I'll Bury My Dead Part 11

aWeare lucky, Julie, to have each other. Youare so lovely. Youare the most beautiful girl thatas ever lived.a She laughed, pleased.

aYou know thatas nonsense, but Iam glad you think that. Please go on thinking it.a Harry reached out and pulled her to him.

aIam mad about you, Julie,a he said. aCrazy about you.a She slid her arms around his neck, pressing against him.

aAnd Iam crazy about you, too, darling.a aYouare going to be late, Julie,a he said. aI donat care, and youare not going to care.a aI mustnat be,a Julie said, her mind only half made up.

aYouare going to be.a aThen quickly, darling,a she said, and she kissed him so hard that he tasted salty blood as her mouth crushed against his. aOh, darling,a she said, and caught her breath. aOh, darling, darling, darling!a Time stood still for them. Only their quick breathing and her sharp little cry of pleasure disturbed the silence.

Then suddenly he felt her fingers stiffen into little hooks, digging into his shoulders, and her body arch like a bow that has been bent by its string.

aWhat was that?a she said sharply, her mouth against his ear. Her hands pushed him away, and she half sat up, staring into the fire lit darkness.

aWhatas the matter?a he asked, lying back on the pillow and frowning at her.

aI heard something,a she said, and he saw how pale she had gone as the light from the fire lit up her tense face.

A cold chill snaked down his spine, and he sat up to listen.

aThereas someone in the other room,a Julie whispered.

aCanat be,a he said, feeling suddenly sick. aThe dooras locked. Youare imagining things.a aNo. Someoneas there,a Julie said, and her groping hand caught his. aI know there is.a Harry tried to listen, but all he could hear was the steady hammering of his heart, and the sound of blood pounding through his arteries.

aThere canat be anyone,a he said hoa.r.s.ely. aYouare scaring me out of my wits, Julie.a aGo and see,a she said. aIam sure I heard something.a He hesitated, not believing her, but wondering if English could have got in. Suppose he had? Suppose when he opened the bedroom door he found English out there?

aHarry!a Julie said sharply. aGo and see!a He pushed back the sheet and swung his legs off the bed, his hand grabbing up his dressing gown.

aYouare imagining it,a he said. aNo one can get in. Thereas no possible way for anyone to get in.a Then he stiffened into a rigid, horrified stillness, feeling the hair on the nape of his neck bristle.

Across the silence of the room came a faint sc.r.a.ping noise, then very slowly the bedroom door began to open.

Harry went cold. His paralyzed fingers remained in the silken folds of the dressing gown, and his breath whistled through his open mouth in a fear that left him helpless.

aOh, Harry!a Julie breathed, her fingers digging into his arm.

Harry didnat say anything. He couldnat. He sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes staring as he watched the door push open.

Roger Sherman came in. He moved like a ghost. In his right hand he held the Colt automatic. Dark patches from the heavy rain stained his mackintosh. Water dripped from the brim of his hat. His smooth skin was s.h.i.+ny with damp. He stepped into the room, his jaws moving slowly as he chewed, his amber eyes reflecting the bright flames of the fire.

The automatic swung up and covered Harry.

aDonat move,a Sherman said quietly, aeither of you.a He came farther into the room and shut the door.

The relief to Harry that it wasnat English was overpowering.

aGet out of here!a he said, his voice still unsteady, his eyes on the gun.

Sherman moved over to an armchair by the fire and sat down. His deliberate, quiet movements horrified Julie.

aStay where you are,a he said, crossing one leg over the other. The automatic pointed between Julie and Harry. aDonat do anything stupid or Iall have to kill you.a aWho - who are you?a Harry said, suddenly realizing this man couldnat be a burglar - he was too well dressed to be that.

aMy name is Roger Sherman,a Sherman returned mildly. aNot that that will tell you anything.a His amber eyes moved from Harry to Julie, who was holding the sheet over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, staring at him with wide, frightened eyes. ah.e.l.lo, Julie. You donat know me, but I know you. Iave been watching you two for some time. It seems to me you are taking unnecessary risks coming here. After all, you were paying Roy English to keep his mouth shut, werenat you?a aHow do you know that?a Harry said, his face paling.

