Just Another Sucker

I

At a few minutes after nine o’clock the next evening, Odette came out of the darkness and paused at the foot of the steps to look up at me.

There was a big moon and I could see her clearly.

She was wearing a simple, full skirted white frock. She carried a suitcase. She looked very attractive as she stood there, looking up at me.

‘Hello, Harry,’ she said. ‘Well, here I am.’

I went down the steps and took the suitcase from her. I was a little disturbed that she was alone.

‘We’ll go inside,’ I said. ‘Isn’t Mrs. Malroux coming?’

The girl gave me a sidelong glance and she smiled.

‘Was she invited? Anyway, she isn’t coming.’

Together, we went into the cabin. I shut the door, then turned on the light. I had a new tape on the recorder. As I turned on the light, the recorder in the bedroom began to record.

I had had a busy day, working out the details I wanted the girl to learn. I had the letter drafted for her.

I had played back the tape and had satisfied myself that the recording couldn’t have been better. I had made a parcel of it and had lodged it in my bank.

I was now pretty confident, and the itch to lay my hands on that fifty thousand dollars was really something. I was certain I couldn’t be prosecuted if anything went wrong unless both the girl and Rhea were prosecuted too, and I couldn’t imagine Malroux prosecuting his wife and daughter, so that had to let me out if we ran into trouble.

‘Let’s go,’ I said, sitting down. ‘There’s a lot to do and we haven’t much time.’

I watched her walk over to the settee and sit down. Her movements were provocative, and I found myself watching her a little too intently. She drew up her legs under her, adjusted her skirts and then looked inquiringly at me. That look made me uneasy. This girl knew her way around. She knew too she was making an impression on me.

‘I think Rhea was very clever to trap you into helping us,’ she said. ‘But you could be even more clever than she is.’

I stiffened.

‘She didn’t trap me into anything — what do you mean?’

‘Oh, but she did. She had been watching you for days, knocking back whisky in that bar. She had picked on you to help us as soon as she had read you had come out of jail. It was her idea to plant her handbag in the telephone booth. She was sure you would take her money. I said you wouldn’t. We bet on it. I lost ten dollars.’

I sat there staring at her, feeling the blood burning my face.

‘I was drunk,’ I said.

She shrugged her shoulders.

‘I’m sure you were. I’m just telling you this so you can be on your guard. Rhea is a snake: don’t trust her further than you can throw her.’

‘Just why do you want all this money?’

She wrinkled her nose at me.

‘That’s not your business. Now tell me, what am I to do? Have you got a story ready for me?’

I stared at her for a long moment, trying to collect my thoughts. This news that Rhea had planted her bag shook me. I told myself I would have to watch her.

I said, ‘Have you fixed the date for Saturday?’

‘Yes. My friend, Mauvis Sheen, and I are going to a movie at the Capital. I’ve arranged to meet her outside at nine.’

‘Have you a boy friend you go around with from time to time? I don’t mean a regular one. I mean someone you see only now and then?’

She looked puzzled.

‘Well, yes. There are a number of them.’

‘One will do — give me a name.’

‘Well, there’s Jerry Williams.’

‘Does he ever telephone you at home?’

‘Yes.’

‘Who answers the telephone when anyone calls?’

‘Sabin — he’s the butler.’

‘Would he know Williams’s voice?’

‘I don’t think so. Jerry hasn’t called me now for a couple of months.’

‘What I’m getting at is this: you will tell your father you are going to the movies with your girl friend.

After dinner, around eighty-forty-five, I’ll telephone and ask for you. I’ll tell your butler it is Jerry Williams calling. I’m doing this entirely to take care of the police in case they come into it. Speaking as Williams, I will tell you that I have met your girl friend and we, with some other kids, are going to have a night out at the Pirates’ Cabin. We want you to join us. You’ll be surprised, but you’ll agree, but you won’t tell anyone where you are going because you will know your father will disapprove of you going to such a joint. You’ll arrive there, you won’t find your friends, and you’ll leave. As you are crossing the dark car park, a rug will be thrown over your head and you will be bundled into a car. Do you follow all this?’

She nodded.

‘My goodness! You are taking this seriously, aren’t you?’

‘I’m taking it seriously because it happens to be serious,’ I said. ‘The police, if they come into it, will check with Williams, but he’ll swear he didn’t telephone you, and they’ll realise it was a trick by the kidnappers to get you to the Pirates’ Cabin. They’ll wonder why you didn’t recognise Williams’s voice.

