“What—?” she began, but he put his hand over her mouth.
“Keep quiet!” he whispered in her ear, and she nodded.
He slipped out of bed and picked up his gun, then padded naked to the door. As the knock started again, he yanked the door open and thrust the gun straight out—into the stomach of Armand Coles.
“Oof!” Coles said. “Easy with that gun,
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I apologize, but I followed you.”
Ready reached out and grabbed Coles by the front of his jacket and yanked him into the room.
“Get in here!”
Coles staggered into the room, and Ready slammed the door behind him. He whirled on Coles then and pointed the gun at him.
“You’d better explain,” he said to the French killer, but Coles was looking at the woman on the bed. He thought her face was rather plain, but he’d caught a glimpse of breast and thigh before she had covered herself completely with the sheet. She was very nicely padded and would be comfortable to lie with. Still, he could have gotten Ready a real beauty…
“It is very simple,” Coles said. “I do not work in the blind.”
“You work for Bolan.”
“Ah, that is not quite true,” Coles said. “I do work
“I see it.”
“Truly,” Coles said, “you do not need that gun.”
“That all depends on what you’re doing here.”
“Do you want the lady to hear?”
“Marcy, go in the other room.”
“And do what?”
“Powder your nose—I don’t care!”
Pouting, Marcy tossed the sheet back and stood up. She made no attempt to cover her nakedness now, as if getting back at Ready by letting Coles see all she had. Her breasts and buttocks reminded Coles of cannonballs. They barely jiggled as she flounced out of the room.
“My friend, next time you want a woman, let me know. I can get you one who will be fine in face
“She’s all right,” Ready said. “Let me get some pants on.”
Coles made an “after you” gesture with his hands and turned to find a seat. When he was seated in a straight-backed chair, Ready had a pair of trousers on and had tucked the gun into the front.
“Now, suppose you explain yourself,” Ready said.
“Razor is dead.”
“What happened?”
“He found Dover’s woman, waited until they were both asleep and then slipped into the room through a window.”
“And?”
“And he must have gotten careless. Your man killed him.”
“And what did you do?”
“Me?” Coles asked, smiling. “Why, I watched. The police came soon and took the body out. Later they took your man out and took him to the hospital. He seems to have a couple of wounds, one given him by Razor. He must have gotten the other from Boil and his brother.”
“If he’s hurt, then he’s set up for you. What are you waiting for?”
“We need to renegotiate my price.”
“What the hell are you talking about, renegotiate?”
“I’m not like our friend Razor, Mr. Ready. I don’t go in to something blind and get myself killed.”
“Talk plain.”
“Razor didn’t know who he was dealing with,” Coles said. “I do.”
“Dover,” Ready said.
Coles shook his head.
“This man who killed Boil and his brother and Razor is not named Dover.”
“Coles, what are you trying to pull—”
“Do you know a man called Decker?”
“I know of him. He’s a man hunter, like Dover.”
“He is a man hunter, but not like Dover,” Coles said. “Decker is in a class all by himself.”
“Wait a minute,” Ready said. “Are you telling me that this man is Decker?”
“Yes, that’s what I am saying.”
“Decker!” Ready said as the truth sank in. “That means Dover must have been killed in Harrison City. But why is Decker on my trail?”
“What more reason does a man need than five thousand dollars?”
Ready looked quickly at Coles, his hand hovering near his gun.
“Yes, I know what the price on you is. I have no desire to try and collect it. You see, I am wanted myself, though not quite as much as you. If I tried to collect your bounty, I would quickly be arrested. No, I have quite a different idea in mind.”
“Keep talking.”
“I want half your bounty if I kill Decker.”
“Twenty-five hundred dollars?”
“Exactly.”
That was less than half of what Ready was sitting on, but it was still a lot of money.
“You’ll need help,” Ready said. “Dover was good, but you’re right about Decker. He’s the best.”
“I will not need help. I know New York, and Decker does not. That is all the edge I need.”
Ready thought it over, biting his lip. At that point, Marcy came out of the other room and said, “Can I come back—”
“No! Stay out!” Ready shouted, and she backed quickly into the other room.
“Well?” Coles said.
“All right,” Ready said after a moment, “all right. If you kill Decker, you’ve got it.”
“Two thousand five hundred dollars?” Coles said. He wanted to make sure there were no mistakes.
“Yes, yes.”
Coles smiled and stood up.
“Very well. I will let you know when it is done.”
“Through Bolan.”
“Forget Bolan,” Coles said. “This is between you and me.”
“How will I find you?”
“I will find you,” Coles said. “Don’t move from here. I will tell no one where you are.”
It was against his better judgment to stay now that someone knew where he was, but Ready nodded and said, “All right, you’ll find me here.”
“Would you like me to arrange for another companion?” Coles asked, with a smile.
“No,” Ready smiled, “no, this one is fine.”
Coles wrinkled his nose and said, “She smells of cooking grease.”
“She’s a waitress.”
“Ah,” Coles said, nodding, “that explains it, then.”
Ready watched as Coles walked to the door and left without another word. When the man was gone, he picked up a straight-backed chair and carried it to the door, where he jammed the back beneath the doorknob.
“Can I come out now?” Marcy asked from the other doorway, her tone contrite.
“Sure, honey, you can come out,” Ready said.
“Who was that horrible man?” she asked, sliding back onto the bed.
