Chapter 7
Once back on the streets, we immediately noticed a big problem. Very few souls were out and about. It was as though the population had been cut in half while we were in that base. I thought about Dr. Howard and how she had said the citizens were disappearing. It had seemed far-fetched, even screwy at the time, but now…where was everyone?
It seemed like Gloria and I were thinking the same thing. Something was very wrong, but it seemed bigger than us. All I knew is that if I didn't get some shut eye, I wouldn't be able to do a thing to investigate this mess. And what would Dr. Howard think of me then?
"What do you say we head back to my cave, Gloria? I'll cook us up some eggs…that is, if Billy Reisner's left anything in the ice box for us to eat. In fact, I hope that kid has made tracks by now. I don't need any more trouble than I've got already."
Just then we heard the squeal of tires, and a flashy green Rolls Royce pulled around the corner, slowing as it pulled up next to us. Gloria looked at me warily as the back window rolled down. A puff of fragrant smoke wafted out, and a gloved hand beckoned me closer. I turned to Gloria. "It's okay, kid, I'll catch up with you later."
Gloria looked skeptical, but gave me a kiss on my cheek. "I'll meet you at your place later tonight, Dixon. For now, I've got some business to take care of," she said and stepped away before glancing backward.
"Keep your head down," I shouted after her. Momentarily she disappeared, and I turned back to my new visitor. "Well?"
Ms. Vash peered at me over the half rolled down window. "You're still with us, Mr. Hill," she noted, sounding somewhat pleased and more than a little surprised.
"If you mean I'm still alive, well yeah, ain't it obvious...and no thanks to you."
She squinted at me, as though hurt. "What do you mean?"
I resisted the urge to throw my hat at her shiny green foreign car. "You set me up, that's what I mean! You nearly got me killed back in the park."
Her lips parted. "Oh Mr. Hill...I couldn't be certain it would come to violence!"
"But you suspected it would, didn't you?" I leaned my elbow on her car and looked down at her. In fact, that's why you hired me, isn't it? You needed me to photograph what happened, so that you'd have the evidence to pin it all on Redblock...instead of you."
She blinked nervously. "Do you have the photos I paid for?"
I smiled and touched the back of my head. "Nope, whichever one of your goons who bonked me on the head, ran off with the film. Guess you got no evidence, Ms. Vash. Tough break for us both."
Ms. Vash turned her gaze to the seat in front of her. "What exactly do you think happened at the museum yesterday?"
"I think whatever item you were trying to get a peep at...you arranged for to be stolen, and as a result an innocent man died. And another disappeared."
"Innocence is so relative, Mr. Hill. And disappearances can be so deceiving."
"Only someone who was in with Redblock would say something like that."
"Listen, Mr. Hill...the item that was ...acquired today is very important. In fact, without it, we might all be doomed."
"We?"
She leaned toward me again. "Why don't you get in? We have a lot to discuss." She smiled at me, and I'll admit, it made me think twice.
I stepped back and shook my head slowly, and gave her an exaggerated yawn. "Naw...I don't think so. I'm real tired, see?"
I really couldn't tell of she was disappointed or not. "Suit yourself. Maybe I'll see you around, Mr. Hill. We seem to move in the same circles."
I watched as the sleek vehicle rolled away quietly. This time I yawned for real, only just realizing my exhaustion.
I felt a poke in my back. I closed my eyes slowly. So much for my much needed beauty rest. I was now wide awake again. "What can I do for you?" I said, not turning around. I was reminded suddenly that my gun was still back on the base. And me caught without a spare.
"You can die," said a gravelly voice, and the barrel of the gun was jammed into my back again. I'd heard and seen Cyrus Redblock in person a few times before, and never under pleasant circumstances. This, unfortunately was no exception. And since Redblock rarely did his own physical chores, I knew it was likely Felix Leech standing directly behind me.
"I hadn't planned on dying," I said. "I was contemplating sleep, but nothing so eternal, you see."
Suddenly I was swung around roughly by the shoulders to face my assailants. Redblock was a big bulk of a man, and Leech was the opposite, thin as a rail. But these two were no Abbott and Costello, and between the two of them, they had hardly an ounce of good humor. Redblock stared me up and down while Leech leveled a pistol at my nose. "You're getting into matters you have no business involving yourself in, Hill," said Redblock.
"Oh?"
Redblock put his fat hands into the pockets of his fancy suit jacket and moved aside so I could see another of his trigger men standing by holding a blackjack. The man smiled threateningly at me as Redblock continued to gab.
