按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Suddenly he'd thrust it into the side…pocket of his coat； as though it were no longer important； as though it were a past detail； as though there were things of far greater moment to be attended to now。 He buttoned his coat determinedly； strode back to her； his movements had a sort of lithe intensity to them now that they'd lacked before。
An impetus； a drive。
He swept a sheltering arm around her again。 （That sanctuary that she'd been trying to find all her life long。 And only had now； too late。） But this time in hurried propulsion toward the door； and not just in support 〃Get out of here； quick；〃 he ordered grimly。 〃Get down to the street again fast as you can。〃
He was pulling her along； hurrying her with him； within the curve of his protective arm。 〃e on。 You can't be found here。 You must have been out of your mind to e here like this！〃
〃I was；〃 she sobbed。 〃I am。〃
She was struggling against him a little now； trying to keep herself from the door。 She pried herself away from him suddenly； and stood back； facing him。 Her hands kept rebuffing his arms each time they tried to reclaim her。
〃No； wait There's something you've got to hear first Something you've got to know。 I tried to keep you out； but now you're in here with me。 I've e this far； I won't go any further。〃 And then she added； 〃The way I was。〃
He reached out and shook her violently； in his exasperation。 As if to get some sense into her。 〃Not now！ Can't you understand？ There's a man dead in the next room。 Don't you know what it means if you're found here？ Any minute somebody's apt to stick his head into this place…〃
〃Oh； you fool；〃 she cried out to him piteously。 〃You're the one who doesn't understand。 The damage has been done already。 Can't you see that？ I have been found here！〃 And she murmured halfaudibly； 〃By the only one who matters to me。 What's there to run away and hide from now？〃 She brushed the back of her hand wearily across her eyes。 〃Let them e。 Bring them on now。〃
〃If you won't think of yourself；〃 he urged her savagely； 〃think of Mother。 I thought you loved her； I thought she meant something to you。 Don't you know what a thing like this will do to her？ What are you trying to do； kill her？〃
〃Somebody used that argument before；〃 she told him vaguely。 〃I can't remember who it was； or where it was。〃
He'd opened the door cautiously and looked out。 Narrowed it again； came back to her。 〃No sign of anyone。 I can't understand how that shot wasn't heard。 I don't think these adjoining rooms are occupied。〃
She wouldn't budge。 〃No； this is the time； and this is the place。 I've waited too long to tell you。 I won't go a step further； I won't cross that door…sill…〃
He clenched his jaw。 〃I'll pick you up and carry you out of here bodily； if I have to！ Are you going to listen to me？ Are you going to e to your senses？〃
〃Bill； I'm not entitled to your protection。 I'm not…〃
His hand suddenly clamped itself to her mouth； sealing it He heaved her clear of the floor； held her cradled in his arms。 Her eyes strained upward at him in muted helplessness； above his restraining hand。
Then they dropped closed。 She didn't struggle against him。
He carried her that way out the door； and along the hall； and down those stairs she'd climbed so differently a little while ago。 Just within the street…entrance he set her down upon her feet again。
〃Stand here a minute； while I look out〃 He could tell by her passiveness now that her recalcitrance had ended。
He withdrew his head。 〃No one out there。 You left the car around the corner； didn't you？〃 She didn't have time to wonder how he knew that。 〃Walk along close to me； I'm going to take you back to it。〃
She took his arm within a doublecoil of her own two； and clinging to him like that； they came out unobtrusively and hurried along together close in beside the building…front； where the shadow was deepest。
It seemed a long distance。 No one saw them； better still； no one was there to see them。 Once a cat scurried out of a basement…vent up ahead of them。 She crushed herself tighter against him for a moment； but no sound escaped her。 They went on； after the brief recoil。
They rounded the corner； and the car was there； only its own length back away from the corner。
They crossed on a swift diagonal to it； and he unlatched the door for her and armed her in。 Then suddenly the door was closed again； between them； and he'd stayed on the outside。
〃Here are the keys。 Now take it home and…〃
〃No；〃 she whispered fiercely。 〃No！ Not without you！ Where are you going？ What are you going to do？〃
