Strictly For Cash (21 page)

While we ate, we talked. Don't ask me what we talked about. All I can remember was she was the easiest person in the world to talk to, and there wasn't one moment's silence during the whole meal.

We went on the verandah, overlooking the water-front, and had coffee and brandy, and talked some more. By the time we had finished the coffee I was calling her Ginny and she was calling me Johnny. It seemed like we had known each other for years.

Later we walked along the water-front and watched the fishing-boats going out for a night's fishing. She told me she had gone out in one of them the last time she was in Lincoln Beach.

"You must go, Johnny," she said. "Out beyond the bar the water is phosphorous. It's like sailing through a sea of fire. And the fish are phosphorous, too, and when they pull in the nets, it's marvellous. Let's go, Johnny, one night. It'll be fun, and you'll love it."

"Why, sure," I said. "We will. Maybe you can ..." I broke off as a street clock not far away started to chime, and I stood still, counting the chimes, and each stroke was like a bang under the heart with a mail-clad fist.

Ten .
. . el
even . .
. twel
ve.

"What's the matter, Johnny?" she asked, looking at me.

"Nothing. I've got to get back. I've just remembered a very important date ..." That was as far as I could get. It came to me like a punch in the face that for the past eight hours I'd been living in a pipe-dream.

"I'll drive you back. We won't be ten minutes."

We got into the car. My mouth had dried up and the back of my throat ached, and my heart was going like a steam-hammer. She must have guessed something was wrong, but she didn't ask questions. She drove fast. We reached the casino gates in seven minutes. I knew that because I kept my eyes glued to the clock on the dashboard.

I got out of the car. My knees were shaking. Reisner, Della and the lion pit were now as real as the warm wind against my cold, sweating face.

"So long, and thanks," I said, and my voice croaked. I wanted to say something else, make a date, let her know how wonderful I thought she was, but the words wouldn't come.

"Are you in trouble, Johnny?" she asked anxiously.

"No. It's all right. I'll look out for you."

I left her sitting in the car, wide-eyed and startled, and I walked towards the gates of the casino.

The guards opened them. The one with the green eyes gaped at me, and caught his breath sharply, but I walked on past him and headed up the long, green-lit carriage-way.

IV

I pushed open the door of the cabin and walked in. The radio was playing muted swing, and every light in the room was on.

Della was lying on the divan, a cigarette between her lips, her face as expressionless as a china mask, and as hard. She still had on the blue wrap, and her hands were clasped behind her head.

"Where is he?"

"In there." She pointed to the bathroom. "Where have you been?"

"Killing time. Did anyone . . .?"

"I told you to keep them away from here, didn't I?" There was suppressed fury in her voice.

"I did."

"They phoned three times, and Louis came rapping on the door. Do you call that keeping them away?"

"I told them you weren't to be disturbed."

"That was at half-past three. When you left here. What happened after that? At six o'clock they really began to look for him. That's when you should have been around. Where were you?"

I was more scared of her than I was of the dead body in the bathroom. I knew instinctively she must never find out about Ginny.

"I got lost. I went down to the beach." The words ran out of my mouth in a blurred stream. "I took the wrong turning. I got snarled up in a forest."

She studied me, and I couldn't meet her eyes.

"You tried to run away, Johnny."

I didn't say anything. There was nothing to say.

"You're lucky I told the guards to stop you. You'd be under arrest by now."

"I wasn't trying to get away," I said. "I was going for a ride. I went instead for a hell of a long walk, but I came back."

She stared at me for a moment or so, then shrugged.

"Well, they're still looking for him. I had to tell them he left me at six. I said I thought he was going for a swim."

"Who's looking for him?"

"That fat fool Louis and Miss Doering." She stubbed out her cigarette. "I've done my share in this. You'd better do yours. You know what to do. Be careful. They're still out there searching the beach."

I went over to the liquor cabinet and poured myself a shot of Scotch.

"What do I do?"

