Miss Shumway Waves a Wand

by James Hadley Chase

  Myra resumed her suspended position. “Push me through the streets,” she said to me. “All the way to police headquarters. Then we’ll have lots of witnesses, won’t we?”

  As I began to push her to the door again, Sam Bogle entered the shop.

  One look was enough to see that Sam had been hitting the bottle. He didn’t look at any of us except Myra.

  “Don’t think you’re getting away with it,” he said. “Doc was a pal of mine and no jury can kill a pal of mine and get away with it.”

  We were all so startled that no one moved. Myra lowered her feet to the floor and faced him.

  “I didn’t kill him,” she said quietly. “You ought to know that, Sam.”

  “You killed him all right,” Sam said, his eyes gleaming evilly.

  “Well, this is where you get yours.”

  “Look out!” Whisky shouted and sprang forward.

  He was too late. Sam fired from his hip. I saw the flash from the gun. Myra took two tottering steps forward. Then she spread out on the floor.

  No one could do anything but stare. Sam let the gun slide out of his hand.

  Then I ran to Myra. As I bent over her, I heard Sam’s voice wailing.

  “I didn’t mean to do it,” he kept saying “Honest to Gawd, I didn’t mean to do it.”

  I went into the little room with Whisky.

  Myra was lying flat. She looked small and white and just to see her turned my heart over.

  I sat down and took her hand.

  She opened her eyes. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come,” she said.

  Whisky pushed his long muzzle on the bed. She touched his ears for a moment before turning to me again.

  “There was no one big enough to keep me out,” I said, trying to smile. “Please get well, sweetheart, I can’t get along without you.”

  “I’ll get well,” she said, “only, I’m tired. I’ll be better when I’ve had some sleep. I don’t want to stay awake any more.”

  “Listen, kid, the doctor says you’re not trying,” I went on, stroking her wrist, “you must fight. There’s Whisky and me wanting you. You can’t pass us up.”

  “It’s awfully hard,” she said drowsily. “I have only half my resistance. If my other half were here I know I’d be all right.”

  Then I realized why she couldn’t get well. She had to have Arym to help her fight. Before I could say anything, a nurse came in and beckoned to me.

  I petted Myra’s hand. “I’ll be back,” I said. “Promise you’ll wait for me.”

  She kept her eyes open with an effort. “Come back soon,” she said urgently.

  I went out into the hall again.

  Summers said, “She’s pretty bad, isn’t she?”

  “I guess so,” I returned. “Can I take a walk around the block! This place gives me a pain.”

  “Sure,” he said sympathetically, “I know how you feel.”

  I went over to Bogle. “Cheer up,” I said, “I’m doing all I can for her.”

  Sam had tears in his eyes. “I don’t know why I did it,” he said miserably. “I guess I was crazy.”

  I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. “I know how you felt about Doc. He meant as much to you as Myra does to me.

  I’d have done the same thing in your place.”

  He shook his head, “I wouldn’t have hurt her for anything, but I got good and mad.”

  There was nothing I could say to him that’d do any good, so I left him and went out into the street.

  “Whisky,” I said, “we’re going after Arym. She’s the only one who can save Myra.”

  “How can she help her?” Whisky asked hopelessly.

  “Don’t you understand? She’s got half of Myra’s willpower and strength. Get them together and they can both make a real fight for it. Peppi will know where she is. I’ll see him first.”

  “You’re taking a chance with Peppi, aren’t you?”

  “I have to take a chance. If he doesn’t know where she is, I’m sunk.”

  “He won’t talk without those photos,” Whisky said. “Why not get ’em and trade with him?” I glanced at my watch. It was seven fifty. Maddox would have gone home by now.

  “It’s an idea,” I said, waving down a passing cab. “If we can get into Maddox’s office, I think I can bust his safe?”

  As we drove off Whisky said, “I don’t think I want to be mixed up in this. I was merely giving advice.”

  “You’ll come with me and like it,” I said shortly. “It all depends whether we can reach Maddox’s office without being seen. If we can, then the rest’s easy.”

