the automatic again.
I sat on the bed. I said: “Suppose you put the gun away and take it easy. This is a private matter between Blondie and me... it don't call for any outside interference.”
Katz said: “You talk too much. Keep your trap shut. I'll do the talking an' you just answer... get it?”
I shrugged.
“What are you doin' here?” he asked.
I grinned. “That's an easy one,” I said. “What the hell would any man be doin' here?”
Katz pushed his hat at the back of his head and leant against the wall. He put a finger and thumb in his vest-pocket and took out a toothpick. He put the toothpick in his mouth and chewed it thoughtfully.
“If you don't like to talk straight,' he said, “it's goin' to be tough for you.”
I said: “Be your age, Katz. You can't get that way with me. I could make this town so hot for you that you'd have to take a powder quick.”
Katz shifted the toothpick. “You're all washed up,” he said. “You ain't nothin'. Suppose you get wise an' talk? What are you doin' here?”
The bathroom door opened and Blondie came in. She'd done some good work and she was looking more herself. Her eyes still glinted dangerously and she stood in the doorway, watching us.
I shrugged. “I guess I'll be on my way,” I said, getting to my feet.
Katz said: “Sit down.” There was a threat in his voice.
“We won't get anywhere,” I said. “I'm goin'.”
Katz shifted a little, so that his back was against the door. “Don't start anythin',” he said. “I ain't ready to plug you yet, but don't rush me.”
I said: “You better get out of the way.” I was getting mad with this gunman. I guessed he'd think twice about letting the gun off. After all, we were on a main street, and guns can make a noise.
Maybe Katz gave Blondie a signal, or maybe she acted on her own initiative. I had been keeping my eyes on the gun, making up my mind whether I could jump Katz or not, and for a moment she was out of the picture. Well, I deserved what came to me, because I had had a taste of her before. I said already this dame was poison, and poison she was.
Something hard and heavy hit me on the side of my head, and I went down on my knees. The room tilted and the lights began to spin.
Dimly I heard Katz say: “Don't hit him again.... I wantta talk to this bird.”
Someone grabbed my arms and twisted them behind me and a hard, cold strap bit into my wrists. I felt myself tossed on the bed. My head cleared and I struggled to sit up, but a hand, out of the mists, closed over my face and slammed me back on the pillow. I lay still until I could focus the lights properly, then I raised my head cautiously and looked at them. They stood at the end of the bed, watching me.
Blondie had her arms crossed over her breasts. Her face was indifferent, but her eyes smouldered. Katz chewed the toothpick and held the automatic loosely.
Without taking his eyes off me, he said to Blondie: “What's it all about?”
“He's crazy. He came up here an' said I'd taken five grand off him.”
Katz shrugged. “Well, didn't you?” he said. He moved round the bed and sat down close to me. “Listen, punk,” he went on, I m goin' to tell you somethin'... then you're goin' to tell me somethin'. We've got your jack all right. Blondie lifted it, like you thought she did....”
Blondie made a move forward. “What the hell....” she began.
Katz turned his head. “Shut up,” he said. “I'm handlin' this. I want this guy to know where he gets off.”
He turned his head back to me. “We've been watchin' you for some time. You went to Vessi's bump-off, didn't you?”
I said: “What of it?” It struck me that if this guy talked enough, I might learn something.
“We're
I sat on the bed. I said: “Suppose you put the gun away and take it easy. This is a private matter between Blondie and me... it don't call for any outside interference.”
Katz said: “You talk too much. Keep your trap shut. I'll do the talking an' you just answer... get it?”
I shrugged.
“What are you doin' here?” he asked.
I grinned. “That's an easy one,” I said. “What the hell would any man be doin' here?”
Katz pushed his hat at the back of his head and leant against the wall. He put a finger and thumb in his vest-pocket and took out a toothpick. He put the toothpick in his mouth and chewed it thoughtfully.
“If you don't like to talk straight,' he said, “it's goin' to be tough for you.”
I said: “Be your age, Katz. You can't get that way with me. I could make this town so hot for you that you'd have to take a powder quick.”
Katz shifted the toothpick. “You're all washed up,” he said. “You ain't nothin'. Suppose you get wise an' talk? What are you doin' here?”
The bathroom door opened and Blondie came in. She'd done some good work and she was looking more herself. Her eyes still glinted dangerously and she stood in the doorway, watching us.
I shrugged. “I guess I'll be on my way,” I said, getting to my feet.
Katz said: “Sit down.” There was a threat in his voice.
“We won't get anywhere,” I said. “I'm goin'.”
Katz shifted a little, so that his back was against the door. “Don't start anythin',” he said. “I ain't ready to plug you yet, but don't rush me.”
I said: “You better get out of the way.” I was getting mad with this gunman. I guessed he'd think twice about letting the gun off. After all, we were on a main street, and guns can make a noise.
Maybe Katz gave Blondie a signal, or maybe she acted on her own initiative. I had been keeping my eyes on the gun, making up my mind whether I could jump Katz or not, and for a moment she was out of the picture. Well, I deserved what came to me, because I had had a taste of her before. I said already this dame was poison, and poison she was.
Something hard and heavy hit me on the side of my head, and I went down on my knees. The room tilted and the lights began to spin.
Dimly I heard Katz say: “Don't hit him again.... I wantta talk to this bird.”
Someone grabbed my arms and twisted them behind me and a hard, cold strap bit into my wrists. I felt myself tossed on the bed. My head cleared and I struggled to sit up, but a hand, out of the mists, closed over my face and slammed me back on the pillow. I lay still until I could focus the lights properly, then I raised my head cautiously and looked at them. They stood at the end of the bed, watching me.
Blondie had her arms crossed over her breasts. Her face was indifferent, but her eyes smouldered. Katz chewed the toothpick and held the automatic loosely.
Without taking his eyes off me, he said to Blondie: “What's it all about?”
“He's crazy. He came up here an' said I'd taken five grand off him.”
Katz shrugged. “Well, didn't you?” he said. He moved round the bed and sat down close to me. “Listen, punk,” he went on, I m goin' to tell you somethin'... then you're goin' to tell me somethin'. We've got your jack all right. Blondie lifted it, like you thought she did....”
Blondie made a move forward. “What the hell....” she began.
Katz turned his head. “Shut up,” he said. “I'm handlin' this. I want this guy to know where he gets off.”
He turned his head back to me. “We've been watchin' you for some time. You went to Vessi's bump-off, didn't you?”
I said: “What of it?” It struck me that if this guy talked enough, I might learn something.
“We're
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