We'll Share A Double Funeral

Chapter 11

Hollis switched on his radio.

“Sheriff?”

“Listening.”

“A bit of a mess. I suspect my cover is blown.” Hollis went on to explain about the dog. This punk is sure to guess I’m up this tree,” Hollis concluded.

“Oh, hell! I’d better tell Jenner, Hank.”

“As soon as it gets dark, I’ll move to another tree. I’m sorry about this. This punk won’t show his face before it’s dark, and maybe not even then.”

“Look, Hank, it won’t be completely dark. I’ve checked, and there’ll be a moon tonight.”

“That’s something, anyway. He has only to show himself and I’ll nail him. I’ll keep in touch.”

“You’re sure you don’t want me to come down there?”

Hollis forced a laugh. “I’ve been in much worse spots in the army, Sheriff. I can handle it.”

He switched off, eased his aching back against the tree trunk and lifted his rifle. Already the sun was sinking. In another half hour it would be dark. There was a glow on the river. Lights had come on behind the curtains of the lodge. He wondered what was happening behind those walls. Leaning forward, he inspected a nearby tree. It would be easy to climb, but the sighting from up there wouldn’t be as good as from the one he was in.

He’d wait, he thought. If Logan suspected he was in the tree, there was a chance he would come out to try to shoot him.

Hollis fondled his rifle.

The moment the sound of the barking dog came to Perry and Brown, Brown, moving with the speed of a striking snake, was on his feet, gun in hand and at the window.

The speed of his movement stunned Perry. It seemed incredible that any man could move that quickly. He remained in his chair, watching, as Brown gently parted the curtains and stared out.

Perry listened to the savage barking of the dog. He was sure the dog had spotted the cop up in the tree. Now, what was going to happen?

There was a long pause. Then Perry heard a man’s voice call to the dog. For some seconds, the dog continued to bark, then the man called again, and the dog ceased to bark.

Perry looked at Brown’s thick, muscular back, at his blond hair and his evil crouch. His mind became active. He had to help this cop, hidden in the tree.

“Don’t get excited, Jim,” he said, forcing himself to sound casual. “This happens all the time.” Brown pushed the curtains together and looked around, staring at Perry.

His expression was so vicious, Perry felt a qualm.

“What do you mean?” Brown snarled. “That dog spotted a cop hidden in that tree. You think I’m a fucking idiot?”

“That dog spotted an opossum. They are always up those trees.”

“A what?”

“Opossum. An animal. Dogs hate them,” Perry lied, forcing a casual note into his voice. He searched for a cigarette, then lit it. “You have cops on the brain. I well remember, last time I was here, I saw a number of these animals, tree climbing.” Watching, he saw Brown was relaxing. “They are like big rats. They feed on fish and eggs. You’ve heard of opossums, haven’t you?”

“Yeah.” Brown moved away from the window. He now seemed totally relaxed as he shoved the gun back into its holster, but the evil grin and the uneasy darting of his eyes remained. “So you don’t think there is a cop, that tough looking Deputy up there in the tree?”

“I told you, Jim,” Perry said quietly, “I saw him less than two hours ago in Rockville. For God’s sake! Relax!”

Still Brown stared at him. “You could have driven him here, couldn’t you? You could have left him in the goddam forest to climb that tree, couldn’t you? You could be lying, couldn’t you?”

Perry tipped ash off his cigarette into an ashtray. He was surprised how steady his hand was.

“This is like a scene out of one of my movies,” he said. “Of course I could be lying to you, Jim. I understand your suspicions. Frankly, it’s great background for my movie.”

“Fuck your moviel’ Brown snarled. “Are you lying to me?”

Here, Perry felt he was on safe ground so he was able to say with confidence, “No, Jim, I’m not lying to you. I did not bring the Deputy here. I didn’t meet him.”

Brown continued to stare at him. “An opossum, huh?”

