1945 - Blonde's Requiem (26 page)

“
Take it easy,
”
I said, and went over to Jeff.
“
Turn around, you fat slob. I want to talk to you.
”

He turned and snarled at me.

“
You
’
re a fall-guy,
”
I said, speaking very rapidly.
“
I
’
m tipping you off because I don
’
t like Macey and I don
’
t like your boss. They
’
re framing you for Dixon
’
s murder. I was with Macey this afternoon. He
’
s after you. There
’
s a warrant out for you, and Starkey is playing with him.
”

His apish face went sullen.
“
You
’
re nuts,
”
he said.
“
I don
’
t know what you
’
re talking about.
”

“
You killed Dixon to get those pictures. You killed him on Starkey
’
s say-so. You thought Starkey would keep you covered—so he would have, only the Gazette
’
s got a picture of Dixon
’
s body showing he was strangled. Macey knows the only way he can save his hide is to get the murderer. Starkey
’
s agreed to sell you out. Don
’
t believe it if you don
’
t want to, but I
’
m telling you the cops are out now looking for you.
”

As I finished speaking a bullet crashed through the door and brought down a thin trickle of plaster. We were all away from the door and none of us stood a chance of being shot. I banged another slug back and I heard a man curse and move away.

Jeff stood glaring at me, doubt in his little eyes, his mouth twisted with rage and fear.
“
You
’
re lying,
”
he snarled.

I sneered at him.
“
What good are you to Starkey, you big moronic dolt? What the hell good are you to anyone? If Starkey turns you over to the cops, he
’
ll cash in for the election: Do you think he
’
s going to gum up his chances because of you?
”

His great fists clenched and unclenched.
“
She
’
s got the picture,
”
he said, pointing at Audrey.
“
You can
’
t bluff me, you punk.
”

I grinned at him.
“
We took two pictures,
”
I told him.
“
I
’
ve got one and she
’
s got the other. I don
’
t want the cops to catch you. It
’
d be too easy. I want Macey and Starkey to be in a spot when the Gazette breaks the story. That
’
s why I
’
m letting you duck out.
”
I nodded to the skylight.
“
Do you think you can get out that way?
”

Before he could reply three bullets crashed through the door, but neither of us paid any attention.

“
What
’
s the idea?
”
he said, his feeble little brain struggling to understand.

“
Hell!
”
I exclaimed.
“
What more do you want me to say? Beat it before the cops get hold of you. Get the hell outta town. If you
’
re smart and careful you should beat the dragnet they
’
ve put out for you.
”

I could see that my bluff was shaking him.
“
Dragnet?
”
he repeated stupidly.

“
Listen, you big stupid dope,
”
I said, throwing the words at him.
“
Starkey has sold you out. The cops are after you and I
’
m giving you a break to get away. Now do you understand?
”

He looked at the door and his face went a deep purple.
“
The yellow-gutted heel,
”
he said under his breath.
“
So that
’
s the way he
’
s playing it.
”

“
Come on, you punk,
”
I said.
“
Get going. I want to talk to Starkey.
”

“
So do I,
”
he said under his breath, and springing up he caught the edge of the skylight and hauled himself up. As he did so a faint wail of a police siren sounded. It couldn
’
t have been timed better.

I called after him:
“
Get going. Here they come.
”

I heard him curse, then I heard the sound of his feet running across the roof; a moment later he scrambled down the fire escape.

Audrey was staring at me her big eyes bewildered and curious. I went over to her and took her hand in mine.
“
Take it easy,
”
I said, smiling at her.
“
We
’
ve still got a job to do.
”

“
But what are we going to do?
”
she said.
“
They
’
ll never let us out of here.
”

“
You
’
ll he surprised,
”
I said and leaving her, I edged to the door. Keeping against the wall, I reached for the key, turned it and threw the door open.
“
Tell Starkey to come up here.
”
I yelled.
“
I want to talk to him.
”

The narrow passage crashed with gunfire and more plaster trickled from the opposite wall.

“
Hey!
”
I shouted.
“
Cut it out. I want to talk to Starkey.
”
There was silence for a moment. I could hear men muttering.

