Sadie came to the door. When she saw him she started back, trying to close the door, but Lu’d got his foot in the way. “Raven in?” he asked pleasantly, tipping his hat.
She shook her head. “Nogo away. No one’s in.”
That’s what Lu wanted to hear. He smiled. “He said I was to wait. He won’t be long.”
Sadie was terrified of him. “You can’t come in,” she said; “wait downstairs.”
Lu had heard tales about Raven and Sadie. “He said I was to wait here,” he told her firmly. “You don’t want him to get mad with you?”
She dropped her hand from the door and stepped back. Lu looked hastily up and down the corridor and then came in. He shut the door.
Sadie backed away from him, and then almost ran into her bedroom.
Grantham had been very plain. “She’s got to go, Lu,” he had said. “We can’t use her against Raven any more. He’s doin’ well, an’ any time she might spill it. Raven would rumble it at once. No, she’s got to go.”
Lu eased his fingers a little. He’d got to work fast. Raven might change his mind and come back any moment. Lu was a little nervous. She wasn’t small and she might be stronger than he could manage. There was no question of shooting. His hand groped round to his hip pocket and he drew a short heavy−bladed knife from its sheath. He slipped the blade up his cuff, holding the handle hidden in his palm.
He went over to the bedroom door and rapped.