“That’s right. Now, Jim, can I go talk to my wife?” The light in the room was darkening, now the sun had set. Neither of the men could see each other clearly. Perry switched on a table lamp.

“Okay,” Brown said. “No tricks, Perry. I like you. You’re straight with me. I’ll tell you something. Ever since I was in this goddam world, no one but you has been straight with me. That’s great, isn’t it? No one. Even my pa wasn’t straight with me. My mother wished I’d never been born. My Cobra pals secretly hated me, but you...” He suddenly smiled. It wasn’t the evil grin Perry was now used to. It was a broad, almost innocent smile that made Perry feel ashamed of himself. “So, okay, go talk to your wife. I’ll get supper. Grilled prawns, okay?”

Perry heaved himself out of his chair. “Fine.” He started for the door, then paused. “You intend to leave tonight, Jim?”

“That’s it. When it gets dark, I’ll take off.” Brown said. “I guess I’ll head for Jacksonville, then get lost. It’s easy to get lost with ten grand. I’ve got lost on nothing, but this one will be dead easy.”

“I wish you luck,” Perry said, wondering if he meant this.

“I don’t want anyone’s luck... only my own,” Brown said. “Go talk to your wife. If anyone wants luck, you do,” and he went into the kitchen and closed the door.

As Perry walked into the big bedroom, Sheila spun around and ran to him.

“Oh, darling!” She flung her arms around him in a hugging embrace.

Perry fondled her, feeling the tenseness of her back muscles.

“Are you all right?” She pushed away from him, and they looked at each other. It startled him to see her hard, set expression and the stormy look in her eyes.

“All right? Yes, if you mean I had no trouble with that ape. What’s happening?”

He closed the door. “But there’s something bothering you?”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake! I’ve been waiting for you for hours! Don’t you call that something?”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been getting information. I’ve things to tell you.” Lowering his voice, Perry went on, “He’s leaving soon after dark.”

“Leaving?”

“Yes. He’s just told me. He’s using the jeep and driving to Jacksonville.” Sheila stiffened. This overpowering urge to kill Brown dominated her thoughts.

You are, to me, like the mess a dog leaves on the sidewalk.

Those words continued to burn in her mind. If this brute got away, she could imagine him telling his friends what he had said to her. She could imagine their brutal, filthy laughter.

Seeing Perry was looking uneasily at her, she nodded.

“Well, that’s something, isn’t it?”

“It will mean we will be out of this nightmare.” He forced a smile. “We can return to square one. Please, try to relax. This time tomorrow, we can begin our lives together again.”

“You talk the most utter drivel,” she snapped. “Do you imagine our lives, after this, can go on as before?”

“I don’t see why not. I love you, Sheila. We could make a new start.”

She stared at him. “Use that corny dialogue for your next movie!”

“Sheila!”

She made an effort to control herself. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m fed up. We can talk about our lives when that stinking ape has gone.” She looked at him, her eyes calculating. “You forgot my handbag, Perry. I need it. It’s in the map pocket on the driver’s side. Will you get it?”

“I’m damn sure Brown won’t let me go out there, Sheila. Your handbag has to wait.”

“Well, try. I need my handbag.”

“Why?

Her control slipped and, before she could stop herself, she blurted out with vicious fury, “Because I’m going to kill that bastard! There’s a gun in my handbag!”

Immediately she had said this she regretted it. Why couldn’t she have kept control of herself? Looking at his expression, she knew Perry was more than shocked. Then quietly, in that infuriating gentle voice he always used when she was in a difficult mood, he said, “Now, Sheila. Come on. You know you haven’t a gun.”

That voice, attempting to be soothing, sparked off her rage again. “I took it from the safe! It’s in my handbag. Go and get it!”

They were both talking in whispers.

“What are you doing with my gun?”

“You want to know?” Sheila faced him, her fists clenched, her eyes like glowing embers. “I’ll tell you. Your boss, that sonofabitch Hart, sicked a private eye on me! Do you like that? A filthy shamus who tried to blackmail me!

