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ght； then right again； pushing her into a darkened doorway where they both crouched。 Alix was sweating and shivering all at once。
Croaker looked both ways before he reached again for her hand。 But Alix was shaking her head。 〃No；〃 she said； 〃I can't go on。 It's useless。 Like you said； wherever we run； he'll find us。〃
〃Get up！〃 he said fiercely。
She shook her head again； her spun…gold hair obscuring her face。 〃It's no good。 I haven't got the strength。〃
〃Well； for the love of God find some！〃 he hissed at her； bending over and hauling her to her feet。
〃I'm tired； Lew。〃 Her eyes were hooded。 〃I just want to sleep。〃
He saw the lassitude flooding her body and wondered if this was how she had felt in the moments before she had hurled her body into the turquoise ocean that day aboard her boat。
He grabbed her cheeks in the pincer of his thumb and massed fingers。 〃Listen； you；〃 he said； his face close to hers； 〃you'll sleep when I tell you to and not a minute before。〃
〃Christ！〃 she cried； teary…eyed； 〃you're a goddamned knight without a lady。 Can't you see that I just don't care anymore？〃
〃But I do！〃 He jerked at her。 〃Now e on！〃 He skidded them to the left as another bullet whined into the stone just behind them and to the right。
〃What's the use；〃 she said as they ran。 〃He's got the gun。〃
〃Yeah； I noticed that。〃
〃I hate guns；〃 she said。
And Croaker had to laugh。 〃Yeah；〃 he said。 〃Me； too。 Especially when I don't have one。〃 But the fact was that she was right。 The Blue Monster had an edge Croaker could not possibly overe。 A gun against nothing； not a particularly fair fight。 But then nothing much was fair in life anyway。
As he ran he recalled Nicholas telling him that he had never used a gun。 Yet Croaker knew his friend to be one of the most dangerous men on earth。 What； then； was his secret？ When he had asked Nicholas that question he had merely smiled enigmatically and said； 〃There are ways。〃
Now what the hell did he mean by that？ Croaker wondered。 I sure could use one of those secrets now。 As the third shot rang out； barely missing him； he berated himself； Think！ Use the brain your old man bequeathed you！
There was nothing around them but stone； metal； and glass。 What could he。。。 Ah！ He had it！ There was no time to think of whether or not it was a good idea； it was the only one he had and the Blue Monster was right behind them； closing in for the kill。
He ducked them around a corner； dropped Alix's hand； and sprinted ahead。 Just around another right…angle turn； he slid to a stop and pulled his shirt over his head。 Wrapping it around his left hand； he shot the swathed fist forward into a sheet of glass。
Alix gasped at the sound as she came hurtling around the corner。 〃What the hell are you doing？〃
〃Get back there！〃 he said； waving her behind him。 〃As far as you can without losing sight of me。〃 Alix did as she was bade and he knelt down； searching among the glitter of glass shards。 Somewhere in the dim recesses of the store a ringing was sounding and he knew that this was strictly shut…ended now because as soon as he had tripped the alarm by breaking the window； a new element had been added： the police。 And he had as much stake in keeping them out of this as the Blue Monster had。
Croaker found what he needed； both pieces； one a narrow； long strip； the second a shorter； jagged one。 With extreme care； he placed the smaller piece in his right hand； keeping the razor…sharp edges away from the web of his hand。 Now he took up the larger piece in his wrapped left hand。
He moved to the inner edge of the corner； keeping his body flat against the column and away from the bright fingers of shattered glass still in the windowframe。
Now came the moment of truth。 He could stick his head out to see where the Blue Monster was like all the cops on TV did。 But then he'd probably get his head shot off； the Blue Monster wasn't firing blanks。 Real life presented problems Hollywood scriptwriters never seemed to address。
〃Hey； buddy！〃 he called from his place of concealment。 〃It's all over。 The cops'll be here any minute！ You'd better be six miles away from here by then！〃
〃You V me both；〃 came the voice from around the corner and Croaker thought； I've got him！； using the aural fix and bringing his left hand back in a tensed arc； the muscles quivering with the strain of anticipating the hairtrigger release； the forebrain acknowledging the existence of only one chance。
Then Croaker was holding his breath； striding his left leg forward in a blur； shooting his upper torso forward； closing his mind to the thought of himself as a target and the forearm already ing forward with rocketing speed； the swathed fingers releasing their burden at the far apex of the arc when momentum bined with Croaker's own strength to turn the shard of glass into a glittering missile。
〃That's what you think； buddy！〃 Let it all out in a harsh rush； providing twin stimuli for the Blue Monster's brain to chew on during this moment of extreme stress。
He saw a blurred glimpse of the Blue Monster jerking back at the sight and sound； the glass shard already upon him； cracking in two across the bridge of his nose。
Croaker had no time to wish that his aim had been more accurate。 Blood was streaming from the Blue Monster's face and both his hands were up； trying to free his vision。
But there was nothing at all wrong with his hearing and his gun hand leveled on Croaker's stomach as he heard his adversary ing on。 He squeezed off one shot； two； then swung the barrel of the gun into the oning head。
It was a lucky blow； ing in blind as it did； landing just behind Croaker's left ear。 Croaker staggered； off balance from having swerved away from the gunshots； in the midst of transferring the smaller shard of glass from his right hand to his left； missing the first stab。 Now at close range with the Blue Monster's sight back he could imagine the hole the 。357 slug would tear into him。 There wouldn't be much left of his insides。
And as the Blue Monster's finger began to squeeze the trigger Croaker put aside the pain flashing through his head and through sheer force of will made his motor functions return to life； swinging his left arm in a shallow arc inside the muzzle of the pistol； stabbing inward and up with all his might。
He gave a mighty groan at the pain that shot through him and dimly he felt flesh and sinew giving way beneath the pressure he was exerting as he jammed the glass shard into the Blue Monster's chest。 Blood flowed from his own palm； mingling with that of the Blue Monster。
He pushed at the body as the gun went off in reflexive response； scattering plaster off the ceiling high above。 Croaker became aware of something pulling at his arm； soft breath on his cheek； and a voice； as insistent as a bee； in his ear。
〃e on！〃 Alix begged him； pulling at him desperately。 〃Oh； God； Lew； they'll be here any second！〃
He rolled heavily； only dimly aware of who she was and why she was bothering him now when he was so tired and only wanted to close his eyes and。。。 Get up！ his mind screamed at him。 Get her out of here before it's too late！ Too late for what。。。 Just want to turn over and close my eyes and。。。