The Paw in the Bottle

I

Howard Wesley stood before the big brick fireplace in his study. Facing him, in an arm-chair, bewildered and flustered, sat Julie.

She was still dazed by the shock of discovering he could see, and she had followed him into his study, quite incapable of thinking of an excuse to explain why she had been hiding behind the curtains.

Although he appeared at ease, Wesley was strangely pale, and for some minutes neither of them said anything.

‘You mustn’t think I’m angry with you,’ Wesley said suddenly. ‘There’s no need to be frightened.’

She looked up. His eyes were compelling: dark and glittering as if all his being had come to focus in them.

‘It’s very important you should say nothing about my sight,’ he went on quietly. ‘For the time being no one must know I can see: not even Mrs. Wesley. I can’t go into explanations, but I do want you to assure me you’ll say nothing. Can I rely on you?’

She was surprised he didn’t at once demand to know what she had been doing hiding behind the curtains, and at the same time she felt the return of confidence to know that he was asking her to keep a secret.

‘Oh, yes,’ she said. ‘I won’t say anything.’

‘Look at me, Julie,’ he went on, and as she met his eyes he smiled. ‘You will promise, won’t you? It means success or failure in my work. That’s as much as I can tell you. It’s very important.’

‘Well, if it is so important perhaps I can make use of it in some way,’ she thought. ‘Perhaps that’s why he hasn’t asked me what I was doing behind the curtain.’

‘Yes, I promise,’ she said.

What was a promise anyway? She would see what was going to happen and act accordingly.

‘Thank you.’ He thrust his hands into his pockets. ‘Let’s talk about you. You’re in some trouble, aren’t you?’

She looked away, not saying anything.

‘Now look, Julie, you’d better be frank. I know more about you than you think. You’re here for a purpose, aren’t you?’

She felt herself change colour. How did he know that? How much did he know?

‘A purpose?’ she repeated blankly. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Here, read this. It came yesterday.’ He took from his wallet a sheet of notepaper and handed it to her.

She stared at the writing and went cold. Hewart! Hewart writing to Wesley. The note was brief and sent the blood from her face:

The old beast had said he would get even. He must have been watching her.

‘Is it true you and this chap Gleb are after the furs?’ Wesley asked quietly.

She hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell him the truth. He wanted her to keep his secret. It wasn’t likely he would do anything to her. After the way that little beast Theo had treated her, she had no compunction for giving them away. It was her only chance to be free of them.

‘They made me,’ she burst out, and taking out her hand-kerchief she pretended to cry. ‘You don’t know what they’re like. They threatened me with vitriol. They hit me. I didn’t want to do it.’

Wesley sat down.

‘Now don’t get upset. Let’s begin at the beginning. Who wrote this note?’

‘Sam Hewart. I... I worked for him,’ Julie said, still hiding her face with her handkerchief. ‘He owns a café in Hammersmith. I knew his café was a meeting place for crooks, but I thought I’d be able to keep clear of them. I wanted the money so badly. I’ve never had any fun. You don’t know what it’s like to be poor. All my life I’ve had to go without things I wanted.’

There was a long pause, then Wesley said, ‘You mustn’t go on like this, you know. If I can help you, I will, but I must know all the details first. Did you meet this chap Gleb at the café?’

‘Yes,’ Julie said, and poured out the whole sordid tale: how Harry had made love to her, how he had promised to marry her, how he got her the job as Blanche’s maid, and how Theo had called at the flat. She held nothing back.

‘I know I shouldn’t have come here,’ she concluded, dabbing her eyes, but keeping her face turned away so Wesley couldn’t see she was pretending to cry. ‘But I swear I didn’t know what they were planning to do until I saw the safe. Then when I tried to back out that awful Theo came and hit me. He threatened me with vitriol. He terrified me.’

Wesley had listened to her story without interruption, and now when she had finished he lit a cigarette.

‘There’s nothing to worry about,’ he said, and smiled. ‘We’ll find a way out of it. Now look, it’s getting late. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. Will you order supper for two to be sent up from the restaurant while I see what can be done? I want a moment or so to think about all this. You run off and get some supper. Then we’ll have another talk while we eat.’ He got up, walked over to the cocktail cabinet. ‘And you’re going to have a drink. There’s no need to be miserable. I’m very glad you’ve told me the whole story. I don’t think you’re to blame at all.’ As he mixed the two drinks, he went on, ‘Was that Gleb who was with you when I first met you?’

Julie flushed scarlet.

‘I... I didn’t think you could see me,’ she said. ‘I’m so ashamed I dressed up like that.’

He laughed.

‘You looked very beautiful, Julie,’ he said and handed her the drink. ‘One of these days you must dress again in some-thing nice, but this time for my benefit.’

She stared at him, startled, not expecting anything like this from him.

‘It was Gleb?’ he went on.

‘Yes.’

‘All right, now run along. Take your drink with you. I want to think this over. Don’t be too long about supper, will you?’

Julie’s mind was in a whirl as she telephoned down to the restaurant for two suppers. While she was waiting for the trays to come up, she ran to her room and put on a bright red scarf and a red belt to offset her black dress. Looking at herself in the mirror she saw a young, lovely little face that pleased her. So long as she kept her looks, she thought, there was hope for her.

Back in the kitchen she finished the cocktail, which cheered her. Things were going well. Better than she had thought possible. He had seen her looking her best in Blanche’s dress and he had remembered her in it.