“Your boss, Perry! He did that to me. I had this creep in our home. He wanted ten thousand dollars. I fixed him. I got the gun from the safe and I shot at him. I scared the crap out of him. I wish now I had killed him as I intend to kill that ape!”

As Perry stood motionless, staring at her, into his mind came the words that Silas S. Hart had said to him: I know her a lot better than you do. I’ve had reports on her background and reports of what she is doing while you try to write something worth while. My people bugged the motel where she has it off.

Perry had refused to listen, although he knew it was true. He still didn’t want to accept the brutal fact that his wife was behaving like a tramp.

“All right,” he said, his voice husky. “We’ll go into all that later. This is not the time.”

“You sicken me!” Sheila exclaimed. “Go and get my handbag!”

“You either don’t understand or you won’t believe the situation we’re in,” Perry said quietly. “This man is crazy in the head. I’ve already warned you that the only way we can survive is to go along with him. If I asked his permission to get your handbag, he would want to know why. What do I tell him? You want your lipstick? He’s not only crazy, but he’s cunning. Maybe he would let me get the handbag. He would snatch it from me and find the gun. He would only need that to go over the edge. He would kill us as he killed six other people. We do nothing, Sheila. We wait. When it’s dark, he will leave.”

Then they heard Brown call from the bottom of the stairs.

“Chuck’s up! Come and get it!”

“We had better go,” Perry said. “We must not antagonize him.”

She sneered. “You go, spineless. I wouldn’t eat anything that ape has touched. You go and keep your loony pal company.” She turned and went to the window, looking out at the growing darkness.

Perry hesitated, then shrugged. He knew it was essential to keep Brown on an even keel. Maybe there would be only a few hours before he left. He walked down the stairs into the living room.

Brown, whistling tunelessly, was setting the table for three.

“Not my wife, Jim,” Perry said. “Excuse her. This has been a shock to her. She’s gone to bed.”

“Sure, I’ve always said the best place for a woman is in a bed.” Brown grinned. “So okay, all the more for us, huh?”

Perry sat at the table. At all costs, he thought, he must keep this man on an even keel. He had no appetite, but he must force himself to eat.

Brown returned with a steaming platter of rice in a curried sauce and big king-sized prawns laid on top.

“Looks good, huh?” he said, and helped himself generously, then pushed the platter towards Perry.

“I never told you, did I?” He began to eat savagely. “One time, I was a short-order cook in a greasy spoon. I was a kid then. There was this black chef. He was gay, and he took a liking to me. When I first got there, I washed dishes, then he tried the old razzmatazz. So what did I have to lose? We had a few nights together. It paid off.”

Brown munched while he stared in space. “My old man was always saying crappy things, but one thing did stick in my mind. He was always saying, ‘What you put in, you take out.’” Brown gave a barking laugh. “He wasn’t talking about gays. He meant something different.” Brown laughed again. “Well, it paid off. This fag taught me how to cook. Pretty good, huh?”

Toying with the food, Perry said, “Couldn’t be better.”

“Yeah.” Brown had finished his portion of prawns. “You ain’t eating.”

“I’m fine.” Perry made an effort and swallowed some rice.

Brown stared at him.

“You worried about something?”

“I wish to God my wife hadn’t come!” Perry said quietly. “She’s a complication, but I promise you, Jim, she won’t be a nuisance.”

Brown helped himself from the platter. “Right. I thought you might be worried about that opossum up in that tree.”

Perry felt a cold chill run through him. Had Brown seen through his lie? He forked a prawn and began to eat it.

“Opossum? Oh, that? Why should I worry about a tree animal? No, I’m worried about my wife.”

“Yeah, that’s natural.” Brown was silent, eating steadily. When he finished, he eyed the prawns and rice. “You want that, Perry?”

“No, thanks. I’ve had all I want.”

