1978 - Consider Yourself Dead

by James Hadley Chase

  A girl stood in the doorway, smiling at him.

  Gina had watched Amando drive away in the Rolls, then she had taken a shower, hesitated before her vast wardrobe, then selected an emerald green cocktail dress that fitted snugly, revealing her curves: a dress she hadn’t worn since leaving Rome. The dress could be unzipped for immediate action, and when going to a party, immediate action was what she wanted.

  Frost’s eyes opened wide as he looked at her. He guessed she was Gina Grandi. He hadn’t expected her to be so spectacularly exciting. As his experienced eyes ran over her compact body, he knew she was naked under the dress.

  ‘Hi!’ she said. ‘You’re the new guard.’

  Frost felt lust stir in him.

  ‘Mike Frost,’ he said. ‘I know who you are.’

  Gina regarded him. What a beautiful hunk of man! she thought, and moved into the room, closing the door behind her.

  ‘Do you like the job . . . Mike?’

  He scarcely heard what she was saying. He knew for sure that she could be taken. His experience with women over the years had taught him to know the signs, and the green light was flashing.

  ‘I like it a lot better now,’ he said. He didn’t hesitate. What had he to lose? He walked to her while she stood, waiting, and when he reached her, she slid her arms around his neck and thrust her body hard against his.

  His lips came down on hers and her tongue darted. They stood, straining against each other for a long moment, then she pushed him away, smiling at him.

  ‘Let’s have fun, Mike. Not here . . . in my room.’

  Holding his wrist, she pulled him into the big lobby and up the broad stairs, along a corridor and into her spacious bedroom.

  She was naked and lying across the bed as Frost shut the door.

  * * *

  Frost came awake as the clock downstairs chimed two.

  Hard, white moonlight came through the big window and lit up the bed. He looked down at the sleeping girl at his side. A beauty, he thought, what a beauty! He lay back on the pillow and stretched his long legs, then he thought of Silk. He felt vicious hatred run through him. If it hadn’t been for that crazy bet, he would be home and dry, but now he would be leaving as soon as Marvin took over the guard duty. He would be leaving this sweet job, and worst still, leaving this little nympho who had given herself to him with abandoned savageness. His right shoulder was still bleeding slightly where she had bitten him. His loins ached. He felt as if he had been fed through a rock crusher.

  He turned on his side and regarded the girl, lit by the moonlight. As he was admiring her, her eyes opened, and she stretched like a sleek, beautiful cat.

  Then it was her turn to regard him. What a man! she thought, and her mind became busy to find the solution as to how they could have many more nights like this. That sonofabitch Amando! This was the first time he had left the villa - after nearly four months! When would he go again? She wanted and needed this hunk of male excitement, lying by her side, every night!

  ‘Hi,’ Frost said.

  She slid her arms around him and rolled over on top of him. She began to nibble at his lips, but Frost was drained.

  Marcia had practically demolished him, and now Gina’s fierce lovemaking had reduced him to nothing. Firmly, he pushed her away.

  ‘That’s it, baby,’ he said. ‘I’ve got to get back to work. This is hello and goodbye. Tomorrow, I’m quitting.’

  She stared at him, then sat up.

  ‘Quitting? What do you mean?’

  Frost swung his legs off the bed.

  ‘I’m throwing up this job.’ He stood up, flexing his muscles, then began to dress.

  Gina stared at him in dismay, regarding his lean brown body and his muscles.

  ‘Mike! What are you saying? Why are you leaving?’

  He zipped up his trousers, then sat on the bed.

  ‘I’m leaving because I’ve been taken for a sucker,’ then he went on to tell her about the shooting match and about Silk. ‘I now owe this jerk four thousand bucks,’ he concluded. ‘There’s no way I can pay him. So . . . I have to get out of town before he puts on the squeeze.’

  She caught hold of his hand.

  ‘You must be kidding, Mike! Four thousand? That’s nothing!’

  ‘That’s your thinking. To me, that kind of money is a lump. I’m getting out or else I’ll land up with a broken arm.’

  ‘A broken arm? What are you saying?’

  He gave her a wry grin.

  ‘Forget it, baby. This isn’t your scene. I’m quitting tomorrow.’ He stood up. ‘So long, baby, and thanks.’

  ‘Mike!’ Her voice was shrill, He paused at the door. ‘Wait!’