‘One of these days you must dress again in something nice,’ he had said, ‘and this time for my benefit.’

‘He’s interested in me,’ she thought. ‘If I’m careful and play up to him it might be possible to ask him for anything. There’s nothing he couldn’t do for me if he wanted to. He has loads of money, and he can get rid of that French woman and Theo. He’ll know how to handle them. And there’s Harry, too. I’ll never forgive him for letting that beast hit me. He must have known. I’ll pay him out for that! I don’t need him now if I’m careful with Wesley.’

When she carried in the two supper trays she found him pacing up and down, his hands clasped behind his back. She still wasn’t used to seeing him without the black-lensed glasses and he made her feel nervous.

‘All ready?’ he said, taking one of the trays from her. ‘It looks good, doesn’t it? You sit there where I can see you.’

They sat at the table opposite each other. Under his friendly gaze she began to feel less nervous of him.

‘We won’t talk business until we’ve finished,’ he said. ‘It’s not going to be so difficult as you think, but we’ll go into that later. You’re not going to be miserable any more, are you?’

‘No,’ Julie said, not feeling miserable at all. To find out his reactions, she went on. ‘But I shouldn’t really be here. Mrs. Wesley would be furious.’

She saw his face harden.

‘Mrs. Wesley has no right to complain,’ he said sharply. ‘She forfeited that right by her behaviour. You saw what went on?’

‘Yes,’ Julie said. ‘I thought it was dreadful.’

‘Then don’t let’s talk about her,’ Wesley said. ‘I’ll get you another drink.’

There was an awkward silence while he mixed more drinks, but when he came back to the table he seemed to have recovered his calm and he smiled at her.

‘I’m glad this has happened, Julie. I lead a lonely life: too lonely I’m discovering. I’m enjoying this. I haven’t had supper with a pretty girl for years.’

Julie was a little startled; she hadn’t expected him to take the initiative so soon.

‘I’ve been thinking about what you were saying,’ he went on, not appearing to notice her surprise, ‘about not having any fun. Tell me, Julie, what exactly is your idea of fun?’

‘Being able to do the things you want to,’ she said promptly. ‘And what do you want to do?’

Again without hesitation, she said: ‘Have money and nice clothes. I want to go dancing, go to the best restaurants, have a car, buy what I like. Things like that.’

He laughed.

‘My dear Julie, what good are those things to you now? You’re living in the past. That kind of fun is over and done with. It’s the simple things of life that give fun now; things like good books, a garden, going for a walk, listening to music, things like that.’

‘That’s where you’re wrong,’ Julie thought. To him, she said, ‘If I had money I’d be able to have a good time. I know I should. I know how to get the things I want.’

‘Well, we’ll see,’ he said, a little mysteriously, and began to ask her questions about her life at the café, drawing her out and listening with flattering attention to her description of the people who visited the café.

By the time the meal had ended she was thoroughly at ease with him.

‘All right, Julie,’ he said, pushing back his chair. ‘Let’s get rid of these trays and then we’ll get down to business.’ He glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece. ‘I haven’t long to give you. I have a great deal of work to get through before I go to bed.’

When she had taken the trays into the kitchen and returned, he motioned her to the arm-chair and stood with his back to the fireplace, looking down at her.

‘There’s only one thing to do. We’ll have to go to the police,’ he told her quietly.

‘Oh, no,’ she said, alarmed at once. ‘We mustn’t do that.’

‘Because you’re frightened of this gang? I can understand that, Julie, but there’s no other way. We must set a trap for them. We must round them all up and then you’ll be safe. We can’t do that without police aid.’

‘But suppose they find out?’ Julie said with a shiver. ‘Suppose Theo gets away?’

‘We’ll take care they don’t get away, and they won’t find out. See them on Wednesday and tell them how the safe opens. I’ll jot down the exact operation so you’ll know how it works, and you can copy it. We must catch them red-handed. I’ll see the police to-morrow. If Gleb wants you to help him in the actual robbery, you must do it. He must have no suspicion at all that we’re waiting for him. You’ll be all right, I’ll see to that.’ He sounded so confident that Julie’s courage stiffened.

‘But if nothing happens to me they’ll know I... I gave them away,’ she said uneasily.

‘It’ll be too late then for them to do anything. Now look, Julie, this is the only way to save yourself. You do see that, don’t you?’

‘Yes,’ she said reluctantly.

‘All right. You carry on as if nothing has happened. See Gleb on Wednesday and try to find out when he intends to rob the safe. That is vitally important. We’ll be ready for him. Do you think you’ll be able to go through with it?’

‘I think so,’ she said, thinking of Theo. Her voice lacked conviction.

He looked at her for a long moment.

‘Are you wondering what’s to become of you when all this is over?’

‘Well, I don’t know. I haven’t thought. I don’t know what I shall do.’

‘There’s no need to worry,’ he said quietly. ‘I intend to do something about that if you will let me. I want to give you an opportunity to find out if your idea of fun is really what you want.’ He thrust his hands into his pockets and continued to look at her searchingly. ‘I’ve been married for six years, Julie. I’ve had no love nor tenderness during those years. I’ve been blind for three years. Life has been pretty drab for me, and now I have recovered my sight I’m going to change all that. You’re very lovely. I’m tired of leading a life without a woman. I need someone like you. Forgive me if I’m blunt. Do you follow what I’m getting at?’