You’ll say the connection was bad, there was a lot of background noises of music and you never doubted it was Williams talking. That’s the explanation why you went to the Pirates’ Cabin. Okay?’

‘You don’t really think the police will come into it?’

She was nibbling at her thumbnail while she stared at me.

‘I don’t know. Your stepmother said they won’t, but I am going to be prepared. Now concentrate. I’m giving you the story you may have to tell the police. You are now in a car with the rug over you and you are held down by threatening hands. A man, speaking with an Italian accent, warns you if you make a sound, you’ll get hurt. You gather that there are three men in the car. I’ve written down a conversation you overhear. You’ll have to learn it by heart.

‘The car makes a number of turns which leads you to believe you are off the main roads. Finally, after two hours driving, the car stops. You hear a dog barking. You hear the sound of a gate being opened.

The car drives forward and stops again. You must remember all these details. If the Federal Bureau come in on this, they’ll want these details. Many a time they have caught kidnappers because the victim has heard a dog bark or has heard the noise a bucket makes going down into a well — stuff like that, and they’ll probe your memory, so you’ve got to be ready for them.’

Her eyes were very intent as she nodded.

‘I see now why you wanted me here tonight,’ she said. ‘Even if the police don’t come into this, Daddy will ask questions. He is very shrewd. He will ask just those kind of questions.’

‘Yes. You’ll be supposed to be in this place for three days and nights. You’ll be locked in a room. If the police come into this, they’ll be certain to ask you to make a plan of the room and you must be able to do it without hesitation. During the time you’re supposed to be in this room, you will hear the dog barking, you will hear the sound of chickens and cows. You’ll decide this is a rundown farmhouse.

You’ll only see one of the kidnappers and a woman who will take charge of you. I’ve written down a description of both these people, and you’ve got to memorise it. If the police come into it, watch out you stick to your story. Don’t let them trap you into mistakes.’

She was interested and very tense.

‘I understand.’

‘There is a toilet just outside the room you are in. This is just the kind of trap question they might spring on you, and you must be prepared for it. You’re allowed to go there when you want. The woman takes you. I have another plan to show you the part of the house you will see when you go to the toilet.

It’s not much: a short passage and three doors that are shut. The toilet has a cracked basin and a string instead of a chain for the flush. Remember these details. They’ll help to make your story convincing.

I’ve written down all the meals you are supposed to eat during the three days you are in this farmhouse.

You must memorise them too. Make no mistake about it, the Federal Agents will really turn you inside out if they come into this, and you’ve got to be ready for them.’

She touched her lips with the tip of her tongue.

‘You’re beginning to make me feel as if I’m really going to be kidnapped,’ she said.

‘That’s the way you’ve got to feel,’ I told her. ‘I’ve drafted a letter you must write which I will mail to your father. You’d better do it now.’

I got up and went over to the briefcase I had brought with me. Before touching the sheets of cheap notepaper I had bought at a store, I put on a pair of gloves.

She came over to the table and sat down. I stood over her and watched her copy out the letter and finally address the envelope. I made her fold the letter and put it into the envelope and then put the envelope into my briefcase.

I then handed her the sheets of paper containing all the details I had prepared for her.

‘Take this away and really memorise it,’ I told her. ‘Come here at nine o’clock the night after this, and I’ll check you, then we’re ready to go.’

She put the papers in her handbag.

‘Before you go, let’s look at the dress you have and I want to see you in the wig.’

She opened the case and took out a cheap blue and white print dress, white ballet shoes and a henna coloured wig.

I nodded to the bedroom door.

‘Go in there and change. I want to see how you look.’

‘For someone in my stepmother’s employ,’ she said, picking up the dress, ‘you certainly know how to give orders.’

‘If you don’t like it…’

‘But I do! It makes a refreshing change.’ She fluttered her eyelids at me. ‘I like men older than myself.’

‘That gives you a wide choice,’ I said. ‘Get moving. I want to get home.’

She wrinkled her nose at me, then went into the bedroom and shut the door.

I now became even more conscious that I was alone with this girl. She had that something that raised the worst in me: that would raise the worst in any man. Since I had been married, I had never fooled around with another woman and I wasn’t intending to now although I knew this girl would be easy. I had only to give her some encouragement, and she would give me the green light to go the whole way.

There was a delay while I prowled around the room, then the bedroom door opened and she came out.

The red wig made a startling difference to her appearance. I scarcely recognised her. She was holding the front of her dress up with her hands.

‘The damn thing has a zipper.’ She turned, showing me her naked back down to her waist. ‘Zip me up, will you? I can’t reach it.’