  She scrambled off the bed, ran to a big closet, jerked open the door and fumbled in a drawer, then she swung around and came to him, smiling.

  ‘Here, take it! It’s worth at least twenty thousand. My fink of a father gave it to me for my birthday,’ and she dropped a diamond and emerald ring into his hand. ‘Hock it, Mike. Pay off this jerk. I couldn’t care less about the ring.

  Frost stared at the ring, hesitated, then grinned. Why not? Here was the solution to get Silk off his back and to keep this job. What did a ring like this mean to this corrupt, little nympho?

  ‘You really mean you want to bail me out, baby?’ he said, dropping the ring into his pocket.

  ‘I want you to stay here,’ she said breathlessly, and put her arms around his neck, thrusting her body against his. ‘I want many more nights.’

  ‘Okay.’ Frost slid his hands down her naked back and pulled her closer. ‘I’ll fix it.’ Then pushing her away, he left the room and ran silently down the stairs and into the guardroom.

  He came to an abrupt standstill as he saw Suka sitting in the armchair, facing the monitors. Hearing him, Suka got to his feet, his face expressionless, and moved by Frost.

  ‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Frost demanded.

  ‘Guarding,’ Suka said, and went out of the room.

  Frost stared after him, frowning, then shrugged. He dropped into the armchair, and taking out the ring Gina had given him, he examined it. Twenty thousand! Well, for God’s sake!

  When Marvin relieved him at 08.00, Frost went to his cabin and slept for four hours, then after a sandwich lunch, completely forgetting he had a date with Marcia at the Spanish Bay hotel at midday, he drove to Paradise City, unaware that a cream-coloured Mercedes, driven by a swarthy, fat man wearing sun goggles, had moved after him.

  Mitch Goble had been waiting in a parking bay within sight of the guard barrier leading to Paradise Largo since 09.00, waiting for Frost to appear. He had spent the three-hour wait reading a ‘girlie’ magazine. He was a man of infinite patience, also a man with a gross appetite. He had with him a paper sack of cheeseburgers, and from time to time, he dipped into the sack.

  Frost found a hockshop on Seaview Boulevard.

  He had his glib story ready.

  ‘My wife and I are parting,’ he said to the thin, Jewish clerk who was standing behind the counter. ‘We need fast money.’ He put the ring on the counter. ‘I paid I twenty thousand for this.’

  The clerk examined the ring, sighed, said it was worth only fifteen thousand, and he would lend six for three months.

  Frost was in no mood to haggle. After all, it wasn’t his ring. He took the money and the ticket, and as he walked back to where he had parked the T.R., he remembered his date with Marcia. The time now was 13.25. He decided she had probably gone to the restaurant. He couldn’t imagine she would wait around for any man, so he headed for the restaurant.

  Mitch Goble walked into the hockshop.

  ‘Hi, Issy,’ he said. ‘What gives with that guy who’s just left?’

  Issy, who was terrified of Goble, produced the ring.

  ‘He’s hocked it for six. It’s worth at least thirty.’

  Goble examined the ring, grunted, then handed it back.

  ‘Keep your nose clean, Jew-boy,’ he said, and leaving the shop,
he shut himself in a telephone booth. He called Silk.

  ‘Our creep has just hocked a thirty thousand diamond and emerald ring for six grand,’ he told Silk. ‘He’s heading your way.’

  ‘Take time off, Mitch,’ Silk said, and he hung up.

  After waiting until half past twelve, Marcia had telephoned Silk from her hotel.

  ‘He hasn’t shown,’ she said. ‘So what do I do?’

  ‘Come over here,’ Silk said. ‘No problem.’

  When Frost walked into the restaurant, he was met by Ross Umney who had been told by Silk to look out for him.

  ‘Hi, Mike!’ Umney said with his wide, friendly smile.

  ‘Marcia’s just arrived. She’s asking for you.’

  ‘I’ve got business,’ Frost said curtly. ‘Is Silk around?’

  ‘Sure . . . down in the shooting gallery.’

  Shoving past Umney, Frost took the elevator down to the basement. He found Silk talking to Moses. As soon as Moses saw Frost, he moved away and began busying himself cleaning guns.

  Frost planted himself before Silk.

  ‘I owe you four,’ he said, and taking out his wallet, he extracted four one thousand dollar bills and thrust them at Silk.

