Just Another Sucker (17 page)

‘I guess I’ll be about an hour. Yes, keep something for me. I’ll be seeing you.’

‘Oh, Harry, I still haven’t found my car keys.’

A spurt of irritation ran through me.

‘You can’t use the car, so why worry? So long for now,’ and I hung up.

For a long moment I sat there, staring sightlessly at the desk clock. Usually Nina went to bed around eleven o’clock. I would have to wait until at least one o’clock before I dare move Odette’s body. Now the time to act was drawing closer, the horror of the thing I had to do gave me the shakes. But I had to do it. Where was I going to dump the body? Dare I go out to the old silver mine? I knew it had already been searched. They weren’t likely to search it again. If I could get out there without being spotted, her body might never be found. But could I get out there? Before I had left the Operations Room I had studied the map where Renick was plotting the progress of the searchers. They were moving down the highway, away from the silver mine, towards my place. By one o’clock the highway might be clear except for the odd patrolling car. In my official capacity as Press officer to the D.A., I might be able to bluff my way through if – and it was big if – my nerve held. Right now my nerve wasn’t holding. I was in a terrible state.

Before I could do anything, I had to hire a car. That was the first move.

I left the office and took a bus to my local garage. The time was twenty minutes to nine when I walked in.

Ted Brown, an eighteen-year-old youth, who I knew pretty well was sitting in the little office reading a racing sheet. I was relieved to see there was no sign of Hammond, who owned the garage.

‘Hi, Ted,’ I said, pushing open the door. ‘You look pretty busy.’

The boy grinned sheepishly. He laid down his paper and stood up.

‘Hello, Mr. Barber,’ he said, ‘I was just trying to pick a winner. I sure could do with a little luck. The gees haven’t been running good for me the whole week.’

‘They never run good for me,’ I said. ‘Look, Ted, I’ve had some bad luck too. The Packard has packed up. I’ve got a bust gearbox.’

The boy’s face showed his concern.

‘Gee! I’m sorry. That’s a pretty high item.’

‘Yeah. I want to borrow a car for tonight. Have you anything you can let me have?’

‘Why, sure, Mr. Barber. There’s the Chevvy over there you can take. Just for tonight?’

‘That’s right. I’ll bring her back first thing tomorrow.’ I started over to the Chevrolet. ‘I’ve a rush date at Palm Bay.’

‘I’ll get you to fill out the form, Mr. Barber. There’ll be thirty bucks for the deposit and the insurance.’

I paused.

‘I’m in a rush, Ted. I haven’t the money on me. I’ll settle tomorrow.’

The boy scratched his head, perplexed.

‘I don’t reckon Mr. Hammond would like that, Mr. Barber. I couldn’t do it on my own responsibility.’

I forced a laugh.

‘What’s biting you, Ted? Why, damn it, I’ve been dealing here for over ten years. Mr. Hammond would be glad to oblige me.’

Ted’s face brightened.

‘I guess that’s right, Mr. Barber. Maybe you’ll just sign the form? Then tomorrow when you bring her back…’

‘Sure.’

I followed him into the office and waited impatiently while he searched for the form. He finally found it and spread it on the desk in front of me.

As I took out my pen, a car drove into the garage.

It was Hammond.

If I’d only been five minutes sooner I would have been gone by the time he arrived. Now I had an argument on my hands. I knew it when I saw his expression change at the sight of me.

Somehow I managed to give him a grin as he came into the office.

‘Hello, Mr. Hammond,’ I said. ‘You’re keeping late hours.’

‘‘Evening,’ he said curtly. He looked sharply at Ted. ‘What’s going on?’

‘I’m hiring the Chevvy,’ I said. ‘My car’s got a bust gearbox. I’ll get you to pick it up sometime next week. I’ve a rush date in Palm Bay and I must have a car.’

He relaxed a little.

‘That’s okay. If you’ll fill up the form, Mr. Barber. It’ll be thirty bucks for gas, insurance and the deposit.’

I began to fill up the form. My hand was so shaky I didn’t recognise my own handwriting.

‘I’ll settle with you tomorrow when I bring her back,’ I said as casually as I could. ‘This is an unexpected date. I hadn’t time to get to the bank before it closed. I’ll settle with you tomorrow.’

I signed the form with a flourish and pushed it over to him. He ignored it.

‘Give me Mr. Barber’s credit card,’ he said to Ted.

Ted produced the card, then went out into the garage. He seemed embarrassed.

Hammond examined the card, then he looked at me and there was a bleak expression in his eyes.

