1953 - The Sucker Punch

by James Hadley Chase

  I went down to the bar, ordered a double whisky and drank it slowly.

  My hand was shaking. I was surprised the barman didn't notice the way my heart was pounding.

  No other woman had ever made me feel like this. I knew instinctively that Eve would be waiting for me at nine. The pattern was falling into place. This night was to be the beginning of our destiny together. I felt it.

  A little later I went up to Vestal's room.

  Her maid met me at the door.

  "Mrs. Winters is sleeping," she said. "She doesn't wish to be disturbed."

  "Look after her," I said. "If she wants to know, tell her I've gone for a walk."

  At ten to nine, I left the hotel and walked along the waterfront, over the Ponte della Paglia, past the Doges' Palace to the square of San Marco.

  There was a big crowd in the square, moving slowly around the arcade, looking at the brilliantly lit shops, or sitting at tables, listening to an orchestra that played outside one of the many cafes.

  I stood before the great doors of San Marco. Against the purple sky I could see the four bronze horses that stood sentinel on the roof of the basilica.

  I was one of many people standing before the building, and I looked anxiously from right to left for Eve.

  There was no sign of her, but I waited—sure she would come.

  The bronze giants on the Clock Tower were striking the bell for nine o'clock when I felt a hand touch mine.

  I turned quickly, my heart skipping a beat.

  A girl in a white evening dress, held up by a narrow strap of brilliants stood close to me: a dark-haired beauty whose blue eyes glittered as if a fire burned behind them.

  "Why, Eve...I didn't recognize you."

  I stared at her.

  Her hair was dressed so it framed her pale face and it reached nearly to her shoulders and curled inwards.

  "There's a gondola waiting," she said, and she took my arm and moved through the crowd to the waterside.

  I went with her down the steps to the cabin gondola.

  The gondolier raised his hat and bowed to us as we slipped into the dark little cabin.

  The curtains were drawn. We were suddenly in a gently moving, dark little world of our own. There were thick cushions spread on the floor and she lay down, her hands supporting her head while she looked up at me.

  I knelt beside her.

  "I've been waiting for this moment ever since I saw you swimming," I said. "It has been a long wait."

  "Don't talk now," she said, her voice husky. "Please don't talk now."

  Across the waters came the sound of the bronze giants striking the half-hour.

  The gondola bobbed gently in the ripples left by the vaporetta as it steamed from San Marco to the Lido.

  "Half past nine," Eve said, raising her head. "We haven't much longer together." She lifted one of the curtains and called something in Italian to the gondolier. "We must go back now."

  "We have the whole night before us," I said, pulled her down beside me. "We're not going back so soon. There's no need to."

  "There is. You can stay out if you want to, but I must get back. I know her so much better than you do. When she wakes, she'll ask for me, and I've got to be there. She won't sleep longer than an hour."

  "But I want to talk to you. There's so much I want to know about you.”

  She turned to look up at me.

  "We have no time to talk. We may never have time to talk. We have only time for hurried love. You don't want her to find out, do you?"

  I thought of those seventy million dollars.

  "No."

  "Nor do I. Listen, Chad, if you don't do exactly what I say, this stops, and it will never happen again. I'm not going to lose my job for a love affair. Do you understand?"

  "This is more than a love affair. I'm crazy about you."

  She touched my face with cool slender fingers.

  "Yes; and I'm crazy about you too, but I won't take risks. You must leave it to me to find another opportunity. Do you understand?"

  "Well, I found this opportunity," I said sharply. "As soon as she got that headache I thought of you. It was I who fixed the meeting."

  "Was it?" She laughed softly. "But who gave her the headache, Chad? Without the headache you couldn't have done anything."

  I stared at her; a cold, creepy sensation ran up my spine.

  "What do you mean?"

  "What I say. This isn't the first time she has had a headache. When I can bear her no longer I give her something. It's harmless; it just makes her feel sick and gives her a headache."

