Hunt the Toff by John Creasey

Author:John Creasey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: House of Stratus

XIV

SUDDEN DEATH

Rowse paused for a moment, then whispered again, and kept his finger on the bell. The ringing sound from the kitchen seemed very loud.

Was he alone?

Was this a police trick?

Rolfison couldn’t see Rowse helping the police to catch Marion-Liz; couldn’t see any reason why the police should send him. But he could understand them letting him come in; if he entered, they would follow and try to overhear whatever was said.

Well, they were the likely tactics.

‘Liz! Let me in, it’s urgent.’

Rollison didn’t answer; there was no sound from the bedroom, only the ringing from the kitchen. Then that stopped. Rowse thudded on the door with his fist, making it shake.

If he came in, the police would soon be here.

If he left thinking the place was empty, they’d probably wait for other callers.

‘Liz!’ cried Rowse in a louder voice.

Anyone waiting downstairs would hear that.

Rollison opened the door abruptly, gripped Rowse’s left wrist and drew him inside. Rowse gasped and staggered. Rollison closed the door, slipped the catch home again, said, ‘Wait!’ and hurried into the bedroom, grabbing a chair. He pushed this beneath the handle of the front door; it would take some time to break the door open.

Rowse straightened up, and spoke hoarsely. Dim light from the room beyond showed him vaguely.

‘R—Rollison!’

Rollison gripped his arms and led him into the bedroom.

Rowse caught sight of Marion-Liz, and his muscles went rigid. The sheet hid her body and the scars, but couldn’t hide her fear or pallor. Then he saw Woolf, and backed, hitting against Rollison.

‘What is all this?’

‘Listen to me, and don’t lose your head. I’ve a job to do without police help. Liz is hurt, and can’t get away. Nor can our Mr. Woolf – know him?’

‘I’ve done a little business with him. Not much.’

‘You won’t do any more. He’s going to produce a witness to swear that Liz killed Keller.’

‘Why, I—’ Rowse went beetroot red, clenched his fist, and strode forward. Rollison grabbed his arm and pulled him back. ‘Let me get at him!’

He tried to free himself.

‘Not yet. I want him out of here.’

It wasn’t possible to get him out; forget it. That was another way of saying, ‘Forget that he has the knife with my fingerprints and Keller’s blood on it.’ His tone didn’t change as he went on:

‘Remember that Liz might be hanged if you do the wrong thing. The police will come after I’ve gone. If they don’t, go and fetch them – they’re watching. You came, found the door opened under pressure, they’ll believe that when they look at the lock. You talked to Liz, realised that as she can’t move freely, the only thing was to give her up.’

Rowse’s face was still a flaming red.

‘Be damned to you! I can’t do it, I won’t do it!’

‘All right. Let her hang.’

Woolf ’s light-grey eyes held desperation and uncertainty, Liz stared tensely at Rollison, Rowse raised his hands, as if to say that he didn’t know what to make of it.

‘How—how will it help?’

‘When I’ve got Woolf away, I can get at the truth.

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