aMy dear man, Iam the one who gave English the information. I was Englishas boss.a aSo itas blackmail. All right. How much?a Sherman smiled.

aThis time it is not money I want. Iam using you two to bait a trap.a Harry felt Julie stiffen. He half turned, taking her hands.

aWhat do you mean?a aNick English is making a nuisance of himself,a Sherman said. aIam making arrangements to get him out of the way.a aWhatas that to do with us?a Harry demanded, drawing his dressing gown toward him.

aDonat move!a Sherman snapped. aLeave that alone!a aLet us put something on,a Harry said, freezing into stillness as the gun covered him. aBe reasonable.a aMy dear fool,a Sherman returned, aI want English to find you exactly as you are.a Harry half started up, but the threat of the gun made him sink back on the bed again.

aYouare not bringing him here?a aIam waiting for him,a Sherman said and smiled. He looked at Julie. aBy now he should have heard what you two are up to. I imagine heall come here as fast as a car can bring him.a aNow look,a Harry said feverishly. aI donat care what it costs; Iall pay to get out of this. How much?a aItas not a matter of money.a Sherman began when the telephone bell interrupted him.

aDonat move. Iall take it,a he went on, got up and moved to the telephone that stood on the night table close to Julie.

She shrank away from him as he pointed the gun at her. He lifted the receiver.

aYes?a He stood listening, his eyes on Harry, his jaws moving slowly. aFine,a he said. aIall take it from here.a He hung up and moved back to his chair. aEnglish is on his way now. He should be here in under ten minutes.a aBut this wonat get English out of your way,a Harry said desperately. aItall make him all the more determined to crack down on you. All right, I admit it, itall hit him hard, but you donat know him as I do. Heall hit back at you. It wonat get him out of the way.a aOh, yes, it will,a Sherman said. He lifted the Colt in his silk-clad hand. aThis is his gun. I stole it from his apartment this afternoon. Heas going to be arrested for murder - two murders, in fact.a Harry stiffened.

aWhat do you mean?a aItas obvious, isnat it? When I hear his car arrive, I am going to shoot you both. Whoas going to prove he didnat do it?a Julie caught her breath sharply.

aHeas bluffing, darling,a Harry said. aHe wouldnat dare do it.a She was looking at Sherman. The amber, expressionless eyes terrified her.

aHeas going to do it,a she said through dry lips.

aOf course I am,a Sherman said mildly. aYou two have had your fun, and now youare going to pay for it.a aYou wonat be able to get away!a Harry exclaimed. aYouall be caught.a Sherman laughed.

aThis window overlooks the river. I shall go that way. I am an exceptionally strong swimmer, and no one will notice me in a night as dark as this.a aYou canat do it!a Harry said, suddenly realizing that Sherman wasnat bluffing.

aThat you will see,a Sherman said in a tone that made Harryas blood run cold.

aLet her go,a he said huskily. aDonat touch her. One murderas enough.a aSorry, I canat oblige,a Sherman returned. aYou must see I canat afford to let her live after I have shot you. She would give me away.a aShe wouldnat,a Harry said. aShead promise not to.a aSorry,a Sherman repeated. aBesides, a double killing is much more dramatic. English might get off if he just killed you, but the jury wouldnat like him killing Julie.a He moved back to the chair and sat down again. aYou havenat a great deal longer on this earth. Donat you want to say a prayer? Donat mind me. I wonat listen.a Harry decided he was dealing with a lunatic. He realized it was useless to continue to beg for their lives. Somehow he had to divert Shermanas attention, and then get close to him. If he could get the gun, there was a chance he might save both their lives.

He judged the distance between them. He was badly laced, as he was sitting on the side of the bed away from Sherman. Eight to nine feet separated them.

