staring at him. He liked the way she looked too, her face pure white in the dark, whiter than Melanie's face or any white face he had been this close to, thinking he could put her down on the floor, or he could take her in the bedroom, and after they were done put the pillow over her face and aim the pistol he had with him into the pillow. . . . Man, it was a shame to have to do it. ... He said, "You scared of me?"
Her head went side to side without her eyes leaving his.
He knew she was scared, man, she had to be, but wasn't acting like she was and it made him press his thumbs into her soft skin and tighten up on his fingers, wanting to know what she'd told them and knowing he'd have to take her close to the edge to find out. He said, "Baby, you got a reason to be nervous with me?" He saw her eyes close and open. . . .
And felt what must be her hand down there touch his thigh, brush across it, and move on up and had to admire her using a female way of getting to him, liking it, yeaaah, till something else besides a hand, something hard, dug into him.
She said, "You feel it."
Ordell said, "Yes, I do," wanting to grin, let her know he wasn't serious and she shouldn't be either. He said, "I believe that's a gun pressing against my bone."
Jackie said, "You're right. You want to lose it or let go of me?"
If either Max or Winston phoned the other from the office and said, "Get dressed," it meant come right away, armed.
This time it was Max who phoned and Winston arrived while the sheriff's people were still there, blue lights turning on their radio cars. Somebody had shattered the glass in the front door and reached in through the bars to unlock it. Max, in the office with the two uniforms taking notes, looked up at Winston. He said, "These guys were here inside of two minutes from the time the alarm started to blow." Max seemed impressed.
Winston said, "They get him?" Knowing they hadn't. He saw Max motion with his head to the meeting room and went in there to see the gun cabinet broken into, two pieces missing, three still hanging on pegs. Now he watched from the doorway to the office while the uniforms finished their report, left, and Max came over.
"What'd I get dressed for," Winston said, "if he's gone?"
' 'Cause we know who did it," Max said, moving past him to the gun cabinet.
"We talking about Louis?"
Watching as Max chose the Browning 380 auto, took it from its peg, and checked the slide.
"How you know it's him?"
"He wouldn't have time to break in," Max said, "come in here, bust into the cabinet-all the time the alarm's making a racket. You know how loud it is? He doesn't clean us out, he takes only the Python and the Mossberg, and does it all inside of two minutes. I think he broke the glass on the way out, make it look like a B and E."
"Then how'd he get in?"
"Lifted a spare key out of my drawer, had one made, and put it back. Planning something like this. That's why I think it's Louis."
"You don't know for sure."
"Let's go ask him. Your arm okay?" Max reached out as if to touch Winston's sleeve.
"It's all right; they put in some stitches. What's that you got, a new watch?"
"Rolex," Max said, turning his arm to let the gold catch the light, the way Ordell had shown it to him. "I took it on a bond till I get the premium."
Winston said, "Lemme see," putting his hand under Max's arm to look at the watch up close. He said, "I hate to tell you, but it ain't a Rolex. I know, 'cause I have a real one at home. This decoration here don't look right."
Max took his arm back. "This's a different model."
"I'm talking about this one. How much was the premium it's for?"
"Don't worry about it, okay?"
"Was gonna say, if it's over two-fifty . . ."
Max said, "Let's get outta here," sticking the Browning in the waist of his pants. He picked up his jacket from a chair and Winston followed after him.
"How come you're taking the Browning? Don't you have that little Airweight in your
Her head went side to side without her eyes leaving his.
He knew she was scared, man, she had to be, but wasn't acting like she was and it made him press his thumbs into her soft skin and tighten up on his fingers, wanting to know what she'd told them and knowing he'd have to take her close to the edge to find out. He said, "Baby, you got a reason to be nervous with me?" He saw her eyes close and open. . . .
And felt what must be her hand down there touch his thigh, brush across it, and move on up and had to admire her using a female way of getting to him, liking it, yeaaah, till something else besides a hand, something hard, dug into him.
She said, "You feel it."
Ordell said, "Yes, I do," wanting to grin, let her know he wasn't serious and she shouldn't be either. He said, "I believe that's a gun pressing against my bone."
Jackie said, "You're right. You want to lose it or let go of me?"
If either Max or Winston phoned the other from the office and said, "Get dressed," it meant come right away, armed.
This time it was Max who phoned and Winston arrived while the sheriff's people were still there, blue lights turning on their radio cars. Somebody had shattered the glass in the front door and reached in through the bars to unlock it. Max, in the office with the two uniforms taking notes, looked up at Winston. He said, "These guys were here inside of two minutes from the time the alarm started to blow." Max seemed impressed.
Winston said, "They get him?" Knowing they hadn't. He saw Max motion with his head to the meeting room and went in there to see the gun cabinet broken into, two pieces missing, three still hanging on pegs. Now he watched from the doorway to the office while the uniforms finished their report, left, and Max came over.
"What'd I get dressed for," Winston said, "if he's gone?"
' 'Cause we know who did it," Max said, moving past him to the gun cabinet.
"We talking about Louis?"
Watching as Max chose the Browning 380 auto, took it from its peg, and checked the slide.
"How you know it's him?"
"He wouldn't have time to break in," Max said, "come in here, bust into the cabinet-all the time the alarm's making a racket. You know how loud it is? He doesn't clean us out, he takes only the Python and the Mossberg, and does it all inside of two minutes. I think he broke the glass on the way out, make it look like a B and E."
"Then how'd he get in?"
"Lifted a spare key out of my drawer, had one made, and put it back. Planning something like this. That's why I think it's Louis."
"You don't know for sure."
"Let's go ask him. Your arm okay?" Max reached out as if to touch Winston's sleeve.
"It's all right; they put in some stitches. What's that you got, a new watch?"
"Rolex," Max said, turning his arm to let the gold catch the light, the way Ordell had shown it to him. "I took it on a bond till I get the premium."
Winston said, "Lemme see," putting his hand under Max's arm to look at the watch up close. He said, "I hate to tell you, but it ain't a Rolex. I know, 'cause I have a real one at home. This decoration here don't look right."
Max took his arm back. "This's a different model."
"I'm talking about this one. How much was the premium it's for?"
"Don't worry about it, okay?"
"Was gonna say, if it's over two-fifty . . ."
Max said, "Let's get outta here," sticking the Browning in the waist of his pants. He picked up his jacket from a chair and Winston followed after him.
"How come you're taking the Browning? Don't you have that little Airweight in your
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