‘Get him up here,’ Barratt said, and kicked me again.
Dedrick picked up the telephone receiver.
‘Mr. Barratt is asking for you,’ he said into the mouthpiece. ‘Please come up.’
Barratt grabbed me by my coat front, hauled me to my feet and slammed me into the armchair.
‘We’ll fix Maxie, and then we’ll blow,’ he said. It’s time I changed my address. Leave him to me.’
He stood against the wall by the door.
Dedrick faced the door.
There was perhaps a five-minute wait, then a rap came on the door.
‘Come in,’ Barratt said.
The door pushed open. Maxie came in. His round, fat face was sullen, and his lower lip was pushed out aggressively.