I took hold of the zipper. My hand was unsteady. My fingers touched the cool flesh of her back. She looked over her shoulder at me. There was that thing in her eyes. I pulled up the zipper. My heart was beginning to thump. She turned and moved against me, sliding her arms around my neck.

Just for a brief moment I surrendered to the pressure of her body against mine, then with a conscious effort, I shoved her away.

‘That’s something we don’t do,’ I said. ‘Let’s keep this strictly business.’

She put her head on one side as she stared at me.

‘Don’t you like me then?’

‘I think you’re cute. Let’s leave it at that.’

She made a little grimace, then moved under the light.

‘Well? Do I pass?’

‘Yes. If you wear a pair of sun goggles, no one would know you.’ I took out my handkerchief and wiped my sweating hands. ‘Okay, get changed. Leave the dress and wig here. We’ll meet again the night after next at nine.’

She nodded and went into the bedroom, leaving the door ajar.

I lit a cigarette and sat on the edge of the table. I was still pretty worked up.

Then she called, ‘Harry… I can’t get this zipper undone.’

I hesitated for a brief moment, then I mashed out my cigarette. I didn’t move, but I was aware my heart was pounding.

‘Harry…’

I stood up, silently crossed to the cabin door and turned the key. Then I turned off the light and went into the bedroom.

II

John Renick’s Buick stood outside my bungalow as I swung the Packard through the open gates and into my garage.

The sight of the Buick gave me a hell of a jolt. I hadn’t seen nor heard from Renick since he had picked me up outside the jail gates, weeks ago, and I had forgotten about him.

What was he doing here?

My mind was suddenly flustered. Nina would have told him that I had this traffic censor job. If it crossed his mind, he could easily find out I was lying about the job. Contact with anyone connected with the police was the last thing I wanted, now I was about to swing this fake kidnapping.

Besides, I was suffering from a guilty conscience. I was regretting this lapse of mine with Odette. I was now sure she had given herself to me to show me her power and her contempt of men. Our love-making — if you can call it that — had been nothing but an explosion of physical violence. She had slid away from me, and dressed hurriedly in the dark, humming a jazz tune under her breath, ignoring me.

‘I’ll see you the night after tomorrow,’ she had said out of the darkness. ‘’Bye for now,’ and she had gone, leaving me still on the bed, ashamed and angry with myself, and hating her.

When I heard the cabin door slam shut after her, I got off the bed and turned off the recorder. I had taken the tape and put it in its container. Then I had taken a shower and then had gone into the sitting-room and had drunk two stiff whiskies, one quickly after the other. But neither the shower nor the whiskies had done anything to dent this soiled feeling I had nor lessen the feeling of guilt that I had betrayed Nina who was slaving all day to keep us going.

I walked slowly up the path from the garage, took out my key and opened the front door. The clock in the hall told me it was ten minutes after eleven o’clock. From the lounge, I could hear Renick’s voice and Nina’s sudden laugh.

I stood hesitating.

Renick and I had been close friends for twenty years. We had gone to school together. He had been a good, straight cop, and now he was the D.A.’s special officer, a position of importance in this city, carrying a good salary. If this kidnapping idea turned sour, he would be the first to be involved in the investigation, and I knew he was no fool. He was one of the brightest and shrewdest investigators of the whole bunch. In my newspaper work I had met them all: Renick topped the lot. If he handled the investigation I could be in trouble.

I braced myself, crossed to the lounge door and pushed it open.

Nina was working on a large garden pot that stood on her work bench. Renick lounged in an armchair, watching her, a cigarette burning between his fingers.

As soon as Nina saw me, she dropped her paint brush and ran over to me. She slid her arms around my neck and kissed me. The touch of her lips against mine gave me a sick feeling. I was still remembering Odette’s hot, animal caresses. I pushed her away gently and with my arm around her, I forced a smile as Renick got to his feet.

‘Hello there, John,’ I said and shook hands. ‘You’re a stranger.’

Once a cop, always a cop. I could see by his steady, puzzled stare, he knew something was wrong. He gripped my hand and his grin was as lop-sided as mine.

‘That’s not my fault, Harry,’ he said. ‘I’ve been in Washington for the past month. I’ve only just got back. How are you? I hear you have a job.’

‘Well, call it that,’ I said. ‘It’s better than nothing.’

I dropped into a lounging chair. Nina sat on the arm, her hand on mine and Renick went back to his chair. The searching, probing stare was still there.

‘Look, Harry,’ he said, ‘you can’t go on like this. You’ve got to get settled. I think I can swing this thing with Meadows if you want it.’

