Black thoughts were racing through her mind. “I could put an ounce of lead in his guts right now,” was the thought that burned through her. “The dirty, lousy rat, I could send him to hell so quick he’d be there before he knew it. No, no, I mustn’t do it that way!”
Her full mouth was against his, her hands were running through his hair caressingly. He was mumbling incoherent things into her ear that she did not hear.
“Benny,” she whispered deep down within her, “you understand, don’t you, honey? It’s for you, Benny. We’ll send him to hell, Benny, you and me.”
She pushed Slink away at last and sat down suddenly as her knees gave out from under her.
“You was Benny’s friend, wasn’t you, Slink?” she asked at last, her hands clenched close to her sides. “You was his pal, the one man he could depend on, wasn’t you, Slink?”
“Sure, I was Benny’s pal,” he replied quickly. “An’ as long as Benny was alive I never tried to get his moll away from him, even when I loved her. That’s how square I was kid.”
“Because you was yellow, you rat!” said Stella Maud, but she said it to herself. Then aloud: “Benny always trusted you, Slink. Why he used to say to me often, ‘Slink is the only guy in the whole damn mob that I’d trust to the limit.’ Only last night, not an hour before he was croaked he said to me, ‘Slink’s one white guy. I’d trust him with my life, my moll or my money.’ He sure thought the world of you, Slink.”
Douglas bit his lips and writhed nervously. She watched him, taking a fiendish delight in twisting the knife in him. He changed the subject.
“That’s over with, Stell. Let’s forget it. I’m chief of the best gang of guns in the country now, an’ as soon as I get things lined up, we’ll make more money than we ever did before. This is the time I’ve waited for, lived for. It’s been hell, kid, to love you as I do, an’ see you with another man. That’s over with. Gee, Stell—”
He reached for her again. She shrank back, almost at the end of her endurance, but he caught her fiercely by the shoulders, drew her from the chair and caught her to him. His lips bruised her mouth, his possessive hands ravaged her body.
“Don’t,” she half-sobbed, “don’t!”
There was a faint scraping sound at the doorway, and Slink turned sharply, his face paling and his hand reaching towards his hip. Steve Maris stood there, his face as emotionless as ever, his eyes seeming almost white, a heavy black automatic held close to his side.
“Let her go, Slink,” he said, his voice a low, even monotone. “Stand back from him, Stell. He’s lived long enough.”
Slink’s face turned a sickly yellow. “You keep out of this Steve,” he snarled. “What business you got buttin’ in on me an’ Stell? You sweet on her yourself?”
“Stand away from him, Stell.” There was no change in the killer’s voice. “I promised Benny years ago that I’d look after you if anything happened to him. Stand away from him.”
Stella Maud suddenly threw herself back into Slick’s embrace. “No, no!” she cried fiercely, “stay out of this, Steve. It’s all right, I tell you. You leave him alone.”
“She loves me,” boasted Slink. “Don’t you baby?”
“I... I... yes, I love him, Steve,” she answered, not meeting his accusing eyes.
The gunman stared at her, one corner of his mouth drawing down in a grimace of contempt. “All right,” he said at last, “I guess Benny and I was both wrong. You ain’t worth protectin’. Benny would be proud of you, Stell — in another man’s arms before he’s cold yet.”
“Steve — don’t!” The word was a sharp cry of pain. “You remember what I told you this morning, Steve — leave this thing to me.”
Again he subjected her to that searching stare that seemed to penetrate her most secret thoughts, and what he saw caused him to put the gun back in his pocket with a quick jerk of his arm.
“Oke, Stell,” he said laconically, and backed silently from the room.
“What’s the matter with the fool?” snarled Slink, brushing the perspiration from his face with a shaking hand. No one knew better than he how near death he had been.
She shrugged her shoulders. “He’s always been sort of a watch dog where I’m concerned,” she said, forcing a laugh. “Forget him. I’m going to ask you now, Slink. You’ll be here at two o’clock for the funeral, sure?”
“I’ll be here, kid,” he promised her. “And tonight, tonight you’ll be mine, won’t you baby?”
“I’ll be yours tonight — if you still want me then, Slink,” she said steadily. “But don’t forget, Benny’s going to get the skunk that croaked him. Funny how I know, ain’t it, Slink?”
“Cut out that crazy talk, kid,” he said roughly. “You better lay down and rest till the funeral. I’ll be back later.”
As soon as he was gone, she stepped quickly to the other room where Steve paced idly about. “Steve,” she said, “I want to be alone with Benny for awhile. Don’t let anyone come in. And whatever you do, Steve, leave Slink alone. Get me?”
He nodded without speaking, and she went into the room where the body of the gang chief lay, closed and locked the door. Once he heard something like a tearing, strangled sob from her, but when she came out a half hour later, her face wore a strange look of peace and exultation.
It was two o’clock in the afternoon, the room had been crowded and for an hour a long line of people had filed past the casket where the young king of gangland lay. Stella Maud stood aloof, watching, her eyes dry and bright. When Slink Douglas edged slowly up to pay his last respects to his chief, he found Stella Maud by his side.
“Benny was a grand little guy,” he whispered, his hand on her arm.
She nodded. “And he’ll get the man who croaked him, Slink,” she whispered. “Look at him. He knows who croaked him, and he’ll get him, sure as hell!”
Douglas shivered slightly and would have passed on, but she held him back.
“Benny always said you was his best friend. Don’t leave him like this. Shake hands with a grand little guy for the last time!”
“You’re batty,” he muttered uneasily, but she caught him frantically by the arm.
“If you love me, Slink!” she whispered tensely. “You’ll do it for me if you love me like you said. Here — stand — here!”
The gang chief’s body, in the open casket, was covered with flowers, leaving only the wax-like face and one hand exposed. There was no way for Douglas to avoid it. With a noticeable shudder he reached down and took the cold fingers gingerly. There was a muffled report and he fell to the floor, writhing, hands clutching at his stomach, his face twisted in pain and horror.
Before anyone could move, Stella Maud bent swiftly over him, her eyes flaming into his dying ones.
“Do you still want me now, Slink?” she mocked in a whisper of fierce hate and triumph. “I told you Benny would get the rat who croaked him, and he did! May your black soul rot in hell forever!”
Slink knew and understood, but before he could speak, the life-blood dyed his lips.
The police never discovered who killed Slink Douglas, for they never thought of accusing the dead man. Only Stella Maud knew that in Benny’s hand, concealed by the flowers, was a small revolver. A thread was attached to the hair-trigger so that a touch on the other hand fired the weapon.
Racketeer Revenge
By Howard Beaufort
Racketeer Stories, March 1930
Dirk Petroni, the leader, was dead, burned down by Pete Robinson and his gang. An eye for an eye — that s the law, so Dirk’s mob was out to end Robinson. Only, if you’re making any plans, leave the women out!