‘Mr. Barber, you owe me a hundred and fifty bucks for repairs, gas and oil,’ he said.

‘Sure thing: I know. I’ll settle that tomorrow too,’ I said. ‘I’m sorry it’s run on for so long.’

‘I’ll be glad if you would.’ There was a pause, then he said, ‘I’m sorry, Mr. Barber, but until the account is settled, I can’t give you any more credit.’

I nearly lost control of myself. With my hands in fists, I said, ‘Now look, I want a car urgently. I’ve dealt with you for ten years. This is no way to treat an old customer. I wouldn’t ask you to do me this favour if it wasn’t urgent.’

‘There’s the bus, Mr. Barber, if you have to go to Palm Bay. Your account has been running unpaid for close on eighteen months,’ Hammond said. ‘I’ve spoken to Mrs. Barber about it a number of times. I always get the same story: ‘I’ll settle tomorrow.’ I’m sorry, but I’m not giving you any more credit. You can have the Chevvy when you have paid the deposit and settled the account. That’s final.’

I felt so bad I wanted to die. I had to have that car! My life depended on it!

‘I’m in a situation that is very, very urgent,’ I said, struggling to keep my voice steady. ‘I must have a car tonight. I tell you what I’ll do. I’ll leave my wife’s jewellery with you as a deposit. The stuff is worth a couple of hundred bucks. Then tomorrow, I’ll pay the whole account. You may not have heard, but I’ve a job now. I’m the Press officer to the District Attorney.’ I took out my Press card and handed it to him.

He glanced at it and handed it back to me.

‘If you’re working for the District Attorney, Mr. Barber, you’d better get a police car if it’s all that urgent. I don’t want your wife’s jewellery. I don’t do my business in that way.’

Then suddenly I remembered that in the trunk of the Packard was the briefcase containing five hundred thousand dollars! What was I doing, standing here, begging this punk to do me a favour when I could buy up his whole goddam garage if I wanted to? I would use some of that money! It was dangerous, but nothing like so dangerous as leaving Odette’s body in my garage.

‘If that’s the way you feel about it, you can go to hell,’ I said and I walked out of the garage.

About a mile from home, there was an all-night service station. I would go there when Nina was in bed and hire a car from them, paying them with the money from the ransom bills.

I started down the long road leading to my bungalow. Halfway, I saw two policemen coming towards me on the opposite side of the road. They paused outside a house of a neighbour of mine, then one of them pushed open the gate and walked up the path. The other policeman moved on and went to the house next door.

The house-to-house search had reached my street!

With fear squeezing my heart, I quickened my steps. As I came within sight of my bungalow, I came to an abrupt standstill.

The garage doors I had locked the previous night now stood open!

For a long moment, I just stood there, fighting the urge to turn and run and keep on running. Had the body been found? Were they waiting, out of sight, to arrest me?

One of the policemen had come out of the house across the way. He stared curiously at me.

I braced myself and started down the road towards my bungalow.

II

As I walked up the path, I saw Nina and two soldiers standing by the Packard. At the sound of my approach, the three of them turned.

‘Here’s my husband now,’ Nina said.

‘Hello,’ I said to her. ‘What’s going on?’

The two soldiers were no more than kids. One of them was bulky and fair with a fat, pink face. He looked hot and bored. The other was a little guy, dark with a sharp alert expression. He gave the impression of being hostile and tough. I knew at once he would be the one I’d have to handle.

‘Is this your car?’ the dark one demanded.

Ignoring him, I said to Nina, ‘What’s all this about?’

‘They are searching for the kidnapped girl,’ Nina said. She sounded and looked irritated. ‘They want the trunk opened.’

By now I had got my second wind. I was so desperate I forgot to be scared.

‘You don’t imagine I’ve got her in there, do you?’ I said to the fat kid and I managed a laugh.

He grinned awkwardly.

‘I guess not, sir,’ he said. ‘I keep telling Joe here…’

‘Will you open this trunk?’ the dark one said. ‘I’ve got orders to search every house and car in this street, and that’s what I’m going to do.’

‘I’ve told him I have lost my keys,’ Nina said. ‘I asked him to wait for you, Harry. He’s been waiting some time.’

‘I’m sorry,’ I said to the dark one, ‘but I haven’t my keys. I’ve left them with a locksmith. He’s cutting a duplicate set for my wife.’

He stared at me: his sharp eyes suspicious.

‘That’s too bad,’ he said. ‘I’ve got a warrant. If you haven’t the key, then I’m going to bust this trunk open.’

