"Two guys with guts and a go-to-hell-with-you-Jack regard for consequences have about three chances in ten of pulling off a big, well-planned smash-and-grab. If one of them can shoot like me... the odds are a damn sight better." In the course of his line of business, the man who calls himself Ro...
Johnny stepped from his doorway and walked rapidly to the car as Rogers parked in the only open space in the block, squarely beside a fire hydrant. The sedan’s wheels were still moving when Johnny opened the door on the passenger’s side and slid into the front seat. The nose dipped as Rogers inst...
Hazel exclaimed violently when I gave her the word that we’d be leaving Erikson behind in the morning. She was still wearing a rebozo and head scarf, and it was surprising how different she looked, despite her pale skin. “We can’t leave him here, Earl!” “We can’t do anything else, baby,” I told h...
When it came, I set it up in the center of the room so that it would be the first thing visible to anyone entering the room. Then I went to the bureau drawer and took out the wrapped package of Hazel’s money. I stripped off twine and paper, fanned the thousand fifty-dollar bills out in a crisp se...
Hazel had lost none of her enthusiasm for frolicking under water. She was preparing ham and eggs while we both were already on our second cup of coffee. I don’t know why breakfast always smells so much better when someone else is making it. Kaiser, freshly readmitted to the cabin, was taking an e...
@page { margin-bottom: 5.000000pt; margin-top: 5.000000pt; } 5 THE persistent ringing of a telephone woke me. When I forced my eyes open, I couldn't orient myself for a moment. Then the meaning of the cluttered, dirty room came flooding back. The phone kept ringing, and I stumbled to...
@page { margin-bottom: 5.000000pt; margin-top: 5.000000pt; } 10 Dick Dahl called me from the airport on Sunday night two hours earlier than I'd expected. He balked at first when I told him I'd meet him behind the first lane of cars in the parking lot. "Don't be so damn lazy," I said. "Th...
The macadam near the curb was bubbling slowly in the muggy heat. I hurried across the intersection as soon as the light turned green, already uncomfortably sticky. Exactly what was I supposed to do now with the damn briefcase? I was tempted to leave it in a bus station or train station locker and...
A heavy push from behind sent him reeling. The cigarette flew from his hand and he staggered down three or four steps before recovering his balance. Another stiff push nearly upset him again as he turned to see what had happened. He stared at a slim, dark, handsome-looking man standing on the ste...