it easy to remember you. Also don’t ever gun the car. No two-wheel turns or any crap like that. Smiley, I’ll talk to you once we’re inside. That’s all. Questions?”

No questions.

“All right, drink up and let’s go. You got fifteen minutes.”

Then they sat back and relaxed a little, but there wasn’t much to talk about. Swensen offered Catell a cigarette and they said a few words. Topper went to the garage, turned on the motor of the limousine, and left it running. Smiley excused himself and disappeared down the hall. Smith smoked a cigar.

“How’s it look to you, Catell?” Smith had walked over.

“O.K. Shouldn’t be bad.”

“Good. Think you can keep on schedule?”

“Should. If the dope on the safe is right.”

“Good. All right, everybody. Time. Where’s Smiley?”

Smith walked to the door when Smiley stepped in.

“Where the hell you been?”

“Time, S. S., I been making time.”

When the four men passed through the front hall, Rose came the other way. Her apron was on crooked and her dress looked as if it didn’t fit any more.

The kid who was going to be the lookout said, “They call him Smiley just to be polite. His real name is Mink. You get it, Catell? Mink.” He laughed with a short, dry cackle.

Nobody talked on the way to San Pedro. Topper smoked one cigarette after another, drove the car well, and paid no attention to Catell, who was sitting beside him. Catell’s suitcase was between his legs. When they cased Ruttger the first time, they didn’t see anybody except a few pedestrians. When they drove past Maxim’s the second time, there were a few pedestrians again. One of them had been there the first time.

“Slow down,” Catell said.

“The time schedule—”

“Shut up, you sonofabitch, and slow down.”

The short guy near Maxim’s was the Turtle.

“Pull over.”

“If you say so, Catell, but—”

Catell’s left hand snapped across Topper’s Adam’s apple, making the man gasp with pain.

“Do only what you’re told, Topper. Now pull up.” The gun was in Catell’s hand.

Catell opened the window and leaned out. When the Turtle came up, Catell said, “Wait for me two blocks down, fifteen minutes. All right, Topper, get going.”

The rest of the drive went on schedule. Topper drove well, kept to himself. He looked bland.

When Catell came to the corner, the Turtle fell in with him. They walked, nodding and smiling at each other, and sometimes waving an arm.

“What’s up, Turtle?”

“I don’t know, Tony. I’m not sure. Christ, I’m sorry if I muffed something for you, but I couldn’t get to you sooner. I knew you’d get here today, but I couldn’t—”

“Whaddaya mean, couldn’t get to me sooner?”

“Since that time at the Pink Shell I had a time shaking a couple of guys who was after me. Christ, did I have a time! Coupla Topper’s men, on accounta that snatch I pulled on him, I think.”

“That all?”

“Something else. I picked up a word something was cooking with you and Topper, so I tried to follow it up. Christ, did I have a time, with those torpedoes on my tail!”

“Hurry up, Turtle, what else?”

“I don’t know for sure, Tony. Something about Topper getting to you. I couldn’t get the details.”

“Never mind. He got to me. That was yesterday. Now blow. I’m turning off here.”

“No, Tony, that wasn’t it. Yesterday wasn’t it. I know he took you for a ride, but the word is there’s a cross on.”

“Frame?”

“Could be, Tony. Listen, this heist—”

“It’s coming off as planned. Don’t argue. When I cross over now, keep walking to the end of the block. Stay there. After ten minutes, take the other end of the alley next to Maxim’s loans. After twenty minutes, the other end of Ruttger. Watch for Topper and the sedan two blocks down at nine. That’s nine sharp, Turtle. He’ll pull up here ten minutes later. Got it?”

“Check.”

“See the kid in the doorway, reading the billboard? He’s our lookout. Now blow.”

The Turtle kept walking down the block and Catell crossed to the alley. He turned once and looked at Swensen. Catell pointed with his finger at the Turtle, then made a circle with thumb and forefinger. Swensen nodded. Then Catell was at the side door and turning the handle. No hitch. The door opened and Catell stepped inside. For two minutes he stood in the dimness without moving. Then Smiley came in. They stood another five minutes, close to the door. Half a foot away, on a wooden railing that ran from the side of the door to the middle of the large