She could scarcely believe her ears, and stared at him, blood rising in her neck and face.

‘I’ll never marry again,’ he went on. ‘But I could give you security, your own home, and I would settle a thousand a year on you. I wouldn’t bother you a great deal and I believe we could make each other happy.’

She realized he was serious. A home of her own! A thousand a year! She was quick to realize what this meant. It was his price for her silence. He was offering her this to be sure she wouldn’t tell anyone he could see. She was sure of that, but that made no difference to her rising excitement. For this was what she wanted; what she had longed for and hadn’t thought possible. She had to control herself not to betray her astonished delight.

‘Think it over, Julie,’ he was saying. ‘There’s plenty of time. We have other things to do first. But I thought I would let you know what’s been going on in my mind. Ever since I first saw you I have been thinking of this.’

‘No, he’s lying,’ she thought. ‘I don’t care. If he wants my silence he can pay for it.’

‘I... I don’t know what to say...’ she began, but he waved her to silence.

‘Then don’t say it. Think about it. I’ll talk to you again when this is over, but I wanted you to know that if you wished I would look after you. Now run along, Julie, I have work to do.’

It was a pity he was so matter-of-fact about it all. If he had only made love to her it would have been so much easier. But he was so calm, distant and cold-blooded that she felt embarrassed. It was as if he knew she knew he was buying her silence, and didn’t care.

She was relieved to leave the room.

II

When Julie had recovered from the surprise of Wesley’s proposal everything else became of secondary importance. Even Theo drifted into the background of her mind as an unpleasant nightmare not to be thought of — anyway, not for the time being.

Wesley wanted her to be his mistress. He wanted to buy her silence. She was quite prepared to accept the terms. She would have in return for her silence security, money, clothes, a flat of her own, even, perhaps, a car. Wasn’t he enormously wealthy? Hadn’t he promised to give her a thousand a year?

It wasn’t as if he was some horrible, fat old man who would paw her about and be jealous of her. He was marvellous. Even before he had made his suggestion she had been attracted to him.

She had to admit he was a little disappointing and undemonstrative. He scarcely spoke to her at breakfast the following morning. When Gerridge had left the room to collect some papers, he did say abruptly, ‘You’re not worrying, are you?’

‘Oh no... not now,’ she said and smiled at him, but there was no answering smile. The face, partly hidden by the black-lensed glasses was inscrutable.

‘It’ll be all right,’ he said. ‘I wanted to know you hadn’t changed your mind,’ and he went from the room.

But if his attitude was disappointing there were plenty of nice things to think about. ‘I wonder where I shall live. He might find me a flat in Mayfair. It’s marvellous how everything has turned out. Only seven months ago I was working in a tuppenny library, and now I’m to have a place of my own and a thousand a year!’

Blanche’s bell shattered this day-dreaming.

‘Well, it won’t be much longer now,’ Julie thought as she went along the passage to Blanche’s room. ‘Then I’ll have a maid to wait on me.’

Blanche was in a poisonous mood. Julie could see that the moment she entered the room.

‘Get my bath,’ Blanche said curtly, ‘and don’t crash about the room like an elephant. I’ve a splitting headache.’

Julie didn’t say anything. She went into the bathroom and ran the water. Returning to the bedroom, she found Blanche out of bed and pacing the floor.

‘You’re to leave at the end of the week,’ Blanche snapped. ‘I don’t want any arguments. You’re to go.’

Julie could have laughed. As if she wanted to stay when a new life was waiting for her.

‘Yes, madam,’ she said, so cheerfully that Blanche stared at her in furious astonishment.

‘And if you try to make mischief you’ll be sorry for it,’ Blanche said. ‘Get out of my sight!’

Some time later, Julie heard Blanche go out and she heaved a sigh of relief. She now had the place to herself, and deciding she wouldn’t do any more housework she went into the lounge, settled herself in a comfortable arm-chair, and read the newspaper.

‘In a little while,’ she told herself, ‘this is going to be my usual routine. I shan’t have anything to do except enjoy myself. I may as well get used to it now.’

She lit a cigarette, put her feet up on another chair and made herself comfortable.

But after a while she became restless, and finally decidedly bored. She tried to interest herself in a novel she found on the occasional table near-by, but it didn’t hold her for long. She put on the wireless, but the boisterous strains of a military band soon irritated her and she turned it off.

She felt lonely. The flat depressed her, and she began to wonder if the new life Wesley was offering her would be such fun after all.

‘It’ll be different when I have a place of my own,’ she thought, trying to reassure herself. ‘I can spend hours trying on clothes and making myself look nice. Then there’ll be the shops to look at, and, of course, I needn’t get up until late.’

But she knew at the back of her mind that there was nothing worth looking at in the shops, and she never really cared for lying in bed once she was properly awake.

By lunch-time she was thoroughly depressed, and for the sake of something to do she settled down to clean the silver.

It was extraordinary then how quickly the time passed, and she was irritated.

‘I shouldn’t be doing this,’ she told herself. ‘I’ve got to get out of this slavish habit of working to pass the time. It’s ridiculous.’

Blanche returned a few minutes after five o’clock and sat in the lounge with the novel that Julie had tried to read. Hearing restless movements, Julie guessed Blanche was as bored with herself as Julie had been with herself. The novel apparently didn’t hold her either.

