WHILE we were driving to Mulberry Park, Whisky explained what had been happening to him. He had seen Myra kidnapped when she left our apartment and he had followed the car. He had seen her taken to Good-time Waxey’s dive and he went after her.
But Waxey and Lew had been too much for him. He only managed to get away by the skin of his teeth and not before Lew bad nearly brained him with his rubber club.
I listened grimly to all this. “I’ll settle that heel,” I said. “He’s nor going to knock you around and get away with it.”
“Better be careful,” Whisky said mournfully, “he’s a mighty big guy.”
“I’ll be careful,” I said. “If I get a chance to slug him when he’s not looking, I’ll take the chance.”
As the cab slowed down, Whisky said, “Well, here we are.”
“Yeah,” I said, getting out and paying the driver. He didn’t look at me when he took the money, but he eyed Whisky suspiciously, then he drove away fast. “I don’t think that guy liked us,” I said. “Now, listen. We’ll get nowhere if they see you, Whisky. You watch the building. If I don’t come out in half an hour, you’d better get the cops.”
“No good doing that, unless the two girls are there,” Whisky said. “If the cops get Myra and not the other one what sort of jam will we be in?”
“You’ve got something there,” I said, “but, what if something happens to me? What’ll you do?”
“I’ll send you a wreath,” Whisky returned. “What else can I do?”
“Never mind about the wreath,” I returned sharply. “You better come in. after me if I’m longer than a half an hour.”
“I’ll think about it,” Whisky returned. “I’m not worked up about the idea.”
“I can understand that,” I said. “You’re sure she’s in the place?”
“She’s upstairs in the room facing the street. I saw her look Out of the window.”
“Swell. It just means getting up there.”
“That’s right. If anyone tries to stop you, just don’t take no for an answer.”
I didn’t feel I was getting all the encouragement I needed, but apparently Whisky wasn’t an encouraging kind of dog.
I left him at the corner of the square and wandered towards Waxey’s dive. The place seemed deserted and when I got inside I found a thin weedy youth half asleep over the counter.
“Where’s Waxey?” I asked.
“Out,” the youth yawned and put his head on his arms again.
I glanced round the dim room. Over to the right was a door which I guessed led upstairs.
“I’ll wait,” I said, sitting on an upturned box near the door.
The youth didn’t say anything. He was nearly asleep. I sat there watching him and after a minute or so he began to snore.
I shifted my box closer to the door, but he didn’t look up. I gave him a few seconds just to be on the safe side and then reached the door. It opened silently and, leaving the youth spread over the counter. I peered into the gloom of a passage that led to a flight of stairs.
I’d have felt a lot more confident if I had a gun with me. All the same, if Myra was up there, I was going to get her out. I went up the stairs quickly.
The first room I entered was obviously Waxey’s bedroom. It was empty except for a rough cot and a lot of dirt. Waxey certainly lived the hard way.
The next door was locked. I hadn’t time for any fancy stuff, I drew back and caught the door a peach of a kick just below the lock. The door flew open and I sprawled in the room on my hands and knees.
Myra twisted over on the bed so that she could see who it was. I sat up and grinned at her.
“So you’ve come at last,” she said, trying to sit up. I could see that her wrists and ankles were bound. “Don’t sit there like a big drip. Hitch up your truss and get me out of here.”
“Kid,” I said, getting to my feet. “It’s grand to hear your voice again.”
“Never mind that stuff,” Myra snapped, bouncing up and down on the bed. “Get me undone. We can have our little cry together later on.”
“I’m right with you,” I said, going over to her. “They haven’t hurt you, have they?”
“Don’t talk so much,” Myra returned. “They haven’t had time, but they’ve promised all kinds of things.”
I examined the cords that bound her. Whoever tied her had made a swell job of it. But when I found my knife, it didn’t take long to free her.
“There you are, sugar,” I said, sitting beside her. “How does it feel?”
“Lousy,” Myra said moving her legs and wincing. “I’ve got a cramp.”
“I’ll fix that,” I said, pushing back my cuffs. “I’ll get some life in them.”
“Hands off!” Myra said sharply. “I like to do my own massaging.”
“That’s a pity,” I returned. “I was looking forward to that.”