"I didn't like you when you were a cop, Hill, and I don't like you now. What's more you appear to have the nasty habit of inspiring others to question my business and meddle in my affairs. Now what do you think would be the solution to that?"
I shrugged and pushed the barrel of Leech's pistol out of my face. I was within arm's length and could have slugged him. Looking back, I should have acted more quickly.
"I think I'd like to make an example out of you, Mr. Hill," said Redblock. Suddenly, Leech hauled off and smacked me in the side of the head with his gun. I felt the crack against my temple and I was instantly nauseous. I dropped to my knees dizzily, and tried to angle my fist up into his groin, but my head was swimming and dimly I saw the other stooge rush forward and he began to rain down blows on my neck and back. Then everything went black.
I heard and felt the splash, as a bucket of water was emptied over my head, waking me up without ceremony. I struggled not to choke as the tepid water ran down my face and soaked my shirt. I was in an abandoned warehouse—of course, and the musty smells surrounding me, reminded me that I was still alive. But I had to be clever to stay that way. It seemed like every part of my body was aching, burning, or stinging. They'd worked me over, alright. The thug who'd beaten me senseless with a blackjack was absent, which was fine by me. Unfortunately, I still wasn't alone.
"Finally, you're awake! Just in time to witness your own demise, Dixon Hill."
Redblock circled around the front of the chair I was strapped to and brought his puffy face down into mine, letting the smoke from his nasty cigar poured into my nostrils. I turned my head away, but that was the extent of my ability to escape. My arms were stretched around the back of the wooden chair and my hands were fastened together tightly. The back of the chair was resting close to a musty old wall. I could smell rotting decayed wood all around me. "You've been a bad boy, Mr. Hill," said Redblock. "I'm sure my associate here, agrees."
I glanced up at Felix Leech, who was holding a switchblade in his fidgety right hand. "Yesss…very bad, Mister Hill," Leech emphasized in his generic bad-guy accent.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said. I tried to shift positions, but was bound so tightly that my back was arched. Looking down at my waist I could see that they had used my belt to tie my wrists. I could feel my hands falling asleep, losing sensation. "You've got the wrong idea about me, Cyrus. I'm just a small-time gumshoe." I assured them.
"Oh, is that right?" Redblock asked leaning over again to look into my face. He grabbed my tie and yanked it, pulling my neck forward. "Then what have you been doing snooping around with that lady doctor? She's up to no good, I'll tell you right now, Hill."
"He's telling you, Mister Hill, so you had better listen closely," Leech hissed.
I raised my chin and looked up into Redblock's chilly eyes. "I'm listening, but I still don't have a clue what you're talking about."
Redblock laughed and sat himself down in a nearby chair. The legs scraped as he inched closer to me. He pointed his burning cigar into my face. I could feel the heat and tried not to flinch. "You haven't seen a gorgeous dame around then…about five foot ten with long supple legs and flowing red hair?"
"Nope. I think I'd remember a swell dame like that," I said, keeping my expression as even as possible. I could feel my jaw was swollen, and I had more than one lump on my face. I was glad I didn't have a mirror on hand. "But let me know if she passes you by again. I might ask for her number," I added.
Redblock broke into a slow smile, but I could tell there was a simmering rage behind it. "Funny guy. You think I'm some kind of dolt, Hill?"
Leech moved to my side and whispered in my ear. "Do you think he's a dolt?"
Redblock shot Leech a warning look. "Cool it, Felix," he growled.
I didn't say anything, I just shook my head, feeling the dizziness wash over me again. My witty comebacks weren't coming so easy then. That goon had clubbed me good. I figured even if I could make a run for it, I might not make it that far.
Redblock sat back in his chair that was too small for him and eyed me carefully. "I run this town Hill. And you're right you are small time—nothing to me in the scheme of things. But now I have competition."
I smiled even though it made my whole face hurt. "So I've heard."
"It seems you have very selective senses, Mr. Hill. You've heard I have competition, and yet you haven't seen a uniquely beautiful woman who is very busily helping my competitor. I know you were down in the Presidio, today Mr. Hill. And I've seen you with the woman. If she's like most women, she's got a soft-spot for hard-luck types such as you, Mr. Hill—God knows why. I'm sorry to end your budding romance, but the best way to discourage her activities is to make you disappear."
"Disappear, huh? Is that you whose been making poor schlubs disappear all over the city?"
Redblock blinked, and I knew right away that it wasn't him. A look of fear passed over his face. At the time I guessed Redblock must have thought the South American Kid, his competition, was responsible for the disappearing citizens, including his old associate Mr. Feinberg. And judging by his expression, maybe he feared he was next on the list.
