But I took my hands off him, and went indoors. Inside the door I ran into sallow Vickers, who was hurrying to see what the rumpus was about.
“What room is Bardell’s?”
“214. Why?”
I went on past him and upstairs.
My gun in one hand, I used the other to knock on Bardell’s door.
“Who is it?” came through.
I told him.
“What do you want?”
I said I wanted to talk to him.
He kept me waiting for a couple of minutes before he opened. He was half-dressed. All his clothes below the waist were on. Above, he had a coat on over his undershirt, and one of his hands was in his coat pocket.
His eyes jumped big when they lit on my gun.
“You’re arrested for Nisbet’s murder!” I informed him. “Take your hand out of your pocket.”
He tried to look as if he thought I was kidding him.
“For Nisbet’s murder?”
“Uh-huh. Rainey came through. Take your hand out of your pocket.”
“You’re arresting me on the say-so of a hophead?”
“Uh-huh. Take your hand out of your pocket.”