The Snake

'Good, I'll take your word for it. Now get me up to her before this place is crawling with cops. We have about five-minutes before somebody is going to be curious enough to make a phone call.'

From the third floor you could hear the rhythmic tap of her feet dancing a staccato number that made you think of an Eleanor Powell routine when prettylegs was queen of the boards. There was no music, yet you knew she heard some and was in a never-never land of her own.

Velda knocked but the dancing didn't stop. She turned the knob and pushed the door open and with a soft cry the girl in the middle of the room twisted around, her hand going to her mouth when she saw me, huge eyes darting from Velda's to mine. She threw one glance toward the window when Velda said, 'It's all right, Sue. This is our friend.'

It was going to take more than that to convince her and there wasn't enough time. 'My name is Mike Hammer, Sue. I'm going to help you. Can you understand that?'

Whatever it was, it worked. The fear left her face and she tried on a tentative smile and nodded. 'Will you... really?'

'Really,' I nodded back. To Velda I said, 'Can we get her out of here?'

'Yes. I know of a place I can take her.'

'Where?'

'Do you remember Connie Lewis' restaurant on Forty-first?'

'Just off Ninth?'

'That's it. I'll be there. She has the upper three floors to herself.'

'That was seven years ago.'

'She'll be there,' Velda told me.

'Okay,' I said, 'you get there with the kid. I'll do the talking on the bit downstairs, then in about an hour you show up at Pat's office. I'm being a damn fool for letting you out on the street again but I can't see any other way of doing it.'

Her hand squeezed mine and she smiled. 'It'll be all right, Mike.'

Then the kid walked up and I looked into the face of the prettiest little Lolita-type I ever saw. She was a tiny blonde with enormous brown eyes and a lovely mouth in a pert pointed face that made you want to pick her up like a doll. Her hair was silk-soft and hung loosely to her shoulders and when she moved all you could see was girl- woman and if you weren't careful you'd feel the wrong kind of feel.

But I was an old soldier who had been there and back, so I said, 'How old are you, chicken?'

She smiled and said, 'Twenty-one.'

I grinned at Velda. 'She's not lying. You thought she was kidding when she told you that, didn't you?'

Velda nodded.

'We'll get straight on this later. Right now take off.' I looked at Sue, reaching out to feel her hair. 'I don't know what your trouble is, girl, but first things first. I'm going to lay something on the line with you though.'

'Oh?'

'Downstairs there are two dead men because of you. So play it the way you're told and we'll make it. Try using your own little head and there may be more dead people. Me, I've had it. I'll help you all the way as long as you do it like I say, but go on your own and you're like out, kid, understand? There aren't any more people who can make this boy tumble again, big or little. I'm telling you this because you're not as little as you look. You can fool a lot of slobs, but not this slob, so we're starting off square, okay?'

'Okay, Mr. Hammer.' There was no hesitation at, all.

'Call me Mike.'

'Sure, Mike.'

'Get her out of here, Velda.'

The sirens converged from both directions. They locked the street in on either end and two more took the street to the front of the house. The floods hit the doorway and the uniformed cops came in with .38's in their hands.

I had the door open, the lights lit, and both hands in view when the first pair stepped through the doorway. Before they asked I took the position, let them see my .45 on the table beside the other guns, and watched patiently while they flipped open my wallet with the very special ticket in the identification window.

The reaction was slow at first. They weren't about to take any chances with two dead men on the floor, but they couldn't go too far the other way either. Finally the older one handed my wallet back. 'I knew you back in the old days, Mike.'

'Times haven't changed much.'

'I wonder.' He nodded toward the two bodies. 'I don't suppose you want to explain about all this now?'

'That's right.'

'You got a big ticket there. When?'

'Call Captain Chambers. This is his baby.'

'I guess it is.'

'There's a new Inspector in the division. He might not like the action.'

'No sweat, friend. Don't worry.'

'I'm not worrying. I just remember you and Captain Chambers were friends.'

'No more.'

'I heard that too.' He holstered his gun. Behind him another pair came in cautiously, ready. 'This a big one?' he asked.

'Yeah. Can I make a call?'

'Mind if I make it for you?'

'Nope.' I gave him a number that he already knew and watched his face go flat when I handed him the name. He went outside to the car, put the call through, and when he came back there was a subtle touch of deference in his attitude. Whatever he had said to the others took the bull off me and by the time the M.E. got there it was like someone had diplomatic immunity.

Pat came in five minutes later. He waited until the pictures were taken and the bodies removed, then waved everybody else out except the little man in gray whom nobody was big enough to wave out. Then he studiously examined my big fat .45 and said, 'The same one, isn't it?'

'It's the only one I ever needed.'

'How many men have you killed with it?'

'Nine,' I said. Then added, 'With that gun.'

'Good score.'

'I'm still alive.'

'Sometimes I wonder.'

I grinned at him. 'You hate me, buddy, but you're glad, aren't you?'

'That you're still alive?'

'Uh-huh.'

He turned slowly, his eyes searching for some obscure answer. 'I don't know,' he said. 'Sometimes I can't tell who is the worse off. Right now I'm not sure. It's hard to kill friendships. I tried hard enough with you and I almost made it work. Even with a woman between us I can't be sure any more. You crazy bastard, I watch what you do, see you get shot and beat to hell and wonder why it has to happen like that, and I'm afraid to tell myself the answer. I know it but I can't say it.'

'So say it.'

'Later.'

'Okay.'

'Now what happened?' He looked at Art Rickerby sitting in the chair.

I said, 'Velda was here. I came for her. These two guys bust in, this one here first. The other came in time to break up the play.'

'Nicely parlayed.'

'Well put, buddy.'

'For an ex-drunk you're doing all right.' He glanced at Rickerby again.