Miss Shumway Waves a Wand

XVIII

We waited at the hospital for more than an hour before the doctor had any news for us.

There was Clancy, Summers, Whisky, Bogle and I, as well as a handful of cops who were keeping an eye on Bogle.

Summers and Clancy kept throwing looks at Whisky like he was something they couldn’t believe. Summers had now heard the whole story and after the first shock of hearing Whisky talk, he had been big enough to apologize to me.

“You’ve got a free hand,” he said, “Hell’s bells! What a case to bring before a jury! I hope that girl lives. It’s the damnedest thing I’ve ever run into. You can’t blame me for being suspicious, can you, Millan? But, if you want to get after the other girl, it’s okay by me.”

I hadn’t the heart to go after Arym. The thought of Myra lying in the little room across the way struggling for her life, knocked the ground from under me. I just wanted to be near so if anyone could see her I’d be the first to go in.

Whisky felt the same way.

We just sat and waited, and when the doctor came out I was too scared to go over to him.

“Which of you is Mr. Millan?” he asked.

Summers went over and said something. The doctor shrugged. The gesture chilled my heart. Then Summers nodded at me and the doctor beckoned.

I got up and walked the few yards with legs that felt like they’d been mashed by a trolley-car.

Whisky followed at my heels.

“How is she doc?” I asked, looking anxiously at his tired face.

“Not so good,” he replied. “She’s asking for you. Don’t excite her. I don’t think she’s going to make it.”

I clutched at his arm, “She’s got to make it,” I said. “You must save her.”

“We’re doing all we can,” he pulled his arm away with a grimace of pain, “but, she just won’t try. There’s not much we can do when a patient throws up the sponge. That’s what she’s doing. She doesn’t seem to have the will to live.”

“Can I see her?”

“For a minute, but be careful what you say.”

I went into the little room with Whisky.

Myra was lying flat. She looked small and white and just to see her turned my heart over.

I sat down and took her hand.

She opened her eyes. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come,” she said.

Whisky pushed his long muzzle on the bed. She touched his ears for a moment before turning to me again.

“There was no one big enough to keep me out,” I said, trying to smile. “Please get well, sweetheart, I can’t get along without you.”

“I’ll get well,” she said, “only, I’m tired. I’ll be better when I’ve had some sleep. I don’t want to stay awake any more.”

“Listen, kid, the doctor says you’re not trying,” I went on, stroking her wrist, “you must fight. There’s Whisky and me wanting you. You can’t pass us up.”

“It’s awfully hard,” she said drowsily. “I have only half my resistance. If my other half were here I know I’d be all right.”

Then I realized why she couldn’t get well. She had to have Arym to help her fight. Before I could say anything, a nurse came in and beckoned to me.

I petted Myra’s hand. “I’ll be back,” I said. “Promise you’ll wait for me.”

She kept her eyes open with an effort. “Come back soon,” she said urgently.

I went out into the hall again.

Summers said, “She’s pretty bad, isn’t she?”

“I guess so,” I returned. “Can I take a walk around the block! This place gives me a pain.”

“Sure,” he said sympathetically, “I know how you feel.”

I went over to Bogle. “Cheer up,” I said, “I’m doing all I can for her.”

Sam had tears in his eyes. “I don’t know why I did it,” he said miserably. “I guess I was crazy.”

I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. “I know how you felt about Doc. He meant as much to you as Myra does to me.

I’d have done the same thing in your place.”

He shook his head, “I wouldn’t have hurt her for anything, but I got good and mad.”

There was nothing I could say to him that’d do any good, so I left him and went out into the street.

“Whisky,” I said, “we’re going after Arym. She’s the only one who can save Myra.”

“How can she help her?” Whisky asked hopelessly.

“Don’t you understand? She’s got half of Myra’s willpower and strength. Get them together and they can both make a real fight for it. Peppi will know where she is. I’ll see him first.”

“You’re taking a chance with Peppi, aren’t you?”

“I have to take a chance. If he doesn’t know where she is, I’m sunk.”

“He won’t talk without those photos,” Whisky said. “Why not get ’em and trade with him?”

I glanced at my watch. It was seven fifty. Maddox would have gone home by now.

