Ackie said, “You get one side, I'll handle the other.”
We got her under the arms and ran across the pavement with her. I had to take her up the stairs, there wasn't room for the three of us. I can tell you when I reached her bedroom I was mighty glad.
Ackie said behind me, “Put her in a chair. She'll sit more natural that way.”
Then the bathroom door opened quickly and Katz slid into the room. He took just one look at me and went for his gun.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
IF A GUY PULLS a rod on you in a small room and starts popping at you, there is only one thing to do, apart from saying your prayers. You've got to start throwing anything you can lay hands on at him as hard and as fast as you can.
Well, there I was stuck in the doorway with Blondie like a marble statue in my arms. Ackie was right behind me, but he couldn't do anything, not only because he was still pretty tight, but because I was in his way.
I did the best thing I could do under the circumstances. I didn't like doing it, but when it's a question of stopping slugs or doing the right thing, I don't think much about behaviour. I tossed Blondie across the room into Katz's face.
Just try tossing a big dame like Blondie across a room and see how you get on. I put everything I had into that heave and she went all right. She hit Katz where he kept his dinner, and he went over on the bed just like a shell had hit him.
Blondie bounced off him on to the floor, where she lay on her side in a sitting position, looking like a waxwork figure who'd fallen off its chair.
I dived across the room and landed on Katz. He tried to get his leg up to kick at me, but he was just too late. His rod had jerked out of his hand and had fallen on the floor somewhere. I thought Ackie would be bright enough to collect it.
Katz got a grip round the barrel of my chest that surprised me. This guy looked a thin dope, but he'd got plenty of what it takes. Before I could grab him, he had tossed me away so that I came down hard on Blondie. I was too rattled to care much about that, and as I scrambled to my feet Katz swung his legs round and caught me in a scissor-grip round the neck. I knew all about those sort of tricks, and I had his shoe off and was giving his big toe the works before he could start to put on any pressure.
“Sock into him,” Ackie yelled from the doorway. “Give him hell, Buddy.”
It broke the hold all right, but I collected a stiff kick in the face as I was getting set to jump him. I was glad that the kick came from the foot without a shoe, otherwise I should have seen a few bright lights.
Anyway, I went over backwards and it gave Katz time to get off the bed, then I went for him again. I was remembering Mardi now, so I hit that guy hard where it would hurt him. It did. He flopped on the bed, his eyes glazing. I had him by his long hair and snapped another wallop to his jaw just to make sure. He went out like a light.
I stood over him, blowing on my knuckles.
“I was just beginning to enjoy it,” Ackie said. “You shouldn't've washed him up that quick.”
I went round the bed and gathered Blondie up. She'd lost her hat, but she still looked as suspicious and hard as ever. I put her in the one armchair and made sure that she wouldn't fall forward.
Ackie leant against the doorpost watching. “Gee! This looks like one of those horror plays,” he said, jerking his head at Katz, lying flat on the bed, and then over to Blondie.
“I've got to get this guy round. I want him to talk,” I said. “Lend a hand, Mo; we'll tie him up first in case he starts trouble.”
Ackie's face brightened. “You goin' to give him the works?” he asked.
“Yeah, I'm going to give it to him until he's come as clean as Aimee's surplice.”
Ackie scratched his head. “You're sure headin' for trouble. This guy's the bad man of the town. He'll start something which might come awkward.”
I didn't bother to answer. I knew that things would start to hum pretty soon, and as long as I was making them hum I didn't care. I ran through Katz's pockets. The first thing I turned up was a roll of money. I didn't have to count it. I knew that it was the five grand that Blondie had lifted off me. I showed the roll to Ackie. “That's why he was up here,” I said. “Just lining his pocket, the yellow punk.”
“You keepin' it?”
I shook my head. “I'm not takin' any chances. I'll leave it where I found it. If the cops are looking for me, that would be a fine one to pin on me.”
“You think of everything, don't you?” Ackie looked at me admiringly. He was nearly sober by now, and I guess the drink was dying on him hard.
“Go into the bathroom and get some towels. I want to fix this bird.”
Ackie came back after a moment with a couple of towels. “Nice joint this, ain't it?” he said.
I grunted and took the towels from him. I tore them in two and trussed Katz. I made a good job of it. Ackie leant over the bed-rail and watched. I knew Ackie was scared, but he wasn't saying anything. He just stood and watched. I knew he was thinking that if we didn't get away with this, we were going to get into a pretty tight jam. I thought it mighty white of him to come in with me.
I hauled off and slapped Katz across the face twice. He moved his head, muttered and then opened his eyes. As soon as he saw me he sat up. I put my hand over his face and slammed him back on the bed. Even though