The sound of the police siren came nearer. Then someone said:
“
Throw your rod outside and come out with your hands up.
”

Audrey said:
“
No.
”

I smiled at her, tossed my gun through the open door, and heard it clatter to the floor. I walked out with my hands in the air.

A gun was rammed into my back. Four men were standing at the end of the corridor. Starkey was with them. The guy with the gun was a small, mean-faced gunsel, dressed in a shabby black suit. He snarled at me as I looked over my shoulder at him.

Starkey came up, his thin white face puzzled.

“
Frisk him,
”
he said, his voice shrill and excited.

The gunsel ran hands over me and shook his head.
“
He
’
s okay,
”
he said, and stepped away from me. His gun covered me from a distance.

“
I want to talk to you,
”
I said to Starkey.
“
Just you and me and the girl.
”

Maybe he didn
’
t like the way I said it. Maybe he was just curious, but he walked into the room and I followed him. At the door he said:
“
Stick around and come in fast if this jerk starts anything.
”
Then he took the key out of the door and gave it to the gunsel.

We stood in the middle of the room, the door closed and we eyed each other.

Audrey waited near the bed. She was very tense, but curious.
“
Listen,
”
I said,
“
we
’
re going to do a deal. I
’
ve got your kid Edna.
”

If a horse had kicked him in the face I couldn
’
t have hoped for a better effect.

We stared at each other for a long moment. His face had turned yellow and his eyes were wide and dull. Then he walked over to the bed and sat down.

“
You shouldn
’
t have told me that,
”
he said, speaking at his feet.
“
That puts you in the worst goddam jam you
’
ve ever been in in your life.
”

I found a cigarette and lit it.
“
Wake up,
”
I said gently.
“
You
’
re the guy who
’
s in a jam. You turn this girl loose or Edna
’
s for the high jump.
”

He looked up. His eyes burned.
“
Where
’
ve you hidden her?
”

“
Somewhere safe,
”
I said, sitting on the table and blowing smoke at him.

“
You
’
re going to talk,
”
he said viciously,
“
and you
’
re going to talk fast. I
’
ve got ways of making a rat like you loosen up.
”

“
What do you think I am?
”
I said.
“
If I don
’
t phone the guys who are looking after me in ten minutes they
’
ll take Edna apart. And let me tell you, it won
’
t be hard labour doing just that little thing.
”

He stared at me and then he shifted his eyes. I could see I
’
d made myself clear on that point.

“
Now listen,
”
I said, speaking fast,
“
you can
’
t sidestep this set-up. I want someone for Dixon
’
s killing. It
’
s going to be Jeff. Play it my way and it won
’
t hurt you. Start something I don
’
t like and I
’
ll throw you as well as Jeff to the wolves.
”

“
Dixon died of heart failure,
”
he said without any conviction.

“
You
’
re still out of the picture,
”
I said, sliding off the table and going over to him.
“
I
’
m a peaceful guy until someone tramples on me. I
’
ve had enough of Cranville and I
’
m going to blow it sky-high. If you don
’
t like it, you
’
ll go up with the rest of them. I don
’
t give a damn. Dixon was knocked off by your stooge. He was acting on your orders. I
’
m not ready to take you yet. There
’
re other things you
’
ve got to do before I put a rope around your neck. So I
’
m making, Jeff the fall guy. Give him to Macey and your stock
’
ll go up in Cranville. If you don
’
t, then I
’
ll do it and fix it so they
’
ll all know you told Jeff to do it. Don
’
t think Macey
’
s the only guy in town with any power. The Federal Agents will jump in if I call Washington, and that
’
s just what I
’
m going to do if you don
’
t play. If you plan to rub me out, take another think. My mob
’
s got Edna, and they don
’
t go for skinny dames. They
’
ll pull her apart and host the parts to you if you try to get rough with me. That
’
s the way it goes and you
’
re going to like it.
”

He looked like he was going to jump me, but I didn
’
t move. I just stared at him and after a moment he quieted down.
“
You
’
re crazy,
”
he said.
“
You can
’
t pull a fast, one like this on me.
”