“It’s an idea,” I said, waving down a passing cab. “If we can get into Maddox’s office, I think I can bust his safe.”

As we drove off Whisky said, “I don’t think I want to be mixed up in this. I was merely giving advice.”

“You’ll come with me and like it,” I said shortly. “It all depends whether we can reach Maddox’s office without being seen. If we can, then the rest’s easy.”

Whisky clicked his teeth uneasily. “They wouldn’t put a dog in jail, would they?” he asked.

“No, they’d take you some place and shoot you.”

“I was afraid of that,” Whisky returned mournfully.

“Why worry? They can’t do that more than once to you,” I said, trying to cheer him up.

Maddox’s office was on the top floor of the Recorder building. I stopped the cab at the corner of the street and we walked the short distance to the entrance. There was no doorman on duty at that time of night, but I had to get past the man at the information desk just inside the hall to reach the elevator.

We paused at the entrance and I took a quick gander through the glass doors.

“We’re in luck,” I said to Whisky, “I don’t know the guy. Come on in.”

The man at the desk just glanced at us without interest.

“I want to talk to the night editor,” I said. “I’m a friend of his. Can I go up?”

“Sure,” he said. “Know your way?”

I nodded and we went over to the automatic elevator. “Well, that was easy,” I said, as the elevator shot up.

Whisky heaved a sigh. “You can get five years for this,” he returned. “Even Summers couldn’t do anything for you.”

“Quiet!” I said and stepped out onto the eighth floor. At the end of the passage was the door that led to Maddox’s offices. As we approached, Whisky cocked his head on one side.

“Wait a minute,” he said sharply.

“What’s up?”

“Someone’s in there,” he said, “I can hear ’em.”

I listened, but I couldn’t hear a thing. “Sure?”

“You bet I’m sure,” Whisky said, lowering his tail.

I crept to the door and listened. A man’s voice sounded faintly through the thick door.

“Hell!” I said, stepping back. “What do we do now?”

“We go some place and wait,” Whisky returned.

I put my hand on the doorknob and turned it softly. The door gave a few inches and I looked into the outer office. There was no one there, but voices came from Maddox’s office across the room. His door stood open.

“Wait here,” I whispered, and entered the outer office silently.

I crossed the room and edged up to the open door. One quick glance brought me up short.

Peppi was standing by Maddox’s safe. With him was his muscleman, Lew, and two other men I hadn’t seen before.

Peppi was smoking a cigar, his hands in his pockets and his hat pushed to the back of his head. He watched Lew, who was trying to open the safe.

I backed away, crossed the office once more and started to join Whisky. Then I paused. Standing on one of the desks was a press camera complete with a flash-gun. I picked it up as I passed and then joined Whisky in the passage.

“What’s up?” Whisky asked, eyeing the camera nervously.

“Peppi and his gang are cracking the safe,” I said. “Now look, I’m going back in there and I’m going to get a picture of them. If we can get away with this we’ve got Peppi just where we want him.”

“You don’t think he’ll let you take a picture of him and then walk out, do you?” Whisky demanded. “He’ll probably be a very mad man.”

“That’s where you come in,” I said.

“They’ve tried to brain me before,” Whisky returned uneasily. “I’d prefer to remain neutral, if it’s all the same to you.”

“Pipe down,” I said. “As soon as I’ve taken the picture, I’ll give the plate to you and you beat it. I’ll hold them off until you get away. They won’t do anything to me so long as we have the picture.”

“That’s what you hope,” Whisky said. “They may have different ideas.”

I thought that was likely, but I had to take the chance.

“When you get outside, go to Miss Halliday’s apartment and wait for me,” I said. “I’ve told her about you and she’s expecting us. If I don’t come out within an hour, turn the picture over to Summers.”

Whisky looked worried. “Aren’t you being unnecessarily heroic?” he asked. “Can’t we work out something better than that?”

I shook my head. “I’ve got to put the screws to Peppi and this is the only way to do it. Get in the elevator and wait for me.”

“Well, I’d rather it was you than me,” Whisky said, entering the elevator.

I adjusted the shutter of the camera and set the lens-stop. Then I went back into the room.

