ike a little dog that belonged in the basket on the back of the Wicked Witch‘s bicycle。 ‘And your little dog； too 。。。‘ Kelly whispered to himself in amusement。
As expected； Sunday night was slower than the two preceding nights； but Arch and Jug seemed busier than the others。 Perhaps it was because they had a slightly more upscale client base。 Though all served both local and outside customers； Arch and Jug seemed more often to draw the larger cars whose cleanliness and polish made Kelly think they didn‘t belong in this part of town。 That might have been an unwarranted assumption； but it was not important to the mission。 The really important thing was something he had scoped out the previous night on his walk into the area and confirmed tonight as well。 Now it was just a matter of waiting。
Kelly made himself fortable； feeling his body relax now that all the decisions had been made。 He stared down at the street； still intensely alert； watching； listening； noting everything that came and went as the minutes passed。 At twelve…forty； a police radio car traveled one of the cross streets； doing nothing more than showing the flag。 It would return a few minutes after two； probably。 The city buses made their whirring diesel noises； and Kelly recognized the one…ten； with the brakes that needed work。 Their thin screech must have annoyed every person who tried to sleep along its route。 Traffic slowed perceptibly just after two。 The dealers were smoking more now； talking more。 Big Bob crossed the street to say something to the Wizard； and their relations seemed cordial enough； which surprised Kelly。 He hadn‘t seen that before。 Maybe the man just needed change for a hundred。 The police cruiser made its scheduled pass。 Kelly finished his third Snickers bar of the evening； collecting the wrappers。 He checked the area。 He‘d left nothing。 No surface he had touched was likely to retain a fingerprint。 There was just too much dust and grit； and he‘d been very careful not to touch a windowpane。
Okay。
Kelly made his way down the stairs and out the back door。 He crossed the street into the continuation of the alley that paralleled the street； still keeping to the shadows； still moving in a shambling but now exceedingly quiet gait。
The mystery of the first night had turned out to be a boon。 Archie and Jughead had vanished from his sight in a span of two or three seconds。 He hadn‘t looked away from them any longer than that。 They hadn‘t driven away； and they hadn‘t had time to walk to the end of the block。 Kelly had figured it out the previous night。 These overlong blocks of row houses had not been built by fools。 Halfway down； many of the continuous blocks had an arched passageway so that people could get to the alley more easily。 It also made a fine escape route for Arch and Jug； and when conducting business they never strayed more than twenty feet from it。 But they never really appeared to watch it either。
Kelly made sure of that； leaning against an outbuilding that might have been big enough to contain a Model…T Ford。 Finding a pair of beer cans； he connected them with a piece of string and set them across the cement walk that led to the passage； making sure that no one could approach him from behind without making noise。 Then he moved in； walking very lightly on his feet and reaching into his waistband for his silenced pistol。 It was only thirty…five feet to cover； but tunnels transmitted sound better than telephones； and Kelly‘s eyes scanned the surface for anything on which he might trip or make noise。 He avoided some newspaper and a patch of broken glass； arriving close to the other end of the passageway。
They looked different close…up； human almost。 Archie was leaning back against the brown bricks of a wall； smoking a cigarette。 Jughead was also smoking； sitting on someone‘s car fender； looking down the street； and every ten seconds the flaring of their cigarettes attacked and degraded their vision。 Kelly could see them； but even ten feet away they couldn‘t see him。 It didn‘t get much better。
‘Don‘t move；‘ he whispered； just for Archie。 The man‘s head turned； more in annoyance than alarm； until he saw the pistol with the large cylinder screwed onto the end。 His eyes flickered to his lieutenant； who was still facing the wrong way； humming some song or other； waiting for a customer who would never e。 Kelly handled the notification。
‘Hey！‘ Still a whisper； but enough to carry over the diminishing street sounds。 Jughead turned and saw the gun aimed at his employer‘s head。 He froze without being bidden。 Archie had the gun and the money and most of the drugs。 He also saw Kelly‘s hand wave him in； and not knowing what else to do； he approached。
‘Business good tonight？‘ Kelly asked。
‘Fair ‘nuf；‘ Archie responded quietly。 What you want？‘
‘Now what do you suppose？‘ Kelly asked with a smile。
‘You a cop？‘ Jughead asked； rather stupidly； the other two thought。
‘No； I‘m not here to arrest anybody。‘ He motioned with his hand。 ‘In the tunnel； face down； quick。‘ Kelly let them go in ten feet or so； just enough to be lost to outside view； not so far that he didn‘t have some exterior light to see by。 First he searched them for weapons。 Archie had a rusty 。32 revolver that went into a pocket。 Kelly next took the electrical wire from around his waist and wrapped it tightly around both sets of hands。 Then he rolled them over。
‘You boys have been very cooperative。‘
‘You better never e back here； man；‘ Archie informed him； hardly realizing that he hadn‘t been robbed at all。 Jug nodded and muttered。 The response puzzled both of them。
‘Actually； I need your help。‘
‘What with？‘ Archie asked。
‘Looking for a guy； name of Billy； drives a Roadrunner。‘
‘What？ You dickin‘ my ass？‘ Archie asked in rather a disgusted voice。
‘Answer the question； please；‘ Kelly said reasonably。
‘You get you fuckin‘ ass outa here；‘ Archie suggested spitefully。
Kelly turned the gun slightly and fired two rounds into Jug‘s head。 The body spasmed violently； and blood flew； but not on Kelly this time。 Instead it showered across Archie‘s face； and Kelly could see the pusher‘s eyes open wide in horror and surprise； like little lights in the darkness。 Archie had not expected that。 Jughead hadn‘t seemed much of a conversationalist anyway； and the operation‘s clock was ticking。
‘I said please； didn‘t I？‘
‘Sweet Jesus； man！‘ the voice rasped； knowing that to make any more noise would be death。
‘Billy。 Red Plymouth Roadrunner； loves to show it off。 He‘s a distributor。 I want to know where he hangs out；‘ Kelly said quietly。
‘If I tell you that …‘
‘You get a new supplier。 Me；‘ Kelly said。 ‘And if you tell Billy that I‘m out here； you‘ll get to see your friend again；‘ he added； gesturing to the body whose warm bulk pressed limply against Archie‘s side。 He had to offer the man hope； after all。 Maybe even a little left…handed truth； Kelly thought： ‘Do you understand？ Billy and his friends have been screwing around with the wrong people； and it‘s my job to straighten things out。 Sorry about your friend； but I had to show you that I‘m serious； like。‘
Archie‘s voice tried to calm itself； but didn‘t quite m