Just Another Sucker

I

Meadows said, ‘What a woman!’ He sat down behind his desk. ‘What do you think, John? I’d bet on Carey’s evidence.’

‘Oh, sure,’ Renick said. ‘Anyway, we have another witness: Kerby also said the guy was tall and broad. Well, we’re getting somewhere. We now know the man we want is around six foot, weighs one hundred and eighty pounds, was wearing a dark sports suit with pouch pockets, no hat, smokes Luckies, and owns a beat up car. We’re about ready to get a composite photo of this guy.’ He suddenly turned to me. ‘What do you weigh, Harry?’

‘Around one hundred and ninety, I guess,’ I said huskily. ‘What’s my weight to do with it?’

‘I’ve an idea. Carey said you were the same build and height as this guy. We’ll take a photograph of you, blank out your face and get the papers to print it. We’ll ask if anyone saw a man resembling the photograph near Lone Bay parking lot or the Pirates’ Cabin.’ He looked over at Meadows. ‘What do you think, sir?’

‘It’s a great idea!’ Meadows said enthusiastically. ‘We’ll do even better than that.’ He called his secretary. ‘Miss Leham, I want you to go out right now and buy a sports suit for Mr. Barber. It’s got to be in dark brown, and it has to have pouch pockets: something quiet. I want it as fast as you can get it.’

Miss Leham looked me over, nodded and went out.

‘While we’re waiting, John, get me that passenger list. I want the names of everyone who travelled from the airport between ten-thirty and midnight.’ To me, he said, ‘How about writing a nice little article about me — a personal thing, about my hobbies, my home life with my kids, my wife: I don’t have to tell you. You’ll get the dope from the files. See if you can get it into Time and Newsweek.’

Back in my office with the door shut, I sat down limply behind my desk. I felt in a trap. This photograph idea of Renick’s could be dangerous. Although I was pretty sure no one had seen me at the Pirates’ Cabin, I had had enough experience as a newspaper man to know there was always the chance that someone I hadn’t seen had seen me. This also applied to the Lone Bay parking lot. At the airport, I had stupidly carried Odette’s suitcase into the departure hall. The place had been crowded. Any idle watcher might remember me once the photograph appeared.

But the main thing that haunted my mind was how I was going to get rid of Odette’s body. I would have to do it tonight. I couldn’t keep her in the trunk longer than tonight. I would have to hire a car. My feeling of panic grew as I remembered how short of money I was. I would have to go to my regular garage and try to talk the owner into lending me a car without paying the usual deposit. I had exactly two dollars in my wallet and I had no idea how much Nina had. I wouldn’t be able to draw any money from my job until the end of the week.

Then when I had the car, I had to transfer Odette’s body from my car to the other. How was I going to do it without being sure Nina wouldn’t suddenly surprise me? It would have to be done when she had gone to bed. I would have to tell her I would be working late, then when she was asleep I would do the job.

But while I was doing it, suppose one of the searchers spotted me?

My mind cringed at the thought of the awful risk I would have to face.

I had no time to think further about this for the telephone bell started up its continuous clamour. I had to get the articles on Meadows written. Then, as I was finishing the article, Miss Leham came in with the suit, followed by Renick.

It gave me a hell of a jolt when I saw the suit. It was the replica of the one I owned. I had bought my suit soon after I had left jail to have something new to wear.

When Miss Leham had gone, Renick said, ‘Change, will you, Harry. The photographer’s waiting. We want to get the photos in the last editions.’

I put on the suit and followed him down to the police photographer. In half an hour we had a dozen prints for distribution.

I had a horrible feeling I was committing suicide as I wrote a description of myself and pasted the description to the backs of the photographs. I took the photographs into Meadows’ office and gave them to him.

My face in the photograph had been blocked out, but in spite of that, I was still able to recognise myself.

Meadows studied the photographs, nodded, called in Miss Leham and told her to get them to the local papers.

As she was going out, Renick came in.

‘I have the passenger lists for you,’ he said. ‘They don’t help. There were only two planes out between ten-thirty and midnight. One to Japan and the other to San Francisco. The Japan plane I’ve washed out. The ’Frisco plane had fifteen passengers on board. Fourteen of them were business men and their wives. They do a regular trip and the air hostess knows them all personally. The one odd passenger was a girl, travelling alone.’

‘That doesn’t help. I’m looking for a girl and a man travelling together. There was just the chance the kidnapper had so terrified the girl she might have travelled with him. Who was the lone girl?’

‘She’s listed as Ann Harcourt,’ Renick said. ‘The air hostess particularly noticed her. She was a redhead. She was certainly not Odette Malroux.’

The hard cold knot that had formed in my stomach eased a little. My legs felt suddenly so weak I had to sit down.

Meadows flicked the list into the trash basket.

‘Well, it was a try. Maybe we’ll have more luck with the photograph.’

The time was now after seven. I hung around, listening to the telephone reports of the search until eight, then I said to Renick, ‘Okay for me to go home? If anything breaks, you can telephone me.’

‘Why, sure, Harry. You get off.’

I returned to my office and called Nina.

‘I could be a little late,’ I said. ‘What are you doing tonight?’

‘Why, nothing. I’ll wait for you.’

‘Look, why don’t you go to the movies? Why sit at home on your own? There’s a good movie at the Capital. Why don’t you take a look at it?’

‘I don’t want to go alone, Harry. I’ll wait for you.’

If only I could get her out of the bungalow for a few hours!

‘It’d please me, Nina, if you’d go. You stay home too much.’

‘But darling, I don’t want to go out alone even if we could afford it. When will you be back? Shall I keep supper for you?’

I gave up. If I went on pressing her to go out, she would become suspicious.

‘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.’

‘Thanks,’ I said, breathing again. ‘I was damned if I was going to let him bust my car.’

‘You were right. Okay, Mr. Barber.’

He saluted Nina and then went off down the path.

‘Well!’ Nina said. ‘I hated that little beast. I knew he was going to make trouble the moment I saw him.’

I closed the garage doors.

‘Better lock it,’ I said. ‘I don’t want him sneaking back here, and he could.’

She gave me the key and I locked the doors.

Together, we went into the bungalow.

‘What’s been happening, Harry? They think this girl’s dead. Everyone is talking about her. What’s been happening?’ Nina asked as we walked into the lounge.

‘I don’t know. Get me a drink, will you? I’ve been at this rat-race all day and I’m about petered out.’

I took off my jacket and tossed it into the settee, then I sank into a lounging chair and loosened my tie.

Nina mixed a whisky and soda.

‘What are we going to do about the car?’ she asked.

‘It’ll have to wait. We can’t afford a new gearbox.’

She carried the drink over.

‘A cigarette?’

‘Yes.’

She gave me a cigarette.

‘My lighter is in my pocket.’

She went over to my jacket and put her hand in one of the pockets. My mind couldn’t have been working. I was so used to having her wait on me.

‘Harry!’

The tone of her voice brought me alert.

She was holding my car keys and her car keys in her hand and she was staring at them.

I felt my mouth turn dry.

She looked at me.

‘Harry!’

There was a long pause while we stared at each other, then the glass of whisky I was holding slipped out of my hand and smashed to pieces on the parquet floor.