Klempner
Although I can hear chaos from down the stairs, up here now, it’s quiet. There’s no-one in the dance room.
In the pool room, the only sound is the crunching of glass under my boots. I carry on to Finchby’s office.
All empty?
It seems so.
The time?
Time to go.
Except… as I’m about to turn and leave a girl, I see her; barely a teenager, some variety of Asian, Indian perhaps. Streaming tears, she skitters out from behind the desk, making for the kitchen.
I follow her and she cringes back into the corner. I offer my hand. “I’m not going to hurt you. You have to leave.”
She babbles at me in I’ve-no-idea-what language, then abruptly, her face swings up to mine and fingers outstretched, leaps up at me, clawing at my face. Reflexively, I jerk back, and she bolts past me and out, back the way I came.
Fuck!
I dash after her, but in the few seconds, she’s gone, vanished.
Where did she go?
Out?
Or somewhere deeper inside?
I check my watch… Three minutes…
Christ!
I have to find her… If she’s on the stairwell, perhaps I’ll hear her. I turn for the bar, heading for the stairs up and down, and there…
Fuck.
Baxter.
I reach for my Glock… And it’s not there.
Damn… When did I put it down?
Baxter flashes brows. And the knife in his hand. “Going somewhere?”
“I was planning on leaving.” I slip the knife from my belt. “Your friend Finchby has already left the building. I believe the money may be with him.”
“I’m not going to weep over Finchby. And I didn't do it for the cash. Well… mainly not for the cash. And I have my half anyway.”
We circle, eyeball to eyeball.
Make the first move?
Wait for him?
I move slowly, watching for the twitch of the hand. The nudge of the shoulder. The tell that he's going to stop talking and...
He slashes out… moves fast…
But it’s a feint and we both know it, calculated to draw a reaction from me.
Testing me…
My speed…
My reactions…
Younger than me...
How much by?
Ten years?
His knife...
maybe eight inches. Well cared
Well used…
Left-handed…
that gives
practice against right-handers. I've
out. Hard. Fast. Teeth
arm. We
I smell
Sweat. Sour.
sour scent of
Not excitement.
Fear.
dancing back from me and suddenly I'm overreaching… off-balance…
his neck but as he
my advantage, I bully forward, reaching
at his chest with my right hand and he twists
The other knife...
Ambidextrous?
not. Just well-practised. As he swerves away from my right hand, my left
rib cage
Got you, you bastard…
her.
Baxter, she charges between us and
staggering back, my
Drinks slops?
Blood?
In slow motion...
arms wind-milling
I go down...
on
…
gasp as his
rasp
The metallic
Whose?
Mine…
he hovers, enjoying his moment, the knife poised
at the vein, he reaches into his
My Glock?
aiming for my
use the
the
swing round wildly, one way or the
There are none.
straight up the barrel of my
Is this it?
this time… this is
have died over the
something I
Live by the sword…
at these moments. The brain does odd things under extreme
think
but the muzzle of the gun looms close and huge. The rest
My throat tightens…
man.” The voice is sultry, smooth, and drips honey and contempt in equal measure… “A hero with a gun
know
its
feet in the spiked heels. The matching skirt just clears the crotch and the zip-front leather vest hugs a narrow
smooth white shoulders and frames a face
“Mitch?”
admit it.
So does Baxter.
have been full of women offering their all. But nothing compares to
dressed like this, not
pose. And with an eye
loop. She hooks a finger into the
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!