Peppi was cursing Lew when I arrived at the door.

“If you can’t get that can open,” he snarled, “why don’t you say so? We’ve been here twenty minutes.”

“Gimme a break, will you?” Lew grunted, his ear against the safe. “I gotta have quiet to hear these tumblers.”

Peppi drew in a deep breath and stood over him. That was how I found them.

I shoved the camera round the door and braced it. Then I said sharply: “Hold it!”

I gave them time to look round and then I released the, shutter. There was a blinding flash as the flashlight exploded and I didn’t wait to see what happened.

I whipped across the outer office, slammed the door and jerked the plate out of the camera.

Whisky watched me with startled eyes.

“Here you are,” I said and shoved the plate holder into his mouth. Then I pressed the elevator button and the door snapped shut as Lew and Peppi tumbled into the passage.

Lew had a gun in his hand and he looked mean.

“Grab some air,” he said, pointing the gun at me.

I raised my hands, holding the camera above my head.

Peppi, snarling with rage, snatched the camera out of my hand. He took one look at it and flung it to the floor.

“Where’s the plate?” he snapped.

“On its way down,” I said. “Now, don’t get excited,” I went on hurriedly as Lew made as if to slug me. “That picture’ll give you a lot of grief if you don’t wise up.”

“Who’s got it?” Peppi snarled.

“Never mind who’s got it,” I returned. “All you have to worry about is who’s going to have it in an hour’s time.”

“That’s it, is it?” Peppi’s voice was soft and menacing. “You’re crazy to try that stuff on me.”

“Okay, so I’m crazy,” I said. “But I’ve got something on you, Peppi, that you won’t get out of in a hurry.”

“Let me slug this punk,” Lew said.

Peppi jerked his head to the office. “Come in here,” he said, “I want to talk to you.”

I went into the office with Lew crowding me.

“What’s the idea?” Peppi said. “Come on — give.”

“If I’m not at a certain address in an hour’s time,” I explained, watching Lew out of the corner of my eye, “that picture’s going to the police chief. And then you can talk yourself out of it.”

“What address?” Peppi asked, fiddling with his cigar.

“Be your age,” I returned, wandering over to the desk and sitting on it. “Now listen, Peppi, here’s the deal. Give me Arym and I’ll give you the picture.”

While I was talking I glanced over Maddox’s desk. I remembered there was a button concealed somewhere which let off the burglar alarm. Maddox had had it fitted when some hood had threatened to scramble his brains in the old days of prohibition.

Peppi turned to Lew. “Get that safe open,” he said. “We’ll fix this guy when we’re through.”

That didn’t suit me. I spotted the button and rammed my thumb on it.

One of the other men caught me a full swing behind my ear, but he was a shade late. As I went over on the floor a bell began to ring somewhere in the building.

I struggled to my feet as Lew went for me.

“Cut it out!” Peppi said, his face white with rage. “Take him and let’s get out of here.”

Lew dug his gun into my spine and herded me into Maddox’s private elevator. The others followed.

As we shot between floors, Peppi said: “You’ll be damned sorry you stuck your neck out.” And I didn’t like the look in his eyes.

The elevator landed us at the side entrance, away from the main doors. There was a big closed car waiting and as soon as we had bundled in it shot away towards Fifth Avenue.

No one said anything all the way to Peppi’s house. Lew sat by my side with his gun sticking into me and a hungry look in his eyes. I felt that I’d only to flicker an eye-lash and he’d plug me. So I sat still and sweated plenty.

When we got inside Peppi’s house Lew shoved me into the sitting room.

The butler was in there fussing with a decanter. He looked at me with a tight smile on his crooked face.

Peppi said: “Get Miss Brandt.”

The butler went out.

Peppi and Lew left me standing in the middle of the room and went over to the window. They whispered together and then Lew gave a low laugh.

“Don’t waste too much time,” I said, feeling uneasy. “You’ve only got another thirty-five minutes to turn Arym over to me.”

“That’ll be long enough,” Peppi said.

“I’m not bluffing,” I said. “I’ve got you where I want you. Give me the girl or that picture goes to Summers. Where is she?”

Peppi shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said. “And I don’t care. I warned you not to double-cross me. Now you’re going to get your lesson.”

