Murder Money
Page 9
She dropped her hand from her face and rested it gently upon his thick wrist. “Eddie. Eddie, what’s going to happen to me?”
“Everything will turn out all right, Laura.”
“I’m scared. I’m scared of him. You saw how he was. Who knows what he’ll do next!”
He drew his hand away from hers and sat upright. Their voices were low, almost whispers. Outside, the surf had calmed.
“There’s nothing to worry about, Laura. He won’t touch you any more. I’ll make sure of that.”
“But I know about the money and the trouble. I know all about it. And he doesn’t like that.”
She bent over to him, and he saw the clean curve of her breasts. Then the dark stains of blood on the lace edge of the nightgown.
“He’ll kill me, Eddie. You don’t know him like I do. You never really knew him. He can be terribly cruel. Eddie, what am I going to do?”
“It’ll work out.”
She shook her head fiercely. “It’s a bad deal, Eddie. I can see it coming. Take me out of it. Take me along with you.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Laura.”
She bent closer to him. He felt a strange mingling of desire and pity for her.
“Eddie, let’s get hold of the money and get out of here. Just you and me, Eddie.”
He put his hands on her shoulders and held her away from him. “You’d better get back to your room, Laura. Before he wakes up.”
“Please, Eddie. Those guys want the money. Let’s take it before they do, Eddie. We’ll go away. We’ll be good together.”
He thought of the way her body had moved with his, her moan. His hands relaxed, an instant.
Then he held her away again. “Get back to Al.”
“You’re hurting me, Eddie.”
“I mean to.”
“Eddie.”
He released his hold on her, watching her get up from the bed. He could see the hard nipples of her round breasts and the lithe curve of her body through the sheerness of the nightgown.
The thin gray light fell across her. The sound of the surf came softly through the room, beating as though it was his own pulse.
Laura leaned close again, the green eyes pleading. “He’s sleeping. I tell you, he’s sleeping. I know him like a book. He won’t get up for hours.”
She put her hands to the silk straps of her gown, her fingernails glistening. “I’m charged up, Eddie. Help me relax a little. I don’t know where I’m going. This always relaxes me, Eddie. Just for me.”
She started to slip the gown from her body. He rose and came to her.
“Laura, get out. Before I hit you like Al did.”
She stared at his harsh face. Then she slowly pulled up the gown and went out of the room.
When the door closed silently, he found himself wondering if he really would have hit her.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Will Al be able to get to the guns? He would need about two hours, he had said as he left Eddie. And he would have to lose Ferer’s tail guy first.
Eddie walked along, under a high sparkling sky. The clouds were white and piled up. He suddenly thought of them as huge, airy pillows.
He sighed gently.
He walked on again, his huge bulk shadowing the glass of the store windows. He wanted to get away from it all, to lie down and rest his whirling head, just rest it and let the crowding, turbulent fears weave out of him.
It’s not going to work out, he said to himself. It’s going to end bad. And I don’t know what to do about it.
He ambled along, his thick brown hair glinting in the blaze of the sun. His white suit was clean and shining.
I always liked being down here. I was always happy here. I never knew a time I was not happy here.
But this time.
He stopped and turned and he saw the man stop and casually move over to a store window where he stood studying the display, his two hands thrust into his jacket pockets.
Mateo, Eddie said_ grimly. Mateo, and his bloody knife.
Eddie turned away and began walking again. Till he saw the long white building and the stretch of grass, green and smooth in the sun.
Suddenly he knew that he had been looking for that building. Deep within, he had been searching.
He crossed the street and went up the flight of stone steps, his heart beating rapidly. When he got inside, he looked around eagerly. All he saw was a wide desk with two elderly women behind it, shelves of books and in the center of the room, long shiny tables.
He shrugged disappointedly and went over to one of the tables and sat down. He picked up a book and thumbed through it. And as he did, hopelessness swept through him.
He knew now how much he had wanted to see her. Just to sit and talk to her. Just that would have been enough.
Then he heard her voice.
“I thought you never went into libraries.”
The book dropped out of his hands and onto the table. He saw her standing over him.
“Mia.”
“Not so loud, Eddie. People are studying here.”
“Mia.”
She wore a light gray dress, and it seemed to him that it made her eyes darker and more tender. She sat down by him.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Eddie.”
And as she said that, deep in the background of his consciousness a small fear stirred and began to move, like a shadow.
“Have you, Mia?”
She nodded, a gentle smile playing in the luminous eyes.
“I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me.”
“Did you, Mia?”
“Yes.”
The room was deep and cool and silent; the sun slanted through the high windows and made the ends of the table gleam.
“Do you like it here, Eddie?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Do you really mean that?”
“Yes.”
“I keep thinking about you, Eddie.”
“Do you, Mia?”
“Very much.”
“I think of you too. But most of the time I don’t know I’m doing it.”
“That’s a strange thing to say.”
“I guess it is.”
