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〃Good；〃 Luis said； nodding。 〃You will be better off out of this neighborhood。 There are other girls； sailor。〃
〃Yeah； that's for sure；〃 Jeff said。
He walked out of the luncheonette again。 It was a damn shame； he thought； because 。。。 well 。。。 he'd almost found it。 He'd almost； in the space of what was it； ten； fifteen minutes？
In that short a time； he'd almost found it； but of course he should have known。 Nothing good es easy。 And yet； it had seemed so right； it had just seemed 。。。 seemed right； where 。。。 where eyes meet and 。。。 and without touching 。。。 without saying very much。。。
The hell with it！
He strode out of the luncheonette； and the first people he saw were Frederick Block and the two prostitutes。
Marge winked at him。
Jeff squared his hat and walked directly to the trio。
〃Well； well； well；〃 he said。
〃Feel like a party； sailor？〃 Marge asked。
He hesitated for just a moment； his eyes roaming the street。 Then he said； 〃Yes； goddamnit； I feel just like a party！〃 and he grabbed Marge's elbow； and the four of them turned the corner and went off up the avenue。
Two boys wearing bright…gold jackets turned into the block。
They stood with their hands on their hips for a moment。 Both wore sunglasses； both wore their dark hair in high crowns。 The bigger of the two； and the older … a boy of about twenty who stood a little over six feet tall … wore a silver identification bracelet on his right wrist。 His name was Tommy。 The other boy； nineteen and short by modern standards； was called Li'1 Killer。 His real name was Phil。 He had never killed anyone in his life； but the name made him sound like a guy who'd cut out your liver for the price of an ice…cream soda。 The tall one； Tommy； nodded at Phil and they walked directly toward the crate where Papa and the two girls stood craning their necks。
〃Hey； kid；〃 Tommy said。
Papa turned。 〃You talk to me？〃
〃Off the box；〃 Tommy said flatly。
〃Huh？〃 Papa said。 〃Why？〃
〃You heard him；〃 Phil said。 〃Off the box。 We want a view。〃
Papa looked down to where Sixto stood near the side of the crate。
〃Sixto； go call。。。〃 he started； and Phil shoved out at Sixto before he could move。
〃Stay put； sonny；〃 he said。
〃Don't hurt him； Li'1 Killer；〃 Tommy said。 He chuckled。 〃Just cripple him。〃
〃Listen； why do you want trouble for？〃 Elena said； looking past them to where Zip stood at the ices cart near the corner。
〃Who wants trouble？〃 Tommy asked gently。 〃Li'1 Killer and me； we asked your friend very politely to get the hell off that box； that's all。 That ain't no trouble。〃
〃That ain't no trouble at all；〃 Phil said。
In that instant； Lieutenant Byrnes waved his arm at the rooftops； and the police opened fire。 The firing was a precise； methodical operation designed to keep Miranda away from the front windows。 At the same time； the distant echo of guns could be heard in the back yard； and over that； like a triangle player in a hundred…piece orchestra； the sound of shattering glass。 Miranda appeared at the front windows for just an instant； looked into the street； saw what he was supposed to see； and ducked back into the apartment。
The cops of the 87th rushed the doorway to the left of La Gallina。
Miranda saw them the second before he ducked his head。 Lieutenant Byrnes led the charge； shooting up at the windows as he ran。 Behind him were Steve Carella and Andy Parker and half a dozen patrolmen； all with guns in their hands。 Frankie Hernandez brought up the rear。 One by one； the cops entered the tenement。 Hernandez seemed to be following them and then； suddenly； at the last moment； he swerved to the right of the doorway and flattened himself against the front of the building。
At the same time； Captain Frick … who manded the uniformed cops of the 87th … brought the megaphone to his mouth and shouted； 〃We're ing in； Miranda！ We're going to knock that front door right off its hinges。〃
There was no answer from within the apartment。
〃We're ing in； Miranda！ We're ing up those steps right now！〃 Frick shouted； and he hoped Miranda would buy it。