The door opened and Lydia Brandt came in. She looked at me much the same way a tiger looks at its dinner.

“I want this guy to talk,” Peppi said. “I thought maybe you’d like to soften him.”

Lydia smiled. “Yes,” she said. “That would amuse me.”

“What are you going to do with him?” Peppi asked.

“I want to try that experiment again. I made a mess of it last time,” she answered.

Peppi shrugged. “She thinks she can cut a guy. I tell her she can’t do it.”

Lew sneered. “Let her try,” he said. “It don’t matter if she makes a mess of this punk, does it?”

I began to sweat.

Lew went to the door and called in the other two birds who had been in Maddox’s office.

“Tie this lug up,” he said. “If he starts anything, beat his brains out.”

Before I could make up my mind what to do they grabbed me. I waited until they began to twist my arms behind me, then I let them have it.

I wrenched one of my arms free and slugged the bigger of the two guys in the eye, then as the other swung at me I stepped close and hit him low.

That was as far as I got. Lew came up and slammed me over the head with his gun-butt. By the time I’d cleared my head I was sitting in a chair trussed up like a Houdini act.

Peppi was looking at the clock. “We ain’t got a lot of time,” he said.

“It’s not going to take me long,” Lydia said. She held a thin, sharp knife in her hand. She looked across at me. “You won’t have many dates after this,” she said viciously.

“Let’s be reasonable,” I said hurriedly. “You wouldn’t really want to do that to me.”

She held up the knife, then she came over. “You won’t feel it for a while,” she said, standing over me. “I’ve done it before.” Her face was white and stony and I could see she was getting a big kick out of seeing me sweat.

Peppi said to me. “Are you talking?”

“I’m talking,” I said, shrinking away from the knife.

“Where’s the plate?”

I gave him Harriet’s address.

“Let’s go,” he said to Lew. “We’ve still got ten minutes.”

They made for the door.

“Hey!” I shouted, “don’t leave me with this dame. She might start something.”

Peppi paused and smiled at me, “She will,” he said, “maybe you won’t be in such a hurry to double-cross me next time.” He looked over at Lydia, “When you’re through, tell Toni to park him in the river.”

She nodded.

“We’ll be back pretty soon,” Peppi said, and they all went out leaving me with Lydia.

I admit, right at that moment I was losing a lot of weight. I strained on the cords that held me but I couldn’t budge them.

There was a cold efficiency about Lydia that told me she was going through with this.

She was batty, of course. As crazy as a bug, but that didn’t help me.

“Well,” she said, “we’re ready to go. All you have to do is to sit still. I’m quick and it won’t hurt for a few hours, anyway,” she chuckled. “Then it’ll hurt plenty.”

I believed her.

She came over and twined her long fingers in my hair. I rammed my chin on my chest so she couldn’t get at my face.

“Don’t make it difficult,” she said, pulling at my hair. It scared me to feel how strong she was.

I braced myself and kept my chin down. She kept pulling and it felt like the top of my head was coming off.

“Damn you!” she said suddenly and touched my ear with the knife.

I jerked away with a yell and the next second I was staring up at the ceiling with the knife hovering a few inches from my eyes.

Then the door burst open and Arym marched in.

Lydia released my hair and stood away. Arym stared first at me and then at Lydia, and I could have hugged her if I’d been free.

Lydia was the first to recover, “What do you want?” she said in a flat, sullen voice, “go away!”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Arym demanded, her eyes flashing. “What’s happening, Ross?”

“She’s going to mask my face,” I said feverishly, “it’s an old family custom.”

“Is she?” Arym laid her gloves and bag down on the table. She took off her hat with deliberation. “Not so long as I’m standing on my two feet,” she said.

“Get out!” Lydia said furiously, “you’ve no business being in here. Go upstairs and wait for Peppi. He wants me to do this.”

“He’s mine,” Arym said, moving towards Lydia. “No one touches him but me.”

Lydia went for her with the knife.

I yelled a warning, but it wasn’t necessary. Arym was quite capable of taking care of herself. She simply vanished in a puff of white smoke.

Lydia stopped in her rush with a startled scream. She looked around the room, her knife held ready and her eyes wild.

