I felt my way along the wall of the building until I was under the free-swinging end of the fire escape. It was almost four feet beyond my reach. I stepped away and jumped for it. My second attempt was lucky and I hooked my fingers in the ironwork. The fire escape came down, creaking as it did so, but not too loudly.
I climbed to the first landing and eased the free-swinging part of the escape back into position so that it came up quietly. Then I continued up the escape until I reached the flat roof. There was a big skylight in the centre of the roof and from it came a bright light.
Stepping softly, I moved forward and peered down. Jeff Gordan was sitting behind a table, his chair tilted against the wall and his hat at the back of his head. He was reading a newspaper. A cigarette hung limply from his great coarse lips. Audrey Sheridan lay on a bed on the other side of the room. Her arms were above her head and her wrists were fastened to the bedposts. Her ankles were tied with cord, which was looped around the foot of the bed. She seemed to be asleep.
I wondered how many more of Starkey’s thugs were in the building and what chance I had of getting Audrey out alive. I sank on to my knees and pressed the crosspiece of the skylight gently with my thumb. It seemed to have little resistance. As I was deciding what to do, the door opened and Starkey came in.
Jeff threw his paper aside and stood up. He grinned at Starkey and together they went over to where Audrey was lying. Jeff shook her and she looked up blankly, then, when she saw Starkey, she tried to sit up and began to struggle against the cords that bound her.
Starkey sat on the bed beside her and lit a cigarette. He began talking to her. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but from the look on Jeff’s face I could make a guess.
Audrey shook her head.
Starkey went on talking, but I could see Audrey wasn’t going to do what he wanted. He finally gave up and sat staring at her with hot, angry eyes.
Then he stood up and shrugged. He said something to Jeff, who nodded his great head. Starkey went out and closed the door, leaving Jeff and Audrey looking at each other.
Jeff stood over her, flexing his thick fingers. Audrey stared back at him, her face white, but her eyes steady.
I drew a deep breath and as Jeff reached for her I put my foot lightly on the centre of the crosspiece of the skylight and then suddenly shifted the whole of my weight onto it.
I crashed into the room amid flying pieces of glass and woodwork. I landed on my feet, staggered, recovered my balance and threatened Jeff with my gun.
He stood gaping at me half in terror, half in vicious, baffled rage.
“Get your hands up or I’ll spread your insides on the floor,” I said.
His hands went up fast.
“Up against the wall and face it,” I said, hearing feet pounding up the stairs.
As he did so, I backed to the door and turned the key. It was a good, strong door and I thought it’d hold. Then I ran over to Audrey, slashed at the cords, and jerked her up.
“Get over there by the door,” I said, shoving her as she staggered to her feet. “They’ll start shooting in a minute.”
Just then fists pounded on the door and a voice yelled: “What’s going on in there?”
I fired once at the door. There was a startled yell and then a scurry of feet.
“That’ll hold ’em for a minute,” I said. “You all right, kid?”
She smiled wanly. “I wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t’ve come,” she said. “I... I’m glad you came.”
“Take it easy,” I said, and went over to Jeff. “Turn around, you fat slob. I want to talk to you.”
He turned and snarled at me.
“You’re a fall-guy,” I said, speaking very rapidly. “I’m tipping you off because I don’t like Macey and I don’t like your boss. They’re framing you for Dixon’s murder. I was with Macey this afternoon. He’s after you. There’s a warrant out for you, and Starkey is playing with him.”
His apish face went sullen. “You’re nuts,” he said. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You killed Dixon to get those pictures. You killed him on Starkey’s say-so. You thought Starkey would keep you covered — so he would have, only the Gazette’s got a picture of Dixon’s body showing he was strangled. Macey knows the only way he can save his hide is to get the murderer. Starkey’s agreed to sell you out. Don’t believe it if you don’t want to, but I’m telling you the cops are out now looking for you.”
As I finished speaking a bullet crashed through the door and brought down a thin trickle of plaster. We were all away from the door and none of us stood a chance of being shot. I banged another slug back and I heard a man curse and move away.
Jeff stood glaring at me, doubt in his little eyes, his mouth twisted with rage and fear. “You’re lying,” he snarled.
I sneered at him. “What good are you to Starkey, you big moronic dolt? What the hell good are you to anyone? If Starkey turns you over to the cops, he’ll cash in for the election: Do you think he’s going to gum up his chances because of you?”
His great fists clenched and unclenched. “She’s got the picture,” he said, pointing at Audrey. “You can’t bluff me, you punk.”
I grinned at him. “We took two pictures,” I told him. “I’ve got one and she’s got the other. I don’t want the cops to catch you. It’d be too easy. I want Macey and Starkey to be in a spot when the Gazette breaks the story. That’s why I’m letting you duck out.” I nodded to the skylight. “Do you think you can get out that way?”
Before he could reply three bullets crashed through the door, but neither of us paid any attention.
“What’s the idea?” he said, his feeble little brain struggling to understand.
“Hell!” I exclaimed. “What more do you want me to say? Beat it before the cops get hold of you. Get the hell outta town. If you’re smart and careful you should beat the dragnet they’ve put out for you.”
I could see that my bluff was shaking him. “Dragnet?” he repeated stupidly.
“Listen, you big stupid dope,” I said, throwing the words at him. “Starkey has sold you out. The cops are after you and I’m giving you a break to get away. Now do you understand?”
He looked at the door and his face went a deep purple. “The yellow-gutted heel,” he said under his breath. “So that’s the way he’s playing it.”
“Come on, you punk,” I said. “Get going. I want to talk to Starkey.”
“So do I,” he said under his breath, and springing up he caught the edge of the skylight and hauled himself up. As he did so a faint wail of a police siren sounded. It couldn’t have been timed better.
I called after him: “Get going. Here they come.”
I heard him curse, then I heard the sound of his feet running across the roof; a moment later he scrambled down the fire escape.
Audrey was staring at me her big eyes bewildered and curious. I went over to her and took her hand in mine. “Take it easy,” I said, smiling at her. “We’ve still got a job to do.”
“But what are we going to do?” she said. “They’ll never let us out of here.”
“You’ll he surprised,” I said and leaving her, I edged to the door. Keeping against the wall, I reached for the key, turned it and threw the door open. “Tell Starkey to come up here.” I yelled. “I want to talk to him.”
The narrow passage crashed with gunfire and more plaster trickled from the opposite wall.
“Hey!” I shouted. “Cut it out. I want to talk to Starkey.” There was silence for a moment. I could hear men muttering.
The sound of the police siren came nearer. Then someone said: “Throw your rod outside and come out with your hands up.”