an end.

TWENTY-EIGHT

C
lare looked up sharply as the door of Casy’s sitting room jerked open. Then her hand flew to her mouth.

Korris smiled at her. ‘Don’t move,’ he said. ‘Just stay right where you are.’

Biff, looking over Korris’s shoulder, showed his broken teeth.

‘Hello, good-looking,’ he said, moving round Korris and coming into the room. ‘Didn’t expect us, did you?’

Clare sat still, her heart thumping and her face white.

Korris said, ‘We ain’t got long.’ He pointed a snub-nose automatic at her. ‘You know what we want. Where is it?’

‘I don’t know,’ Clare said, keeping her voice steady with an effort. ‘I don’t know anything about it.’

Korris glanced over at Biff. ‘Well, we’re in and they’re out. Maybe we could persuade Duke to talk business now.’

Biff nodded. ‘Yeah,’ he said, and grabbing Clare by her arm he dragged her out of the chair.

She made as if to struggle, but he twisted her arm, threatening her with his fist. ‘Keep still,’ he said, ‘or you’ll get hurt.’

Out of the night came the sound of gunfire and Korris turned his head sharply. ‘They’re still at it,’ he said. Then the door opened and Jetkin came in.

Korris rammed his gun into Jetkin’s side. ‘Don’t get excited,’ he said.

Jetkin looked over at Clare, gaped at Korris and Biff and then went a dirty white.

Clare thought he was going to faint.

Korris glanced at his watch. ‘Find Duke,’ he said to Jetkin. ‘Tell him if he doesn’t come back here in ten minutes, we’ll shoot the girl. We want to get this little business tied up.’

Jetkin just stood there trembling and Korris, digging the gun into him, had to force him out of the room

‘They’ll shoot me,’ Jetkin quavered. ‘Duke’s gone across the fields.’

Korris grinned. ‘I’d hate that to happen,’ he said, tearing down a dirty white curtain that covered the passage window. ‘Here, take this and wave it above your head. Maybe they won’t shoot you. But, get Duke,’ and he kicked Jetkin into the darkness.

When he made sure that Jetkin was on his way, Korris went back into the sitting room.

‘Take her upstairs,’ he said to Biff. ‘Stand just at the head of the stairs and listen. If Duke starts anything, kill her. Do you understand?’

‘Sure,’ Biff said, and he dragged Clare out of the room.

Korris went out and sat on the stoop in the shadows. Above the spasmodic gunfire, he could hear Jetkin’s quavering voice, yelling for Duke. He sat there waiting.

It was almost twenty minutes before he saw Duke coming across the field. Jetkin trailed along behind.

Korris wondered where his own men had got to and he suddenly felt a little uneasy. He poked his automatic forward and waited.

Duke walked to the broken gate and stood looking up at the house, his hands hanging by his sides.

Korris called softly, ‘Come on up here.’

Duke walked towards him, came up the steps and Korris led the way inside the house. Duke leaned against the wall when he got into the sitting room. His eyes were very watchful. ‘How do you like the battle?’ he asked.

Korris wandered around the room. ‘Never mind about that,’ he said. ‘The girl’s upstairs. If you start anything, Biff’ll kill her. You know Biff?’