‘Perhaps I’d be happier in a job,’ Julie told herself. Then, realizing that this was against all her principles, she went on: ‘That’s ridiculous, of course. I don’t want a job. That’s what I’m trying to escape from. It’s money really. If I had money I could pass the time all right. I could go to the cinema every afternoon. There’d be dances and a musical show now and then. It’s being stuck in this flat without money that bores me. I wonder where she’s been today?’

The sound of an orchestra came floating out of the lounge and then Blanche’s impatient, ‘Oh, damn the thing and the wireless was turned off.’

Blanche’s obvious boredom thoroughly depressed Julie.

‘If she doesn’t know what to do with herself with all her money,’ she thought, ‘will it be the same for me? The trouble is there isn’t any fun these days. Howard was right. We do have to find a new standard of life.’

She wished Wesley would return. If she could get him alone for a few minutes he might give her some proof that he was fond of her. She felt that at least would be some consolation for a depressing day. She did hope he wasn’t going to continue to be so impersonal. He had been so cold-blooded about the whole business. Then there was this extraordinary secrecy about his sight. Why was he pretending that he was blind? She didn’t believe that it had to do with his work. She had an uneasy feeling that there was something a little sinister about his pretended blindness and it worried her.

She became aware that Blanche was speaking on the telephone, and because she felt uneasy she went to the door and listened.

Blanche was speaking to Benton.

‘I can’t to-morrow night, darling,’ she was saying in her clear, querulous voice. ‘No, I have to go with Howard to that ghastly dinner at the Everitt’s. And I’m so bored I could scream.’ She paused, then went on: ‘Absolutely nothing. I went to the cinema this afternoon. No, rotten, but I just didn’t know what to do with myself. It’s all very well for you. You have your dreary old factory. Now look, Hugh, can’t you raise some money? I’m getting sick of this life. I’d get a divorce if you’d only put your beastly money affairs in order. Well, do something. You don’t expect me to go on like this much longer. You don’t want to live on my money, do you? I think I’m being very reasonable. It’s not as if I’m asking you to keep me; only yourself, darling. If you could do that I’d marry you like a shot.’ There was another long pause, then she said, ‘Oh, God! I’ve been talking with the door wide open. I suppose that little slut’s been listening.’

Julie quickly closed the kitchen door.

Later she heard Wesley come in, and she hurried down the passage to greet him.

‘Julie?’ Wesley asked as she came into the lounge. He was sitting in an arm-chair, a half-smoked cigar in his fingers. He didn’t look at her and was behaving as if he were blind. This annoyed her. She felt she was entitled to more consider-ate treatment.

‘Yes,’ she said shortly and came to stand before him.

‘It’s all right,’ he said, speaking softly. ‘The police agree you should go ahead as if nothing has happened. See these people to-morrow as arranged and tell them how the safe opens.’ He took a sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. ‘Make a copy of that. It explains the whole thing. We don’t want them to become suspicious. The police are anxious to catch them taking the furs away. Try to find out when they’re going to break in. There’s nothing for you to worry about. The police won’t take action against you.’

‘I see,’ she said, and waited hopefully. She wasn’t interested in the robbery. She was only interested in their future relations together. Why couldn’t he talk about that?

‘You’re not frightened?’ he asked sharply, mistaking her silence for hesitation. ‘You can go through with it?’

‘Oh yes, of course I can,’ she said, then blurted out, ‘I... I’ve been thinking about what you said last night — about you and me.’

He got quickly to his feet.

‘Not now, Julie. Let’s get this business over first. And don’t say anything to Mrs. Wesley about the burglary. She is not to know. Do you understand?’

‘Oh, damn the burglary,’ Julie thought angrily, said: ‘I won’t tell her.’

‘That’s right. It would be better too if we weren’t found talking together. It won’t be for long, Julie.’

‘Mrs. Wesley has told me to leave at the end of the week,’ she said. ‘Will something be done before then?’

‘If you could suggest Friday to Gleb for the night it would fit in well,’ Wesley said. ‘I’ll arrange for us to be out that night.’

‘Can’t he think of anything else but this damned burglary?’ Julie thought. ‘He’s not thinking of me at all.’

‘I’ll tell them,’ she said. ‘But what will happen to me? I’ll need somewhere to go when I leave here.’

He made an impatient little movement with his hand. ‘That’ll be all right, Julie. I’ll see to that. I think you’d better run along now,’ and he smiled.

‘But there’s not much time,’ Julie persisted. If he wasn’t going to be more practical, she would have to force him to make plans. ‘You said I was to have a flat.’

‘Of course,’ he said, and she sensed that he was controlling his patience with an effort. ‘Of course you’re to have a flat. We’ll have to see about that, won’t we?’ He thought for a moment, his hands clenching and unclenching. ‘You have an afternoon off on Thursday? We’ll meet somewhere and see what we can arrange. Now run along, Julie. I have things to do before I go out again.’

It was unsatisfactory, but there was nothing else she could do. At least she had forced him — unwillingly, she could see that — to consider her for a moment. Well, she’d keep him up to it.

‘All right, Howard...’ she caught her breath, flushed. ‘II may call you Howard, I suppose?’

He had stiffened, and his black-lensed glasses were directed at her.

‘Call me what you like,’ he said, and there was a harsh note in his voice. ‘Run along, Julie.’

She turned at the door and looked at him.

He was motionless, his hands thrust into his trousers pockets, the light from the reading-lamp reflected in the black lenses of his glasses. There was a curious tenseness in his attitude, like a man who hears the whistle of a falling bomb and waits for the explosion.