Just behind her a large vase containing flowers suddenly floated off the table. It shot high into the air and descended on Lydia’s head. She flattened out on the floor and the vase flew in a hundred pieces.

“And that’s that,” said Arym’s voice.

Invisible hands gathered the flowers into a bunch and laid them on Lydia’s chest.

“She only lacks a wooden overcoat,” Arym said, suddenly reappearing. “But I haven’t time for that now.”

I felt unnerved. “I just can’t get used to your tricks,” I said, staring at Lydia with morbid fascination.

“Didn’t you like that little exhibition?” Arym asked, not without pride.

“I thought it was swell,” I said, “but I can’t stand a lot of it. Look, sweetheart, will you untie me?”

“Oh, no,” Arym said firmly, “I want to talk to you first.”

“But we haven’t time,” I said desperately. “Peppi’ll come back any minute.”

She shrugged, “I couldn’t care less about that,” she returned, putting her arm round my neck. “I can do to Peppi what I did to her and think nothing of it.”

“Arym, you must let me loose,” I said feverishly, “I want you to do something for me.”

“I know,” she said, “but you’re going to hear what I want first.” She sat on my knee and began fondling my ear. That’s a thing I can’t stand, but I wasn’t in the position to tell her so. “You’re going to marry me.”

I stared at her, “Of all the crazy things!” I said angrily. “This is no time for fooling.”

“But, I’m not fooling,” she said, “you’re marrying me or it’ll be the last thing you refuse me.”

“I’m marrying Myra,” I said, trying to push her away, “Be reasonable for the love of mike. Myra’s desperately ill. She needs you. You can’t refuse to help her.”

“I know all about that,” she said carelessly, “I’ve just come from seeing her. She knew what was happening here and she sent me to get you out of the mess. I agreed on one condition — that she would give you up. Well, she’s given you up. If you want me to save her, you must promise to marry me.”

“I’m not going to,” I said, hardly believing my ears. “Of all the dirty tricks! You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”

“Don’t get upstage,” Arym said, putting her face against mine. “I’ll let Peppi handle you, if you don’t play along with me. And I’ll let Myra fend for herself, too.”

I drew a deep breath, “You can’t do this,” I said, “think what it means. You don’t really think you could hold me to such a marriage. Why I’d leave you in a week. What do you think I am — a mouse?”

A look of doubt came into Arym’s eyes, “But, don’t you like me a little?” she pleaded, hugging me to her.

“I like you all right,” I said, “you’ve got everything Myra has except her nice nature. That’s something you’ll never have.”

“I could be nice to you,” she wheedled, “and you would be good for me.”

I had a sudden idea.

“I’ll agree on one condition,” I said.

She looked suspicious, “What condition?”

“You return to Myra, give up your body and I’ll marry you both.”

“No,” she said, getting off my knee. “I want to have a body of my own.”

“But, you’ll never really be happy,” I urged, feeling that I was persuading her. “It’s the only way you’ll ever get me. If you can’t share me with Myra then I’m through with you.”

She began to pace up and down. “You don’t understand what this means to me. As I am now, I can do what I like, go where I like and love whom I like.”

“And where’s it getting you?” I asked. “Can’t you see it’s the only possible way out? Ask yourself, have you been happy? You’re only half yourself. Myra has all the good qualities. If you go back to her you’ll be complete and you’ll have me.”

She stopped pacing and stared at me. “You devil,” she said, “I hadn’t thought of it like that. You’re right. I have missed Myra. I’ve missed tempting her to do the wrong things. I’ve missed fighting with her. I guess I’m being a sucker, but I’ll do it, if she’ll have me back.”

“I warn you,” I said, “you’re going to behave. No more stealing. I’ll be around to keep you in order.”

“I’ll do it — for no other man in the world but you,” she said, and picking up the knife she cut me free.

I stood up with a grimace. “We must get over to Myra,” I said, stamping life into my legs. “I’ve left her too long as it is.”

“Don’t fuss,” she said. “She’ll be all right.”

I suddenly remembered Whisky. “My goodness!” I said hobbling to the telephone. “Maybe Peppi’s cutting poor old Whisky’s throat right now.”

