Murder in 1975 (Gay - Romantic Thriller)

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven 

The man with grey hair looked carefully along the length of the street before he crossed over and entered his apartment building. He was unaware of the man who'd been following him for several blocks. He took the lift up to the third floor, preparing himself for the sight of a policeman in the corridor, but there was no one and he stepped out of the elevator. He went quickly to his door and opened it. Another scan around and then he entered the flat and locked the door behind him. He went into the bedroom and began to pack. 

"Hullo Richard." Harper's voice was low behind him. 

Philips swirled around and Harper froze at the sight of the gun in his hand. It was aimed at his stomach. From four feet away Philips could hardly miss. 

"How did you know I was here?" Philips spoke flatly. 

"I recognised your back and every so often you forgot to alter your walk. I followed you." He stared curiously at Philips' grey hair, moustache, glasses and stooped shoulders, "It's not a bad disguise." 

"But obviously not good enough." He looked down at his gun. "Well, what are we going to do now?" 

"I've called the police," Harper spoke quickly, "They'll be here any minute. Give yourself up." 

Philips stared at him a long time, then took off his glasses. "Have you? Then I guess I won't be needing any of this anymore." In a few moments the disguise was completely removed. Harper stepped forward surreptitiously in the middle of the process but froze again when Philips snapped at him to keep still. 

Meanwhile Inspector Martin and two carloads of police pulled up outside the building. Quickly and smoothly they surrounded it covering all the exits. Four of them including Martin went up to the third floor, listening in on the conversation via the bugging device. He established a base in the passage, he wanted to know more about the situation in there before bursting in. Besides Philips might say something to incriminate himself and clinch the case. He couldn't get away this time. He listened carefully to the conversation inside, did Philips have a gun? 

"You could say you made a mistake Bill." 

"No, Richard." 

"You will be you know, if you turn me in." 

"Is that a threat?" Harper was white faced. Philips looked at him, startled, did Bill seriously think he was blackmailing him? 

"If I talk, you won't be getting that promotion. In fact you'd be out of a job in three seconds." 

The policemen outside gaped at each other. Harper? Inspector Martin wondered whether to interrupt but to his mixed relief and disappointment, the Superintendent arrived quietly by his side and motioned for him to wait. He needed to know how Harper would react. He also wanted to know what hold Philips had over one of his best officers. 

"You'd never be able to prove it!" Harper could hardly get the words out, his teeth were clenched so tightly. 

Philips felt sick. He sneered, wanting to hurt back. "All I'd have to do is repeat you word for word and you'd give yourself away instantly." 

"You ... you did hear me then," Harper sounded as if he was being tortured. 

"Every word ... so, are you going to call them off?" Total silence, inside and out. 

"No I can't ... please, Richard," the words were whispered. 

Philips stepped forward and hit Harper hard across the face. "That's for believing me, friend!" He panted, almost sobbing, "That's for believing I'd actually do something like that to you." 

The sound of the blow carried to the men in the passage and the Superintendent nodded. It had gone far enough. He called out, "Police! Open up or we'll break down the door!" 

Paying no apparent attention, Philips pressed the muzzle against Harper's throat and kissed him on the mouth. He stepped back and said clearly, "Good bye Bill. I'm going to have to kill you now." The fear in the other's eyes pushed him over the edge and he raised his gun and fired point blank as the police crashed through the door. Then two bullets slammed into his body and he fell to the floor. 

"He missed you sir!" gasped a constable. 

Harper stood paralysed, a terrible cold comprehension seeping through him. "Look at his gun," he rasped. The constable prised it from the hand which still gripped it and opened the chamber. They all seemed to know what he was going to say before he said it. 

"Blanks sir!" He repeated it in disbelief. "Blanks." 

"You bastard!" Harper looked down at Philips who was just conscious. "You utter bastard! Did you know? Did you know?" It was nearly a scream. 

"What do you think?" whispered Philips. 

"Oh my God, what have you done?" His voice was pure agony. He rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes and knelt down slowly beside Philips. He touched the blood welling from his chest with one finger and looked at it. 

"No, what have I done to you?" He shut his eyes and spoke softly. "I was jealous. God forgive me, Richard, I was jealous."