"Himes, Chester - The Real Cool Killers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Himes Chester)

"He won't move; he's dead," Grave Digger said to Haggerty.
"Well, Hell," Haggerty said indignantly, releasing him. "You asked me to help. How in hell do I know what's going on?"
Grave Digger shook himself and looked at the third cop. "You didn't have to slug him," he said.
"I wasn't taking no chances," the cop said.
"Shut up and watch the Arab," Haggerty said.
The cop moved over and looked at the Arab. "He's dead, too."
"Holy Mary, the plague," Haggerty said. "Look after that woman then."
Four more cops came running. At Haggerty's order, two turned toward the woman who'd been shot. She was lying in the street, deserted.
"She's alive, just unconscious," the cop said.
"Leave her for the ambulance," Haggerty said.
"Who're you ordering about?" the cop said. "We know our business."
"To hell with you," Haggerty said.
Grave Digger bent over Coffin Ed, lifted his head and put an open bottle of ammonia to his nose. Coffin Ed groaned.
A red-faced uniformed sergeant built like a General Sherman tank loomed above him.
"What happened here?" he asked.
Grave Digger looked up. "A rumpus broke and we lost our prisoner."
"Who shot your partner?"
"He's not shot, he's just knocked out."
"That's all right then. What's your prisoner look like?"
"Black man, about five eleven, twenty-five to thirty years, one-seventy to one-eighty pounds, narrow face sloping down to chin, wearing light gray hat, dark gray hickorystriped suit, white tab collar, red striped tie, beige chukker boots. He's handcuffed."
The sergeant's small china-blue eyes went from the big white corpse to the bearded Arab corpse.
"Which one did he kill?" he asked.
"The white man," Grave Digger said.
"That's all right, we'll get him," he said. Raising his voice, he called, "Professor!"
The corporal who'd stopped to light a cigarette said, "Yeah."
"Rope off this whole goddamned area," the sergeant said. "Don't let anybody out. We want a Harlem-dressed Zulu. Killed a white man. Can't have gotten far 'cause he's handcuffed."
"We'll get 'im," the corporal said.
"Pick up all suspicious persons," the sergeant said.
"Right," the corporal said, hurrying off towards the cops that were just arriving.
"Who shot the Arab?" the sergeant asked.
"Ed shot him," Grave Digger said.
"That's all right then," the sergeant said. "We'll get your prisoner. I'm sending for the lieutenant and the medical examiner. Save the rest for them."
He turned and followed the corporal.
Coffin Ed stood up shakily. "You should have let me killed that son of a bitch, Digger," he said.
"Look at him," Grave Digger said, nodding toward the Arab's corpse.
Coffin Ed stared.
"I didn't even know I hit him," he said as though coming out of a daze. After a moment he added, "I can't feel sorry for him. I tell you, Digger, death is on any son of a bitch who tries to throw acid into my eyes again."
"Smell yourself, man," Grave Digger said.
Coffin Ed bent his head. The front of his dark wrinkled suit reeked with the scent of dime-store perfume.
"That's what he threw. Just perfume," Grave Digger said. "I tried to warn you."
"I must not have heard you."
Grave Digger took a deep breath. "God damn it, man, you got to control yourself."
"Well, Digger, a burnt child fears fire. Anybody who tries to throw anything at me when they're under arrest is apt to get shot."
Grave Digger said nothing.
"What happened to our prisoner?" Coffin Ed asked.
"He got away," Grave Digger said.
They turned in unison and surveyed the scene.
Patrol cars were arriving by the minute, erupting cops as though for an invasion. Others had formed blockades across Lenox Avenue at 128th and 126th Streets, and had blocked off 127th Street on both sides.
Most of the people had gotten off the street. Those that stayed were being arrested as suspicious persons. Several drivers trying to move their cars were protesting their innocence loudly.
The packed bars in the area were being rapidly sealed by the police. The windows of tenements were jammed with black faces and the exits blocked by police.