“Not. Listen Hamilton, I don’t have any more regard for you than you do me. But in a loose kind of way, we’re about on the same side in this. The time might come we need each other. So cut out the amateur hawkshaw bit, and let’s think about our visitors.”
“Visitors?”
“Sure, police are on their way.”
“Mr. Martello won’t like that,” he frowned. “But I can see it had to be done.”
The door behind us opened, and Rose hurried out with a silver-haired, distinguished looking man.
“I’m a doctor,” he announced briskly. “What’s going on here?”
“This man’s been shot,” I told him.
He looked at me keenly and went down on his knees beside Jake.
“H’m.”
Rose came and stood next to me, gripping my hand tightly.
“Have you called the police?” I whispered.
“Yes. Tell me Mark, is he very bad?”
Before I could answer the doctor straightened up.
“This man is in very bad shape. Is there an ambulance coming?”
“No,” she hesitated. “I wasn’t sure——”
“Get one Miss Suffolk, and quickly. I can’t guarantee this man’s life. And the police of course must be summoned.”
Rose was already on her way to the phone. The doctor looked at Hamilton, then me.
“Are you friends of this man?”
“Yes.”
“Does he have a family?”
I looked at Hamilton. He’d know best what Jake would want done.
“Just a brother, doctor.”
“If you take my advice, you’ll have that brother get over to the emergency ward in Monkton General.”
“Right.”
Hamilton went off to get in touch with Charlie Martello. Doctor Andrews said:
“Would you mind if I had a cigaret? I left mine on the table.”
“Certainly.”
I held the flame for him and he nodded appreciatively.
“This is a bad business. Did you see it happen?”
“I was with him.”
I didn’t want to get too chummy with the doctor. I really wanted to be left alone to get my thinking straight. If I wasn’t very careful with my story, the whole Brook-man thing would come out, and then I’d be in real trouble.
“Doctor, I’m feeling shaky. That bullet could just as easily have hit me. Would you mind if I went inside and got myself a drink? I could certainly use one.”
“Make it brandy. Best thing in circumstances of this kind.”
“I will.”
I went in and headed for the room Rose used as an office. She was standing by the window, a tumbler in her hand. Hamilton was on the telephone.
“What’s this all about, Mark? Who’d want to kill Jake?”
“I have no idea honey,” I replied truthfully. “Let’s hope whoever it was did a bad job.”
She nodded and sipped at her drink.
“If I’m likely to spend half the night under interrogation, I could use a drink.”
“Help yourself.”
She waved towards the liquor cabinet. I splashed out a solid helping of scotch and gulped some down. Hamilton had finished his call now.
“Charlie is going to the hospital as the doctor suggested. He also wants to have speech with you, Preston.”
“I imagine he will. Look Hamilton, it’ll be all cops here in five minutes time. If you’re wearing anything, I suggest you let Rose look after it for you. Unless you have a license, that is.”
He nodded.
“Good thinking. Could I put you to the trouble, Miss Suffolk?”
She hadn’t been listening.
“Huh, trouble? What trouble?”
He slid a hand inside his coat and produced a small black automatic. The movement was so smooth and fast it was a pleasure to watch him. It was also a fact I made a note to remember. Rose Suffolk gasped as he put the gun on the table.
“What’s that for?”
“Just a silly habit I’ve dropped into,” he replied easily. “Never been fired since the day I bought it. But it’s a fact I haven’t a license for it, and the police would have every right to bring some kind of charge against me, just for carrying it. So if you wouldn’t mind?”
She didn’t believe him, and turned to me.
“I don’t understand this, Mark. Should I do what he says?”
“Yes, Rose, I think you ought. If Jake’s going to be laid up for a spell, he’s going to need Hamilton looking after things for him.”
That made sense. She went across and opened an old-fashioned wall safe behind a picture.
“Put it in there,” she said flatly.
Hamilton walked across, and with evident reluctance slipped the gun inside. Rose closed the door and twirled the knobs. Then she slid the picture back in position. In the distance now we heard the mournful wail of a siren.
“We’d better get outside with Jake,” I suggested.
We all trooped out to where the doctor stood, quietly smoking.
“Everything’s arranged now,” I told him.
He nodded, without speaking. The siren was loud now, and a minute or so later a sleek blue ambulance slid to a halt a few feet away. A white-coated intern dashed out, with a bag in his hand. Seeing Andrews, he pulled up.
“Oh good evening sir. Have you examined the patient?”
“Yes doctor. Gunshot wound immediately above the heart. Some loss of blood, and I suspect internal bleeding. It’s an emergency operation I’m afraid.”
“I ought to get some details. . . .” he hesitated.
“Look, the police are coming here at any minute,” I interrupted. “The important thing is to get this man into hospital. His name is Martello, J. J. Martello. Mr. Hamilton here will be down to see you later to give you all the information you need.’
“Well, I guess it’s all right,” said the intern doubtfully.
“I’m Rose Suffolk, doctor,” she cut in. “I can assure you everything will be in order.”
He smiled at her, the way men always did.
“Oh well, if you say so Miss Suffolk.”
The stretcher men were there by this time and they loaded Jake into the back of the waggon.
“Dr. Andrews, did you wish to come sir?”
“No thank you doctor, I’m sure the patient is in good hands.”
“Yes sir. Thank you sir.”
Dr. Andrews was evidently somebody who drew a lot of water in medical circles. Having an emergency involving both him and the delectable Rose Suffolk was something the young doctor would remember a long time.
The noise of the ambulance had drawn a number