  Whisky clicked his teeth uneasily. “They wouldn’t put a dog in jail, would they?” he asked.

  “No, they’d take you some place and shoot you.”

  “I was afraid of that,” Whisky returned mournfully.

  “Why worry? They can’t do that more than once to you,” I said, trying to cheer him up. Maddox’s office was on the top floor of the Recorder building. I stopped the cab at the corner of the street and we walked the short distance to the entrance. There was no doorman on duty at that time of night, but I had to get pest the man at the information desk just inside the hall to reach the elevator.

  We paused at the entrance and I took a quick gander through the glass doors.

  “We’re in luck,” I said to Whisky, “I don’t know the guy. Come on in.”

  The man at the desk just glanced at us without interest.

  “I want to talk to the night editor,” I said. “I’m a friend of his. Can I go up?”

  “Sure,” he said. “Know your way?”

  I nodded and we went over to the automatic elevator. “Well, that was easy,” I said, as the elevator shot up.

  Whisky heaved a sigh. “You can get five years for this,” he returned. “Even Summers couldn’t do anything for you.”

  “Quiet!” I said and stepped out onto the eighth floor. At the end f the passage was the door that led to Maddox’s offices. As we approached, Whisky cocked his head on one side.

  “Wait a minute,” he said sharply.

  “What’s up?”

  “Someone’s in there,” he said, “I can hear ’em.”

  I listened, but I couldn’t hear a thing. “Sure?”

  “You bet I’m sure,” Whisky said, lowering his tail.

  I crept to the door and listened. A man’s voice sounded faintly through the thick door.

  “Hell!” I said, stepping back. “What do we do now?”

  “We go some place and wait,” Whisky returned.

  I put my hand on the doorknob and turned it softly. The door gave a few inches and I looked into the outer office. There was no one there, but voices came from Maddox’s office across the room. His door stood open.

  “Wait here,” I whispered, and entered the outer office silently.

  I crossed the room and edged up to the open door. One quick glance brought me up short. Peppi was standing by Maddox’s safe. With him was his muscleman, Lew, and two other men I hadn’t seen before.

  Peppi was smoking a cigar, his hands in his pockets and his hat pushed to the back of his head. He watched Lew, who was trying to open the safe.

  I backed away, crossed the office once more and started to join Whisky. Then I paused. Standing on one of the desks was a press camera complete with a flash-gun. I picked it up as I passed and then joined Whisky in the passage.

  “What’s up?” Whisky asked, eyeing the camera nervously.

  “Peppi and his gang are cracking the safe,” I said. “Now look, I’m going back in there and I’m going to get a picture of them. If we can get away with this we’ve got Peppi just where we want him.”

  “You don’t think he’ll let you take a picture of him and then walk out, do you?” Whisky demanded. “He’ll probably be a very mad man.”

  “That’s where you come in,” I said.

  “They’ve tried to brain me before,” Whisky returned uneasily. “I’d prefer to remain neutral, if it’s a
ll the same to you.”

  “Pipe down,” I said. “As soon as I’ve taken the picture, I’ll give the plate to you and you beat it. I’ll bold them off until you get away. They won’t do anything to me so long as we have the picture.”

  “That’s what you hope,” Whisky said. “They may have different ideas.”

  I thought that was likely, but I had to take the chance.

  “When you get outside, go to Miss Halliday’s apartment and wait for me,” I said. “I’ve told her about you and she’s expecting us. If I don’t come out within an hour, turn the picture over to Summers.”

  Whisky looked worried. “Aren’t you being unnecessarily heroic?” he asked. “Can’t we work out something better than that?”

  I shook my head. “I’ve got to put the screws to Peppi and this is the only way to do it. Get in the elevator and wait for me.”

  “Well, I’d rather it was you than me,” Whisky said, enter in the elevator.

  I adjusted the shutter of the camera and set the lens-stop. Then I went back into the room. Peppi was cursing Lew when I arrived at the door.