“You worry too much,” Arym said calmly. “He’ll have his throat cut sooner or later, he’s that kind of a dog.”

I got through to police headquarters.

When Summers came on the line I shot him the story. “Get a squad over there,” I said feverishly, giving him Harriet’s address. “And make it snappy. You’ll have Kruger and his mob on ice if you get that picture.”

“We’ll get it,” Summers said excitedly, and hung up.

“I hope they do,” I said. “Well, let’s get over to the hospital.” I put my arm around her and kissed her. “You’re a nice kid,” I said. “And you won’t have any regrets. Now, come on. Go into your vanishing act. The cops mustn’t see you.”

“Consider it done,” she said, and a wisp of smoke indicated where she had been standing.

When we reached the hospital we found Clancy and a couple of cops still waiting outside Myra’s door. Bogle had been taken away.

I went up to Clancy. “How is she?” I asked anxiously.

Clancy looked mournful. “She’s bad,” he said. “The doc’s in there now.”

“Can I go in?”

“Not yet,” Clancy said, shaking his head. “Maybe when the doc’s through.”

I turned away. I was tempted to burst into her room, but I knew it wouldn’t do, so I wandered over to a chair and sat down.

“Who’s the guy with a face like a tomato?” Arym whispered in my ear.

I told her.

“He looks like a heel,” Arym said. “I think I’ll throw a scare into him.”

“Lay off,” I said hurriedly. “We don’t want any trouble here.”

“It wouldn’t be any trouble to me,” she said wistfully. “It’d be fun.”

“Now for the love of mike behave yourself. Haven’t I enough on my mind without you adding to it?”

Clancy had drawn near and was staring at me with startled interest. “Do you have to do that?” he asked suspiciously.

“Why not?” I returned. “Can’t I talk to myself without you horning in?”

“I guess so,” he returned, looking at me old fashioned. “But, I don’t like it much. It shows softening of the brain.”

“That’s better than having no brain at all, you cretin,” Arym’s voice snapped.

Clancy stiffened. “What’s that?” he said, glaring at me.

“I didn’t say anything,” I returned hurriedly.

“Don’t tell lies,” Clancy said. “One more crack like that and I’ll toss you in the can. And cut out that falsetto voice. I don’t like it.”

Just then a young and pretty nurse came down the corridor.

Clancy, who never passed up a nice-looking girl, swallowed his wrath. He adjusted his necktie and smirked at her. “Evening,” he said, swelling out his chest.

She paused and smiled brightly. “Good evening,” she said. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

Before Clancy could reply, Arym’s voice said from behind him, “You can wipe that smile off your insipid face.”

Clancy couldn’t believe his ears. He looked around wildly, his mouth gaping.

The nurse tossed her head. “If it comes to that,” she said, “your face isn’t so much, and from the sound of your voice you should be shuffled and dealt again.”

As she passed Clancy there came the sound of a sharp slap. The nurse gave a convulsive start and stifled a scream. For a moment she stood rigid and then turned, her face scarlet.

“That wasn’t a nice thing to do,” she said. “Do you call yourself a gentleman?”

Clancy blinked at her. “I ain’t done nothing,” he said uneasily.

“It may seem nothing to you,” the nurse returned. “But, I’ll have you know that back in my home-town gentlemen don’t do such things.”

Clancy began to get mad. “You’re not the only one who has a home-town,” he snapped.

“I shouldn’t like to visit yours, if you’re a specimen of what comes out of it,” the nurse returned, putting her hands carelessly behind her and edging away.

This remark hurt Clancy’s pride. “I’ll have you know,” he said, “my hometown’s the oldest in the country.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” the nurse said feelingly. “You have some of its oldest habits,” and tossing her head, she went off down the corridor.

“What kind of hospital is this?” Clancy demanded, glaring after her. “Even the nurses are nuts!”

While he was speaking, Myra’s door opened and the doctor came out.

I jumped to my feet. “Can I see her?” I asked anxiously.

He looked at me gravely. “I’m sorry,” he said. “But I did all I could for her.”

My heart went cold. “She’s not...?” I began, but the look in his eyes told me.

