Snatchers Are Suckers by Robert C Read online

  “Now I’m gonna tie you two guys up,”

  “You’re a sweet kid,” I countered.

  announced Lou.

  “If you don’t shut your mouth, I’ll put

  “That’s okay by me,” I said. “Then

  a gag in it!”

  maybe you and Hannah can put away those

  “Aw, Hannah! Why be tough with me?

  cannons; they make me nervous.”

  I’ve got no hard feelings. Tonight isn’t costing

  “Me, too,” piped Mortimer me anything. I don’t care how much you get unexpectedly.

  out of Allenby and the girl so long as I don’t wind up in the drink.”

  HANNAH produced some rope from a closet

  “That’s just where you will wind up,”

  in a corner. Then she held a gun on us while maliciously grated Hannah. “You’re not worth Lou tied our wrists and ankles to chairs. He anything. Just a nuisance!”

  took his time and made a tight job of it.

  “I resent that! I’ve tried to be helpful.

  My only consolation was that I had

  Didn’t I lug the girl to the boat and from the picked out a chair that was close to Barbara’s boat? And didn’t I sit nice and quiet while our couch. She could untie me if she got a chance.

  pal Lou roped me to this chair?”

  Lou stood back and admired his job.

  “Sure, sure. With a gun in your back

  He turned to Barbara. “Hannah,” he said. you were fine.”

  “Shouldn’t this dame be awake by now?”

  “Without a gun I’d be just as

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  cooperative. Untie me, and I’ll prove it.”

  “Maybe we better tie her, too.”

  A sour chuckle sifted between

  “No, you don’t have to. She’ll be too

  Hannah’s thin red lips. It was strange how the sick from all that dope to make any trouble.”

  soft yellow kerosene light took the hardness Hannah shook Barbara roughly, and the out of her face. The queer chuckle broke off, auburn head rolled as if it were on a string.

  and she looked unhappy.

  What an act!

  “This isn’t funny,” she said. “I’m sorry

  “You think we gave her too much?”

  for you, big boy. When Midge comes over—

  asked Lou. He didn’t seem worried about it.

  after all, you’re a witness. They’ll use you and

  “You think maybe she won’t wake up the girl, too, if Stevens doesn’t produce—as anymore, huh?”

  an example to scare quick money out of

  “Geez! I don’t know!” Hannah Allenby. Yeah, I’m sorry for you, big boy.”

  answered irritably. “Maybe she won’t. I’m no

  “And I’m sorry for you, Hannah.

  doctor!”

  You’re not kidding me with your hardboiled

  “All right, don’t get sore!” Lou walked

  act. I can see a lot in your face and in your to the door. “I’m gonna watch for Midge’s eyes. You don’t belong in this dirty game.

  signal.”

  You were never meant to-—”

  For a while, there wasn’t a sound.

  “Aw, cut the corn!” snapped Hannah.

  Hannah sat on the edge of the couch and

  She moved jerkily from the couch and walked stared at Barbara. I was afraid that Barbara to the door. She stood there, watching Lou, on might open an eye to see what was what and the dock.

  Hannah would find out she was faking, so I tried to draw the big blonde’s attention away A FAINT creak sounded behind me as

  from her.

  Barbara shifted slightly. I felt her tugging at

  “How much are you getting for the

  the rope around my wrists. If her dainty hands girl?” I asked.

  loosened those knots, it would be first cousin

  “Shut up!” snarled Hannah.

  to a miracle. I didn’t have much hope.

  Snatchers Are Suckers

  7

  Hannah seemed very interested in

  “Maybe Midge is double-crossing

  whatever was happening outside. She didn’t you—scramming with the dough while you

  turn even when the old couch creaked again as stick on this island.”

  Barbara tried my ankles. My wrists were

  Hannah shot an uncertain glance at

  bound as tightly as ever. The knots were too Lou. Lou shook his head.

  tough.

  “Midge is on his way,” he said. “He’ll

  Suddenly, the pressure of the rope on

  be here in an hour.”

  my ankles relaxed. I stared at the back of So we had an hour. We waited in

  Hannah’s blonde head and kept whispering silence. The lamp’s dirty yellow light

  softly.

  flickered against the brown walls and beat

  “Don’t turn around! Don’t turn vainly against the blackness of the open around! Don’t turn around!”

  doorway. I wondered halfheartedly whether a At a time like that, you grab at passing boat, police or coast-guard, might anything—even mental telepathy, which you notice the faint light and investigate. But there ordinarily figure is so much hooey.

  didn’t seem to be any passing boats. The Barbara was again tearing at my wrist

  silence grew heavy.

  bindings. It must have been tough on her The blonde had been standing at the

  tender fingers, but she worked frantically.

  door. Finally, she came over to the couch. I Outside, Lou made a noise that could see her gun weighing down the pocket sounded like a grunt. I could see the faint of her light jacket as she walked. She bent reflection of his light winking off and on.

  over Barbara.

  Hannah straightened, then walked outside and

  “That kid will never come out of it,” I

  joined Lou on the dock. Now Barbara really said. “You’ve killed her! Every minute you went to work. I heard a fingernail snap, and a hang around here makes it more likely you’ll whispered exclamation that was unladylike, get caught. You’ll burn for that. Kidnaping’s but excusable under the circumstances. All at bad enough, but for murder, you burn!”

  once, my hands were free.