He shrugged and smiled at her. His eyes kept looking at the clear oval face. The dark shining hair that framed it. Then down to the slender wrist and the tapering fingers that rested on his thick hand.
“I mean that you’re with me, even when I’m talking and looking at someone else. I didn’t realize that until now.”
A mischievous smile came into the dark eyes. “Was it my kiss that did it, Eddie?”
“Maybe.”
He was smiling now, too. And he forgot Al and Laura, and the money. Most important of all, he forgot the money.
But deep within him, the fear rustled endlessly.
“And if I hadn’t kissed you?”
He didn’t say anything.
“You’d still be thinking of me?”
“Still.”
She laughed low and melodiously. Then she drew her hand away and rose. “I have to go to the stacks for a while. So stay here.”
“The stacks?”
“That’s where we keep our reserve books.”
“Oh.”
As he looked at the tender face with its animated smiling features, she seemed very young. Desperately young. He thought of the fifteen-year-old girl who stood in the shadows of the room while he spoke to the widow of Joey Alean.
“I’ll hurry back, Eddie.”
It was after she was gone that he saw the figure of Mateo seated at the other end of the room. He had completely forgotten about him. Eddie’s face whitened. He reached for the book on the table and opened it.
He sat staring at the blurred words, trying to force his mind away from the thoughts that pressed in upon it.
His Ups thinned into a straight hard line. He snapped the book shut and laid it down. He walked steadily down the length of the room till he came to the man.
“You’re starting to
get under my skin,” he said.
The lips in the narrow, angular face parted in a smile. The lean body rested easily in the chair.
“Ferer said two days. Now get off my back.”
The lips smiled, showing an even row of small white teeth. But the eyes under the raven black eyebrows smouldered with hatred.
“No sabe, Señor”
“You sabe damn well,” Eddie said fiercely.
“Español, Señor”
“You know what I’m saying. You know damn well.”
“Español.”
Eddie’s hands closed into fists. He glared down into the taunting face and wanted to smash it. He wanted to let loose the rage and futility that welled through him.
Then he heard Mia’s voice beside him.
“Eddie?”
He slowly turned away from the man.
“Eddie, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Mia.”
His hands lay flat against his sides. His face was still grim and little beads of sweat clustered on his forehead.
“Nothing,” he repeated.
“What happened?” she asked Mateo.
He spread his hands wide. “No sabe, Señorita?”
“Que pasa?”
“Nada, Señorita.’
The leathery face was cold and, impassive. Then he said again, “Nada.”
Mia took Eddie’s arm. “Come with me.” He hesitated. But she said firmly, “Come, Eddie.”
When they came into the hall, she turned to him. “What is it, Eddie?”
“Nothing.”
“Nada. Nada. Everybody says nada. You looked ready to hit him. Why?”
He stared past her and into the big room. Mateo still sat there, silent and motionless. And immovable.
“Who is that man?”
“I don’t know, Mia.”
She frowned. Then she said, “Come.”
He followed her till they came to a narrow flight of stone steps. Mia paused and smiled at him. “I thought I’d show you the stacks. That’s why I came back so quickly.”
“Oh.”
“Care to see them?”
“Okay.”
“Still feel like hitting somebody?”
He didn’t answer. They walked down the stone steps, their footsteps sounding sharply.
“Here we are.”
They stood before a metal door. Mia opened it and they went inside. The room was large and lined with steel book shelves that rose to the high ceiling. Mia walked down one of the aisles and stopped.
“You look surprised, Eddie.”
“Guess I never saw so many books in one room.”
“People read.”
“Yeah. I guess they do.”
“They read to find out things, Eddie. To better themselves.”
He touched one of the books. His face was wistful. “Haven’t read a book in years. When I was a kid I used to love them.”
“What happened?”
He lifted a book and then abruptly put it back into place. “My old man ran off. My mother died. And I was alone with two fists. That’s what happened.”
“It’s never too late to start again,” Mia said.
“For me it is.”
“Why?”
He shrugged.
“You don’t think much of yourself, do you, Eddie?”
“I’m just a worn-out pug, Mia.”
“But there’s so much more to you, Eddie. So very much more.”
He shook his head. “I’m at the end of the road, Mia. There’s nothing in me. And there’s nothing ahead.”
“Maybe you’re at the beginning of a new road, Eddie. And there’s everything ahead of you.”
She was close to him, and he wanted to put his arms about her and hold her to him.
But then she said. “What’s wrong, Eddie?”
And he instinctively drew away. “Wrong?”
“Something is terribly wrong with you. What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“Nada?”
Deep within him, the fear stirred again.
“Let’s drop it, Mia,” he said.
“But I don’t want to drop it. I want to know, Eddie.”
And he heard himself saying, “Don’t you already, Mia?”
Her dark eyes widened. “I?”
He didn’t say, anything.
“What did you mean by that?”
“Let’s drop it.”
“What?” she insisted.
“Forget it. I don’t know what I meant.”
“Eddie, you’re in great trouble. I can see it in your face. In your actions. I want you to tell me about it.”