  “If you can’t get that can open,” he snarled, “why don’t you say so? We’ve been here twenty minutes.”

  “Gimme a break, will you?” Lew grunted, his ear against the safe. “I gotta have quiet to hear these tumblers.”

  Peppi drew in a deep breath and stood over him. That was how I found them.

  I shoved the camera round the door and braced it. Then I said sharply: “Hold it!”

  I gave them time to look round and then I released the shutter. There was a blinding flash as the flashlight exploded and I didn’t wait to see what happened.

  I whipped across the outer office, slammed the door and jerked the plate out of the camera. Whisky watched me with startled eyes.

  “Here you are,” I said and shoved the plate holder into his mouth. Then I pressed the elevator button and the door snapped shut as Lew and Peppi tumbled into the passage.

  Lew had a gun in his hand and he looked mean.

  “Grab some air,” he said, pointing the gun at me.

  I raised my hands, holding the camera above my head.

  Peppi, snarling with rage, snatched the camera out of my hand. He took one look at it and flung it to the floor.

  “Where’s the plate?” he snapped.

  “On its way down,” I said. “Now, don’t get excited,” I went on hurriedly as Lew made as if to slug me. “That picture’ll give you a lot of grief if you don’t wise up.”

  “Who’s got it?” Peppi snarled.

  “Never mind who’s got it,” I returned. “All you have to worry about is who’s going to have it in an hour’s time.”

  “That’s it, is it?” Peppi’s voice was soft and menacing. “You’re crazy to try that stuff on me.”

  “Okay, so I’m crazy,” I said. “But I’ve got something on you, Peppi, that you won’t get out of in a hurry.”

  “Let me slug this punk,” Law said.

  Peppi jerked his head to the office. “Come in here,” he said, “I want to talk to you.”

  I went into the office with Lew crowding me.

  “What’s the idea?” Peppi said. “Come on—give.”

  “If I’m not at a certain address in an hour’s time,” I explained, watching Lew out of the corner of my eye, “that picture’s going to the police chief. And then you can talk yourself out of it.”

  “What address?” Peppi asked, fiddling with his cigar.

  “Be your age,” I returned, wandering over to the desk and sitting on it. “Now listen, Peppi, here’s the deal. Give me Arym and I’ll give you the picture.”

  While I was talking I glanced over Maddox’s desk. I remembered there was a button concealed somewhere which let off the burglar alarm. Maddox had had it fitted when some hood had threatened to scramble his brains in the old days of prohibition.

  Peppi turned to Lew. “Get that safe open,” he said. “We’ll fix this guy when we’re through.”

  That didn’t suit me. I spotted the button and rammed my thumb on it.

  One of the other men caught me a full swing behind my ear, but he was a shade late. As I went over on the floor a bell began to ring somewhere in the building.

  I struggled to my feet as Law went for me.

  “Cut it out!” Peppi said, his face white with rage. “Take him and let’s get out of here.”

  Lew dug his gun into my spine and herded me into Maddox’s private elevator. The others followed.

  As we shot between floors, Peppi said: “You’ll be damned sorry you stuck your neck out.” And I didn’t like the look in his eyes.

  The elevator landed us at the side entrance, away from the main doors. There was a big closed car waiting and as soon as we had bundled in it shot away towards Fifth Avenue. No one said anything all the way to Peppi’s house. Law sat by my side with his gun sticking into me and a hungry look in his eyes. I felt that I’d only to flicker an eye-lash and he’d plug me. So I sat still and sweated plenty.

  When we got inside Peppi’s house Lew Shoved me into the sitting room.

  The butler was in there fussing with a decanter. He looked at me with a tight smile on his crooked face.

  Peppi said: “Get Miss Brandt.”

  The butler went out.

  Peppi and Law left me standing in the middle of the room and went over to the window. They whispered together and then Law gave a low laugh.

  “Don’t waste too much time,” I said, feeling uneasy. “You’ve only got another thirty-five minutes to turn Arym over to me.”

  “That’ll be long enough,” Peppi said.