“She wouldn’t fight,” he said. “I can’t make it out. She just didn’t seem to have the will...”

I pushed past him and went into the room.

A nurse had pulled the sheet over Myra’s face. She glanced at me sympathetically and left the room.

I stood looking at Myra’s small form under the sheet and I felt pretty bad.

“So she quit,” Arym said, suddenly appearing at my side. “Can you beat that?” she jerked the sheet off Myra’s face.

Myra looked very peaceful. Her hair framed her small white face and there was a faint smile on her lips.

“Of all the smug, two-faced, prissy-mouthed fugitives from a convent,” Arym said in disgust. “She’s it.”

“Don’t,” I said, sitting wearily on the bed. “She wanted to live, but we were too late to help her.”

“Phooey!” Arym snapped. “She’s putting on an act. Cut it out, Myra,” she went on. “Or I’ll grab that body and leave you without one.”

“Try it and I’ll haunt you,” Myra’s voice said close to me.

I looked round with a startled gasp. Standing at the foot of the bed I could make out a filmy shadow.

“Don’t materialize any further,” Arym exclaimed. “You haven’t got any clothes on.”

“As if I didn’t know,” Myra sounded annoyed. “Where have you two been? I was just going to look for you.”

“Wait a minute,” I said. “Aren’t you dead after all?”

“Of course, she isn’t,” Arym said. “I told you not to worry.”

“Has the darling been worrying?” Myra asked eagerly.

“You know how men are,” Arym replied airily. “But never mind him. Get back into your body. We have things to talk about.”

“I’ll be right with you,” Myra said, and the shadowy figure climbed on to the bed and melted out of sight.

A second later what had been Myra’s remains sat up abruptly in bed.

I shied away from her. This, I felt, was a little too much.

“He wants me to come back to you,” Arym said sulkily. “That’s the only way he’ll marry me.”

“Certainly not,” Myra said firmly. “I’ve bad enough of your influence to last me a lifetime. I’d rather be dead.”

I pulled myself together. “Myra,” I said, taking her hand, “you must be sensible. The new moon rises in an hour. If Doc was right, that’s when you’ll lose your supernatural powers and then it’ll be too late to do anything. You have to take her back. Think of me. Think of having her around all the rest of our days. Think of the mischief she could do us if we thwarted her.”

“That’s all very well,” Myra returned. “But what about Doc? She did kill him. I draw the line at sharing a body with a murderess.”

She had something there.

Arym pouted. “If I fix Doc, will you do it?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t kill the old fool. I wanted to have a hold on you so that Ross would work for Andasca.”

“Now look here, Arym, it’s no use lying. You did kill him. I saw him die,” I said coldly.

“You thought you saw him die,” Arym said, smiling. “Haven’t you heard of mass hypnotism?”

I ran my fingers through my hair, “What are you getting at?” I said. “Mass hypnotism? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re not being very bright, are you darling?” she said patiently. “All I did was to put Doc in a coma and hypnotize you and Sam into believing he was hurt. The letter and the dress were planted to give the right atmosphere.”

“I don’t believe it,” I said, “the cops saw him too.”

“So what?” she returned. “I was there all the time, although you couldn’t see me. It was as easy to hypnotize the cops as you.”

“Do you really mean Doc’s alive?” I still couldn’t believe it.

“Of course, but he doesn’t know it,” she said airily. “Right now he’s in the City morgue and he thinks he’s as dead as George Washington, but we can soon fix that.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” I exclaimed. “Look at the time, we’ve only a half an hour before midnight.”

Arym looked over at Myra, “Are you going to take me back?” she asked.

“I suppose I’ll have to,” Myra said, a little doubtfully. “Are you going to behave?”

“She’ll behave,” I said, “I know how to handle her.”

“All right,” Myra said, “I’ve missed her too. Come on back,” her eyes lit up, “it’ll be just like old times.”

Arym hesitated, then she came over to me. “You won’t ever see me again,” she said sadly, “not as I really am.” She put her arms round me. “This is the last time I’ll hold you like this.”

I pulled her to me and kissed her. “Be good,” I said, “I’m trusting you.”

“I’m ready when you two are,” Myra said, a little waspishly.