III

Wednesday.

The morning had seemed interminable and Blanche had been particularly trying. She didn’t wish to go with Wesley to the dinner that night and vented her temper on Julie.

Blanche’s spite and tantrums and the thought that before long she would have to face Mrs. French made Julie jumpy, and she had a cold, sick feeling that remained with her all day.

It was a relief when Blanche left the flat for lunch. And as Julie was trying to settle down with the newspaper the telephone bell rang.

It was Harry.

‘Julie? I’ve been trying to get you since Sunday. What’s happened, kid? Every time I’ve rung that Wesley woman answered. I’ve been worried out of my mind, thinking about you. What did Theo do to you?’

Julie felt a wave of fury run through her.

‘I don’t want to talk to you, you coward!’ she cried angrily. ‘You let that little swine knock me about, and you’ve done nothing about it. I hate you! I never want to see you again!’ and she slammed down the receiver.

A moment or so later the bell began to ring again, but she didn’t answer, and after a while it stopped ringing.

She was through with Harry. All right, she had loved him a little when they had first met. But now she had Howard, she wouldn’t look at Harry.

She was startled to hear the front door bell ring, and wondered if Harry had come up to see her; or perhaps it was Theo. The bell rang again before she screwed up enough courage to answer the door. But it wasn’t Theo; it was Detective Inspector Dawson.

‘Afternoon,’ Dawson said gruffly and tipped his hat. ‘I want a word with you.’

Julie turned red and then white. He was the last person she expected to see. She stood aside and he entered the hall.

‘Bit of a change after the Bridge Café, isn’t it?’ he said, looking round. ‘Gone up in the world, haven’t you?’

‘Yes,’ she said in a small voice.

‘Saw her Ladyship go out just now. She won’t be back for a bit, will she?’

‘No.’

‘That’s all right then. Let’s go somewhere where we can talk.’

She took him into the lounge and again he looked round, nodding his bullet-shaped head.

‘Very nice. No utility stuff here. Well, well, we can’t all be so fortunate. You’d better sit down.’

Julie sat down. She was glad to. Her legs felt weak.

‘Mr. Wesley doesn’t want his wife to know about this business. Thinks she’ll be nervous. Shouldn’t have thought she was the nervous type from the look of her. Is she?’

‘No,’ Julie said. She was suddenly aware that she was twisting and untwisting her fingers, and hurriedly folded her hands in her lap.

‘Funny things — husbands,’ Dawson said shaking his head. ‘Or does he think she’ll take it out of you?’

Julie stared. What was he getting at?

‘I... I don’t know what you mean.’

His cold blue eyes studied her face.

‘Never mind,’ he said a little abruptly. ‘Now let’s have the story. Mr. Wesley told us more or less about you, but I thought I’d like to have it direct. Got friendly with Harry Gleb all of a sudden, haven’t you? The last time I asked you about him you didn’t know him.’

Julie again changed colour.

‘I... I only got to know him — after you—’ she stopped.

‘Did you? All right, we’ll let that go. It doesn’t matter. I warned you to be careful of him, didn’t I? You showed some good sense in telling Wesley. We’d’ve got them sooner or later and we’d’ve got you too.’

Julie didn’t say anything. She was badly scared, realizing the escape she had had.

‘Well, let’s start from the time you became friendly with Gleb,’ Dawson went on. ‘Go on from there. I want all the facts. Don’t keep anything back.’

It was one thing to tell Wesley but quite something else to talk to the police. Julie hadn’t worked at the Bridge Café for over six months for nothing. She knew what happened to squealers.

‘It doesn’t pay to talk,’ Hewart had warned her. ‘... they found her in a back alley...’

But it was too late now. She would have to go through with it, and reluctantly she told Dawson what she had already told Wesley.

It wasn’t easy. Dawson watched her the whole time. He didn’t interrupt, but his eyes were coldly unsympathetic, and she felt he was making mental notes and would check up every detail of her story.

When she came to Theo, he thawed a little.

‘Now he is a nice lad,’ he said, with a wintry smile. ‘We’ll have to keep our eye on him. He got six months for bashing a girl a couple of years ago, and we nearly nabbed him for a vitriol job last summer, only his alibi was too good and the fool girl hadn’t the pluck to pick him in the parade. Yes, we’ll have to watch out for Theo — you watch out, too.’

Julie shivered.

‘We’ve had our eye on Ma French, too,’ Dawson went on. ‘She’s no fool either. That’s a smart idea to run a domestic agency. It gives her an in to a lot of rich folks’ houses. But this is the first time she’s used a plant. You watch her and see you don’t slip up. One mistake and she’ll smell a rat. You’re seeing them to-night?’

Julie nodded.

‘All right. I’ll have a man outside her place. If there’s any trouble throw something through the window: your bag or something,’ Dawson said. ‘You’re playing with fire, young lady. I don’t want to frighten you, but if that mob thought you were selling them out they’d be very nasty.’

‘I know,’ Julie said.

‘We don’t want any mistakes. If we can catch ’em carrying the furs out it’ll make a nice clean job of it. Let’s have a look at the safe. You can have a dress rehearsal just to make sure you can open it. You can bet your last penny they’ll want you to be there when they crack the job.’

Julie took him into Blanche’s bedroom.