‘I’ll have the key here by tomorrow morning,’ I said, trying desperately hard to sound casual. ‘Come tomorrow morning and I’ll be glad to open the trunk for you.’

‘Come on, Joe,’ the fat soldier urged. ‘We’ve got half the goddam street to check yet, and it’s getting late.’

Joe paid no attention to him. I could see he was going to make an issue of this.

‘I’m going to bust open this trunk,’ he said, and moving away from me, he looked around the garage.

He spotted a tyre lever and picked it up.

‘Now, wait a minute,’ I said and I got in front of the trunk. ‘You’re not damaging my car! Here, take a look at this,’ and I gave him my Press card.

He stared at it without touching it.

‘So what?’ He swung the tyre lever impatiently. ‘I don’t give a damn who you are. I’ve got orders to check every car in this street: that’s what I’m going to do!’

I looked at Nina.

‘There’s a policeman over the way. Go and get him.’

As Nina ran out of the garage, Joe said savagely, ‘I don’t give a goddam for any cop either. I’m opening that trunk! Get out of my way!’

I remained where I was.

‘You’re not damaging my car,’ I said. ‘I’ll open the trunk tomorrow morning when I have the key and not before.’

We stared at each other for a long moment, then he put down the tyre lever.

‘Okay, if that’s the way you want it. Come on, Hank, we’re going to shift this punk. I’m opening the trunk!’

‘Aw, now look, Joe,’ the fat one said uneasily. ‘No rough stuff. Let’s wait for the cop.’

‘I’m obeying orders,’ he said. He eyed me. ‘Are you getting out of the way or do I have to get you out of the way?’

‘You’re heading for a court-martial, soldier,’ I said. ‘You start any rough stuff and you’ll be sorry.’

Joe looked at Hank.

‘Come on: we’re going to shift this guy. If he gets hurt, it’s his funeral,’ and he started towards me as Nina came up the path with one of the policemen I had seen across the way.

Joe paused as the cop, a big, heavily built man, came into the garage.

‘What’s going on?’ the cop demanded.

‘I want to see inside this trunk,’ Joe said. ‘This guy hasn’t the key. I’ve got orders. I’m busting the trunk open, but this guy says no.’

‘Where’s the key?’ the cop said to me.

‘At the locksmith,’ I told him. ‘I’m having a duplicate made.’

He stared at me, scratching his bullet head with a thick finger.

‘What locksmith?’

I was ready for that one.

‘I don’t know. I gave the key to my secretary to fix.’ I offered my Press card. ‘I work for the District Attorney, officer. I’ll have the key here tomorrow morning. I’ll willingly open the trunk then. There’s nothing in it, but if it will satisfy our friend here, I’ll open it tomorrow, but I’m not standing for him busting the lock.’

The cop examined the Press card, then he frowned at Joe.

‘Look, soldier, you don’t have to bear down on this thing,’ he said. ‘We know this gentleman. What are you getting so excited about?’

Joe hunched his shoulders. His expression became more hostile.

‘I don’t give a damn who he is. I’ve got my orders and I’m going to carry them out.’

‘You bust that lock, soldier,’ the cop said, ‘and you’ll be responsible. You’ll have to pay for it.’

‘Okay, so I’ll pay for it,’ Joe said. ‘I’m busting it!’

The cop shrugged and turned to me.

‘Does that suit you, Mr. Barber. Let him bust the lock. He’ll have to pay for it.’

I was scarcely breathing.

‘No, it doesn’t suit me,’ I said. ‘This is an old car. I may not be able to get another lock. This car has a bust gearbox. It’s been standing in the garage for a couple of days. If you don’t believe me, see if you can move it.’

‘Yeah?’ Joe said. ‘So how do we start the motor without the ignition key? Get out of my way! I’m opening this goddam trunk!’ and he grabbed up the tyre lever.

I remained where I was.

‘Let’s settle this,’ I said. ‘I’ll call Lieutenant Renick. If he wants the trunk opened, then okay, this kid can open it.’

The cop’s face brightened.

‘That’s an idea, but I’ll talk to the Lieutenant.’

Joe threw down the tyre lever in disgust.

‘Cops!’ His voice was bitter with contempt. ‘Okay, hang together, but I’m going to report this to my C.O. Don’t imagine you have heard the last of it – you haven’t! Come on, Hank, let’s get out of here,’

and the two soldiers walked down the path, leaving the cop staring uneasily after them.

‘These kids,’ he said in disgust. ‘They get a fixed idea, and nothing will shift it.’