This Way for a Shroud

"I guess so," he said, not looking at her. "It means an operation, and I've got some blood condition that makes an operation unsafe." He swung around to face her. "But never mind about me. I want to talk about you. I've never met a girl like you before. You're real and kind and decent." He looked down at her hand, still on his arm. "You don't mind touching me. What a fool I've been! If I'd met you before I wouldn't have done what I've done. It was because the way people treated me, the way they looked at me, that I hooked up with the gang." He moved closer to her. "But never mind that either. I've got to tell you something. This guy Conrad wants you to give evidence against Maurer. You've got to realize what I'm saying is right. I know. Don't listen to Conrad or any of these coppers. They don't know; they only think they do. They think you saw Maurer at Dead End. Now listen, I don't want to know if you saw him or if you didn't see him. The thing that matters is you must never admit having seen him; not to me, nor Conrad, nor anyone; not even to your mother or your father. You must never admit you saw him; not even to yourself! You stand a slight chance of keeping alive so long as you say nothing. It's not much of a chance, but it is a chance. But understand this: if you let Conrad persuade you to tell him what you know – if you know anything – then no power on earth can save you!"

Frances was a little shaken by his tense fierceness, but she wasn't frightened. Conrad had explained the impossibility of anyone reaching her, and she had been impressed by the precautions he had taken.

"I know I can't stay here for ever," she said, "but so long as I'm here, I'm safe, and so are you."

Pete stared at her blankly.

"Safe? Here? Of course we're not safe! Do you imagine Maurer couldn't reach either of us if he wanted to? How many guards are there here? Twenty? If there were a hundred, they wouldn't stop Maurer. No one has ever survived when he has given the word for him to the. No one! You don't know that guy. The moment he failed to make good a threat, the Syndicate would wipe him out. It's his life or ours, and it won't be his."

"Aren't you letting your imagination run away with you?" Frances asked. "Of course we're safe here. Mr. Conrad has shown me the precautions he has taken. No one could get near us."

Pete clenched his fists and beat them on his knees.

"Maurer can go through those guards like a hot knife through butter. I didn't want to tell you this, but I'm going to, because you've got to realize what you're up against. When I warned you about Moe I disobeyed an order, and Maurer can't afford to let me live. If he lets me get away with it, some of the others will start disobeying his orders. That's why I talked to Conrad. I was buying a little time. I didn't tell him much, but enough for him to hold me. But in a while Maurer will get me. My time's running out. I'm not kidding myself. I haven't much longer to live; maybe an hour, maybe three or four days, but not longer."

Frances suddenly felt sick. Although Pete spoke calmly, she could see the terror in his eyes. It was this terror that convinced her he believed what he was telling her.

"But they can't get at you," she said, gripping his arm. "You mustn't be frightened. How can they get at you?"

"Of course they can, and they will. When they're ready to take me. they'll take me."

"But how?" Frances asked. "With all these policemen watching you . . ."

Pete threw out his hands in despair.

"Do you think I trust any of them? If Maurer offered them enough money one of them would sell me out. Maurer could buy them all if he wanted to. When the time comes for him to take me, he'll pay them to look the other way. It's been done before, and it will be done again."

"But he can't get at them!" Frances pointed out. "Mr. Conrad assured me these policemen are incorruptible."

"Yeah, he assured me that too. I don't even trust him. He might be the one to sell me out for all I know."

"Oh, that's nonsense," Frances said sharply. "I don't believe that for a moment. You are letting your imagination run away with you."

"When I am dead," Pete said quietly, "please remember what I've told you. And please remember your only chance to survive is to say nothing. If Conrad persuades you to tell him what he wants to know, no one, no power on earth, can save you. Please remember that. No one, do you understand? The organization will never let you reach the witness-box. So say nothing, admit nothing, and there may be a chance that Maurer will believe you do know nothing and you'll survive. It's your only chance. Please, please, remember this."

"Yes, of course," Francis said soothingly. "But you're not going to the. You mustn't think that."

Pete stood up abruptly.