His eyes telegraphed his movements. As the gun came up, I leaped for him. I brought the side of my hand down across his wrist. At the same time, I pulled his body between me and his squat friend.
His gun hit the walk as Squatty fired. I felt the impact of the bullet drive Skinny back against me. Shoving his body hard into his companion, I clutched up the fallen automatic and leaped across the walk to the protection of the sedan.
Squatty fired again. I felt my shoulder go on fire, and I spun about and snapped off a shot. I heard the bullet splat against the brick wall, but it took the fight out of Squatty. He moved back against the brick wall, gun level.
I could feel the hot stream of sticky blood under my coat. I moved away, my head dizzy as I lurched along the darkened street. So they were out to get me. Blackie thought he was big enough now to send hired gunsels to cut down Dash Smith in the street.
My head was spinning. I knew I had to get back to the apartment and call a doctor. I had to get fixed up before I could face Felix Varden again, or even Marlene.
I stumbled into an apartment house, and painfully climbed the stairs. I knocked on the door, but that was all I could do. A black curtain slid down over my eyes and I was out cold.
Chapter Three
Cold-Deck Showdown
I came out of it in a clean white bed. I was looking up into Sally’s face. “It’s all right, Eddie,” she was saying. “I called in little Doctor Conway from downstairs. He’s a tired little man who has seen a lot of things. He turned in a report you shot yourself in the shoulder while cleaning a gun.”
“But we want to know the truth, young man. What really happened?” I looked at Peggy’s Aunt Lettie. Small and wrinkled, she wore a vinegary expression, but you learned that expression hid a heart as big as a mellow pumpkin.
I had no idea if I’d been seen entering Sally’s apartment. All I could think was I had to get out of there before I caused her any more trouble.
But at the moment, I had no choice. I was too weak to move. I could only lie there being cared for by Sally and her aunt, or looking over all Peggy’s playthings that she brought in to cheer me up.
I felt like I was resting on a keg of lighted dynamite. I made up my mind to tell Sally the truth about who I was. But the longer I stayed there, being cared for and loved as Eddie Green, it made telling the simple truth more impossible.
The second day, while Sally was at work, I slipped out of the apartment. I grabbed a taxi and went to Dr. Maddigan. He wasn’t hopeful about my lack of memory. He even suggested further treatment. But I had no time now for doctors.
When I left the doctor’s office, I was sure I recognized fat Saul Levine, the detective-sergeant. So he’s tailing me, shadowing me doggedly, I thought, probably even knowing that I am staying with Sally and her aunt.
I caught a taxi and rode to my own apartment. I used my key and when I walked into the front room, Felix and Marlene were there, as casual as though I’d been out for five-minutes stroll. But I didn’t miss the quick look of caution that passed between them.
“I’ve been looking things over,” I told them evenly. “I figure now that not many of the boys recognize me, it would be a good time to check up on things.”
I saw the color seep from Varden's face. His slate eyes flashed. I smiled grimly to myself. I knew a warning would go out as soon as Varden got away from me.
“There’s one other thing,” I told Varden. “A couple of Blackie’s out-of-town hoods tried to jump me. One of them is dead. If it happens again, Blackie will be one of the dead. Will you tell him that for me, Felix?”
Felix nodded numbly. “I’ll tell him, Chief,” he said. “But Blackie’s in fine. There musta been some mix-up.”
I just looked at him. His gaze fell away under mine.
“I’m going out for a while,” I told Marlene. Then I turned back to Varden. “I don’t want to be followed, Felix. I've been pretty nice to you since I got out of the hospital. But get this. If I’m followed, I’ll hold you responsible.”
He only nodded, without speaking.
As I left the apartment, I knew that Marlene and Felix Varden were hatching some plan. But it wasn’t ready yet. Felix was still afraid of Dash Smith, and the plan had to be perfect, fool-proof and final before Felix Varden would touch it. Meantime, he would nod and yes me.
Sergeant Saul Levine, in a taxi, pulled away from the curb as my own cab left it. I knew what I had to do. Whether it lived in my memory or not, my past was catching up with me. Saul Levine trailing me, Blackie daring to make a move, Marlene and Varden watching. I had to tell Sally the truth, and it would be the last time I would ever see her...
I bought some trinkets at a store on the corner near Sally’s place. Dropping them in my pocket, I made a few false trails to throw off anyone who might be trailing me. When I thought it was clear, I hurried up the back way and rang Sally’s doorbell.
You'd have thought I was somebody, the reception I got there. Aunt Lettie managed a vinegary smile and hoped I was stronger. Peggy squealed with delight. I tossed her in the air and let her fish inside my coat pockets for the trinkets, a toy wrist watch, a packet of balloons that blew up into funny-looking men.
Only Sally didn’t speak. She only smiled at me, and that was enough. It ripped me to pieces inside.
“Come on, Sally,” I said. “Get your hat. We’re going to an Italian restaurant for supper.”
We were half through our meal when Saul Levine came in without even looking at us. He sat alone at a table across the room.
I looked at her. My throat was dry, my palms were sweaty. “There's something I have to tell you, Sally. I can’t put it off any longer.”
“Tell me,” she smiled.
I looked about the place and shook my head. “When we get home,” I said. She nodded and patted my hand. I never felt lonelier in my life...
We entered the darkened front room of her apartment. From the street outside enough light flowed in from corner lamps and neon signs to suffuse the room in a hushed, unearthly glow.
“We’ll be real quiet,” Sally whispered. “We won’t wake Peggy or Aunt Lettie.”
“Don’t even turn on the lights,” I said, catching Sally’s arm as she reached for the lamp switch. I wanted the darkness of the room to hide me from my own words. “Sally, there’s something I have to say to you.”
She turned. The dim, soft oval of her face was very close to mine. “Eddie!” she whispered softly. Her arms were soft about my neck, her lips sweet against my mouth. “I never believed it could happen to me again, Eddie, until I met you!”
She misunderstood! She thought I was asking her to marry me!
I was trembling. My lips felt parched. I was thinking, never tell her! Take her and run. As Levine had said, run for your life! For what life would I have without Sally, no matter how long I lived? But I knew better. I knew it had to be right for Sally. I had to have the courage to make it right, no matter how much it hurt her at first, or what it cost me.
“Sally.” My voice was so hoarse I hardly recognized it. “Did you ever see the man who caused your husband to be killed — did you ever see Dash Smith?”
She looked up at me wonderingly, and nodded. “But, Eddie, what has that to do—”
“I’m Dash Smith,” I broke in. “Sally, I never meant for it to be like this. I love you, deeply, with all my heart. You’ve got to believe that.”
She spun away, snapped on the lights. The sudden white blinded me. When I could see, her face was a stranger’s. I put my hands on her arms. I felt her go taut, move away from me. The way she shrugged away twisted my insides. There were no tears, recriminations, accusations. There was only that stark stillness in her face as she stared at me.