In the hallway； Byrnes； Carella； and Parker crouched on the steps。 They could hear the gunfire outside； could hear shouts from the cops； screams from the crowd； the sound of glass breaking and wood splintering； the high whistle of slugs that caromed and ricocheted。
Outside； Frankie Hernandez stealthily moved past the glass front of La Gallina； working his way toward the fire escape。
The crowd was suddenly hushed。
The only sound on the street now was the explosion of the revolvers on the rooftops and in the windows facing Miranda's apartment。
She came around the corner hurriedly。
There were tears on her face； and her blouse had pulled free from her skirt； and she thought she could still feel the imprint of Cooch's fingers where he had touched her。 It was twenty minutes past twelve； and she hoped against hope that Jeff would still be there； hoped he had at least the faith to realize 。。。 to realize what？ Tears streaking her face； she rushed into the luncheonette。
He was not there。
She looked at the empty stools； and then she turned to Luis and she said； 〃Luis； there was a sailor。。。〃 and Luis nodded instantly。
〃He left。〃
〃I 。。。 I couldn't get away and then 。。。 the crowds in the street。。。〃
〃He left；〃 Luis said again。
She turned from him quickly and went into the street again。 She could hear the pistol shots； thunder on a sunny day。 〃China； hey； China！〃 She wished it would really rain； she wished the skies would open and … 〃China； hey； don't you hear me？〃 … rain would e down to wash the streets； wash all the。。。
〃Hey！ China！'
She looked up suddenly。 〃What？ Oh … oh； hello。〃
Zip was standing by the ices cart； grinning。
〃Hey； how are you； China？〃
〃Fine；〃 she said。 〃I'm fine； thank you。〃
〃You want some ices？〃
〃No。 No； thank you； Zip。〃
He studied her。 〃What's the matter？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃You look like you was crying。 Was somebody bothering you？〃
She shook her head。 〃No； no。〃
〃If anybody bothers you； you just let me know；〃 he said。 〃I'll take care of them the way I'm gonna take care of Alfie。〃
〃You leave Alfie alone！〃 she said sharply and suddenly； her eyes flashing。
〃Huh？〃
〃Why do you want to hurt him？ You have no right to hurt him！〃
〃Hell； I ain't afraid of him！〃 Zip said。
〃Nobody said you were。〃
〃It's just； he's got this ing； that's all。〃
〃You know he didn't do anything； Zip。 You know that。〃
〃He done plenty！ I'm gonna bust him wide open。 I'm gonna。。。〃
She began crying suddenly and fitfully。 〃Why do you talk that way？〃 she shouted。 〃Why do you have to sound so tough？ Aren't you ever yourself？ Can't you be yourself？〃
Surprised by her sudden passion； he stared at her； speechless。
〃What are you trying to show？〃 she asked； the tears running down her face。 〃What are you trying to do？ Make it worse here than it really is？ What's wrong with you？ What the hell is wrong with you？〃
He stared at her； confused。 He reached out to touch her； not knowing that the tears were something which had been building inside her from the moment Cooch attacked her； building on the wild run from the tenement to the luncheonette； building against the desperate hope that the sailor would still be there； kept in check by sheer will power； and now overflowing； he did not know these things； he only knew that she was crying。 And in the face of such female vulnerability； in the face of anguish such as he had never known or seen； Zip pulled back his hand； unable to touch her in that moment； unable to establish a contact which seemed in that moment too intimate； too revealing。
〃Hey 。。。 hey。 listen；〃 he said； 〃don't cry。 What do you want to cry for？〃
〃Promise me you won't do anything to Alfie；〃 she said。 〃Promise me。〃
〃Listen 。。。 hey； you don't have to cry。〃
〃Promise me。〃
〃China 。。。 everybody knows what I said I was gonna do。 Like I told them…〃 He hesitated。 〃I told them you was my girl。〃
〃You shouldn't have said that。〃
〃I know。 I mean； even I know you ain't my girl。 Listen； can't you stop crying？ You want my handkerchief？〃
〃No；〃 China said； sobbing。 〃I'm not crying。〃
