could be seen fairly clearly； a short thin man in a white undershirt。 They hesitated in the vestibule； and Miranda peered past Carella's shoulder and into the street。
Zip pushed his way through the crowd with Cooch。 The street was terribly silent； and he wanted to know why。 What the hell was happening？ He was angry because they'd been unable to locate China； angry because he wanted this Alfredo Gomez thing to end now； angry because things seemed to be going wrong； and he wanted them to go right。 But； in spite of his anger； he was curious。 The silence intrigued him。 He pushed up to the barricade just as Carella and Miranda came onto the front stoop。
Miranda's eyes flicked the street。 He was partially covered by the priest； so that a shot from across the street could not be risked。 That left only。。。
And Miranda turned to look to the left of the stoop。
Carella was ready。 He'd been waiting for the movement ever since they'd left the apartment。 He'd been wondering where he would look if he were Miranda； and he'd realized that nobody could shoot from the other side of the street； and so any trap would have to be set on this side of the street； any shots would have to e from behind。
So Carella knew that Miranda knew； and he'd been waiting for the sideward movement of Miranda's head because he had further reasoned that Miranda would begin shooting the second he saw the cops on either side of the stoop。
Zip saw the cops the same moment Miranda did。 It was too late to shout a warning。
Carella felt Miranda's head and eyes flickering to the left。
Go！ he told himself。
He went。
No one said a word。 Miranda turned toward Carella in the same instant that Carella threw himself headlong down the flight of steps。
And then the shooting started。
17
〃Pepe！〃 Zip yelled。 〃Pepe！〃 But he was too late。
The crossfire was true crossfire。 Miranda whirled to the left； and the bullets suddenly smashed into him from the right side of the stoop； spinning him around。 He slammed into the railing and fired a shot at the patrolman who seemed closest to him； and then suddenly there were shots on his left； and he realized he was caught in a deadly crossfire； and he ran off the stoop toward where Carella lay sprawled at the foot of the steps。 Byrnes began firing from the other side of the street； and Parker began firing from the crate； and then it seemed that every cop on that block had been waiting for just this moment because the street suddenly reverberated with ear…shattering sound as the bullets caromed into the gutter。
He seemed to be bleeding from a dozen places。
The white undershirt seemed to sprout blood like poppies in an instant。 His own gun kept bucking in his hand； but there was blood dripping from his face and into his eyes； and he just fired blindly and sort of groped out toward the crowd as if he were reaching for salvation and didn't know whose face held it。
Parker came down off the crate； his service revolver trembling in his hand。 The cops on the rooftops stopped firing all at once； and the men behind Miranda stopped firing as he stumbled blindly across the street； moving toward Parker who was similarly drawn toward him。 It was almost as if someone had placed two magnetic figures on a long table。 They moved toward each other inexorably； Miranda blinded by blood； and Parker drawn into that street by something he would never understand。
Miranda's gun clicked empty； and he looked at Parker in supplication； blood dripping into his eyes and bubbling out of his mouth； the mouth open； the hands limp now； the head twisted to one side like a Christ who had climbed down from the cross。
〃Give me a break；〃 Miranda whispered。
And Parker fired。
His shot took Miranda in the throat at close range； nearly ripping away the back of his neck。 A fresh blossom of blood erupted； exposing Miranda's windpipe as he staggered forward again。 His voice bubbled from his torn throat； a whispered voice that sounded as if it were ing from one of those trick underwater recording chambers； a voice directed only to Parker； a voice that sought out Parker on that spinning red street。
〃Can't you 。。。 can't you give me a break？〃 And again Parker fired。 And this time； he kept his finger on the trigger； tightening the pressure each time a slug roared from the barrel of the gun； watching the slugs rip into Miranda； watching Miranda topple into the gutter lifelessly； and then standing over him and pumping bullets into his body until his gun was empty； and then grabbing a gun from the patrolman standing next to him and beginning to fire at the dead Miranda。
〃That's enough；〃 Carella shouted。
Zip pushed past the barricade and flung himself at Parker's back。 Parker brushed him off like a pesky fly； swinging his huge shoulders； knocking Zip to the pavement。
〃Leave him alone！〃 Zip shouted。 〃Leave him alone！〃
But Parker was hearing nothing。 He fired the patrolman's gun at Miranda's head； and then he fired again； and he was preparing to fire a third time when Carella grabbed his arms and pulled him away from the body。
〃Somebody get up there to Frankie！〃 Lieutenant Byrnes shouted。 〃On the double！〃
Two patrolmen rushed into the tenement。 Byrnes walked over to Miranda and stared down at him。
〃Is he dead？〃 a reporter called。
Byrnes nodded。 There was no triumph in his voice。 〃He's dead。'〃
〃They killed him；〃 Zip said to Cooch。 〃They killed him。 The bastards killed him。〃 He clutched Cooch frantically。 〃Where's Sixto？ Where's Papa？ We're gonna get him now； you hear me； Cooch？ They killed Pepe； Cooch。 You understand that？ They killed him！〃 His eyes were wild。 A thin layer of sweat covered his entire face。
〃What about China？〃 Cooch asked。 〃You said we needed China to。。。〃
〃The hell with China！ Alfie's gonna get his； you hear？〃
A patrolman appeared on the fire escape。 The street went quiet。 He walked to where Frankie Hernandez lay still and silent； and he knelt down； and Byrnes waited。 The patrolman stood up。
〃Lieutenant？〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Frankie。〃 The patrolman paused。 〃He's dead； sir。〃
Byrnes nodded。 He nodded again。 And then he realized the patrolman was waiting for instructions and； still nodding； he said； 〃Bring him down。 Off there。 Off the fire escape。 Would you 。。。 would you bring him down； please？〃
The reporters had pushed past the barricade now； and they surrounded the body of the dead Miranda。 Flash bulbs popped on the street； challenging the sunshine。
〃Where's Sixto and Papa？〃 Zip asked。 〃Didn't I say to meet me here？〃
〃Look； Zip； calm down。 Try to。。。〃
〃Don't tell me what to do！〃 Zip shouted； shaking Cooch's hand loose。 〃I know what I'm。。。〃 and he stopped talking。
Sixto and Papa had turned the corner； but it was not their appearance which had caused the sudden widening of Zip's eyes。 He stared at the two boys and then he stared at their panion； and he balled his fists； because the person with them was Alfredo Gomez。
〃Wha…？〃 he started； and in that instant two patrolmen came from the doorway of the tenement； carrying the body of Frankie Hernandez on a stretcher。 The people in the crowd began murmuring his name as the body went past。 Handkerchiefs appeared； and women sniffled into them。 The men in the crowd were taking off their hats and holding them to their chests。
〃It's Frankie；〃 Luis said。 〃Close the doors！ For respect！ For respect！〃 He reached up for the overhead door of the luncheonette and pulled it down。 On the avenue side of the shop another man pulled down the door there； so that the shop faced the street blindly … We will not conduct business while you pass by； my friend … as the patrolmen carried the body of Hernandez toward the ambulance。
〃Can we get a few more pictures of Miranda； Lieutenant？〃 one of the reporters asked。
〃Take all the pictures you want；〃 Byrnes said。 〃He's in no hurry。 Not any more。〃
Luis rolled back the doors。 The shop was open again。
〃What happens now； Lieutenant？〃 the reporter asked。
Byrnes sighed heavily。 〃We pile him in the meat wagon； and we cart him off。 I get my men off the streets。 Try to unsnarl the traffic。 And then take up a collection for a good cop。 I don't know。 What happens next？〃 He turned to Carella。 〃Steve？〃