"You take him down to the lion's pit and you throw him in."

I drank the Scotch. It was like drinking water.

"And what do you do while I'm doing it?"

Her lips moved into a frozen smile.

"I stay here. What do you think I'm going to do?"

"You'd better come with me. If I ran into anyone . . ."

"I'm staying here, Johnny. You haven't been much help up to now. Go ahead and make yourself useful. You killed him, lover. I didn't."

The thought of tackling this job alone scared the daylights out of me.

"Now, wait a minute. You're in this, too. You got his gun. If they're out there looking for him ..." I stopped, the words freezing in my mouth. A sharp rap had sounded on the door.

I looked at her and she looked at me. Very slowly I put down the half-finished Scotch. I was as stiff as a statue.

The rap came again.

"Are you there, Mrs. Wertham? This is Hame."

His voice sounded sharp and impatient.

I was so scared I couldn't move or even think. I stood there while she slid off the divan.

"One moment, Captain," she called, her voice steady and calm, but I could see by her eyes she was nearly as shaken as I was. "Go in there," she breathed, pointing to the bathroom. "Don't make a sound."

I opened the door, slid into darkness and closed the door, holding on to the handle so the catch wouldn't make a noise.

There was a five-second pause, then Hame said, "Sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Wertham. You've heard Reisner's missing?"

"Come in," she said. "Hasn't he turned up yet?"

"No." His heavy footfalls creaked across the carpet. "Miss Doering is worried about him. She phoned me so I thought I'd call up."

"But there's nothing to worry about, surely?" Her voice sounded mildly amused. "I expect he's over at Bay Street."

"He hasn't left the grounds."

"Do sit down. Won't you have a drink?"

I stood with my head pressed against the door panels, my heart pounding, and listened.

"I guess not." His voice was curt. "I'm on duty."

"Nick'll be very flattered when he hears you came up here because his secretary was lonely without him," Della said, and laughed.

"This may be serious. He was with you all the afternoon, I understand?"

"Why, yes. He left at six. He said he was going for a swim."

"No one saw him on the beach." There was a pause, then he asked, "Were you two talking business?"

Again there was a pause. I could imagine her looking at him: he wasn't likely to rattle her.

"Perhaps, after all, Captain, I'd better take you into my confidence," she said. "Please sit down."

Once again there was a lengthy pause, and I guessed there was a clash of wills going on. Then a chair creaked, and I knew she had got her way.

"Looks like you were managing all right before I showed up," Hame said. "There's a glass of Scotch on the cabinet."

"No wonder you have such a reputation for being a clever police officer," she said, and laughed.

"I guess I don't miss much."

He sounded mollified.

I heard her splash soda into a glass. Then he said, "Well, here's how." He grunted. "That's pretty good Scotch. What's this you were saying about taking me into your confidence?"

"Perhaps you have wondered why Ricca and I are here," she said. "Paul sent us. Nick's been dipping into the reserve to cover his gambling losses. Ricca had orders from Paul to heave him out. Well, he's gone."

I had to hand it to her. She was ready for any emergency. Her voice, now cool and matterof-fact, was very convincing.

"You don't say." Hame sounded startled. "Much missing?"

"We don't know for certain - something like ten thousand. We haven't had time for a thorough check. He didn't deny it. He could have been difficult, but as he handed over the keys and didn't make trouble, I promised him twelve hours start. I didn't anticipate that fool of a girl would bring you into it."

"So that's it. Well I'll be double damned." There was a pause, then Hame said reluctantly, "Want me to do anything about him?"

"No. He knows too much. He might talk."

"I was thinking of that. Where's he gone?"

"I have no idea. He must have gone by way of the beach. That's why the guards didn't see him."

"Must have. Funny thing, he hasn't packed. I checked his room."

I held my breath while I waited for her to talk herself out of that one.

"He keeps a lot of stuff with Zoe. He knew this wouldn't last and was ready to skip."

There was no hesitation in her voice.