Julie said, aIall give you all the money I have if youall stop this. I can raise twenty thousand. If you give me time I can get more.a Sherman shook his head.

aSave your breath,a he said. aIam not interested in money.a He glanced at his strap watch, and Harryas hand reached behind him and gripped the pillow. Julie saw the move. She was breathing quickly, her face white and drawn. She sensed Harry was going to do something.

aI - I think Iam going to faint,a she gasped, closing her eyes, and she reached out as if to steady herself, and her hand pushed over the night table, which crashed to the floor.

Shermanas eyes went from Harry to the overturned table. Harry flung the pillow, threw himself off the bed as the pillow hit Sherman in the chest, smothering the gun. Harry, white-faced, his eyes staring, sprang forward, propelling his body across the nine-foot s.p.a.ce toward Sherman.

Sherman half started up, throwing the pillow from him. Harry saw he couldnat reach Sherman before Sherman shot him, but he kept on, his mouth dry, his heart hammering, trying to close the s.p.a.ce between himself and Sherman. There was a crash of gunfire that rattled the windows.

The bullet got Harry just below his knee, bringing him down. His hands caught Shermanas mackintosh belt, gripped, dragging Sherman forward. Sherman hit Harry a glancing blow with the gun barrel on his temple and kicked him away. He was completely unruffled, and his jaws moved rhythmically as he looked quickly at Julie who crouched petrified on the bed, the sheet fallen from her, her hands covering her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. She looked like a figure sculptured in marble.

Harry rolled away, blood running down his leg. He began to crawl toward Sherman, his lips drawn off his teeth in a snarl.

Sherman backed away, smiling.

aYou fool!a he said softly. aYou heroic fool!a Harry kept on. The pain in his shattered knee filled him with a murderous rage. He wasnat frightened anymore. All he wanted to do now was to get his hands on Sherman.

Sherman raised the Colt, and aimed carefully. Harry was only a few feet from him. He looked up at the little black sight of the gun pointing at him, and the cold amber eyes squinting along the barrel.

Julie screamed wildly.

aDonat ! No - donat !a The crash of gunfire rattled the windows. The bullet took Harry squarely between his eyes. The force of the blow threw him backward, and he rolled over on his side, his fingers opening and closing convulsively, his muscles twitching, blood smothering his face.

aA little premature, Iam afraid,a Sherman said, frowning. aWell, it canat be helped.a Julie knelt on the bed, staring at Harryas body. Every now and then a s.h.i.+ver ran through her. Sherman watched the way her muscles fluttered under her skin. They reminded him of the surface of a river in a flurry of wind.

He heard a car door slam, and he smiled.

aHere he is,a he said, and moved quickly to the window. He pulled aside the curtains, opened the window and glanced out. Below ran the river, and away in the distance he could see the lights of a pa.s.sing tug, and heard the moan of its siren.

aGo to him, Julie,a he said softly, pointing to the door. aLet him in.a Julie didnat move. Her eyes turned from Harryas body to Sherman. She scarcely seemed to breathe.

aGo to him, Julie,a Sherman said again.

There came a heavy knock on the outer door.

aHeas there now. Go to him. He may save you.a Still she made no move, kneeling on the bed, as if carved out of stone, her eyes blank with terror.

aJulie!a Englishas voice came through the outer door.

aAre you there, Julie?a She turned her head toward the sound. A flicker of life came into her eyes. Sherman watched her, motionless, the Colt half raised, his fingers on the trigger.

aAre you there, Julie?a aYes,a she cried suddenly. aOh, Nick! Save me! Save me!a She threw herself off the bed, ran blindly to the bedroom door and flung it open.

Sherman didnat move. His teeth bit hard into the wad of gum he was chewing.

Julie stumbled into the dark sitting room, banged against a chair and fell full length.

aWhatas going on in there?a English shouted and rattled the door handle.

aOpen up!a Moving like a shadow, Sherman reached the bedroom door, and his fingers flicked down the light switch as Julie staggered to her feet. She continued across the room to the front door.

aNick!a she screamed. aHeas going to shoot me. Save me, Nick!a The front door creaked as English threw his weight against it.

