Solly edged backwards. He was essentially a man of action. Show him what to do and he did it.
Tux followed him, and together they went down the stairs, two at a time.
II
Johnny opened his eyes, blinked and lifted his head. He looked across the dimly lighted room as Ken got quickly to his feet.
'I guess I threw an ing-bing,' Johnny said, and half-sat up, grimacing. 'Hell! My arm hurts. How long have we been here?'
'Twenty minutes,' Ken said, coming over.
'Where's the girl?'
'She's downstairs getting some milk.'
Johnny lay back with a little grunt of pain.
'I feel as weak as a rat. What's happening outside?'
'I don't know. From the sounds going on, they're surrounding the place.'
'I don't think I'm going to get far. Think we're safe here?'
'I guess not. They may search each house. They must know we're hidden in one of the buildings.'
'Yes.' Johnny shut his eyes. 'Think you can get away on your own?'
'Not yet anyway.'
'Put the lamp out and take a look out of the window.'
Ken turned down the wick, blew out the flickering flame and groped his way across the room to the heavily curtained window.
'Be careful,' Johnny muttered.
Cautiously Ken lifted the edge of the curtain and peered out into the dark night. At first he could see nothing, then he spotted two shadowy figures almost under the window. He hurriedly lowered the curtain and stepped back.
'Two of them are right outside.'
He heard the door open.
'What's happened to the light?' Rose asked out of the darkness.
'I'll light it again,' Ken said, struck a match and lit the lamp. 'I was looking out of the window. The police are right outside.'
She noticed Johnny was staring at her.
'Well, how do you feel ?' she asked, going over to him.
'Lousy,' Johnny said, and forced a grin. 'Thanks for fixing my arm. I guess I must have bled a lot.'
'What do you expect?' she turned to Ken. 'If you want to skip, handsome, you can get away over the roof. I'll look after this guy.'
Ken didn't hesitate. If he could get clear and telephone Adams and tell him where Johnny was holed up, he would solve a problem that had been nagging at him ever since he and Johnny had left Willow Point.
He looked over at Johnny.
'What do you say?'
'Sure,' Johnny said. 'You skip.'
'What about you?'
'There's something I want you to do for me,' Johnny said. 'Come here.'
Ken went over to him.
'I don't know if you have anywhere to go,' Johnny went on. 'Every road will be watched, and you may have to hole up somewhere. Go to my sister. Her place is 45 Maddox Court.
She'll let you stay with her until the heat cools off. Tell her what's happened to me. Tell her O'Brien tricked me into writing her a letter so she should think I was going to Paris. Tell her about the barrel. I want her to know the kind of guy she's marrying. Will you do that for me?'
Ken hesitated.
'You'll do yourself some good,' Johnny urged. 'She'll give you money. She'll get you out of town.'
'All right,' Ken said reluctantly. 'I'll get to her if I can.'
'Maybe she can think of some way to get me out of this jam. She's full of ideas. Don't let anyone see you. There's a night clerk in the lobby. You'll have to get past him without him seeing you.' He pointed to his coat, lying on a chair. 'Get me my billfold.'
Ken took the leather billfold from the inside pocket of the coat and handed it to him.
Johnny found an old envelope addressed to himself in the billfold.
'Got a pencil?' he asked.
Ken gave him his pen.
