And Belly Rave, in its teeming ruin, was worse than anything Norvell had dreamed.
The police cars swayed around a corner, sirens blasting, and stopped hi the middle of a long, curving block. The convoying cars pulled up ahead and behind; a cop got out of each and stood ankle-deep hi weeds and refuse, hand idly resting on his gun.
Norvell’s driver said, “This one will do. Let’s go.”
The act of moving their possessions into the house hi the driving rain, ringed by an audience of blank-faced Belly Ravers, was mercifully blurred hi Norvell’s mind. At one moment he was sitting hi the police car, staring hi disbelief at the wretched kennel they offered him; at the next, the police cars were gone, he was sitting on a turned-up suitcase, and Alexandra was whining, “Norvell, I’ve got to have something to eat before I absolutely die, it’s been——”
Virginia sighed and stood up. “Shut up,” she said levelly to her daughter. “Norvell, help me get the big suitcase upstairs.”
She kicked a heap of rattling cans out of her way and headed for a flight of steps, ignoring her daughter.
Norvell followed her up the narrow stairs, the treads, ancient and patched with a miscellany of boards and sheet-metal, groaning under them. The upper floor (Expansion Attic for Your Growing Family) was soggy with rain, but Virginia found a spot where no water was actually dripping hi. He dumped the suitcase there. “Go on down and watch the other stuff,” she ordered. “I’m going to change my clothes.”
Before she got down they had company.
First to arrive were three men hi ragged windbreakers. “Police,” one of them said, flashing something metallic hi Norvell’s face. “Just a routine check. You people got any valuables, alcoholic beverages, narcotics, or weapons to register?”
Norvell protested, “The police just left.”
“Them’s bubble-town police, buster,” the man said. “They got no jurisdiction here. If you want to take my advice, you won’t give us arguments. Come on, buster, what’ve you got to register?”
Norvell shrugged feebly. “Nothing, I guess. Unless you count our clothes.”
The men moved purposefully toward the bags. “Just clothes?” one of them flung over his shoulder. “No guns or liquor?”
Virginia’s high, clear voice came down the stairs. “You’re God-damned right we have guns,” she said tensely. “You bums turn around and get out of here before you find out the hard
way!” Norvell, eyes popping, saw an oldfa^iened revolver in her hand.
“Just a minute, sister,” one of the “police” objected.
“Beat it!” she clipped. “I’m counting to five. One, two, three——”
They were gone, swearing.
Virginia came down the stairs and handed the gun to Norvell. “Keep it,” she said coldly. “Looks better if you use it. Just in case you were wondering, there aren’t any cops in Belly Rave.”
Norvell swallowed. He hefted the gun cautiously. It was surprisingly heavy, far heavier than his unskilled imagination, not considering the mass needed to contain bursting gunpowder, would ever have guessed. “Where did you get this
thing?”
•• Virginia said drearily, “I’ve always had it. Used to be Tony’s, before he died. There’s lesson one for you: You don’t live here without a gun.”
Alexandra came forward with shining eyes. “You were •wonderful,” she breathed. “Those detestable brutes—heaven only knows what would have happened to me if only Norvell had been here.”
She started to plant a wet kiss on her mother’s cheek. Virginia shoved her daughter away and studied her coldly.
She spoke at last, in a strange, dry voice. “We’ll have no more of that cack, Missy. From now on you’re going to level with me—and with Norvell, too. Hear me? We can’t afford lying, faking, doublecrossing, or temperament You’d better learn it, and learn it fast. The first bad break you make and 111 sell you like a shot.”
Alexandra’s face was a study hi terror.
Her mother said dispassionately, “Sink or swim—you’re in Belly Rave now. You don’t remember; but you’ll learn. Now get out of here. If you can’t scrounge something to eat, go hungry. But don’t come back here until sundown.”
The child stood blankly. Virginia took her by the shoulder, pushed her through the door; slammed it behind her.