I stared at him.

‘Meadows? Swing what?’

‘My boss,’ Renick said. ‘I told you: I spoke to him about you. We need a good Public Relations man: you’re hand-made for the job.’

‘Am I? Well, I don’t think so,’ I said. ‘After what those jerks did to me, I wouldn’t work for the City for any money.’

Nina’s grip tightened on my hand.

‘Be reasonable, Harry, for heaven’s sake!’ Renick said. ‘The old gang’s gone. This is a big opportunity. We don’t know what it’ll pay yet, but it’ll be good money. Meadows knows all about your case and your reputation as a newspaper man. If we can get a grant for the salary, and we’re pretty sure we can, the job’s yours.’

It crossed my mind that here was my chance to drop this kidnapping stunt and get down to a solid job of work. I hesitated, thinking of the fifty thousand dollars. With that amount of money behind me, I could be my own boss.

‘I’ll think about it,’ I said. ‘Maybe the old gang has gone, but I’m still not sold about working for the City. Anyway, I’ll think about it.’

‘But don’t you think you should take it?’ Nina said anxiously. ‘It’s work you like and you…’

‘I said I’d think about it,’ I said curtly.

Renick looked disappointed.

‘Well, all right. Of course it’s not certain we’ll get a grant, but if we do, we’ll want a quick decision.

There are a couple of other guys after the job already.’

‘There always are,’ I said, ‘Thanks, John, for the offer. I’ll let you know.’

He gave a helpless little shrug, then got to his feet.

‘Okay. I must get moving. I just dropped in to tell you. You give me a call.’

When he had gone, Nina said, ‘You’re not going to turn this offer down, are you, Harry? You must see…’

‘I’m going to think about it. Come on, let’ s go to bed.’

She put her hand on my arm as she said, ‘If they get the grant, I want you to take this job. We can’t go on much longer like this. You must get settled.’

‘Will you let me handle my own life?’ I said sharply. ‘I said I would think about it, and that’s what I’m going to do.’

I went into the bedroom, and after putting the tape I had recorded into a drawer, I got undressed.

I could hear Nina moving about the kitchen, clearing up. I got into bed.

Again I balanced this offer of Renick’s against Rhea’s fifty thousand dollars. Maybe this grant wouldn’t jell. Maybe something would turn sour with the kidnapping. I would have to wait and see.

Maybe with any luck I might land both Renick’s offer and Rhea’s money.

Nina came in. I pretended to be half asleep. I watched her undress through half closed eyes. She got into bed beside me and turned off the light. When she moved close to me, I shifted away. I felt such a heel, I couldn’t bear to have her touch me.

The next day was Thursday. Nina wanted the car as she had some pots to take down to the shop.

There was nothing for me to do, so I hung around the bungalow and I kept thinking of Odette.

By now my first feeling of guilt had worn off. I had told myself as I had driven from the cabin last night that when we met again, there would be no repetition of what had happened. This was my first slip; there wasn’t going to be another, but this morning, as I mooned around the bungalow, I found myself thinking differently.

I was now telling myself it couldn’t possibly hurt Nina if I again made love to Odette. The time to have stopped was the first time; the second time made no difference. Once you did it, you had done it. I even began to imagine I had enjoyed Odette’s savage, primitive embrace, and as the hours dragged by, I found myself waiting impatiently for tomorrow night.

Later in the day, I went to the bank and lodged the tape with the other one, then I went to the beach cabin and spent the rest of the day swimming and sitting in the sun, my mind gradually becoming obsessed with Odette.

The following morning, as we were finishing breakfast, Nina said, ‘Have you decided about John’s offer?’

‘Not yet,’ I said, ‘but I’m considering it.’

She stared steadily at me and I had to shift my eyes.

‘Well, while you are making up your mind,’ she said, ‘there are three bills that must be paid. I haven’t the money.’ She dropped the bills onto the table. ‘The garage man won’t let us have any more gas until we have settled his account. The electricity bill must be paid or we’ll be without light. The grocery bill must be settled. They won’t give us any more credit.’

I still had sixty dollars left from the hundred Rhea had paid me. At least I could take care of the grocery and the electricity bills.

‘I’ll fix these,’ I said. ‘The garage man must wait. Have we any gas?’

‘About half a tank.’

‘We’d better use the bus whenever we can.’

‘I have four pots to deliver tomorrow. I can’t use the bus.’

There was a sharp note of exasperation in her voice I had never heard before. I looked at her. She faced me, her dark eyes unhappy and angry. The prick of conscience made me angry too.

