Out of Breath

1914 Mauser

George had to be at the hotel when they arrived. He quickly summoned a motor cab and directed the driver to hurry to the Chatham. Throwing a quarter to the cabby, he jumped to the sidewalk and ran up the steps into the hotel.
“Has Mr Spitzbart come in?”, he asked the clerk
“Not yet sir” said the clerk
“Good”, said George. He opened his jacket and taking out his police card, showed it to the clerk. “He is not to know I have asked about him”
“Certainly sir. Anything we can do to help”
George hesitated a moment and then said “There is one thing.” He wrote on the clerks note pad. “Call and ask for Mr. Harrison. Tell him the two Dominion Police officers need help and tell them to come here immediately. Tell them Carroll’s man told you to call.” With that George ran to the elevator and pushed the button for Sharp’s floor.
George had long since mastered the fine art of hotel room entry and soon had the door to Sharp and the girl’s room open. He closed it and locked it again. Checking around the room he found Sharp’s Mauser under his pillow. “Strange”, thought Pethswitherick, “I would have thought he would taken it”. George put it in his jacket pocket and sat down at the desk. He wasn’t there very long before he heard steps in the hall and the key in the lock. He stepped quickly into the closet and pulled the door almost shut. He eased out the pistol.
“Well, let’s have the note”, said Spitzbart.
Percy said, “I lied. It’s not here”
“Where is it then?”
“It’s back at the theatre”
“You’re lying you little bitch”, cried the tall man. Raising his hand he slapped Percy on the side of the head and she fell to the floor. He dragged her by one arm into the bathroom. George could hear the water running and then Percy scream as her hand was forced under the flow of boiling water. George stepped out of the closet, and shot the tall man in the back of the head. Spinning toward Spitzbart, he was hit in the pit of the stomach by the goatee man as he charged across the room. He bounced against the wall, the wind knocked out of him, the pistol skidding under the bed. Spitzbart ran out the door and down the hall. George gasped for breath and groped under the bed until he could find the pistol.
Percy was weeping with pain, but said in a strained voice “Who are you?”
“I’m your watch dog”, said George. “Are you OK?”
“That man in the bathroom…..”
“I have friends coming who will take care of him…and you” George gasped.
“Go, go “, she gestured at the door, and George, finally getting his breath, ran in pursuit.