A Ticket to Hell
Page 15
Once he hesitated, sure he heard Anne call his name. His mouth twisted into a wry grin. That was imagination, that was the way it was in TV movies. That was the way he didn’t need it to be any more. Thanks to Eve, he’d found out the truth. He’d grown away from Anne, and the memory of Anne. Funny, but that was God’s truth.
He walked around the car. Now to the nearest bar, and he could drink Eve out of his system, find a doctor to probe out that bullet. Then he could start living again.
He slid into the car.
Eve was sitting there. She touched his arm.
“What do you want?” he said.
“I’m with you.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“We’ve got to get you to a doctor, Ric.”
“I’m all right. Where do I let you out?”
Eve’s hand covered his on the steering wheel. “She’s lovely, Ric. Worth getting shot for. You never got over her, did you?”
“I asked you. Where you want to go?”
“That’s up to you, Ric.”
“God knows I didn’t adopt you.”
“Stop being bitter, Ric. It’s better this way. Inside I think you already know it. You’ll be fine when it stops hurting.”
“You’re going to walk out,” he said. “Why don’t you go now?”
“Oh, Ric.” She laughed. “Is that all? Oh, Ric, I’m nuts about you. I love you so much. I was afraid you were thinking about—about something else.”
He was silent a moment. Suddenly he laughed. She buried her head against his shoulder.
“Come on, she said. Get this car started. I can’t have what I want as long as you’ve got that bullet in your side.”
“You think not?” he said. “You don’t know me very well.” He started the engine, shoved it in gear. They were doing sixty when they reached the highway.
THE END
About the Author
Harry “King of the Paperbacks” Whittington (1915-1989) — who was born in the north Florida town of Ocala — is today best known for the noir novels he wrote between 1950 and 1960, including classics such as A Night for Screaming, Fires That Destroy, You’ll Die Next!, Brute in Brass and Web of Murder. He served with the U.S. Navy during World War II, and worked as an editor and freelance writer before he continued to write full-time.
After selling his first short story to United Features in 1943, Whittington went on to write more than 170 noir, suspense, western and romance novels, using nearly 20 different names, over the next thirty years.
About the Publisher
280 Steps is a publisher of crime, noir and hardboiled fiction. Discover new writers and crime classics.
For more information about 280 Steps and our titles, please visit 280steps.com
Copyright
Copyright © 1959 Fawcett Publications, Inc.; Copyright renewed 1987 by Harry Whittington
First eBook edition: August 2014
Published by 280 Steps by arrangement with the Estate of Harry Whittington. Visit us at 280steps.com
Cover design by Risa Rodil
eISBN: 978-82-93326-32-8
Publishers note:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
If you would like to use material from the eBook (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher:
info@280steps.com.
Thank you for buying this eBook, published by 280 Steps.
To receive special offers, bonus content and news
about our latest eBooks, sign up for our newsletter.
Sign up
For more about this book and author, visit us at 280steps.com