Sherman raised the Colt as Julieas hand closed over the key in the lock. The sight of the gun aimed at a point in the exact centre of her shoulders. Something seemed to warn her he was going to shoot, and she looked back over her shoulder.

Her terrified scream blended with the crash of gunfire. A small blue-black hole appeared between her shoulder blades. She was flung against the door and her knees sagged.

Sherman shot her again. The bullet got her above her right hip. Her body arched in agony, her hands clawed at the door, then her knees hinged and she fell face down, her arms and legs sprawling.

Unruffled, Sherman tossed the gun onto the floor near where she lay, turned and went swiftly back into the bedroom, across to the window.

He stepped up on the sill as he heard the front door crash open. Still unruffled, he paused long enough to draw the curtains, then he got out onto the sill, closed the window, straightened and dived without hesitation into the dark river flowing below him.

CHAPTER SIX.

I.

Lois Marshall leaned forward and impatiently snapped off the television. She had been trying to concentrate on T. S. Eliotas c.o.c.ktail Party, but her mind kept straying from the lighted screen until the words of the play had become a meaningless jumble.

She turned on the shaded lamp and bent to poke the fire. Rain continued to patter against the window panes. Restlessly, she glanced at the clock on the mantel. It was ten minutes after nine.

She was wearing a smart housecoat that set off her figure, and her long, slim feet were thrust into a pair of heelless slippers. Before sitting down to watch the play she had shampooed her hair, and it was now hanging about her shoulders, framing her face, and it glistened in the lamplight from the vigorous brus.h.i.+ng she had given it.

She had been thinking regretfully of Englishas suggestion that they should have dinner together on Sat.u.r.day night. It was the first time he had asked her to go out with him, and she had been badly caught off balance. Her immediate reaction was to have accepted, then she realized Julie would find out, and she would tell Harry Vince, who would tell someone else, until it was all around the office that poor Lois had at last been taken out by the boss.

She was sure most of the staff, including Harry, guessed she was in love with English. Blood rose to her face as she thought of the gossip that probably went on in the office about her. Well, she was in love with English. It was something she couldnat help, and come to that, wouldnat change if she could. Thinking about her relations with English, she decided he was about the only person who didnat realize she was in love with him, and for that she was grateful.

aOh, snap out of it!a she said half aloud. aWhatas the use? At least you work for him. At least you see him thirteen hours a day. What have you got to be bitter about?a She got up and fetched her workbasket and settled down before the fire again. She was essentially domesticated, and would have preferred to run a home than work in an office, and the small pile of mending she had saved for a rainy evening had a soothing effect on her.

She paused in her work to look around the sitting room, and it pleased her. It would have pleased her more if she didnat have to live in it alone. Again she headed herself off from brooding, and to divert her thoughts she leaned over to switch on the radio when the front doorbell rang.

She frowned, her eyes going to the clock. It was now twenty-five minutes to ten. She hesitated, wondering whether to go to the door or not.

The bell rang again! Two sharp, impatient rings.

She laid aside her mending and walked into the lobby. Quietly she slipped on the chain, then, keeping to one side, she opened the front door a few inches.

aWho is it?a she asked sharply.

aCan I come in, Lois?a English said.

She felt herself turn hot and then cold, and her heart missed a beat. Quickly she controlled herself and pushed off the chain. Then she opened the door. English stood just outside. His light-grey overcoat glistened with damp.

aIam sorry to call so late, Lois,a he said quietly. aAm I in the way?a aOf course not. Come in,a she said, a cold feeling around her heart at the sight of his white, drawn face.

He entered the sitting room and stood looking around.

aWhat a nice room, Lois!a he said. aI can see your hand in everything here.a aI - Iam glad you like it,a she said, watching him. She had never felt so frightened before. She could tell by his expression something bad had happened, and she knew he would never have come to her apartment unless he had nowhere else to go. aCan I take your coat, Mr. English?a He smiled at her.