〃Here； take it；〃 he said； handing her the handkerchief。 〃I hardly used it yet。〃
She took the handkerchief and blew her nose。
〃You want some ices？〃 Zip asked lamely。
〃No。 Zip； you won't hurt him； will you？ He did nothing to me； believe me。 He's a nice boy。〃
Zip did not answer。
〃You'll be doing something very wrong if you hurt him。〃
〃You ain't sore at me； are you？〃 His voice dropped。 〃Like because I said you was my girl？〃
〃No。 I'm not sore。〃
〃I won't say it no more；〃 he said gently。 He shrugged。 〃I don't even know why I said it。〃 He thought for a moment。 〃Except maybe because you're so nice； you know？〃
〃Thank you；〃 she answered； and she smiled weakly。 She handed him the handkerchief。 〃I got it all wet。〃
〃Oh； that's okay； that's okay。〃 He shrugged。 〃You feel a little better now？〃
〃A little。〃
〃You really shouldn't cry； China。 It's a sin to cry unless like something serious happens； you know？ Like unless you lost somebody or something。〃
〃I did lose somebody； Zip。〃 Her eyes clouded for an instant； and then she shook her head。 〃You promised？ About Alfredo？〃
〃Well； I didn't exactly。。。〃
〃I wouldn't want you to get into trouble；〃 she said。
He stared at her as if she had uttered the words in Russian。 His brow furrowed。 He kept staring at her。 The concept seemed new to him。 Nor could he understand her concern。 It wasn't as if she was struck on him or anything； he knew lots of girls who were； but China wasn't。 So what was it？ Why should she give a damn about him one way or the other？ And yet； he knew she wasn't lying。 Standing with her； he knew that she was as much concerned for his safety as she was for Alfie's。
〃I got to think about it；〃 he said。
〃Yes； think about it。 Please。〃 She touched his hand briefly； and started off toward the corner。
He watched her go； a frown on his face。
〃Pidaguas；〃 the man at the cart said。
Zip nodded。 The man had put the five cups of ices into a cardboard container。 Zip paid him； and then picked up the container with both hands。 He kept frowning； and then the frown disappeared； and his face broke into a grin as he turned back toward the packing crate。
Frankie Hernandez had reached the hanging ladder of the fire escape。
Be careful with those buttets； he thought。 If you dumb bastards put them any lower； you'll hit me。 And that would be the end of this Uttk caper。
Bracing himself； the gun in his holster now； he leaped up for the hanging ladder； missed； and dropped silently to the pavement。 He flattened himself against the building and looked up。 The volley from the rooftops was effectively keeping Miranda away from the windows。 He moved out； jumped for the ladder again； caught it with one hand； reached up with the second hand； and then； hand over hand； began climbing。 The ladder began to drop as he climbed； inching on squeaking； rusted iron hinges； drowned out by the roar of the guns from across the street。 He drew his 。38； hefted it in his hand； and began climbing the remaining rungs to the fire escape。
The people in the street watched him silently。
The guns showered destruction against the front of the building。
Zip was still smiling when he reached the crate； still thinking of what China had said。 Somehow； he felt curiously relieved； as if 。。。 as if something very heavy had been taken off his mind。 And then he heard the voice。
〃Well； now； ain't this nice？ One of the darling Latin Purples bought ices for us！〃
He looked up sharply。 He recognized the gold jacket instantly； and the words 〃Royal Guardian〃 flashed into his mind； and he told himself not to be afraid； but he felt a tight knot of fear beginning in his stomach。
〃H…hello； Tommy；〃 he said。
〃Hello； Zip；〃 Tommy answered。 〃You're just in time。 Get your boy off the box。〃
〃Get 。。。 but。。。〃 He paused； nibbling his lip。 The carton of ices in his hands felt suddenly very heavy。 〃But it's 。。。 it's my box；〃 he said。 〃I brought this all the way over from the。。。〃
〃It belongs to whoever's using it；〃 Tommy said。 〃And we want to use it〃
〃Aw look； Tommy；〃 Zip said； 〃what do you want bad blood for； huh？ Can't we。。。？〃
Tommy reach