“I’m in trouble,” he said grimly. “And I don’t know who to trust any more,” he said bitterly.
“Eddie. Eddie, I must go upstairs now. Please stay here. I must speak to you.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Please, Eddie. Please.”
He looked at her pleading face. At the anguished eyes. And the fear started to subside.
“Please.”
“All right,” he said reluctantly. “I’ll wait.”
She pressed his taand gratefully and left him. He walked restlessly up and down the silent room. The room began to stifle him. He wanted to get outside and into the free sunlight again.
Suddenly the metal door swung shut.
“Doran.”
Eddie stood rigid against one of the metal shelves. The heavy footsteps sounded through the closed room.
“Doran.”
It was Juan’s voice.
And Eddie remembered Al’s words: Stay in crowded places. They won’t rough you up there.
Eddie turned to run. But there was nothing but the blank wall ahead of him. He swung about.
The huge, hulking figure of Juan stood before him. A gun in his hand. Behind him was the baleful face of Mateo.
“All right, punk,” said Juan. He handed the gun to Mateo and moved toward Eddie. “So you tried to be a tough guy upstairs?”
Eddie brought his big hands up.
“Keep them down. At your sides. Or you’ll get a slug.”
Eddie kept his hands raised.
“Keep them down or I’ll tell Ferer I had to kill you.”
Mateo nodded silently.
“Down,” Juan ordered.
Eddie slowly lowered his hands. As he did, Juan struck a jolting blow that landed hard on Eddie’s nose. He reeled back. Juan struck again. And again.
One of Eddie’s old cuts ripped open, and the blood began to spurt. Juan hit hard in the spleen, and Eddie gasped out as the pain knifed through him,
“Tough guy. Ill show you how tough you are.”
The little eyes were set with a cold fury. He slammed his fists into his ribs and Eddie’s breath left him.
Slowly, dazedly Eddie dropped to his knees. Juan bent over and pulled him upright against the steel shelves.
“Stand up. You got more coming, punk.”
As he raised his arm to strike Eddie again, Mia’s scream pierced the room.
Juan let Eddie slip down to the floor.
Just before the blackness closed down on him, Eddie saw, in a dim, blurry haze, Juan turn to Mia. His lips moved rapidly.
Then the two killers left the room.
“Do you feel better now, Eddie?”
“I’m all right, Mia.”
He leaned against the wash basin for support. They were in the little utility room that was next to the stacks.
“You’re still weak, Eddie,” Mia said anxiously.
“I’ll be okay the minute I hit air.”
He touched the adhesive over his eyes and grinned mirthlessly. “You’d make a good cut man, Mia. A real good one. Joey teach you that?”
She didn’t speak. Her face was white and drawn.
“You came just in time, Mia. Just when the beating was about over.”
“What?”
“The bell was going to ring.”
She came close to
him, her eyes flashing. “Eddie, what are you talking about?”
“It was a setup, wasn’t it?”
“Eddie.”
“I’ve been in setups before, Mia. I should know one when I see it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said angrily.
“You left me alone, didn’t you? And the spot was perfect for them.”
“I work here. I had to go upstairs.”
“What did he say to you when he left?”
“He?”
“The big bastard.”
“To keep the police out of this, or he’d kill you.” He stared into her clear angry eyes. Then he said bitterly, “Ah, who the hell knows what to believe any more.”
He turned to go. But she moved over and blocked his way.
“Eddie. Eddie, you’re in trouble. And you’re going to let me help you. Whether you want to or not”
“Let me alone,” he said.
“No.” You’re all twisted up. You don’t know right from wrong any more. You don’t know who’s your friend and who’s your enemy. If you want to talk of bastards, then talk of that manager of yours. I’m sure he’s at the bottom of all this.”
“Al’s my friend, Mia. He’s always been my friend. You talk like them. Like them, Mia.”
She shook her head furiously, and he saw with a twinge how beautiful she was. How bewilderingly beautiful. And how desperate his hunger was for her.
“Eddie, I want to see you later and straighten this all out And help you. Promise you’ll meet me. Promise that.”
“Mia, I . . .”
“Eddie, I have to be at the Seminole Village at six. I go there every Thursday to read to the children. It’s part of the library service. Will you meet me there?”
She put her arms tenderly about him.
“Will you, Eddie?”
“I don’t know.”
But inside he said, Mia, I’ve got nothing left but my love for you. Nothing but that, Mia, Nothing. Nothing. I saw you and I loved you. Mia. Mia.
“Eddie, please have faith in me. For Joey’s sake.”
He didn’t speak.
“I’m his daughter, Eddie. Can I ever forget the time you came to us with the money? Can I?”
“I’ll be there, Mia,” he said.
She kissed him and left.
But after she was gone he remembered that at six the acts were over at the Seminole Village, and the crowds were gone. Only the Indians remained. And they turned their heads away from violence, turned them away stoically.
He began to wonder and fear.