〃Don't you understand？ I'm trying to keep you out of it I'm going back up there again。 I have to。 To make sure there's nothing there linking you。 You've got to help me。 Patrice； what was he doing to you？ I don't want to know why； there isn't time for that now； I only want to know what。〃
〃Money；〃 she said laconically。
She saw his clenched hand tighten on the rim of the door； until it seemed to be trying to cave it in。 〃How'd you give it to him； cash or check？〃
〃A check；〃 she said fearfully。 〃Only once； about a month ago。〃
He was speaking more tautly now。 〃You destroyed it when it came back； of c…？〃
〃I never got it back。 He purposely kept it out。 He must still have it someplace。〃
She could tell by the way he stiffened and slowly breathed in； he was more frightened by that than he had been by anything else she had told him so far。 〃My God；〃 he said batedly。 〃I've got to get that back； if it takes all night。〃 He lowered his head again； leaned it in toward her。 〃What else？ Any letters？〃
〃None。 I never wrote him a line in my life。 There's a five…dollar bill lying in there； by him； but I don't want it。〃
〃I'd better pick it up anyway。 Nothing else？ You're sure？ Now； think； Patrice。 Think hard。〃
〃Wait； that night at the dance…he seemed to have my telephone number。 Ours。 Jotted down in a little black notebook he carries around with him。〃 She hesitated。 〃And one other thing。〃
〃What？ Don't be afraid； tell me。 What？〃
〃Bill…he made me marry him tonight Out at Hastings。〃
This time he brought his hand up； let it pound back on the door…rim like a mallet 〃I'm glad he's…〃 he said balefully。 He didn't finish it。 〃Did you sign your own name？〃
〃The family's。 I had to。 That was the whole purpose of it The justice is mailing the certificate in to him； here at this address； in a day or two。〃
〃There's still time enough to take care of that； then。 I can drive out tomorrow and scotch it out there； at that end。 Money works wonders。〃
Suddenly he seemed to have made up his mind what he intended doing。 〃Go home； Patrice；〃 he ordered。 〃Go back to the house； Patrice。〃
She clung fearfully to his arm。 〃No… What are you going to do？〃
〃I'm going back up there。 I have to。〃
She tried to hold him back。 〃No！ Bill； no！ Someone may e along。 They'll find you there。 Bill；〃 she pleaded； 〃for me…don't go back up there again。〃
〃Don't you understand； Patrice？ Your name has to stay out of it There's a man lying dead upstairs in that room。 They mustn't find anything linking you to him。 You never knew him； you never saw him。 I have to get hold of those things…that check； that notebook。 I have to get rid of them。 Better still； if I could only move him out of there； leave him somewhere else； at a distance from here； he mightn't be identified so readily。 He might never be identified at all。 He's not from town here； there isn't anybody likely to inquire in case' of his sudden disappearance。 He came and he went again； bird of passage。 If he's found in the room there； it'll be at once established who he is； and then that'll bring out of lot of other things。〃
She saw him glance speculatively along the length of the car； as if measuring its possibilities as a casket。
〃I'll help you； Bill；〃 she said with sudden decision。 〃I'll help you…do whatever you want to do。〃 And then； as he looked at her dubiously； 〃Let me； Bill。 Let me。 It's a small way of…making amends for being the cause of the whole problem。〃
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃I can't do it without the car； anyway。 I need that〃 He crowded in beside her。 〃Give me the wheel a minute。 I'll show you what I want you to do。〃
He drove the car only a yard or two forward； stopped it again。 It now stood so that only the hood projected beyond the corner buildingline； the rest of it still remained sheltered behind that。 The driver's seat was exactly aligned with the row of store…fronts around the turn。
〃Look down that way； from where you sit；〃 he instructed her。 〃Can you see that particular doorway from here？〃
〃No。 I can see about where it is； though。〃
〃That's what I mean。 I'll stand in it； light up a cigarette。 When you see that； bring the car on around in front of it Until then； stay back here where you are。 If you see anything else； if you see something go wrong； don't stay here。 Drive straight out and away； without making the turn。 Drive for home。〃
〃No；〃 she thought stubbornly； 〃no； I won't。 I won't run off and leave you here。〃 But she didn't tell him so。
He'd gotten out again； was standing there facing her； looking cautiously around on all sides of them； without turning his head too much； just holding his body still； glancing over his shoulders； firs