  ‘No you don’t friend,’ Silk said, and his thin lips moved into what could be taken for a smile. ‘We got our lines crossed. That stupid hunkhead, Ross, should have told me. How was I to know you are a friend of my niece?’

  Frost stared at him.

  ‘Your niece?’

  ‘Yeah . . . Marcia. When she heard I’d taken you for a ride, she beat the ears off me.’ He laughed. ‘I apologise, Mike. I didn’t know you’re one of us. You owe me nothing.’

  Frost felt a rush of blood to his head.

  ‘We made a bet. I don’t give a damn who you are. I pay my debts!’

  Silk continued to smile.

  ‘Take it easy, friend,’ he said. ‘I run a racket here. I shoot for a living. I con suckers, but not friends. I apologise. Okay?’

  Frost hesitated, then relaxed.

  ‘You sure can shoot. Okay.’

  Silk nodded.

  ‘We fast buck folk are all in some racket,’ he said, and taking out a pack of cigarettes, he offered it. ‘Marcia tells me you’re guarding the Grandi babe.’ He laughed. ‘Some racket! Some babe!’

  Frost grinned. He was so relieved that he hadn’t to part with four thousand dollars, his previous assessment that Silk could be dangerous began to fade. Also he liked Silk’s remark about ‘fast buck folk.’ That’s what he was: hunting for the fast buck.

  ‘That’s a fact,’ he said. ‘Well, it’s a job.’ He put the bills back into his wallet. A thought dropped into his mind. He would tell Gina he had paid his debt, give her I two thousand and the hock ticket, and keep the four thousand for himself.

  A heavily built man came out of the elevator and moved towards Silk.

  ‘Hi, Lu,’ he said. ‘You want a little bet?’

  Silk went into his senile act.

  ‘You bet too high for me, Mr. Lewishon.’

  ‘Aw, come on! Four to one with target rifles.’

  Frost headed for the elevator. Some racket! he thought. What the hell was he doing, sitting in a guardroom at six hundred a week! He was sure Silk would be picking up four thousand in the next half hour!

  Ross Umney was hanging around the elevator as Frost reached the restaurant floor.

  ‘You want to eat, Mike?’ he asked.

  ‘I’ve already eaten. Where’s Marcia?’

  ‘Tied up right now.’ Umney leered. ‘A girl has to work. I want you to meet a good friend of mine. He’s got influence.’

  Umney linked his arm into Frost’s arm and led him down a corridor, opened a door and led him into a small room where Mitch Goble was waiting.

  Goble was chewing his way through a vast hamburger.

  He wiped his fat fingers on a serviette, got to his feet, and beamed at Frost.

  ‘Mitch, I want you to meet a good friend of Marcia’s,’ Umney said. ‘Mike Frost.’

  Goble extended his hand.

  ‘A pleasure, Mike. I’ve heard about you . . . you’re one of us people.’

  They all sat down at the table.

  ‘Have a drink?’ Umney said and snapped his fingers.

  A waiter appeared.

  ‘Scotch?’ Umney asked, looking at Frost who nodded.

  Frost was regarding Goble, unable to place him. His clothes were casual but expensive. His fat, swarthy face wasn’t prepossessing, and, Frost thought, the genial smile could be a front.

  ‘How are you liking this little city?’ Goble asked.

  ‘Fine.’

  ‘Yeah . . . you’ve got yourself a sweet location,’ Goble went on. ‘The Grandi’s pad must be quite something. You like it?’

  ‘Who wouldn’t?’ Frost had a feeling that Goble was probing. During his service with the N.Y. cops, he had often run into men like Goble: smooth, dangerous operators. He decided to do some probing himself. ‘What’s your racket?’

  The waiter arrived with the drinks, then he whispered something to Umney who scowled.

  ‘Always something in this joint. Have to leave you boys. There’s a creep who is moaning.’ He tossed off his drink, patted Frost on his shoulder, said, ‘Mitch’ll look after you,’ and he left.

  Frost remembered the same performance when Umney had left him alone with Silk. He became very alert.

  ‘My racket?’ Goble said, and cut himself another hunk off his hamburger. ‘I set up operations. Some guy comes to me and says he has an idea to make dough, what do I think about it? I look at the operation and tell him yes or no. Call me the outside man looking in.’

  ‘Is that right?’ Frost sipped his drink. ‘Get you anywhere?’

