‘For crying out loud!’ one of them exclaimed, grinning. ‘If I’d known, mister, I’d’ve knocked.’
‘Get out!’ Toni shouted furiously. ‘Leave us alone!’
The two cops backed out of the room, laughing, pulled the door shut and Baird heard them clattering down the stairs.
‘You see,’ Toni said, ‘not even two goddamn cops with two goddamn guns!’
‘Let me go!’ the girl gasped. ‘Get out!’
‘Yeah?’ Toni said. ‘I go in a little while.’
Baird stood motionless, sweat running down his face, listening to the struggle going on in the darkness. He heard the girl catch her breath sharply. He slid the barrel of the gun into his hand, and took a step forward, but away from the support of the wall, his legs wouldn’t hold him, and he slithered down on hands and knees.
As he struggled to get back on his feet, Toni gave a sudden yell of pain.
‘You bitch!’ he shouted. ‘You’ve blinded me!’
‘Get out!’ the girl said, her voice low. ‘Let me go!’