  "Are you sure it's harmless?" I said, not liking this at all.

  "Of course. A doctor friend of mine gave it to me. It's quite harmless— it won't kill her, if that's what you mean."

  "That's what I do mean, Eve. It's dangerous to monkey with drugs."

  "Don't you want it to happen again then?"

  I stared down into the glittering blue eyes. There was something in the set, determined face that startled me.

  "You must hate her, Eve."

  "More than anyone else in the world," she said softly. "More even than you do."

  "What has she done to you?"

  "Nothing: nothing at all. In fact she's always been as nice to me as she could be to anyone. It's just that she has everything I want, and she's not worthy of having it."

  "Then why the hell do you work for her?"

  "Why did you marry her, Chad?"

  "That's different."

  "It isn't. You married her for her money. I work for her so I can live in the shadow of her luxury." She glanced out of the cabin window. "We'll only be a few more minutes. Kiss me, Chad."

  I held her to me, my mouth on hers.

  I didn't believe this was happening to me. For the first time in my life I was in love with a woman. Eve was in my blood, like a virus, burning me up.

  "No more, darling."

  She pushed me away.

  "We've got to face facts, Chad," she went on as she tidied her hair. "We may never get another opportunity like this again. This is safe. Chad, but it won't be safe when we get back to the cruiser. You don't know her like I do. She's suspicious and jealous, and she will ferret out any secret."

  “I’ll think of something. It'll be easier when we get back to Cliffside."

  "Oh no, it won't. It will be much more difficult. She expects me to be within call every minute of the day. She'll expect you to be with her at night. It will be almost impossible for us to meet alone."

  "I’ll think of some way."

  "It’s got to be safe or it will have to stop. I mean that."

  "It’ll be safe."

  The gondola slid up against the San Marco steps.

  "Let me go first, Chad." She leaned forward and kissed me. "I love you."

  I watched her slip out of the cabin. I waited a minute or so, then I got out of the gondola, paid off the gondolier and walked slowly back to the hotel.

  I realized that by falling in love with Eve I was making my life with Vestal impossible. I didn't dare think of the future.

  At that moment as I thought of Eve's beauty and passion and her love for me mv only hope was that Vestal might die. If she died my problem was solved.

  Even then it never entered my mind to murder her.

  chapter nine

  As the weeks crawled past, I began to realize the truth of what Eve had said. It seemed impossible to find another opportunity to get her alone.

  After three days, my nerves were stretched to breaking point. On the sixth day, I decided to take action.

  While I was in the bathroom with the shower going, I telephoned Eve's room.

  Vestal was in bed. I knew the danger. She had an extension telephone on the bedside table, and she could easily listen in to our conversation.

  I didn't think she could possibly hear me above the sound of the running shower. I whispered Eve's number to the desk clerk, and while I waited, I listened intently for any telltale click to warn m
e Vestal had lifted her receiver.

  Eve's voice said, "Yes?"

  "You've got to do something for tonight," I said. "I can't go on…"

  I heard the click of Vestal's telephone. Eve must have heard it too for she quickly hung up.

  "Is that you phoning, Chad?" Vestal asked.

  I could have strangled her if I hadn't been so shaken.

  "Chad!"

  "You've cut me off," I said curtly. "I was calling Miss Dolan."

  "Why?" Her voice sharpened.

  I hung up, turned off the shower and walked into the bedroom.

  Vestal was sitting up in bed, her pinched face suspicious.

  "Why were you calling Eve?"

  I managed a stiff smile. It couldn't have looked very convincing. It felt terrible.

  "I was arranging a surprise for you," I said, and came over to sit on the foot of the bed. "Why must you be so inquisitive?"

  "A surprise? Why did Eve hang up so quickly?"

  "She didn't. You cut us off."

  "It sounded as if she hung up."

  "For the love of Mike, don't get worked up about it! I thought you'd like a swim at the Lido this morning. I was about to ask Miss Dolan to get a motorboat for us."

  She gave me an odd, doubting stare.

