He turned her and stared down at her white stricken face.
“What is it?”
“Barwood 99780.”
“If you’re lying it’ll be the last lie you tell, baby!”
“Leave me alone,” she sobbed. “Oh, you’ve hurt me, you beast!”
“We’ll go downstairs and you’ll call that number. You’ll talk to him. Tell him you’re lonely: tell him anything so long as I know for sure he’s there.”
“I’ll do it,” Janey gasped, so eagerly Seigel knew at once she had been telling the truth.
“Come on,” he snarled, jerking her to her feet.
She staggered across the room to the door, holding her aching arm. He followed her along the short passage to the head of the long flight of stairs. He was just behind her as she put her hand on the banister rail, and he braced himself as she groped for the first stair. Then he lifted his foot, aiming at the small of her back, and drove his leg forward with all his strength.
The flat of his foot hit her like a battering-ram, projecting her violently into space. Her wild, terrified scream as she hurtled down the stairs, set his nerves on edge.