bullets. 'I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!'
'You sit there and shut up. You'll do what I say.'
He was on his feet with his hands apart fighting to keep himself from tearing Teen's throat out with his fingers. Ed wasn't so easy to scare. The snub-nosed gun in his hand said so.
Lou's face was livid with rage. 'Damn you anyway. Damn you and Fallon and Link and the whole stinking mess of you!'
'You're lisping, Lou. Sit down.' Lou sat down and stared at his teeth some more. He was proud of those teeth. They were so nice and shiny.
They lay where they were dropped on the table and seemed to fascinate him. He kept feeling his gums as though he couldn't believe it, cursing his heart out in black rage. Ed's gun never left him for a second. Right then Lou was in a killing rage and ready to take it out on anybody.
He kept saying over and over, 'Goddamn every one of 'em! Goddamn 'em all!' His mouth drew back baring the gap in his teeth and he slammed the table with his fist. 'Goddamn, this wouldn't've happened if you'd let me do it my way! I would've killed Fallon and that lousy whore he kept and Link and this wouldn't've happened!' I got the eyes this time. They came around slow and evilly. 'I'll kill you for it, too.'
'You'll get new teeth, Lou,' Ed said pleasantly. Everything he said was pleasant.
Grindle gagged again and walked out of the room. Water started to run in a bowl somewhere and he made sloshing noises as he washed out his mouth. Ed smiled gently. 'You hit him where he hurts the most... in his vanity.'
'Where does it hurt you the most, Ed?'
'A lot of people would like to know that.'
'I know.' I tried to grin at him. My face wouldn't wrinkle. 'It's going to hurt you in two places. Especially when they shave the hair off your head and leg.'
'I think,' he told me, 'that when Lou comes back I'll let him do you up right.'
'You mean... like old times when Fallon pulled the strings... with cigar butts and pliers?'
His nostrils flared briefly. 'If you have to say something at all, tell me where it is.'
'Where what is?'
The water was still running inside. Without turning his head Ed called, 'Johnny. Give it to him.'
The big guy came over. Under his shirt his stomach made peculiar rolling motions. His techniques stunk. His fist made a solid chunk against my chin and I went out like a light. They poured cold water over me so I'd wake up and watch it happen all over again.
It started to get longer between rounds. I would come only partially back out of that jet-black land of nowhere and hang there limply. The big guy's voice was a hoarse croak. 'He's done, Ed. I don't think he knows what you're talking about.'
'He knows.' His cane tapped the floor again. 'Give him another dousing.'
I got the water treatment again. It washed the blood out of my eyes so I could see again and the shock of it cleared my mind enough to think.
Ed knew when I was awake. He had a cigar lit and gazed at the cherry-red end of it speculatively. 'You can hear me?'
I nodded that I could.
'Then understand something. I shall ask you just once more. Remember this, if you're dead you can't use what you have.'
'Tell... me what the hell... you want.'
Only for a second did his eyes go to the pair leaning on the window sill. If they weren't there I would have had it, but whatever I was supposed to know was too much for their big ears. 'You know very well what I mean. You've been trouble from the very first moment. I know you too well, Mr. Hammer. You're only a private investigator, but you've killed people before. In your own way you're quite as ruthless as I am... but not quite as smart. That's why I'm sitting here and you're sitting there. Keep what you have. I've no doubt that it's hidden some place you alone can get it, and after you're dead nobody else will find it. Not in my time at least. Johnny... go see what's keeping Lou.'
The guy walked inside and came right back. 'He's lying down. He puked on the bed.'
'Let him stay there then. Untie this man.'
The straps came off my hands and legs, but I couldn't get up. They let me sit there until the circulation came back, with it the flame that licked at my body. When I could move Johnny hauled me to my feet.
'What'll I do with him, Ed?'
'That's entirely up to you. Martin, drive me back to the city. I've had enough of this.'
The little guy saluted with his two fingers and waited until Ed had picked up his topper. He made a beautiful flunky. He opened the door and probably even helped him down the steps. I heard the car purr into life and drag back on the road.
Johnny let go my coat collar and jammed the gun in my back. 'You heard what the man said.' He started me off with a push to the door.
The long walk. The last ride. The boys call it a lot of things. You sit there in the car with your head spinning around and around thinking of all the ways to get out and every time you think of one there's a gun staring you in the face. You sweat and try to swallow. All your joints feel shaky and though you want a cigarette more than anything in the world you know you'll never be able to hold one in your mouth. You sweat some more. Your mouth wants to scream for help when you see somebody walking along the street. A gun pokes you to keep quiet. There's