  "I would rather I gave orders to Eve, Chad, if you please. If there is anything you want, let me know and I'll see Eve does it."

  "Just as you like," I said, trying to sound casual. I got to my feet. "I'll finish shaving."

  I returned to the bathroom and shut myself in. I sat on the edge of the bath and lit a cigarette. I was shaking with rage. Had Eve heard my message? Would she do something? I had to see her again.

  She did do something.

  Just after dinner, Vestal was taken ill. She complained of a headache, and a little later, she became violently sick.

  "You'd better get to bed right away," I said. "You sat in the sun too long this morning. I told you it was too hot, but you wouldn't listen."

  "Tell Eve to come to me," Vestal said, sitting on the bed, holding her head in her hands. "Don't bother about me, Chad. Go out and enjoy yourself. Just tell Eve to come to me at once."

  I found Eve in her room.

  "Thank God you did it!"

  I went to her and took her in my arms. We strained against each other, my mouth crushed against hers.

  Then Eve pushed me away.

  "We mustn't."

  "She's been sick and she wants you."

  "I'll give her a couple of Veganin, and as soon as she's asleep I'll meet you at San Marco. Get a cabin gondola, Chad."

  "I thought I was going out of my mind, waiting. If you hadn't done something…"

  "You mustn't talk like that," she said sharply. "I warned you. This could happen again and again."

  "I can't live without you, Eve!"

  She pushed past me to the door.

  "I must go to her."

  "Get her to sleep quickly."

  "I will."

  She went along the corridor to Vestal's room.

  I waited half an hour in the lounge, then went out to the gondola station.

  The gondolier who had taken us before came up. He raised his hat and bowed.

  I nodded and pointed to his gondola.

  He cast it loose and rowed around to the San Marco steps.

  I paced up and down on the waterfront and waited.

  I waited an hour. Every minute of that hour was a torture to me.

  Finally as Eve didn't come, I decided to see what was happening. I paid off the gondolier and went hurriedly back to the hotel.

  I listened outside Vestal's door. I heard Eve's voice. Sick with rage, I turned the handle and went in.

  Vestal was in bed. A handkerchief dipped in lavender water lay across her forehead.

  Eve sat near her. She was reading aloud from a book of poems.

  I was glad there was only one shaded lamp on, otherwise Vestal must have seen the fury on my face.

  "Is that you, Chad?" she murmured.

  "Yes. How are you?"

  "A little better. The Veganin has taken my headache away."

  Eve stared down at the book. Her face was pale.

  "Hadn't you better try to sleep?" I said, coming to the foot of the bed, but keeping out of the direct light.

  "In a little while. Eve's reading to me. Her voice soothes me."

  I didn't dare look at Eve.

  "I think you should settle down now. It's getting on for ten. You don't want to be tired tomorrow."

  "Not yet. Chad, darling, would you mind sleeping in the other room tonight?"

  My heart gave a sudden leap.

  Eve and I could wait until she went to sleep, and then have the whole night together!

  "Why no. I think I should. I don't want to disturb you."

  She opened her eyes and looked at me.

  "Thank you, darling. I knew you wouldn't mind. I've asked Eve to sleep here. She says she doesn't mind sleeping on the couch. It's nice to have her just in case I feel ill during the night."

  Four more days crawled by.

  How I concealed my feelings from Vestal during those four days and nights I shall never know.

  On the fourth night I couldn't stand the strain any longer. We went up to change for dinner. I skipped my shower, flung on my evening things and was ready to go down before Vestal had even made up her mind what she was going to wear.

  I put my head around her door.

  "I'm just going down for a drink. Meet me in the bar."

  She looked surprised.

  "How quick you've been, Chad."

  "You're being damned slow," I said, smiling, and what an effort it was to dig up that smile. "I'll have a Martini waiting for you."

  "I won't be long, darling."

  I closed the door and went down the corridor to Eve's room. I turned the handle and went in.