While she began restoring her circulation, I glanced round the room. It was empty except for the bed and a table. On the table stood an odd looking contraption. There were two large springs, a handcuff on a long chain and one or two cogwheels. They were all joined up together and they intrigued me.
“Someone’s going to pay for this,” Myra said angrily. “Why should they want to kidnap me?”
“I’ll tell you in a second,” I said, picking up the handcuff, “what’s this thing?”
Myra gave a little scream, “Don’t touch it!” she cried.
“Why not… is it a man-trap?”
There was a sudden sharp click. The springs moved forward, the cogwheels spun and I found the handcuff on my wrist.
“You big sap!” Myra said furiously.
“Why, it is a man-trap!” I said, admiring the thing. “That’s smart. There might be a fortune in it.”
Myra swung her legs off the bed and hobbled over to me. “Didn’t I tell you not to touch it?”
I took hold of the handcuff and jerked at it. “I’ll get it off,” I said calmly. “I was glad to see it work.”
“You won’t get it off,” Myra said, nearly crying. “Oh, I could brain you!”
And she was right. The handcuff had me tight round the wrist and nothing I could do would shift it. The chain to which it was fastened only allowed me a few feet from the wall.
“Hey!” I said in alarm, “get this off, will you?”
“But I can’t,” Myra wailed. “You stupid dope! What am I going to do now?”
I wrestled with the thing silently. After a while, I gave up. “Don’t let’s get into a panic,” I said. “If this chain thinks it can hold me… why it’s crazy!” I put my feet against the wall and holding the chain in both bands, I threw my weight backwards. It ought to have wrenched the staple that held the chain out of the wall. But it didn’t. But it did nearly give me a hemorrhage. I sat on the floor and mopped my brow.
“You’re right, sugar,” I said in disgust. “I’m a sap and a dope!”
“They’ll kill you if they find you here,” Myra said anxiously. “Don’t talk that way,” I said hastily. “Someone might hear you and get ideas. Now listen, you’re in a jam and I’m in a jam, but it’s a lot worse for you than for me.”
“What do you mean?”
So I told her in a few words about Doc Ansell and the cops and how they were looking for her.
“So you see,” I said, “you’ve got to hide some place. Don’t wait for me. Get going. Take Whisky with you and tell him where you’re going. He’ll tell me later.”
“I’m not leaving you here,” she said, “I’ll get a file or something and break that chain.”
“You’re wasting time. Find me a rat to talk to and I’ll pretend I’m in jail. Go on. They won’t do anything to me.”
“I’m not leaving you,” she said, and then she gave a sudden sharp cry.
“What’s the matter? Why are you looking like that?” I asked as her expression changed. She put out her hands towards me and I saw she was shivering.
“You’re not going to faint, are you?” I asked in alarm. “Here, hold up, kid,” and I tried to reach her.
“Something’s happening to me,” she said wildly.
The look in her eyes scared me and then I saw something that made me start back. You won’t believe this. I didn’t believe It myself. It was like something had gone wrong with my eyes.
Myra was becoming blurred. Her figure was smudgy, like a blurred photograph and even her features seemed to be dissolving.
“What’s happening to you?” I exclaimed, feeling my heart pounding.
She didn’t say anything, but just stood swaying before me. I could see something filmy in front of her. Something that moved. Then a shadowy figure stepped from her.
You’ve seen those trick films where people become transparent? Well, that’s exactly how this figure looked. It sent my blood pressure up and gave me the scare of my life.
As I watched, the figure became more distinct and then there she was—Myra the second, the spitting image of Myra except she was dressed only in white satin panties and brassiere.
I knew it must be Arym. But, even seeing the two together, it didn’t make it possible.
Myra backed away. She was as startled as I. Then she clutched at her frock and gasped.
“You—you’ve got on my underwear!” she said.
Arym admired her figure. “Well, I had to have something,” she returned airily. “After all we aren’t alone.” She looked at me archly. “Aren’t you staring a little too much?” she asked.
I hastily averted my eyes. “You’re not a sight for anyone to pass up,” I said feebly.
“But… you’re me!” Myra exclaimed, looking stunned. “Of course, I am,” Arym said. “At least, we share the same body.”
