She came in and stood watching me. “It's nice of you,” she said, “giving up your bed. Do you mind an awful lot?”
I didn't move. I just didn't trust myself. “No, I don't mind,” I said.
The sudden unevenness in my voice made her look at me quickly. “I'm sorry I can't do what some girls would do,” she said steadily. “Not because I think it's wrong, but because I think it's too soon.”
I went over to her and stood very close. “You're swell,” I said, “I don't want that. I just want you to know I'm crazy about you. I want to help you and do things for you.”
She put her hand on my arm. “Thank you.”
I gave a grin and walked out, shutting the door behind me.
The fat guy and Gus were sitting under the lamp waiting for me. The fat guy held an automatic directed at my belly. He said: “Reach up, lug, grab a handful of heaven.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THOSE TWO GUYS got me rattled for the moment. I leant against the door and put my hands up. There was a vicious look in the fat guy's eyes that I didn't like. I guessed he was feeling mighty sore with me.
Did he know Mardi was right behind me? Was he after her or was he just going to settle things up with me?
I said softly: “How's your noggin, Gus? You birds want a lot of shakin', don't you?”
The fat guy waved the gun at me. “Come away from the door, lug, we want the dame. Come on... I ain't goin' to ask twice.”
I yelled: “Mardi, lock the door quick... trouble's arrived.”
Gus sprang towards me with a curse. He came at me from the side so that his body didn't get in the line of the fat guy's gun. I wedged myself against the door and let him come.
The fat guy said: “Get him away... if he starts anything, I'll drill him.”
Gus gripped my arm and tried to swing me from the door. I was too heavy for him and just for a second he came off balance. I jerked my arm a little, and he fell forward, right in the line of fire. I clutched him to me like he was my long-lost brother and lammed a couple of short ones to his belly. My heel thudded against the door and I yelled again: “Lock up, quick.”
The two punches I had shot into Gus held him for a second and then he caught me with a swinger on the jaw. It was a nice punch and it sent me over. I took him with me and we went down in a heap on the floor.
The fat guy came forward and rammed the barrel of his rod into my neck. “Take it easy,” he said softly, “this gun don't make much noise.”
The cold barrel digging into me cooled me off quick. I let go of Gus, who scrambled to his feet. The fat guy said: “I don't want to rub you out, but I'll do it all right if you ask for it.”
I met his eyes. This guy meant everything he said.
“I'll be good,” I said.
The barrel of the gun looked like a cannon to me.
Gus said: “Watch him... he's slippery.”
The fat guy shook his head. “He'll be all right now, you see.”
I sat on the floor hoping that Mardi would start yelling out of the window. I didn't hear a sound, and my heart sank.
“Come on, get up,” the fat guy said, digging the gun into me again.
I got to my feet.
“If you think you're goin' to start anything, I should forget it. This rod's got a light trigger.”
I guess that guy would think nothing of touching his gun off, so I just stood.
Gus came round the back of me and jerked my arms behind me. For a moment I stiffened my muscles, but the gun kept digging into me. I thought maybe I'd be more useful to Mardi alive than dead, so I let him rope me.
I tried the dodge of expanding my arm muscles, so that I could have a little slack when the time came, but Gus knew all about roping, and when he put the pressure on I called him some fancy names.
They stood back and looked at me.
Gus said to the fat guy: “We gotta get goin'.” He went over to Mardi's door and turned the handle. The door was locked. I knew that door would want some opening. They could only do that by making a hell of a noise.
I said: “Skip it, you two guys, can't you leave us alone? You ain't getting in there without callin' out the riot squad, so why not turn it in?”
The fat guy gave a little chuckle. When he laughed he certainly looked mean. “This is easy,” he said. “We'll get her out quick an' quiet.'
He went to the door and pushed Gus on one side. He put his bullet-head against the panels. “Come on out, sister,” he said, speaking in his hoarse, croaking voice. “We want you out in ten seconds or we start on your boy friend.”
