The Jazz Club Spy by Roberta Rich

Author:Roberta Rich [Rich, Roberta]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Lower East Side, New York

I woke to a rusty squeak outside my window. I glanced over at Ma’s bed and saw the outline of her chest rise and fall under the covers as moonlight streamed through the crack in the window shade. The sound came again—something was on the fire escape, too heavy to be a stray cat. I slipped out from between the sheets and tiptoed to the window. There was the clump of feet, then the shriek of the metal step. I sprang back, heart pounding.

When I yanked the cord of the roller blind, it flew up with a loud snap.

Cupping my hands to better see, I peered out. A face, a few inches from mine, stared back, nose pressed against the soot and coal dust coating the pane. In the light of the moon, I made out his bulky form and strange hat. Ivanov. He had come for me, and in his hand, he was holding a gun. Stifling a scream, I let go of the cord and retreated into the room.

He tapped the glass once, then twice. Behind me, Ma stirred. I went back to the window, my mind racing. He must have crawled up the fire escape on his hands and knees, crouching low so he couldn’t be seen from the street, and peered in every apartment window until he reached ours. He motioned me to open the window, but my hands were shaking so bad that I couldn’t have released the latch even if I had wanted to.

“Meet me on the roof,” he mouthed in Russian, pointing upward. Did he take me for a fool? I shook my head.

“Hurry, or I shoot her.” He gestured to Ma.

How had Ivanov found me? I hadn’t given my address to Anya. I looked past Ivanov’s shoulder to the sidewalk. Cherry Street was deserted except for an old man huddled for warmth under a pile of newspapers. The Secret Service agent assigned to protect me was nowhere to be found, not that I would recognize him if I saw him. I looked back at Ma. I had no choice.

“I’m coming,” I mouthed.

Heart pounding, I wrapped my chenille bathrobe around me, and from under my mattress, I withdrew my gun. I’d never fired it, but tonight I just might have to. I slipped it into my pocket, then tiptoed into the parlor, careful not to wake Arnold. I grabbed my galoshes, only stuffing my bare feet in them once I was out in the hallway.

As I raced up the stairs to the roof, all I could think was if Ivanov killed me, who would fix Arnold’s breakfast and make sure he got through his final exams? I’d bought him a graduation suit on the layaway plan at Poppenberg’s. What would become of it? And who would thread Ma’s needles and tell her that she needn’t drink so much and that I loved her? Even Pa came to my mind. He’d been without work for a year. How was he surviving? Hattie and Sid at the club.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.