Doctor Who_ Atom Bomb Blues - Andrew Cartmel [27]
‘I’m taking this record away for security analysis. What action will be taken against you for attempting to obtain it, you’ll learn at a later date.’
‘Baby, I can hardly wait for that later date. I’ve also got an autographed photo of Lady Silk, you know.’
Butcher grinned crookedly. ‘I know. But that’s not against the law. It’s just her records that are banned. You can look as much as you like. Just don’t let me catch you listening to her.’
Ace considered asking if they could hear some Duke Ellington instead, but decided against it. However, she did attempt to surreptitiously lift to her lips the beer bottle that had nestled cool and ignored for so long in her hands.
Butcher immediately pointed his gun at her. ‘Put that down and get out.’ Ace sighed, set down the beer bottle and left.
She had closed the door behind her and was halfway down the corridor when she heard loud jazz begin to blast from the apartment. Ace listened for a moment. It was the Duke Ellington after all. Ace grinned and wondered how Ray had talked Major Butcher into letting him play it.
Ace was on the way out of the building, down the wooden stairs underneath the balcony, when she saw a familiar figure bustling towards her. It was the 48
Doctor, and he seemed to be in a hurry. He was halfway up the stairs, moving in a brisk athletic lope, when he looked up and saw Ace. ‘Ah,’ he said. ‘I was hoping to catch you here. How did your interview with Cosmic Ray go?’
‘It was going just fine until Major Bulldog turned up.’
‘Butcher? Here? What did he want?’
‘To confiscate a record by some Japanese-American singer called Lady Silk.
She’s a real looker and Ray says she’s got a great set of pipes.’
‘How baffling. Where’s Butcher now?’
‘Still inside, interrogating Ray. But Ray’s giving as good as he gets, if the volume of that music is anything to go by.’ The sound of jazz blasted from Ray’s apartment, echoing through the hallway. Ace and the Doctor turned and started down the steps below the central balcony, back out into the daylight.
The Doctor had just reached the bottom step, moving slightly ahead of Ace, when there was a sudden sharp crack of sound.
‘Get down!’ shouted the Doctor. He threw himself on Ace and they both hit the ground a few yards from the steps, in the grass at the foot of an oak tree. Ace was winded but didn’t resist as the Doctor pushed her behind the tree. He sheltered there with her, waited for a moment, flashed her a look and then poked his head out. He stared at the balcony of the building. It was a sunlit, empty space. The music from Ray’s apartment had stopped. The day was silent except for a rustling stir of breeze in the oak leaves above them.
Nothing moved in the quiet sunlight. ‘What is it?’ said Ace finally.
‘Gun shot. Somebody was trying to shoot us. From up there. The Doctor indicated the deserted balcony. Ace stared at it for a moment, then started brushing herself off. She had blades of grass all over her blouse.
‘Well, they’re gone now,’ she said. There was a clatter of racing footsteps from inside the building and Major Butcher came running out, still clutching his gun. He paused halfway down the stairs and stared up at the balcony.
Then he looked at the tree where Ace and the Doctor were hiding.
‘You two. Come out of there.’ He lifted his gun.
‘No need for weaponry, Major. Really.’ The Doctor stepped out from behind the tree with Ace behind him. Butcher lowered his gun and squinted at them.
‘What were you doing there?’
‘Looking for an earring. Ace lost an earring. Didn’t you Ace?’
‘Yes,’ said Ace, touching one of her earrings. ‘But we found it. Thanks.’
Butcher stared at them in silent disgust. It was clear that he didn’t believe them, but he seemed disinclined to say so.
‘May I ask why you are brandishing a gun?’ said the Doctor.
‘I thought I heard a shot,’ said Butcher. He holstered his pistol and went back into the building without a backward glance. Ace and the Doctor looked at each other.
49
‘I don’t understand,’ said Ace.
‘It’s all fairly clear,’ said the Doctor.