Myra put her hands to her face. “This is awful,” she said, “what am I going to do?”
“It’s all right once you get used to it,” Arym returned with a giggle. “Every one has two sides to their natures.”
“I know,” I put in, “but they don’t have two bodies. This is driving me batty.”
“Oh, that’s Quintl,” Arym went on, “he had a swell sense of humour. In a way, it’s been a good thing. I’ve got tired of sharing a body with someone else It’s nice to have one of my own.”
Myra came over and clutched at me. I put my arm around her. “Take it easy,” I said. “We’ll wake up in a minute and find this is just another nightmare.”
“Oh no, you won’t,” Arym said. “Why don’t you get wise? I’m just part of you and I’ve decided to leave you.”
Myra looked at her fixedly. “You’re bad,” she said quietly. “I can see you’re bad.”
“What of it?” Arym said, shrugging. “We can’t all be good, besides no one would be interesting if they didn’t have a little bad in them. Think how prissy you’re going to be now that I’ve left you.”
“So you’re the one who’s been making a mess of my life,” Myra said, stepping away from me and confronting Arym.
“It’s been mighty hard work. I tell you, it’s quite a relief to get away from you for a while.”
“You’ll never get back again,” Myra said. “So don’t you think you will.”
“If I want to, I shall,” Arym returned, wandering over to the bed and sitting down. “You can’t get along without me.”
“Yes, I can… and I’m going to.”
“How do you think you’ll live?” Arym scoffed. “I made all your money by stealing it. Remember Joe Krum? What a time I bad to get you to break the ice!”
Myra flushed scarlet. “Oh, I wish I’d never listened to you.”
“You’ve got quite a strong character really,” Arym admitted reluctantly.
“You won’t need to worry about my character now,” Myra said grimly. “I’ve got you out of my system, and this time I’m keeping you out.”
Arym shrugged, “I don’t want to come back,” she said. “You don’t have to get so worked up. I don’t think it would be safe any more. In fact, I’m certain it wouldn’t be,” and she laughed.
Myra stared at her. “What do you mean by that?” she demanded.
“If it wasn’t for that silly little man, I suppose I wouldn’t have left you for good. I think I was getting the upper hand of you although it was a tough struggle. But be had to interfere and so I had to kill him. You see Peppi says they’ll put me in the chair if they catch me. He’s going to hide me until they find you. They think you killed him, so when they’ve dealt with you, I’ll be able to start all over again.”
Myra suddenly saw what a jam she was in and looked desperately at me.
“If I could only get this handcuff off,” I said, jerking furiously at the chain, “I’d know what to do.”
“There’s nothing you can do,” Arym said, curling up her long bare legs under her. “This is the proverbial struggle between good and bad. I’ve tried to get along with Myra, but it’s been too uphill. Why should a girl with such a nice body and looks lead such a dreary life as she makes me lead? I’m sick of it. Since she met you, she hasn’t stolen a thing. How does she expect us to live? Why, had to leave her to get alter that reward. She wouldn’t have bothered about it. Now, I’ve salted it away where no one can find it,” and her eyes lit up at the thought. She put her arms behind her and leaned back. I don’t want to stress the point, but that dame would certainly have made Petty a swell model. “Are you still going to marry me like you said, when all this is over?” she went on looking at me with an arch smile.
“I’ll have you understand he loves me, you horrid little hooker!” Myra broke in before I could say anything.
“That’s what you think,” Arym said, waving her away. “But he’s actually proposed to me. Haven’t you, darling?”
I didn’t know what to say.
“That settles it,” Myra said grimly. “I won’t let you get your claws into him. You’ve talked too much already. I’m going to take you to the police. They can choose between us.”
Arym looked alarmed, “Oh no, you’re not,” she said, sliding off the bed. “That wouldn’t do at all,” and she made for the door.
“Don’t let her get away,” I shouted, trying to reach her.
Myra made a dash towards her, but Arym was too quick. As she opened the door, Lew came bounding in.
Then things happened. I kicked over the table in front of Lew. Aryrn disappeared out of the room, slamming the door behind her and Myra suddenly swooped up to the ceiling.
As the table went over, the man-trap apparatus crashed on the floor. The fall set the mechanism working; there was a whirr of wheels and the handcuff clicked open. I just managed to get it off my wrist as Lew came at me.