  Eve was adjusting her stockings before the wall mirror. She had on only blue underwear pants and a brassiere.

  "Chad!"

  "You must give her that stuff again! Give it to her tomorrow!"

  She backed away from me.

  "Have you gone crazy?" she said fiercely. "She'll know you've been here."

  "She's still changing. She'll be another half-hour yet. I told her I was going to the bar."

  I went to her and slipped my arms round her. The feel of her body against mine set me on fire.

  "'No! Can't you see how dangerous this is? Let me go!"

  "You've got to do something, Eve! This is driving me out of my mind. Give her the stuff tomorrow."

  "It's no use. It won't work anymore. If she's ill, I'll have to stay with her. She said so. It's no use!"

  "Goddam her! What are we going to do then?"

  "I warned you. You've got to keep away from me. I won't lose this job because of you!"

  A tap sounded on the door.

  We looked at each other. I felt the blood leave my face.

  Eve grabbed my arm and shoved me across the room and behind the long window drapes that were half-closed.

  The whole thing happened so quickly she was back by the dressing room as the door opened.

  "I thought I heard voices," Vestal said.

  "Why no, Mrs. Winters. I was humming to myself," Eve said quietly.

  Her voice was steady and unflustered. "Is there anything I can do?"

  "I didn't mean to disturb you," Vestal said. "Could I borrow your scent spray? Mine has broken."

  "Of course. I'll empty it."

  "Don't do that. I like the perfume you wear. It'll be a nice change."

  I stood against the wall behind the curtain, feeling cold sweat run down my back. To be caught in this room with Eve clad only in her underwear would finish me. I cursed myself for being such a crazy fool to have taken such a risk. Eve had been right. This ghastly little bitch had a nose for secrets. Did she suspect anything ? Had she broken her scent spray or had it been an excuse to surprise Eve?

  "Thank you so
much," Vestal went on. "I must hurry. Mr. Winters is waiting for me in the bar."

  I heard the door close.

  I didn't move. My heart was hammering against my side. I had been one jump away from losing seventy million dollars. The thought made me feel ill.

  Eve jerked back the curtain.

  "Get out!"

  Her face was chalk white, and her blue eyes blazed.

  "That was close. That was too damned close," I said, coming into the room. I wiped my face with my handkerchief.

  "I warned you! This finishes it for us, Chad. I mean it. I'm not seeing you alone again. Don't argue. I mean it. Now get out!"

  "I'll find a way," I said as I went to the door.

  "There is no way." She joined me at the door. "Let me look first."

  She opened the door and glanced up and down the corridor.

  "It's all right. Now go."

  I slipped out of the room like a frightened thief, and went down to the bar.

  Something had to be done. I wasn't going to give Eve up, and I wasn't going to give up my right to all that money.

  There had to be a way out!

  But why go on?

  There was no way out. Each day began with a new hope that something would crop up and give me the opportunity of getting Eve to myself for an hour, but by nightfall the opportunity hadn't come.

  The days drifted past. I lived in a kind of vacuum, waiting and waiting and waiting for something that never came.

  There had to be an end, and finally Vestal decided it was time to go home.

  We had been in Venice for three weeks: the longest three weeks I had ever lived through. Not once since I was nearly caught in her room did I have a private word with Eve. I had been badly shaken, and I was too scared to take risks.

  We flew back to Los Angeles, and then drove to Little Eden.

  Back at Cliffside I had every hope of finding the opportunity that had escaped me in Venice. I would have many hours away from Vestal when I was at the office. I would have to find an apartment where Eve and I could meet.

  As we drove up the steep, winding cliff road, with Vestal looking down at the glittering ocean, and Eve sitting motionless in front of me, my mind plotted and planned.

  As soon as we had changed, I left Vestal going through a large pile of mail that was awaiting her attention and went into the room she had given me as a study and called Ryan Blakestone. His report was reassuring. Since I had been away, he had made several successful transactions. I arranged to meet him for lunch the following day.