Read Online Shoot the Piano Player by David Goodis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: David Goodis
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telling her to stay away, to please stay away. She kept advancing toward the car and he thought, She knows, she knows you're in a situation and she figures she can help. But that gun. She can't see that gun--
He heard the voice of Feather saying, "She your girl friend, Eddie?"
He didn't answer. The waitress came closer. He made another warning gesture but now she was very close and he looked away from her to glance inside the car. He saw Morris sitting slantwise with the gun moving slowly from side to side, to cover two people instead of one. That does it, he thought. That includes her in.
6
Then she was standing there next to him and they were both looking at the gun. He waited for her to ask him what it was all about, but she didn't say anything. Feather leaned back, smiling at them, giving them plenty of time to study the gun, to think about the gun. It went on that way for perhaps half a minute, and then Feather said to Eddie, "That counting routine. You still want me to count to three?"
"No," Eddie said. "I guess that ain't necessary." He was trying not to frown. He was very much annoyed with the waitress.
"What's the seating arrangement?" Morris wanted to know.
"You in the back," Feather told him, then took the gun from Morrjs and opened the door and got out of the car. He held the gun close to his side as he walked with Eddie and Lena, staying just a little behind them as they went around to the other side of the car. He told them to get in the front seat. Eddie started to get in first, and Feather said, "No, I want her in the middle." She climbed in and Eddie followed her. Morris was reaching out from the back seat to take the gun from Feather. For just an instant there was a chance for interception, but it wasn't much of a chance and Eddie thought, No matter how quick you are, the gun is quicker. You go for it, it'll go for. you. And you know it'll get there first. I guess we'd better face the fact that we're going on a trip somewheres.
He watched Feather climbing in behind the wheel. The waitress sat there looking straight ahead through the windshield. "Sit back," Feather said to her. "You might as well be comfortable' Without looking at Feather, she said, "Thanks," and leaned back, folding her arms. Then Feather started the engine.
The Buick cruised smoothly down the street, turned a corner, went down another narrow street and then moved onto a wider street. Feather switched on the radio. A cool jazz ouffit was in the middle of something breezy. It was nicely modulated music, featuring a soft-toned saxophone and someone's light expert touch on the keyboard. That's very fine piano, Eddie said to himself. I think that's Bud Powell.
Then he heard Lena saying, "Where we going?"
"Ask your boy friend," Feather said.
"He's not my boy friend."
"Well, ask him anyway. He's the navigator."
She looked at Eddie. He shrugged and went on listening to the music.
"Come on," Feather said to him. "Start navigating."
"Where you wanna go?"
"Turley."
"Where's that?" Lena asked.
"It ain't a town," Feather said. "It's his brother. We got some business with his brother."
"The man from last night?" She put the question to Eddie. "The one who ran out of the Hut?"
He nodded. "They did some checking," he said. "First they find out he's my brother. Then they get more information. They get my address."
"Who told them?"
"I think I know," he said. "But I'm not sure."
"I'll straighten you," Feather offered. "We went back to that saloon when it opened up this morning. We buy a few drinks and then we get to talking with big-belly, I mean the one who looks like a has-been wrestler--"
"Plyne," the waitress said.
"Is that his name?" Feather hit the horn lightly and two very young sledders jumped back on the curb. "So we're there at the bar and he's getting friendly, he's telling us he's the general manager and he gives us a drink on the house. Then he talks about this and that, staying clear of the point he wants to make. He handles it all right for a
He heard the voice of Feather saying, "She your girl friend, Eddie?"
He didn't answer. The waitress came closer. He made another warning gesture but now she was very close and he looked away from her to glance inside the car. He saw Morris sitting slantwise with the gun moving slowly from side to side, to cover two people instead of one. That does it, he thought. That includes her in.
6
Then she was standing there next to him and they were both looking at the gun. He waited for her to ask him what it was all about, but she didn't say anything. Feather leaned back, smiling at them, giving them plenty of time to study the gun, to think about the gun. It went on that way for perhaps half a minute, and then Feather said to Eddie, "That counting routine. You still want me to count to three?"
"No," Eddie said. "I guess that ain't necessary." He was trying not to frown. He was very much annoyed with the waitress.
"What's the seating arrangement?" Morris wanted to know.
"You in the back," Feather told him, then took the gun from Morrjs and opened the door and got out of the car. He held the gun close to his side as he walked with Eddie and Lena, staying just a little behind them as they went around to the other side of the car. He told them to get in the front seat. Eddie started to get in first, and Feather said, "No, I want her in the middle." She climbed in and Eddie followed her. Morris was reaching out from the back seat to take the gun from Feather. For just an instant there was a chance for interception, but it wasn't much of a chance and Eddie thought, No matter how quick you are, the gun is quicker. You go for it, it'll go for. you. And you know it'll get there first. I guess we'd better face the fact that we're going on a trip somewheres.
He watched Feather climbing in behind the wheel. The waitress sat there looking straight ahead through the windshield. "Sit back," Feather said to her. "You might as well be comfortable' Without looking at Feather, she said, "Thanks," and leaned back, folding her arms. Then Feather started the engine.
The Buick cruised smoothly down the street, turned a corner, went down another narrow street and then moved onto a wider street. Feather switched on the radio. A cool jazz ouffit was in the middle of something breezy. It was nicely modulated music, featuring a soft-toned saxophone and someone's light expert touch on the keyboard. That's very fine piano, Eddie said to himself. I think that's Bud Powell.
Then he heard Lena saying, "Where we going?"
"Ask your boy friend," Feather said.
"He's not my boy friend."
"Well, ask him anyway. He's the navigator."
She looked at Eddie. He shrugged and went on listening to the music.
"Come on," Feather said to him. "Start navigating."
"Where you wanna go?"
"Turley."
"Where's that?" Lena asked.
"It ain't a town," Feather said. "It's his brother. We got some business with his brother."
"The man from last night?" She put the question to Eddie. "The one who ran out of the Hut?"
He nodded. "They did some checking," he said. "First they find out he's my brother. Then they get more information. They get my address."
"Who told them?"
"I think I know," he said. "But I'm not sure."
"I'll straighten you," Feather offered. "We went back to that saloon when it opened up this morning. We buy a few drinks and then we get to talking with big-belly, I mean the one who looks like a has-been wrestler--"
"Plyne," the waitress said.
"Is that his name?" Feather hit the horn lightly and two very young sledders jumped back on the curb. "So we're there at the bar and he's getting friendly, he's telling us he's the general manager and he gives us a drink on the house. Then he talks about this and that, staying clear of the point he wants to make. He handles it all right for a
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