The Will to Kill by Robert Bloch

Author:Robert Bloch [Bloch, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ace Books
Published: 1954-08-15T08:00:00+00:00

NINE

When I came to the store the next morning I took out my key, then realized I didn’t need it. In the first place, Kit was already inside, at her desk. In the second place, the smashed lock hadn’t been repaired yet. I stared at the jagged glass around the frame, near the doorknob. It was a messy job. Somebody had been in an awful hurry, or somebody had been very clumsy. Or both.

I walked in. “Good morning, Kit,” I said. “Sleep well?”

She just looked at me and flushed. She didn’t blush. Instead she had the kind of blonde complexion that flushes.

I wondered what embarrassed her, then realized the reason as she hastily shoved the morning paper under the desk and out of sight.

“That’s all right,” I said. “Here, let me take a look.”

Kit watched me as I read. I wasn’t bothered by the headlines—I’d expected them. SECOND RIPPER KILLING would naturally provoke such stories. I read a little about Joan Schuyler; later I wanted to read it all, but right now I was interested in the lesser details. I wanted to read if they’d found Calgary yet.

They hadn’t. At least, there was no report. And I was pretty certain they’d call me downtown if and when they had him.

“Here’s the mail.” Kit handed me the correspondence.

I looked it over. All routine stuff, and I wasn’t in the mood.

“Want me to take care of it, Tom?”

I shook my head. “Later, maybe. Right now I’d like you to go over to Harry’s—you know where it is, down a couple of blocks—and see if he’ll come and fix that door. Need a new pane, I suppose, and a new lock.”

“All right.” Kit stood up. “Mind if I stop for a cup of coffee on the way?”

“Go ahead.” I tossed her a dollar. “Maybe you can bring back a cup for me. And some pie.”

“Didn’t you eat breakfast yet?”

I shook my head. “I started to go into Nick’s, but he saw me coming. And maybe I’m just a sensitive soul, but I didn’t like the way he looked at me.”

Kit flushed again. She picked up her purse and walked out, and I was alone.

Well, I might as well get used to it. Looked as though I’d be alone quite a bit of the time from now on. Art Hughes wouldn’t be coming around, and Kit would keep a desk between us. Even people like Nick didn’t want to see me.

Nobody wanted to see me any more, except possibly the man who was just coming into the store now. And he couldn’t see me.

“Hello, Bill,” I said.

“Mr. Kendall! When I heard they’d let you out, I came right over.”

“Here.” I walked over to him. “Let me get this chair for you.” He tap-tap-tapped his way over to it, and I steered him by the shoulders. He sat down heavily, and the sun from the window glared pitilessly into his face, into his eyes. But it didn’t matter.

Bill’s face was big and battered, and something about his closed eyes made the rest of his features stand out in unnatural prominence.

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