  ‘Oh, sure. We fast buck folk squeeze up a living.’ Goble laughed. ‘Marcia tells me you’re taking care of the Grandi babe. Only last week, I had a guy with a nutty idea he could snatch that babe and pick up twenty million dollars. I told him he should get his head examined.’ He paused and stared directly at Frost. ‘Right?’

  Frost felt a prickle run up his spine.

  ‘Right . . . what?’

  Goble paused to finish the hamburger, sighed, then shook his head.

  ‘No way to snatch the babe,’ he said. ‘Right?’

  ‘Your guy can try,’ Frost said quietly. ‘He can get himself torn to pieces by four Doberman Pinschers. If the I dogs don’t get him, I will.’

  Goble put a surprised look on his face.

  ‘Dogs, huh? Still, dogs can be taken care of.’ He looked reflective. ‘Twenty million bucks! That’s real bread!’

  Twenty million! Frost thought. Yes, Grandi would pay that to get his daughter back.

  ‘Anyway, Mike, I told this guy to forget it,’ Goble went on. ‘I once had the same idea, and I cased the joint . . . no way. This wop fink has really taken care of it.’

  ‘You can say that again.’

  ‘Yeah.’ Goble sipped his drink. ‘Since then I’ve thought about it. There’s no problem that can’t be solved. Twenty million! Bread like that gives me daydreams. Just suppose four smart operators really got together. Suppose they did snatch this babe. That’d be five million each.’

  Five million! Frost thought. That kind of money would set him up for life! He kept his expression deadpan as he said, ‘You just said there was no way.’

  ‘I thought that a couple of months ago,’ Goble said. ‘I keep thinking. It doesn’t hurt me to think.’ He looked at Frost, then said, ‘The Trojan horse.’

  Frost frowned.

  ‘What the hell does that mean?’

  ‘My old man was a nut about Greek history.’ Goble said. ‘He bent my ears with all this gaff about the Greeks. There was a fink called Ulysses. The Greeks were besieging the Trojans and getting nowhere. This fink made a big wooden horse and he put soldiers in it and he kidded the Trojans they would be sitting pretty if the horse was put in the city. The jerks fell for it. The soldiers spilled out
at night and opened the gates and the Trojans got skewered. To snatch this babe I’d want a Trojan horse . . . an inside man: maybe one of the staff. They have ten people keeping that joint running. Maybe one of them could be got at.’ He shrugged. ‘I think. It’s my job. Could be I also need my head examined.’

  Frost stared at him. Was he being propositioned? Five million! He had come to Paradise City to make money, but to date, he had only landed a job for six hundred a week . . . chick-feed! Goble had said, ‘Maybe one of the staff could be got at.’ That was a direct hint. Frost, looking at the fat man, was now sure he was being propositioned. This was something he needed to think about. Play hard to get, he told himself, as he got to his feet.

  ‘Yeah . . . get your head examined,’ he said curtly, and walked out, leaving his drink untouched.

  Goble finished his drink, then reached for the drink Frost had left. Silk came silently into the room, closed the door and sat at the table. He had been listening to the conversation that had been relayed to him by a hidden microphone.

  ‘Nice work, Mitch,’ he said. ‘You handled it just right.’

  Goble nodded.

  ‘So what now?’

  ‘We’ll give him time to think. He’s a real fast worker. Hot pants gave him the ring - unless he stole it, but I don’t dig that. Amando was away for the night. She wouldn’t miss out on an opportunity like that. My guess is he screwed her, told her he was in the hole for four thousand, and to keep him, she gave him the ring.’ Silk rubbed his bony hands together. ‘It’s moving our way, Mitch. We wait.’

  Goble stared thoughtfully at Silk.

  ‘Don’t take this guy for a sucker, Lu. I’ve a feeling he could be tricky.’

  Silk allowed a wintry smile to crease his face.

  ‘I can be tricky too,’ he said.

  * * *

  Five million dollars!

  Frost had driven away from the restaurant and down to the beach. He had found himself an isolated spot under the shade of a palm tree, and had sat down on the sand to think.

  The photo swam slowly into focus. The setup had begun with his chance meeting with Marcia - Silk’s niece.

  Probably, she had been told to look out for a likely stooge.

  Probably, Silk had got inside information that the second guard wouldn’t last long, so he had planned ahead. Maybe, Joe Solomon was working with Silk. He (Frost) must have seemed to Silk to be a gift from heaven.