Redblock stood up. "I'm done talking to you, Mr. Hill. We're going to make you disappear the best way we know how. Except in order to let people know it was you in here, we're going to leave some traces of you. Sometimes the fire gets so very hot that nothing is left behind, Mr. Hill. Especially not small-time gumshoes."
He snapped his fingers and nodded over to Leech, who began grabbing empty fishing crates, made of dried brittle wood. He stacked them near my chair which was touching the wall. A cold sweat began to pour down my skin. As he continued to talk, Redblock pulled out a small flask of alcohol from his pocket. He held it up for me to see. "I drink only the finest Cuban rum, Mr. Hill. It makes a wonderful accelerant too, as you will soon find out."
I strained again, trying to undo my bound wrists with no luck.
Redblock laughed and waved over at his sidekick. "Take his suit jacket and tie off...and pick up that stupid hat he loves so well," he added. "We'll take that with us too and leave it outside for the boys in blue to discover."
Felix grinned but looked confused as he picked up my fedora and handed it to his boss. "But he is tied up, Mr. Redblock...do you want me to untie him first?"
Redblock's face turned bright red with fury and he pointed at Leech and then me. "You have a knife, you idiot! Cut his jacket and tie off of him if you have to."
That was when I began to really struggle, realizing they were no longer playing a game. They intended to leave me for dead in a burning building. I did everything I could to break free, including rocking the chair back and forth and trying to stand up. But Leech kicked my legs out from under me. "Don't do this, Redblock," I shouted as he stood back and Felix Leech moved in closer. He knelt and tied my feet together, then tied them tightly to the chair legs.
Redblock took his burning cigar out of his mouth and looked at it casually, as if he were mulling over what he really wanted to do. "Then tell us about the woman. What is she working on, Mr. Hill? Think and speak carefully because your life depends upon it."
I shook my head vigorously. "I told you before I've never seen the woman you described. Let me out of here, and I'll stay out of your business for good, Cyrus."
Redblock looked up at the ceiling high above, which was caving in from years of neglect. "You know the way we've set this up Hill, it won't be long before your chair is on fire...then you. Then it will spread up this old dry flimsy wooden wall and then it's only a matter of time until the whole thing is burnt down to the ground, and you along with it."
Leech hovered over me with the stiletto knife.
I thought about the beautiful Doctor Howard and how I would never see her again, because regardless of my answer, I was a dead man. He just wanted the information. But if I told Redblock anything about her, I was sure she would be next on his list. Maybe she already was. And I couldn't take even thinking about that. "I told you, Redblock, I've never seen that dame in my life! And if I had, don't you think I'd spill my guts to save my own life?"
Redblock's eyes narrowed. "Maybe so. After all you've always looked out for number one before...why start being the hero now? But I can't take that chance, Hill." He nodded to Leech who moved in again with the knife.
He giggled and tugged the tie from around my neck. Looking back, it wasn't my favorite tie: after all, I'd gone to that base dressed like a wino, not a legit business man. But at that moment, saving my necktie was a lot less important than saving my actual neck.
Leech waved the knife in my face. "Unfortunately, Mr. Redblock wants you to be awake when this place burns down around you, Mister hill," he whispered. The little sadist moved around in back of me, and I could feel the cold steel of the knife at the base of my neck, poking through my collar. "But I hope this hurts you Mr. Hill...just a little bit..." He pushed me forward and slid the knife through the cloth of my linen suit jacket until it cut into my back and then with a slow downward motion, he sliced my jacket in two. I screamed in pain and with angry helpless desperation, knowing I would never get payback against that little fink.
And then when Redblock disapprovingly urged Leech to move faster, Leech made two quick cuts at the cloth covering my biceps, removing the sleeves of the jacket. This time, I conserved my energy and didn't waste it on screaming. My shirt now soaked in blood, I knew my time was limited. There would be no getaway until these two left me alone, and afterwards, I'd only have minutes to get out.
When he was done, Leech turned to his boss for approval. Redblock looked at me as though I was a circus sideshow, and shook his head with a laugh. "What a sad sight."
Leech finished piling the old wooden boxes in a circle around my chair and then watched with perverse delight as Redblock emptied the contents of the flask onto the pile of kindling. From the pocket of my suit jacket, Leech fished out my small silver lighter. Reading the monogram aloud he said, "D.H. How cute..." Lighting it he tossed it onto the pile of boxes and immediately a blue and yellow string of flames burst up from the floor.
Redblock and Leech backed up swiftly. "We'll see you in the next world, Mr. Hill," shouted Redblock, throwing the stub of his cigar toward me, and they quickly departed.