  “Shut up!” hissed Hannah. She went

  It was none too soon, either.

  back to the door, glanced around, then walked

  “Here they come!” Mortimer out to the dock. I heard her high heels whispered, and a second later, Lou and clumping back and forth.

  Hannah were back. They looked extra glum.

  Lou was nervous too. He smoked

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, hoping they

  cigarettes chain fashion and paced the hut’s wouldn’t notice my loosened bindings.

  rotten floor. The butt of his automatic, peeping Lou didn’t even look at me.

  from his hip pocket, gleamed dully.

  “The girl’s old man didn’t come

  through,” said Hannah.

  THE hour was almost gone. Now was the time Lou’s weird eyes were fixed on to make the break—before Midge arrived, and Barbara.

  while the blonde was outside. But Lou would

  “It’s a shame,” he muttered. “She’s a

  plug me as soon as I moved from my chair. I cute kid.”

  had to get him near me—where I could reach The blonde looked a little frightened.

  him without warning.

  “How do you know he didn’t come

  “Lou, gimme a cigarette,” I begged.

  through?” I asked.

  “Shut

  up!”

  “Midge just told us—by flashlight

  I tried another angle.

  from the shore.”

  “Lou,” I mocked, “you’re a sucker!”

  Black Book Detective

  8

&nbs
p; Funny how every crook would rather be called said.

  anything than a sucker. Lou stopped, glared at Believe me, the gal wasn’t fooling. I

  me, then went back to his pacing and kept my hands high.

  smoking.

  “He’s okay,” I said. “Just tired. Well,

  “You’re a sucker, Lou. Your pal has

  what now? You’re boss. I wasn’t fast

  run out on you with the Stevens dough. And enough.”

  while you’re wasting time here he’s probably Hannah didn’t seem quite sure what to

  collecting from old man Allenby, too. You’re do. She darted a suspicious scowl at Barbara a sucker, Lou!”

  who still pretended to be asleep, but the gun He didn’t say anything—just kept held an unwavering bead on my middle. My walking, looking at me with his black-marble arms were getting tired when the drone of an eyes.

  approaching boat reached us, and every breath I grinned at him, timed his steps, and

  stopped for a shocked second.

  murmured, “Sucker!” He heard it twice every

  “That’s Midge!” cried Hannah. “He’ll

  time he crossed the room. In a minute, he was handle you!”

  sick of it. He came over to me.

  I didn’t doubt it. Now, I’d be tied

  “I told you to shut up!” he snarled. He

  again. It seemed as if I’d skinned my knuckles walloped me across the jaw with the hard on Lou’s wire beard for nothing.

  palm of his big hand. I let him hit me once.

  Lou groaned. He was huddled

  Then I leaped from the chair.

  grotesquely. I thought of the gun in his pocket.

  My head butted his face. I felt the

  “I’d better straighten him out,” I suggested.

  shock, even through my thick Irish skull, so I

  “He can’t breathe so well like this.”

  guess it didn’t do Lou any good. Instinctively,

  “Go ahead,” nodded Hannah. Her eyes

  he reached for his gun, but he never touched it narrowed. “But keep away from his gun!”

  because I bent him then with a left in the stomach. I corrected his posture with a hefty I SLIPPED my hands under his armpits and uppercut, then battered him across the room lifted. Hannah circled into the room so that I with every shot in the locker.

  wouldn’t be able to use Lou as a shield. She The wall stopped him, and the hut was smart, but she didn’t figure on Barbara.

  shook. I pinned him there and drove my right As soon as Hannah’s back was turned,

  into his bloody face.

  Barbara came to life and threw a pillow.

  “Never give a rat a break,” is my

  It glanced off the frowzy head. I

  motto. Suddenly, Hannah was standing in the ducked under the gun, grabbed Hannah’s

  doorway, her automatic barking at me.

  skinny wrist and twisted. The automatic spat I let go of Lou and lifted my hand. Lou

  harmlessly at the wall. Hannah screamed with slowly slid down into a loose heap, his head pain. Her fingers stiffened, and the gun bumping the rough wall.

  dropped. I kicked it toward Barbara.

  “Put up your hands!” shouted Hannah.

  All at once, everything was quiet,

  “I got ’em up!” I observed weakly.

  except for the roar of Midge’s boat—going She’d missed me when I was moving after

  away! I chuckled.

  Lou, but I’d be crazy to play my luck too far.

  “Your pal’s running out on you after

  Hannah glanced anxiously at what was

  all! The noise scared the rat!”

  left of Lou. She gritted her teeth and glared at Hannah slumped into a chair,

  me.

  sobbing—no fight left.

  “If you killed him, I’ll kill you!” she

  The ride back to the mainland was

  Snatchers Are Suckers

  9

  pleasant with Barbara snuggled close. spectator while the action was popping.

  Mortimer bravely kept the two guns aimed at All of which was okay by Barbara and

  sobbing Hannah and battered Lou.

  me. Reporters have to play politics once in a That’s the way he posed for the while just like everyone else. Usually, pictures that were wired all over the country.

  newspapers tell things right.

  Maybe Mortimer’s importance in the business Soon, they’ll be telling you about the

  had something to do with it. Anyhow, the wedding of an ex-debutante and an ex-papers made him a national hero. The stories chauffeur.

  skipped the fact that he had been only a