Arym gave me a quick hug and pushed me away. “Look out of the window,” she said, “I have to undress.”

I hadn’t turned my back for ten seconds when the door opened and Clancy walked in.

“So she’s dead, eh?” he said, “well, Bud, I’m sorry.”

I took a quick look at the bed and then stiffened. Myra and Arym were lying side by side, their blonde heads sharing the same pillow. Even though I knew what was happening, the sight unnerved me.

Clancy saw them at the same time. He blinked and passed his hand over his eyes. Then he had another look and went pale.

“She looks nice, doesn’t she?” I said, deciding to bluff.

Clancy made gurgling noises. Beads of perspiration appeared on his forehead. He moved closer to the bed and stared. “Yeah,” he said, in a cracked voice, “but it ain’t the kind of thing I want to see every day.”

“Nor do I,” I said feelingly, “but she does look happy.”

“That’s more than I do,” Clancy said, supporting himself against the bed rail, “my eyesight’s giving me a little trouble. You wouldn’t say there are two dames in that bed, would you?”

“No,” I said firmly, “I wouldn’t say that at all.”

“I didn’t think you would,” he returned, with a groan, “Maybe I’ve been working too hard.”

“You’d better go away some place quiet and lie down,” I said.

“Yeah, yeah,” Clancy said, “but I can’t imagine any place quiet enough,” and he went out of the room with dragging steps.

I turned back to the bed in time to see Arym merge into Myra.

“I’ll sure be glad when this business is over,” I said, mopping my face with my handkerchief.

Myra sat up in bed. “Wait for me,” she said, “I’ll be with you in a few minutes.”

“Don’t let them see you,” I said, and went out into the corridor.

Clancy was sitting in a heap with his head in his hands. The two cops were watching him uneasily.

“Don’t worry him,” I said to them, “he has a lot on his mind right now.”

“We ain’t worrying him,” one of the cops returned uneasily, “he’s worrying us.”

I moved down the corridor and stood waiting. Myra didn’t keep me long. Her voice sounded in my ear after a few minutes, “Let’s go,” she said.

We reached the city morgue a quarter before midnight. A thin, querulous looking bird with a heavy moustache and a network of veins over his sharp, hooked nose sat behind the counter. “What do you want?” he snapped.

“You have a body here I want to look at,” I said, taking out a Recorder press card and handing it to him, “a guy named Ansell. Doc Ansell.”

He flipped the card back to me, “Come to-morrow,” he said, and picked up his newspaper.

“Wait a minute,” I said, “I have to see this guy right now.” The morgue attendant glared at me over his glasses, “No one’s going in there to-night. Beat it,” he said.

I turned to Myra, “One of those nice helpful guys,” I said, “maybe you’d better do something about it. Look at the time.”

It was ten to twelve.

Myra said, “I’m on my way,” and she vanished.

On the floor where she had been standing were her clothes in a neat little pile. Her hat rested on top and her shoes were at the bottom of the pile.

I lit a cigarette and watched the effect on the morgue attendant with interest.

He got up deliberately and peered at the pile of clothes with glassy eyes.

“Astonishing how little these girls wear,” I said chattily, “just a handful of silk here and a wisp of silk there and yet they look marvellous.”

“Where is she?” he whispered, clawing at his throat.

“In the morgue by now,” I said, “but, she’ll be back.”

He gave a long sigh and fell down behind the counter. I didn’t blame him. It was a shock for a guy his age.

I left him there and ran round the counter. As I reached the head of the stairs that led to the morgue I saw Doc Ansell come stumbling up.

I ran down and grabbed him, “Doc!” I cried, “am I glad to see you!”

“Take care of him while I dress,” Myra’s voice said, “he’s still a little dazed.”

“Don’t hold that against me,” Doc said, gripping my hand, “I’ve had a very trying experience.”

The morgue attendant still lay behind the counter, but as we passed he sat up and peered at us.

“You won’t want this stiff any more,” I said to him. “I’m going to take it away and buy it a meal.”

Myra flashed into her clothes.

“Come on, Doc,” she said, slipping her arm through his, “let’s get out of here.”

As we went out, the morgue attendant gave a low wail and collapsed once more on the floor.