I stopped a punch on the side of my head that made my teeth rattle, but I managed to slow him down with a counter to his belly.
He stepped back and Myra grabbed his hair. She twined her fingers almost lovingly in his locks and pulled.
I thought he was going out of his mind. He looked right and left and then behind him. He couldn’t see anything because Myra was above him. While he was occupied, I stepped in and hit him pretty well where I liked. I remembered Whisky, so I let him have it. He tried to back away, but Myra, exerting all her strength clung to him like a leech. Then he looked up and saw her. He could only gape in horror and I had no difficulty in hanging a punch on his jaw that came up from my ankles.
He gave a tired little smile and folded up on the floor.
“Very nice work,” I said, blowing on my knuckles. “And now let’s get out of this fast.”
I reached up to take Myra’s hand and I pulled her gently to the floor. She was as light as a thistle down and I had difficulty in keeping her by my side.
“She’s gotten away,” she said desperately, holding on to me, her feet a few inches off the floor.
“Never mind that,” I said, “at least, I’ve got you and that’s something.” As I moved to the door I heard the sound of heavy footsteps pounding up the stairs.
“The window,” Myra said. “Quick!”
I let her go and dashed to the window. As soon as I released her, she shot up in the air and banged against the ceiling.
“Oath!” she exclaimed from up there. “That hurt!”
I didn’t pay any attention. I was leaning out and looking down into the street. It was a long drop and we’d only break our necks if we went that way.
“It’s too high!” I said, coming away from the window. “What the hell are we going to do now?”
Myra floated down and drifted out of the window. She hung suspended just outside. It was an unnerving sight to see her standing calmly on nothing thirty feet or so above ground.
Already a number of people had stopped and were staring up at her. Several were clutching each other and one fat woman began running madly down the street, screaming like a train whistle.
“Don’t stand there,” she said impatiently. “Give me your hand. I won’t let you fall.”
“What? You want me…” Then I heard the door crash open behind me and Myra grabbed me.
I don’t mind admitting that I shut my eyes as I stepped into space. But she had no difficulty in keeping me from falling. I felt a rushing sensation and I opened my eyes timidly.
We had flashed over some buildings, leaving Waxey’s dive far behind.
“Do you like it?” Myra asked, holding my hand firmly and smiling at me.
“Only because I trust you,” I said, taking a firmer grip on her. “Otherwise, I’d just go crazy at the thought.”
We swooped over a crowded street. I noticed a loiterer below. He glanced up casually, stiffened and then hid his face in his hands. I guess that guy would go off liquor for the rest of his days.
“Pick a quiet spot and let’s get down,” I said. “We’ll start a riot in a minute.”
We circled some buildings, spotted a deserted alley and floated gently to the ground. As we recovered our balance, we noticed an old man standing in a doorway staring at us with fixed concentration.
“Do you do that often?” he quavered, plucking nervously at his beard.
“It only happens when we’re a bit light-headed,” I returned, dusting myself down. “Think nothing of it.”
“I wish I could,” the old man said, wistfully. “It’ll haunt me for the rest of my days.”
“That won’t be long,” I said, kindly, “so it won’t be hard to bear.”
“Don’t tease him,” Myra said. “He looks as if he’s been through rather a strain.”
“I have, lady,” the old man said eagerly. “The trouble is no one will believe me,” and he went into his house and shut the door.
“Phew!” I said. “We’re lucky to get out of that.”
Myra suddenly faced me. “Did you really propose to that blonde?” she said, looking at me accusingly.
“But, darling,” I said hastily, “I thought it was you. There was a look in her eyes and…”
“You mean, I haven’t encouraged you?” Myra said seriously. “I suppose I haven’t,” and she reached up and kissed me.
“The proposal still stands,” I said, a few minutes later. “Will you consider it?”
“I will,” she said. “And now I want some undies. Will you take me somewhere where I can buy them?”
“We’ve got to be quick,” I said. “If the cops…”
“I can’t go around like this,” Myra said firmly. “We’ve just got to take a chance.”
At the end of the alley, I spotted a taxi and I waved. Just as we go in, Whisky came bounding up. He scrambled in as we drove off.