“Another of my old man’s crappy sayings was never waste a thing.” Brown shoved the remaining food onto his plate. “I bet you were never hungry. I know what real hunger is. There was a time when I hadn’t a nickel. I used to walk the streets and pick through the trash bins, that’s how hungry I was. I used to walk along the streets where the restaurants were and peer through the windows, watching rich fat slobs stuffing their guts. I remember watching a slob who ate enough to last me a week. He had the lot: soup, fish, a big steak, two shots of apple pie. I remember him well. I can see him now. I watched him take out a wallet stuffed with money. That was my first mugging. I hit him. It was a pleasure. From then on, Perry, I never starved.”

“You’ve had a rough life, Jim,” Perry said quietly, pushing aside his plate.

Brown finished his meal.

“Not any more. With ten thousand dollars, I’m going to have a ball.” He looked up and grinned at Perry. “You finished?”

“Yes, thanks. It was very good.”

“I’ll clear the dishes. I like leaving things ship shape. That’s another of my old man’s crappy sayings. Ship shape, huh?” Brown gave his barking laugh. He gathered up the dishes and went into the kitchen.

Perry stood up, lit a cigarette and went to the window. He parted the curtains and looked out — it was dark. All he could see was his own reflection in the window glass. Replacing the curtains, he walked to a lounging chair and sat down.

How much longer? he thought, listening to Brown’s tuneless whistling and to the clatter of dishes as he washed up. So far, he seemed to be keeping this man on an even keel, but the strain was beginning to tell on him. His hands were clammy, and his heart was beating unnaturally fast. Then the sound of the telephone bell startled him.

Brown appeared in the doorway, his hand on his gun. “Answer it, Perry,” he said. “Careful. No tricks.”

Perry got to his feet and lifted the receiver.

“Yes?”

“That you, Boy?” He recognized the voice of Silas S. Hart.

“Hello there, Mr Hart.”

“How’s it coming, Boy? You settled in nice? I guess you have had some tough weather your way.”

“Yes, but it’s cleared now.”

“Good. Got an idea yet?”

“I’m working on something. Early days.”

“Sure. I’m not pressing you. You’ll come up with something good. I’m relying on you. Done any fishing?”

“Not yet.”

There was a pause, then Hart went on, “Had a call from Franklin. He wanted this contract fixed.”

“There’s time. It’s okay, Mr Hart, don’t worry about the contract. I’ll sign it, but I don’t want Franklin around for the moment.”

“Sure.” Again a pause. “Your wife’s joined you.” It wasn’t a question, it was a flat statement.

“Yes.”

“That wise?”

Perry felt a surge of irritation. “That’s my affair, isn’t it, Mr Hart?”

“I sure hope it is, Boy,” Hart said, his voice cold. “Well, okay. Let me know what you’ve come up with. So long,” and he hung up.

Perry replaced the receiver.

Brown, still in the doorway, was watching him.

“Your boss?”

“Yes.”

“You know something? I wouldn’t work for anyone, now. It’s a sucker’s game.”

“Most people have to work for someone, Jim.”

“Oh, sure. Suckers! Know something? If I worked for a jerk, and he told me what to do, I’d ram his teeth down his throat.”

“Then the jerk would be lucky not to employ you, wouldn’t he?”

Brown grinned.

“You sure said something. Okay, in an hour or so, I’ll be taking off. I reckon I’ve got a good chance. Once I get to Jacksonville, I’ll get lost. No cop is going to catch me,” and he patted the gun in the holster. “With all that money, I’ll leave them standing.”

“For your sake, I hope so.”

Brown regarded Perry. “Yeah. Okay, go up and join your wife. I’m going to lock you in. When I’m ready, I’ll let you know. Come on! I’ve got things to do.”

As Perry walked from the living room and up the stairs, he hoped if he showed no resistance, if he didn’t antagonize this man, he would go without harming either Sheila or him. Brown followed him.

As Perry walked into the bedroom where Sheila was lying on the bed, her chin in her hands, staring down at the floor, Brown slammed the door, and Perry heard the key turn in the lock.