Dead Reckoning Page #8

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- Who told you that, Coral?

- On the button.

She couldn't have told you

unless you blackmailed her.

- She has the shrewdness...

- He ain't nowhere down...

- Kick it shut and lock it.

- Yeah, sure.

Move over.

Turn around.

Keep your right hand up and reach

for your gun with your left, and slow.

One quick move

and you'll waltz this time, friend.

Drop it on the floor.

Kick it over toward the window.

Now, turn around.

Come a little closer.

One more step.

There. That's about right.

How's the tempo of the music, friend?

Suit you?

Here's a little melody for you!

One of my favourite tunes.

Now, I'll take that gun.

Get over to the safe.

The safe? I'm bewildered.

Coral knows it wasn't in my safe.

She went through everything in it

after blackjacking you.

Start moving.

If she hadn't taken Johnny's letter

and I had it...

...would I have asked you to repeat it

and not read it myself?

Never mind. Get that gun.

Maybe I ought to tell you

she's my wife.

She was my wife

when she married Chandler.

You're a sharp boy

on the angles, aren't you?

Baretto warned me about that.

For a minute I almost believed you.

Are you in love with her?

That hadn't occurred to me.

Did she mention anything

about it was a blue world?

Did she tell you she was a carhop once

in Texas? She wasn't.

That was the story

she gave old man Chandler.

She came from the slums of Detroit.

She was my girl in Detroit.

You don't want that gun. Unless you

want to send her to the electric chair.

Maybe I'll put your fingerprints on it

just so you pay for Johnny.

The weakness of your position

is that if you shoot me...

...obviously you'll never

find out where the gun is.

You worry about your position,

I'll take care of mine. Up, friend.

My position is clear.

Since I was in it with her, that gun

could send us both to the chair.

As a choice, particularly under these

circumstances, I find a bullet...

As a good last gesture...

...just shoot straight

and make it fast, will you?

All mushy outside and hard at

the core, eh? I counted on that too.

These are out of Tojo, by Hitler.

Creeping Jelly, we called them.

Because they crawl and burn, not quick

like the chair, but slow and to the bone.

Are you crazy?

Either I get that gun or the slow

broiler for you, even if we all cook.

Can't you see I'm telling the truth?

Chandler offered her marriage

and told her he had a bad heart.

And in six months

she'd get all his money.

After the marriage, the doctor told me

the old man might live to be 80.

That night Johnny Preston and

Chandler quarrelled. People heard.

That was all I needed. I followed him

and shot him with her gun.

Preston thought she did it.

If you don't believe this...

...how do you suppose I knew

Johnny had come back? From her!

- But you knocked Johnny off.

- I didn't mean to.

I only told Krause to shadow him.

But he's an idiot as well as a coward.

Would I admit this if I were lying?

Maybe, maybe not. It's a pretty story.

But I still want that gun.

I haven't got it, I swear!

- Would you like yourself medium-rare?

- In the desk!

- Liar!

- I'm telling you!

- She took it!

- No, no, no, there! The drawer!

If you're right, it's your hard luck.

Scratch one hoodlum.

Where in the desk?

There. Bottom drawer!

- Unlock it!

- It's unlocked. Button!

- Where?

- There. Under there!

Beat it. We're going to headquarters.

Move over, baby.

Why'd you shoot him?

In cold blood like that?

I thought they'd killed you.

That was decent,

but we'll pass that for now.

The cops won't squawk about Martinelli

when we prove he killed Johnny.

- What do you mean?

- We gotta be all square with John Law.

We're going down to headquarters

and lay it on the line.

We're going to headquarters?

You tried to kill me just now.

You expected me

to be the first one out...

...and I'd know a lot more

than when I went in.

You're right about that.

You're going to fry, Dusty.

Rip, can't we put this behind us?

Can't you forget?

I can't forget I might die tomorrow.

Suppose you got sore at me

some morning for something?

Then there's Johnny. When a guy's pal

is killed, he ought to do something.

Don't you love me?

That's the tough part of it,

but it'll pass.

Those things do, in time.

And then there's one other thing:

I loved him more.

- What'd you do with the gun?

- It's in my pocket.

Give it to me.

It is a blue, sick world for you.

Like I said, somebody always

pushes me. Give me the gun.

If you shoot, baby,

you'll smear us all over the highway.

Rip, Rip. Where is Rip?

He's coming. He'll be right here.

Never mind the spelling. I'll get it

from Krause when he comes to.

She wants you.

Any hope?

She's lucky.

Who? Captain?

Murdock, you got a call in

from Washington.

- Since when was you a captain?

- Don't salute. I'm out of uniform.

Hello? General Steele? Yes, sir.

Mission all cleaned up, sir.

Well, as soon as I can get a plane.

There's one thing, general. The

ceremony will have to be changed some.

Sergeant Drake's Medal of Honour will

have to be awarded posthumously.

Yes, sir.

So am I, sir.

Goodbye, sir.

Hello, kid.

This is it for me, Rip, isn't it?

I wouldn't kid you, Mike.

Let me hang on to you.

Your hand.

I'm so scared.

I wish you could put me

in your pocket now.

Everything's slipping.

Inside I'm falling.

Like going out the jump door.

Hold your breath and just let go, Mike.

Don't fight it.

Remember all the guys

who've done it before you.

You'll have plenty of company, Mike.

High-class company.

Geronimo, Mike.

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