  “I’m not bluffing,” I said. “I’ve got you where I want you. Give me the girl or that picture goes to Summers. Where is she?”

  Peppi shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said. “And I don’t care. I warned you not to double-cross me. Now you’re going to get your lesson.”

  The door opened and Lydia Brandt came in. She looked at me much the same way a tiger looks at its dinner.

  “I want this guy to talk,” Peppi said. “I thought rnaybe you’d like to soften him.”

  Lydia smiled.. “Yes,” she said. “That would amuse me.”

  “What are you going to do with him?” Peppi asked.

  “I want to try that experiment again. I made a mess of it last time,” she answered.

  Peppi shrugged. “She thinks she can cut a guy. I tell her she can’t do it.”

  Lew sneered. “Let her try,” he said. “It don’t matter if she makes a mess of this punk, does it?”

  I began to sweat.

  Lew went to the door and called in the other two birds who had been in Maddox’s office.

  “Tie this lug up,” he said. “If he starts anything, beat his brains out.”

  Before I could make up my mind what to do they grabbed me. I waited until they began to twist my arms behind me, then I let them have it.

  I wrenched one of my arms free and slugged the bigger of the two guys in the eye, then as the other swung at me I stepped close and hit him low.

  That was as far as I got. Lew came up and slammed me over the head with his gun-butt. By the time I’d cleared my head I was sitting in a chair trussed up like a Houdini act.

  Peppi was looking at the clock. “We ain’t got a lot of time,” he said.

  “It’s not going to take me long,” Lydia said. She held a thin, sharp knife in her hand. She looked across at me. “You won’t have many dates after this,” she said viciously.

  “Let’s be reasonable,” I said hurriedly. “You wouldn’t really want to do that to me.”

  She held up the knife, then she came over. “You won’t feet it for a while,” she said, standing over ime. “I’ve done it before.” Her face was white and stony and I could see she was - getting a big kick out of seeing me sweat.

  Peppi said to me. “Are you talking?”

  “I’m talking,” I said, shrinking away from the knife.

  “Whe
re’s the plate?”

  I gave him Harriet’s address.

  “Let’s go,” he said to Lew. “We’ve still got ten minutes.”

  They made for the door.

  “Hey!” I shouted, “don’t leave me with this dame. She might start something.”

  Peppi paused and smiled at me, “She will,” he said, “maybe you won’t be in such a hurry to double-cross me next time.” He looked over at Lydia, “When you’re through, tell Toni to park him in the river.”

  She nodded.

  “We’ll be back pretty soon,” Peppi said, and they all went out leaving me with Lydia.

  I admit, right at that moment I was losing a lot of weight. I strained on the cords that held me but I couldn’t budge them.

  There was a cold efficiency about Lydia that told me she was going through with this.

  She was batty, of course. As crazy as a bug, but that didn’t help me.

  “Well,” she said, “we’re ready to go. All you have to do is to sit still. I’m quick and it won’t hurt for a few hours, anyway,” she chuckled. “Then it’ll hurt plenty.”

  I believed her.

  She came over and twined her long fingers in my hair. I rammed my chin on my chest so she couldn’t get at my face.

  “Don’t make it difficult,” she said, pulling at my hair. It scared me to feel how strong she was.

  I braced myself and kept my chin down. She kept pulling and it felt like the top of my head was coming off.

  “Damn you!” she said suddenly and touched my ear with the knife.

  I jerked away with a yell and the next second I was staring up at the ceiling with the knife hovering a few inches from my eyes.

  Then the door burst open and Arym marched in.

  Lydia released my hair and stood away. Arym stared first at me and then at Lydia, and I could have hugged her if I’d been free.

  Lydia was the first to recover, “What do you want?” she said in a flat, sullen voice, “go away!”

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Arym demanded, her eyes flashing. “What’s happening, Ross?”

  “She’s going to mask my face,” I said feverishly, “it’s an old family custom.”

  “Is she?” Arym laid her gloves and bag down on the table. She took off her hat with deliberation. “Not so long as I’m standing on my two feet,” she said.