The Criminal by Jim Thompson Page B

Smith & Wesson ain't beat up! I guess you bought it brand new from Mr. Smith and Wesson instead of taking it off of that nigger highjacker."
    "I wouldn't say anything about me taking things off of people, Charlie," I said, "if you follow my meaning."
    "Well, don't go running down my Colt all the time," he said. "People hear you knocking it all the time, I never will get rid of it. I had two or three trades worked up, and someone hears a knock on it-I ain't saying it came from you, now-and the deal falls through."
    "Look, Charlie," I said. "Irregardless of what you may have heard to the contrary I have never at any time or place knocked that Colt to anyone. On the contrary, Charlie, and I can prove it. Dusty Kramer, over on city vice, he came up to me the other day and said, frankly, what was my honest opinion, and I said frankly I didn't see how a man could go wrong on a good Colt. I said you asked for my honest opinion, and there it is. You see yourself a good Colt at the right price and you better grab it."
    "Well," Charlie said. "I didn't say you knocked it, Dick. I didn't think you'd do a thing like that."
    "You know why I don't want to take in a trade," I said. "I've explained the situation to you several times, Charlie. I got a Colt and I got a Smith & Wesson, and getting rid of the Smith & Wesson, I still have the Colt. I don't want another one, two Colts, even if it ain't all beat up."
    "This is my last offer," Charlie said. "I'll swap you the Colt and fifteen dollars, no, twenty dollars. That's my last offer, Dick, take it or leave it."
    "You just made yourself a deal, mister," I said.
    "I'll pay you tomorrow," he said, "just as soon as we get the dough from Kossmeyer."
    "Well, all right," I said, "but if it's no dough, no deal. I got to have the cash on the line, Charlie."
    "You'll get it," he said. "We'll stall that Clinton if we have to hogtie him."
    We finished our steak and potatoes, and had some pie and coffee. Then, we had second coffees and someway the waiter didn't charge us for them, so we left that money for him, too. Another twenty cents with the eighty. An even dollar tip. Me and Charlie kind of wanted to be around when he picked it up, see how he'd act, you know, but he was busy with some other tables and we figured we'd better be getting back.
    Practically everyone had been gone from the courthouse when we left, and everyone was gone now. I mean all the other offices was closed up tight but the d.a.'s, and even the elevator boy had gone home. All the lights was off but just a few little ones, and we practically had to feel our way up the stairs and down the corridor.
    We got to the d.a.'s office, the first one you go into I mean that's got the railing running down the center and went on through the gate. Charlie was in the lead and I was right on his heels, and when we stopped all of a sudden I piled right into him.
    "Excuse me, Charlie," I said.
    "Shh," he said. "G-d d-n!"
    He jerked his head at the door of the witness room, and I listened. I heard the d.a. say something, and then I heard the kid say something. There was a sound about it I didn't like one little bit, and I could tell that Charlie didn't like it one little bit either.
    He turned around and looked at me, and I looked at him. I could tell he was thinking the same thought I was.
    "Well, Charlie," I said. "I guess them was just about the most expensive steaks we'll ever eat."
    "G-d D-n," he said. "S-n of a b--h!"
    "I guess we should've et 'em rare," I said.
    "Shh," he said. "Listen, G-d D-n it!"
    So we listened:
    " Now, Bob, you want to tell the truth, don't you? Do you want to tell the truth or do you want to go on lying?"
    " Yes! I mean, no, I don't want to! I mean I'm not I don't k-know I-"
    "You don't know what the truth is, do you, Bob? Isn't that what you mean? You'd rather tell the truth than to tell a lie, wouldn't you? If I helped you out and told you what the truth was, would you tell it or would you tell a lie?"
    "Y-yes-no! I