"He was no fool," Hame said, his voice ponderous. "It'll be odd not to have him around."

"It won't make any difference to you. Ricca and I will be taking charge."

"Did Wertharn say it wouldn't make any difference?"

"He said more than that," Della said coolly. "He left instructions about you. He said we should do a little more for you."

"Is that right? What did he mean by that?"

There was a pause, then she said, "We think you're doing a good job for us, Captain. Paul had already spoken to Nick about you, but Nick said you were getting enough. Paul wanted to show his appreciation, but Nick blocked him off. Well, Nick's gone now. We thought another two-fifty a week might be useful. Paul said it should be back-dated six months. I'd planned to pay it into your account tomorrow as a little surprise."

"That's pretty nice of you," Hame said, suddenly jovial. "I guess I could use it. I got expenses same as anyone. Sounds as if we're going to get along together all right. Where's Ricca?"

Again I held my breath.

"I have an idea he's enjoying himself at Zoe's place. I don't know, but that's my guess. Come up and see him tomorrow. There'll be things to talk about."

"I will, Mrs. Wertham." The chair creaked as he stood up. "Guess I won't keep you any longer. Had I better have a word with Miss Doering? They're still searching for Reisner."

"Perhaps you'd better. Don't tell her what's happened. We don't want it talked about. You might say you've heard he's in town. We'll straighten things out tomorrow."

"I'll do that. Well, good night. I'm looking forward to working with you two. I'm looking forward to it very much."

"And so are we, Captain."

I listened to him tramp across the room.

"I'll be dropping in on my bank tomorrow afternoon."

"We'll be there before that, Captain." I could imagine the smile she gave him. "Good night."

The door shut.

We waited: she out there, and I in the darkness with Reisner's dead body somewhere behind me. We heard a car start up and drive away.

She pushed open the bathroom door.

"Well, I handled him, Johnny."

"Yes." I moved out of the darkness.

There was that cold, triumphant gleam in her eyes I had seen before.

"Better get going," she said. "We're practically in the clear now. They'll think he went to say good-bye to the lions and got too close. Get going, Johnny."

I looked over my shoulder into the dark bathroom. I didn't want to do it, but I could think of no other way out. The thought of carrying him through the darkness brought me out in goose-pimples.

"My car's outside," she said, speaking softly. "Put him in it and follow the carriage-way around to the back of the casino. You know where the pit is. It shouldn't take more than five minutes. Hurry, Johnny."

"Maybe you'd better handle the car . . ."

"I'm staying right here. This is where you earn your share of the money, Johnny. Make a mistake and it's all yours. You killed him; you fix it. Get going!"

I went into the bathroom and turned on the light. He was lying on his back, his head still wrapped in the towel. I kept my eyes averted as I took hold of him. His muscles were wooden, and he was heavy. I got him across my shoulder and stood up. Sweat ran down my face, and I had trouble with my breathing. As I came out of the bathroom with him, she turned off the lights and opened the door.

As I passed her she jerked at the towel, pulling it away. I didn't stop. The car was where she had said it would be. It was an open convertible, and I dropped him in the back seat without any trouble. She came up with a blanket and spread it over him.

"Good luck, Johnny," she said. "Come straight back. I want to talk to you."

I got in the car, trod on the starter and drove away without looking at her. The clock on the dashboard showed twenty to one. In the distance I could see the bright lights around the swimming-pool. People were out there, bathing. The casino was lit up like a Christmas tree. I could see men and women, in evening dress, on the verandah, caught glimpses of them through the windows of tlje gambling rooms, and heard their hard, strident voices, raised in excitement.

I drove slowly, with only the parking lights on, and followed the carriage-way past the casino. There were too many lights, and it was like driving with a searchlight focused on me. But beyond the casino it was dark. I kept the car moving. I could smell the lions now. One of them gave a sudden grunting cough. I slowed down. Ahead of me I could just make out the white posts supporting the iron railings around the pit. I stopped the car and turned off the lights.