Johnnie (2013) by Dorothy B. Hughes

Author:Dorothy B. Hughes
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9781480426979
Publisher: Mysteriouspress.Com/Open Road
Published: 2013-05-07T22:14:00+00:00

Six

“ROOKED AGAIN,” JOHNNIE GROANED.

“What’s the big idea?” Mike doubled his fists.

“The big idea is that you’re to put your hands out in front of you and climb up those stairs.” She was little but there was nothing soft about her voice or the gun.

“You need some help, Trudy?” There was someone behind the chenille curtain now. Someone with a thick accent. It was Dorp.

“I found these two out in the street.”

Anxiety popped his eyes. “They send no message?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think they had time.”

“What were they doing?”

“Talking to those men fixing the street.”

Dorp scowled. “Can you hold them here while I get together everyone? We must decide what now to do.”

“You’re darn right I can hold them,” she stated. “One off beat and I’ll get trigger finger.”

Dorp waddled upstairs.

“Listen, Trudy.” Johnnie tried to reason with her. “Mike’s a cop. You can’t shoot him.”

“Keep your hands up,” she commanded. “A dead cop’s just as dead as a dead pigeon. In there.”

They walked into her parlor.

Mike complained. “It’s the last time I play Boy Scout to the Army. I should have been home in bed hours ago. With my shoes off.”

Johnnie had no answer. He too could have had a good evening, chorus girls and fun. He certainly hadn’t intended to sweat out a pass this way. He’d probably be too tired tomorrow for sight-seeing. And Bill and Hank would doubtless never speak to him even if he found them again.

Trudy eyed him reproachfully from the piano bench. “You’ve certainly messed things up, Johnnie Brown.”

“Me?” He was indignant. He sputtered. “Me? Who was it dragged me upstairs tonight? Who was it handed me—”

She broke in loudly. “Keep quiet. I tried to get you to leave when you first barged in, remember? But no. You had to stick around. You deserve just what you get.”

“Give me back my dog tags and I’ll go right now.”

“No, you won’t,” she slurred. “You haven’t a chance of getting out until it’s all over. And you’d better stop trying.” She circled past them, the gun steady as a Texas Sheriff’s. “You might tell me one thing. Did you send a message?”

“I wouldn’t tell you the right time.” Johnnie was glum. He and Mike should have called the police before looking at that hole in the street. He and Mike should never have followed Trudy back in here. He and Mike should have their respective heads examined.

“If you did,” her smile was too sweet, “I’d advise you to lie about it when the others came down. They wouldn’t like it.”

“Wouldn’t like what?” That was Rupe’s voice behind them. “What gives now, Trudy? Why the ack-ack?”

“These two were trying to skip,” she stated.

“How stupid. Hold it steady, baby mine.”

Johnnie couldn’t see what was happening. He heard Mike’s shout, “Hey, you can’t do that!” and Trudy’s warning, “Keep those hands up, copper.”

Ruprecht pranced over to her. He was fondling Mike’s revolver with admiration.

“He took it right out of my holster,” Mike complained. “Unbuttoned my holster and took it right out.

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