‘I didn’t say you couldn’t use the car,’ I said. ‘I just said when we could we’d better use the bus.’

‘I heard you.’

‘All right then.’

She hesitated. I could see she wanted to say something further, but instead, she turned and left the room.

I felt bad. This was the nearest we had ever come to a quarrel. I left the bungalow and walked to the bus stop. I settled the two bills: that left me with fifteen dollars. At the end of the week Bill Holden would want the rent for the cabin, but with any luck, I would be worth fifty thousand by then.

I spent the rest of the day at the beach cabin, swimming, lounging in the sun and watching the clock, counting the minutes to the time when Odette would come up the veranda steps.

Again the beach became deserted soon after half past eight. I was now sitting on the veranda, as tense as any schoolboy waiting for his first date.

A little after nine o’clock, she came out of the darkness. As soon as I caught sight of her, I was out of my chair, stupidly excited, my heart thumping, and as she came up the steps, I caught hold of her, my hands gripping her arms, pulling her to me.

Then I got a shock.

She put her hands on my chest and gave me a hard shove, sending me backwards.

‘Keep your paws to yourself,’ she said in a cold, flat voice. ‘When I want you to paw me, I’ll tell you,’ and she walked past me into the cabin.

I felt as if I had come under a douche of icy water. I felt suddenly deflated and horribly cheap. After a moment’s hesitation, I followed her into the cabin and shut the door.

She was wearing powder blue slacks and a white pleated shirt. Her black hair was caught back by a white bandeau. She looked very desirable as she curled herself up on the settee.

‘You should never jump to conclusions, little man,’ she said and smiled. ‘You mustn’t ever take any woman for granted. You amused me the other night, but you don’t amuse me tonight.’

This was my moment of truth. I could have killed her. I could have taken her by force, but those words put a picture of myself in a frame. They were needles, pricking a balloon.

I sat down. With an unsteady hand, I lit a cigarette.

‘I’m glad I’m not your father,’ I said. ‘That’s one thing I’m really glad about.’

She giggled, drawing smoke down into her lungs and expelling it through her pinched nostrils.

‘Why bring my father into it? You’re just mad at me because I’m not the easy toy you thought I was.

They all say the same: stupid, unsuccessful men with the sex itch.’ She smoothed down her dark hair as she stared mockingly at me. ‘Now we have got over all that, shall we talk business?’

I hated her then more than I thought it possible to hate anyone.

I had trouble in opening my briefcase and taking out the papers on which I had written my questionnaire. My hands shook so badly, the papers made a rustling noise.

‘I’ll ask the questions,’ I said, my voice scarcely under control, ‘you give me the answers.’

‘You don’t have to get upset, little man,’ she said. ‘You’re being very well paid.’

‘Shut up!’ I snarled at her. ‘I don’t want any of your cheap remarks,’ then I began to fire questions at her. ‘Why did she go to the Pirates’ Cabin?’ ‘What was the room like in which she was imprisoned?’

‘What was the woman like who fed her?’ ‘Did she see anyone else besides this woman while she was in the farmhouse?’ and so on and so on.

Her answers were slick and smooth. Not once did she hesitate nor make a mistake.

We kept at it for over two hours. During those hours of intensive questioning, she never once put a foot wrong.

Finally, I said, ‘You’ll do. Just so long as you don’t alter the story and you watch out for traps, you’ll do.’

She gave me a small, mocking smile.

‘I’ll watch out fop traps… Harry.’

I got to my feet.

‘Well, okay, then we’re ready for Saturday. I’ll be at the Pirates’ Cabin at nine-fifteen. You know what to do.’

She uncurled herself off the settee and stood up.

‘Yes, I know what to do.’

We looked at each other, then her expression softened, and smiling, she moved towards me, that thing in her eyes.

‘Poor little man,’ she said. ‘Paw me if you want to. I don’t really mind.’

I waited until she was in range, then I slapped her face, hard. Her head jerked to one side. Then I slapped her again.

She stepped back, her hands going to her flaming cheeks, staring at me, her slate eyes glittering.

‘You stinker!’ she said shrilly. ‘I’ll remember that! You rotten stinker!’

‘Get out!’ I said. ‘Before I hit you again!’

She moved to the door, swinging her neat hips. At the door she paused and turned to stare at me.

‘I’m glad I’m not your wife,’ she said. ‘That’s one thing I’m glad about,’ then she suddenly giggled and turning, ran out into the moonlight and scampered away across the hard, damp sand.

I felt such a heel, I could have cut my throat.