‘Wouldn’t Mrs. Dawson be tickled to have a room like this,’ Dawson said, looking round. ‘How does Wesley get on with his wife?’ The question was shot at Julie and she became aware that Dawson was watching her closely.

‘He’s getting at something,’ she thought. ‘I’ll have to be careful.’

‘All right, I suppose,’ she said. ‘Perhaps you’d better ask him.’

Dawson stroked his long nose.

‘Shouldn’t think he’d tell me,’ he said with a dry smile. ‘He didn’t strike me as a friendly individual. Where’s the safe?’

Julie showed him.

‘Let’s see you open it. Don’t forget to turn off the alarms. I don’t want my people coming over here for nothing.’

Julie found the switch behind the head of the bed and turned it off. She went into the bathroom and turned off both switches on the wall. It took her a minute or so to find the square in the quilted wall that hid the dial and pointer. She set the pointer to number three, pressed the catch and opened the first door.

‘That’s pretty good,’ Dawson said. ‘What happens next?’

Julie opened the steel door by pressing the switch, turned off the light that fell on the photo-electric cell and stood back.

‘That’s how it’s done,’ she said, rather pleased with herself.

Dawson eyed the furs and whistled.

‘A beautiful haul,’ he said. ‘All right. That’s smooth enough. Close up.’

Julie shut the safe, turned on the alarms and followed him back to the lounge.

‘We want to find out when they’ll make the raid,’ Dawson told her. ‘If you’re careful there’ll be nothing to worry about. But keep your eye on Theo. Gleb’s a smooth, smart alec, but Theo’s dangerous.’

‘I know,’ Julie said.

Dawson eyed her thoughtfully.

‘And when this little party’s over, what are you going to do? Get into more trouble?’

Julie stiffened.

‘I’m not,’ she said coldly.

‘That’s good.’ The blue eyes were searching. ‘Is Mr. Wesley going to do something for you? He seems interested in you.’

‘I have no idea. I don’t have to worry. I can always find myself a job.’

‘Well, that’s something, isn’t it? You haven’t done so well up to now, but perhaps you’ve learned sense. Let’s hope so. You might not have a rich gentleman to champion you next time, young lady, so watch your step.’

He opened the front door and went off down the passage.

IV

‘She should be here in a minute,’ Mrs. French said, with an impatient glance at the clock. ‘Theo’s watching her. I don’t think there’ll be trouble.’

Harry Gleb picked his teeth with a pin. There was a worried look in his eyes although he took pains to appear at ease.

‘I don’t like Theo,’ he said. ‘One of these days you’ll be sorry you took him on.’

Mrs. French gave an impatient grunt.

‘What’s the matter with him? You’re always on about him. I’m sick and tired of hearing you grouse.’

Harry eyed her, put the pin back in his coat lapel, sat forward.

‘He’s unreliable,’ he said, tapping the desk with a manicured nail. ‘He’s dangerous. He’s like a rat: corner him and he’ll bite.’

‘He’s too smart to be cornered.’

Harry laughed.

‘Theo — smart? Don’t make me laugh. His brain is fossilized. All he thinks about is bashing his way out of trouble. One of these days he’s going to do murder, and I don’t want to be with him when he does it.’

‘You talk like an old woman,’ Mrs. French said coldly. ‘Theo’s all right.’

‘A bloke who throws vitriol is never all right,’ Harry said. ‘He did six months for bashing a girl, didn’t he? The cops have his finger-prints. If he makes one slip he’s had it; and if the cops sweat him he’ll squeal. Then what will you and me do?’

‘I’m not worrying about him; I’m worrying about that Holland girl. She’ll squeal if we don’t watch her.’

Harry rubbed his face, frowned.

‘I’m getting out of this game after this job, Ma,’ he said. ‘It’s getting too hot. I think I’ll slip over to the States and have a look round. Let things cool off here.’

‘What’s the matter with you?’ Mrs. French asked sharply. ‘Getting cold feet or something?’

‘Shouldn’t be surprised,’ Harry said frankly. ‘I’ve had a good run. I’ve got a bit salted away and this job isn’t going to be for peanuts. Might as well enjoy myself while I can.’

‘You haven’t done the job yet,’ Mrs. French reminded him. The office door pushed open and Dana came in.

‘Hasn’t she come?’ she asked, running her slim fingers through Harry’s hair. ‘Hello, Harry, remember me?’

He jerked his head away irritably.

‘Cut it out,’ he said, took out a comb and tidied his hair.

She looked at him, glanced over at her mother who pursed her lips.

‘Harry’s quitting after this job,’ Mrs. French said. ‘Wants to go to America.’

‘So do I,’ Dana said. ‘We’ll go together, won’t we Harry?’

He gave her a shifty look, smiled.

‘It might be an idea,’ he said, without conviction. ‘But I haven’t made up my mind yet.’

A timid tap sounded on the outer door.

‘That’s her,’ Dana said, her lips tightening. ‘I’ll go.’

She found Julie waiting in the dark passage.

‘Come in,’ Dana said. ‘You’re late, aren’t you?’

‘Am I?’ Julie said curtly, ‘I don’t know.’ Her heart was hammering and her throat was dry, but she had control of herself and apart from a steadily beating vein in her temple she looked calm and at ease.

‘Hello, Jane,’ said a sneering voice behind her, and she flinched, looked quickly over her shoulder.

Theo materialized out of the darkness.

‘Been trailing you all the evening, just in case you changed your mind,’ he said. His bad, stale breath fanned her face, and she shuddered.

