Part 21 (2/2)
”Johnny will kill him,” she added
”I wish Johnny would,” Dulcy said viciously ”If he don't really know about the other then that would settle everything”
”There must be some other way,” Maht You can't just settle everything by killing people”
”If he just doesn't already know,” Dulcy said
The recording played out and she put it on again
”For God's sake, child, can't you play soives me the willies”
”I like it,” Dulcy said ”It's just as blue as I feel”
They listened to the wailing voice and the intermittent sound of thunder fro, and the level of the bottle went down and down Mamie dipped snuff Every now and then one of them would speak and the other would answer listlessly
No one telephoned No one called
Dulcy played the one recording over and over and over
Bessie S:
Backwater blues done cause o Backwater blues done cause o Cause mah house jell down an' I Cain' live there no mo'
”Jesus Christ, I wish he'd coet it over with if that's what he wants to do!” Dulcy cried
The front door was unlocked and Johnny ca the sareen silk suit and rose crepe shi+rt he'd worn to the club the night before, but norinkled and soiled His 38 caliber autoht coatpocket His hands were empty His eyes burned like live coals but looked tired, and the veins stood out like roots fro temples The scar on his forehead ollen but still He needed a shave, and the gray hairs in his beard glistened whitely against his dark skin His face was expressionless
He grunted as his eyes took in the scene, but he didn't speak The to, as he crossed the room and turned off the record player, then parted the drapes and raised theThe storm had stopped, and the afternoon sun was reflected from the s across the airwell
Finally he came around the bed, kissed Mantle on the forehead and said, ”Thanks, Aunt Mantle, you can go home now” His voice was expressionless
Mantle didn't move Her old, bluish-tinted eyes remained terror-stricken as they searched his face, but it revealed nothing
”No,” she said ”Let's talk it over nohile I'm here”
”Talk what over?” he said
She stared at hi to kissher under a et sober,” he said in his toneless voice
”Don't do nothing, Johnny, I beg you on bending knees,” Mantle said
”Do what?” Johnny said, without taking his gaze froh I crucified Christ,” Dulcy whimpered ”Go ahead and do whatever you want to do, just quit looking at e of you while you were drunk,” he said ”Let's wait until you get sober”
”Son, listen to an, but Johnny cut her off ”All I want to do is sleep,” he said ”How long do you think I can go without sleeping?”
He took the pistol fro off his clothes before Maot up froo out,” he said, giving her the near-elass
She took them aithout further comment He piled his clothes on the chair she'd vacated His heavy brown muscles were tattoed with scars When he'd stripped naked he set the radio alarot into bed beside her She tried to caress him but he pushed her away
”There's ten G's in C-notes in my inside coat pocket,” he said ”If that's what you want, just don't be here when I wake up”
He was asleep before Mantle left the house
19
When chink entered the flat where he roorie summer suit showed that he'd slept in it His yellow skin looked like a greasy paste lined rinkles where the witches had ridden hi black half moons beneath his beaten otten froain He felt like a whipped cur, chagrined, deflated and humiliated Now that he was out, he wasn't sure whether it wouldn't have been better for him to have stayed in jail If the cops hadn't picked up Johnny he'd have to keep on the run, but no matter how much he ran there was no place in Harleainst him when they found out he'd turned rat
”It's for you, chink,” the landlady called to him
He went into the bedroom where she kept her telephone, with a padlock on the dial
”hello,” he said in ain the room
She went out and closed the door
”It's me, Dulcy,” the voice froan to shake
”I've got the h soun in his belly and asked him if he wanted to bet it wasn't loaded ”Ain't he been arrested?” he asked involuntarily before he could catch himself
”Arrested?” Her voice sounded suddenly suspicious ”Why the hell should he be arrested? Unless you've ratted about the knife”
”You know da to bloay ten grand?” Thinking fast, he added, ”It's just I ain't seen hio to check up on rand?” he wanted to know