“Southwest corner of River and Gardener.”
“What kind of a kid is this brother of yours?”
“He was a good kid, Eric. Really a good kid. Something just went wrong with him somehow. I don’t know where or when. He’s — twisted inside now. He frightens me.”
He said gently, “You must love him a great deal to do — this sort of thing for him.”
“Love him? I don’t know. I love what he used to be. I hate what he is.”
“Suppose somebody who knows my name saw us together?”
“I was going to take that chance. It would be okay, if it helped Johnny.”
His lips curled. “You shouldn’t have told me, you know.”
“I had to.”
“You didn’t figure all the angles, Miss James. I’m no longer your pigeon, and while you’re getting another fall guy, I’ll be back up to here in rye.”
“Then everything you said was an act too, Eric. All that guff about me being the only one to help you. I’ve straightened you out for a long time, haven’t I?... Good-by, Eric. Happy dreams.”
Before he could stop me, I picked up my purse and hurried out. It was raining again. The rain mingled with the tears that came. I knew no reason why there should be tears. I ran until my heart pounded and a great pain came in my side. Gasping, I went into a cigar store and shut myself in the phone booth.
“Sam? This is that girl again.”
“What’s wrong?”
“The delivery got fouled up, Sam.”
Long seconds. Heavy sigh. “I can’t stop the boys from showing. It’s after eleven now. They’ll be there on schedule. Unless you can find somebody else in the meantime, show up yourself and tell them it’s off.”
“Okay, Sam.”
I hung up, bought cigarettes at the counter.
I tried, Johnny. I’ll do it yet, Johnny. With somebody else. Somebody who is... further gone. Somebody without blue eyes and strong fingers and that look of hope and pleading. Maybe, in my shoes, Johnny, you couldn’t have done it either. I hope not.
Two o’clock. Lagging feet took me to the corner. The wind had come up. Rain whipped around the brutal stone shoulders of the gray buildings. The windows were blank black sockets where eyes had once been. The night life of River Street that had been a solid brassy blare at midnight was beginning to fade. The city gagged, coughed and seemed to change position in its sleep.
In an alley a girl cried, flatly, tonelessly. A bottle smashed against the bricks. A man stood with his cheek against the wet cold metal of the street sign.
I crossed over to the southwest corner. A man stood in the shadows. I stood and felt that he watched me. There was something familiar about his stance.
Three steps closer. “Eric! What do you want here?”
Tired voice. “That was the arrangement, wasn’t it? Never let it be said that Norstram fouled up a lady in distress.”
“But you can’t!”
“Can’t what? I’m not being a tragic figger, honey. This is just a nice clean way to do it. This way, maybe I accomplish something.”
I grabbed his wet coat, pulled at him. “Get away from here, Eric! Get away! You’ve been drinking.”
He laughed tonelessly. “That’s where you’re wrong, honey. Very wrong. I haven’t had a drink.”
A big car came down the street at a fast rate. The shocks smacked against the frame as it hit the potholes in the street. It slid smoothly up to the curb.
“Ah, my taxi,” Eric said. “A short ride to the Styx.”
He stepped toward the door that swung open. I grabbed his arm, pulled hard, held tightly in spite of his efforts to free himself.
A man got out of the ear, came quickly across the sidewalk.
“What the hell goes on?”
“Johnny!” I gasped.
“Sam told me you got me a pigeon.” Johnny stood in a half crouch. “Nice work, Sis. Come on, you.”
“Don’t take him, Johnny! Don’t take him!” I pleaded. “He’s not the one.”
“You’re quite a joker, Sis,” he said, showing white teeth. He yanked my hands off Eric’s sleeve, shoved Eric roughly toward the car. He put a hand against my shoulder, pushed me away violently and said, “You’re all through with this deal, Sis. Keep your nose out. Thanks for the pigeon. And I’m not coming back. I got a big arrangement on the Coast with Sammy.”
Eric turned in time to see me nearly fall from Johnny’s rough push. He said, “Hey, what do—”
Johnny cursed and hit him heavily in the mouth. The quick blood showed black in the faint light of the streetlamp. As Eric sagged, Johnny tumbled him into the back seat of the car. The door slammed, the motor raced and the sedan roared off.
I turned and ran. I sobbed aloud as I ran. The light of the drugstore was incredibly distant. As I ran it seemed to recede from me.
I managed to get a nickle out of my purse, dialed the operator.
She connected me quickly. “Police Headquarters, Sergeant Gray.”
“Emergency. A black Pontiac sedan, license Y 8463, kidnapped a man named Eric Norstram three minutes ago on the corner of River and Gardener. They headed north on Gardener. They’re going to kill Norstram.”
With infuriating slowness, he made me repeat the license. He cut me off for a few moments, came back on the line. “Okay, we got it on the radio. If you’re right on the time, they won’t make it out of town. Now, who was in the car?”
“I recognized one man. John James. He works for Sam Losser who owns the Castle Club on Route 34. John James was one of the three who robbed Connor Coal.”
Sergeant Gray whistled. “You sure?”
“Sam Losser told me.”
“We better come and get you and bring you in here. You may be a little unpopular. Who are you?”
“Ellen James. John is my brother.”
“Where do we find you?”
I gave him the address. I hung up slowly. My hands were cold with perspiration. During the few moments I had before the white sedan pulled up in front, I scrubbed off most of the heavy makeup.
I sat alone in the back seat. The thick shoulders of the two men in uniform were like a wall of blue stone.
A dim impression of a large room, white tile, golden oak, cigar smoke. Sergeant Gray had a kind, florid face.
“Better sit down, Miss James.”
“Did... did...?”
“Yes. Got them at the bridge near Anderson Avenue. There was stuff from the coal company safe in the car. They’re coming in now. The others. Not your brother. He tried to run for it...”
There was a sharp smell in my nose and I fought feebly to push away the hand that held the sharp smell so close to me. “Take it easy,” a voice said gently.
I opened my eyes and looked into Gray’s face. My voice sounded far away. “Where is... Eric?”
Gray grinned and winked at somebody beyond me. He said, “Lady, that ain’t exactly a sofa cushion you got your head on.”