‘Come in,’ Dana said sharply. She disliked Theo, and wished her mother didn’t employ him.

She led the way into the inner office. Theo trod on Julie’s heels as he followed her.

‘I bet you’ve been dreaming of me, Jane,’ he said, grinning. ‘Nice little nightmares that made you sweat.’

Harry kicked back his chair and stood up.

‘Shut your trap, you half-grown monkey,’ he said. ‘Who told you to talk?’

Theo eyed him evilly, slouched to a chair and sat down.

‘You’d better tell this bloke to lay off me,’ he said to Mrs. French. ‘I’m getting tired of him.’

‘Hello, Julie,’ Harry said with a nervous smile. ‘Come and sit down near me.’

Julie gave him a look of contempt and turned her back on him.

Theo sniggered.

‘That’s pretty good. Give her a kick in the tail,’ he said.

‘Shut up, both of you,’ Mrs. French snapped. ‘Here, you,’ this to Julie. ‘Sit down. Have you found out how the safe opens?’

Julie faced her.

‘Yes,’ she said.

‘Pity,’ Theo said. ‘I was looking forward to do you, Jane.’

Harry made a move to get up again, but Mrs. French waved impatiently at him.

‘All right, sit down and tell us,’ Mrs. French said.

Julie pulled up a chair away from Harry and sat down.

‘I took notes. You’d better read them,’ she said.

Theo leaned forward.

‘They’d better be all right,’ he said. ‘You try any tricks, Jane, and you’ll be sorry.’

Julie recoiled before his vicious scowl.

Harry hit Theo across his mouth with the back of his hand. Theo and his chair went over backwards. For a second or so he lay sprawled on the floor, stunned. Then he began to swear, his face vicious with rage. His hand went to his hip pocket and he dragged out a small automatic pistol. But Harry was ready for that. He kicked the gun out of Theo’s hand, picked it up and put it on the table.

‘I warned you,’ he said, glaring down at Theo. ‘When I say shut up, I mean shut up. And don’t try to pull a gun on me again, you cheap little gangster.’

Theo got slowly to his feet. There was a look in his eyes that frightened Julie. He touched his nose and mouth with the back of his hand, then slouched over to the settee under the window and stretched out on it. His silence was more chilling than a display of temper.

Mrs. French glanced at him, picked up the gun and put it in her bag.

‘How many times have I to tell you not to carry guns?’ she demanded. Her bright eyes revealed her rage. ‘Are you carrying a gun, Harry?’

‘Not likely,’ Harry said, still glaring at Theo. ‘I’m not a kid like wet-ears over there. I’ve never carried a gun and I never will. I’m not soft in the head.’

Mrs. French grunted.

‘I’ll talk to you later,’ she said to Theo.

Theo pursed his lips but said nothing. He stared up at the ceiling, hate in his eyes.

Julie watched all this with fascinated horror. The sight of the gun had turned her cold.

‘All right,’ Mrs. French said. ‘Let’s get down to business. Where’s this paper of yours?’

Julie produced a sheet of paper covered with her neat writing and put it on the desk.

Mrs. French read it through and Harry stood behind her, reading over her shoulder.

‘Two alarms,’ Harry said, and whistled. ‘They’re not taking any chances. I said I thought it was a photo-electric cell. This is fine; just what we want.’

Mrs. French looked searchingly at Julie.

‘And you’re sure you can open it?’

Julie nodded.

‘How did you find out all this?’

‘Mrs. Wesley gave a demonstration to a friend of hers. I was hiding in the room,’ Julie said.

‘Good for you,’ Harry said and smiled at her, but she looked away. She knew he was trying to be friendly, but she hated him and there was nothing he could do now that would change her feelings towards him.

‘All right,’ Mrs. French said, and laid down the paper. ‘Now we can make a start. Today’s Wednesday. I’ll be ready by the week-end. What are they doing on Saturday? Do you know?’

‘I’m leaving on Saturday,’ Julie said. ‘Mrs. Wesley has given me notice.’

They all looked at her; even Theo raised his head and stared with intent concentration at her.

‘Why?’ Mrs. French demanded.

‘She doesn’t like me,’ Julie said. ‘It wasn’t any particular thing I did.’

‘You’ve got to be there when we do the job,’ Mrs. French said. ‘You’re in this up to the neck. Friday, then.’

‘Why can’t you leave me alone?’ Julie said, thinking it would be wiser to put on a show of reluctance. ‘I’ve told you how the safe opens. I won’t do any more.’

‘You’ll do what I tell you. You can’t get out of it now, so you may as well make the best of it. We’ll take care of you. Harry will tie you up before he leaves. So long as you keep your head they can’t pin anything on you. You’ll get your share. It’ll be worth five hundred to you. When the police question you, tell them three men came to the front door, grabbed you and tied you up. You didn’t get a chance to see what they looked like, except they wore dark overcoats and slouch hats. Make up your own description. You’re no fool, and stick to your story. Do you understand?’

‘Yes,’ Julie said sullenly.

‘All right.’ Mrs. French turned her attention to Harry. ‘Your job is to work with Julie, take the furs and put them in the service lift. Theo will be in the basement to receive them. There’s room for a car in the back alley. It’s only a step from the basement to the alley. As soon as you’ve sent the furs down, take the jewellery, tie Julie up and take the staff lift to the ground floor. We can go into the details about the exact time later.’ She shot Julie a hard look. ‘Think the Wesleys will be out on Friday?’

‘I know they will,’ Julie said. ‘I heard them talking. They’re going to dinner and a theatre.’

‘All right,’ Mrs. French said, looked across at Harry. ‘It’s fixed for Friday at eight o’clock.’

Harry nodded.

‘Suits me,’ he said, but there was a lurking uneasiness in his eyes.

‘Any questions?’ Mrs. French asked.

‘I don’t like leaving Julie in the flat when the job’s done,’ Harry said. ‘You know what the police are. They’ll smell it’s an inside job. Think she’ll stand up to them?’

‘If she keeps her head it’ll be all right,’ Mrs. French said shortly. ‘There’s no other way.’

‘But if she doesn’t?’ Harry persisted. ‘Suppose she loses her nerve and talks. That’ll let us out.’

Theo suddenly sat up.

‘She won’t lose her nerve,’ he said. ‘That’s the last thing she’ll lose,’ and he began to laugh. The high-pitched, cracked laugh was vicious and degenerate.

‘Shut up, you fool!’ Mrs. French shouted, thumping the table.

Theo stopped laughing and looked across at Julie.

‘What’s so funny?’ Harry demanded, glaring at him.

‘You’ll see,’ Theo returned, looked again at Julie.

‘Shut up,’ Mrs. French repeated, turned to Harry. ‘Don’t pay any attention to him. He’s stupid to-night. We’ll have to take a chance on Julie keeping her head. We can’t take her with us. They’ll find us through her if we do.’

Harry got to his feet.

‘All right,’ he said, but he wasn’t happy. ‘How do you feel about this, Julie? Think you can go through with it?’

‘You don’t have to worry about me all of a sudden,’ Julie snapped. ‘You were quick enough to drag me into this. Why the sudden concern?’

‘If that’s how you feel,’ he said, flushing. He turned away. ‘Anything else?’

‘There are other details but we can fix them up between now and Friday. The main thing’s settled,’ Mrs. French said. ‘Friday at eight o’clock.’

‘I’ll be running along then,’ Harry said, and moved to the door.

‘I’ll come with you,’ Dana said, pushing back her chair.

‘I’ve got to see a man,’ Harry said, shaking his head. ‘Sorry. Good night all,’ and he went out.

Julie felt a little thrill of delight that Harry should have snubbed Dana like this. Not that she cared, she told herself, she was through with a cheap crook like Harry. But it was nice to see Dana put in her place.

She got up.

‘I can go now, I suppose?’

Mrs. French nodded.

‘And Julie, watch your step. If you try anything smart you’ll be sorry. Theo’s watching you.’

Julie went out of the room without a glance at either Dana or Theo. Her heart was pounding, but she was triumphant. She had found out when they were going to attempt the robbery. Now there was nothing else for her to do but to wait. The responsibility had shifted from her to the police.

She walked quickly along the deserted street, crossed New Bond Street and made her way towards Berkeley Square.

Suddenly she became aware of footsteps behind her and she looked hastily round.

Harry came out of the shadows, took her elbow and moved along at her side. She tried to shake him off, but he retained his grip.

‘Now don’t be mad with me, kid,’ he said. ‘It wasn’t my fault. I know that rat Theo had a go at you, but I found out too late to stop him.’

She wrenched her arm free, faced him.

‘Get away from me!’ she said furiously. ‘I don’t want to have anything more to do with you.’

He shuffled his feet uncomfortably.

‘Don’t go on like that, Julie,’ he said. ‘I’ve been thinking about you. Look, kid, let’s get this job over and then let’s go to the States. I’m sick of this life. I’ve been thinking a lot recently. Why shouldn’t you and me hook up? Come on, give me a smile, and say you’ll come with me.’

She eyed him up and down and nearly laughed. The idea of her marrying this cheap spiv, she thought, when she was going to have a West End flat and a thousand a year of her own! She wouldn’t marry him now if he were the last man on earth.

‘Get away from me!’ she repeated. ‘I hate you. You’re nothing but a cheap crook,’ and she turned on her heel and I walked quickly down the street.

He came after her and jerked her round.

‘What’s the matter, Julie? You love me, don’t you? We mean something to each other. I’m sorry, kid. I know I’ve got you into this mess, but I’ll make up for it.’

‘Leave me alone! How many more times have I to tell you I never want to see you again?’

He stared at her, refusing to believe her.

‘Don’t you want to go to the States?’ he asked persuasively. ‘I’ll give you all the fun in the world. Come on, kid, give me a kiss and let’s make it up.’

He reached for her, and stung to anger by his supreme confidence in himself, Julie slapped his face.

‘And now leave me alone!’ she cried, and turning, she ran down the dark street.

Harry stood still, his hand to his face, a blank, hurt look in his eyes. No woman had ever treated him like this before. It was a shock to him; a shock to his pride. He drew in a deep breath. Well, he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He would do everything in his power to win her back. No other woman he had known had been able to resist him; Julie wasn’t going to be the exception. He loved her. When the job was over, and she was away from that flat, she’d be more reason-able, he told himself. It was living in luxurious surroundings that had gone to her head. She’d be all right when she had a place of her own again. She’d want to go to the States with him after a week or so of that.

He shoved his hands deep into his coat pockets and walked quickly away into the darkness.

Theo, who had been watching all this from a shop doorway, leaned forward and spat in the gutter.