1978 - Consider Yourself Dead

by James Hadley Chase

  Frost found Marvin in the guardroom.

  ‘Had a good day?’

  The routine question.

  ‘Fine . . . and you?’

  ‘She’s up and about. No problems.’

  Frost went to the refrigerator.

  ‘I’ve got a thirst. Join me?’

  ‘Whoever refuses beer?’

  Frost got two cans from the refrigerator, turned his back on Marvin, opened the cans and dropped the pill into one of them. He poured the drinks into glasses, then gave Marvin the doped glass. They drank. Marvin sighed, ‘Tomorrow I see my son.’

  Tomorrow, Frost thought as he drank, all hell will break loose.

  They talked, then there came a tap on the door.

  ‘Dinner time,’ Frost said, and went to the door. He carried in the two trays.

  As they began to eat, Marvin said, ‘The day’s stint is easy, Mike. All you have to do is walk around and look busy. Old Creepy will be watching you. Keep away from Gina. Don’t talk to her. Just keep walking around.’

  ‘Sure.’ Frost finished the meal, then pushed back his chair. ‘I’m having an early night. See you tomorrow at eight . . . okay?’

  Marvin grinned at him.

  ‘Don’t be late. I want a few hours’ sleep. I’m picking my son up at midday.’

  ‘I’ll be here,’ Frost said, then walked to his cabin. He let his alarm clock to go off at 01.00, then slipping out of his uniform, he stretched out on the bed and turned off the light, but he didn’t sleep.

  The hours crept by. Nine - ten - eleven - midnight.

  Impatiently, he turned on the light, then sat up. Another three hours! He found he was sweating. Getting off the bed he took a cold shower. What was Gina doing? He was still uneasy about her. Drying himself, he felt the pressure.

  Suppose she blew her cork? He remembered what Marvin had said: She’s as nutty as a fruit cake. He grimaced, shrugging. There was nothing he could do now. He had to hope.

  He put on slacks and a black shirt, then he turned off the light and sat by the window. He saw one of the dogs go by. He sat there, from time to time, looking at his strap watch. The hands crawled around to 02.00, moved on while Frost sat motionless. By now, if he could rely on Silk, Marvin was knocked out. Amando too should be knocked out. He wiped the sweat off his face with the back of his hand. Suppose Gina had fallen asleep? There was nothing he could do, except wait.

  So he waited. Then when the hands of his watch crawled to three, he stood up. If Gina hadn’t chickened out, she I would be now leaving her bedroom, making her way down ; the stairs to the guardroom. She would first press the button that released the silent dog whistle. It would take some ten minutes before the dogs returned to their compound.

  Frost remained at the window, his heart thumping, his mouth dry. Then, after an interminable wait of ten minutes, he pulled his gun from its holster and stepped out into the hot, humid air.

  He began a slow, cautious, silent walk towards the guardroom, his eyes searching the darkness, ready to shoot if one of the dogs pounced on him. He reached the guardroom without incident.

  Drawing in a deep breath of relief, he opened the guardroom door and moved in.

  The room was lit. The shady light from the monitors made square puddles. Marvin lay, sprawled back in one of the chairs.

  Frost took him in with a glance, then he looked at the alarm panel. The red button recalling the dogs was alight.

  Further along, the other red button that neutralised the fence was also alight.

  So she had remembered and she had done it!

  Frost bent over Marvin, looked carefully at him, then nodded. The pill had worked!

  He stood motionless, thinking of Gina who by now must have reached the harbour. She would find the boat waiting for her.

  Frost wiped the sweat off his face.

  The first stage of the operation had worked!

  * * *

  Umney steered the motorboat towards the Grandi harbour.

  Goble sat in the bow. The time now was 03.17. The lagoon was in darkness.

  ‘More to your right,’ Goble said, ‘take it dead slow.’

  Umney cut the engine and the boat drifted forward.

  Both men were tense. Silk had left the job to them.

  ‘Collect her and bring her back here,’ he had ordered.

  Goble turned on the powerful flashlight he was holding.

  ‘There she is! Let’s go!’

  The boat surged forward as Umney opened up. Still keeping the beam of the light on the harbour, both men could see Gina standing on the harbour wall.

  She waved to them as the boat came alongside.

  ‘Hi there!’ she exclaimed. ‘Are you Mike’s friends?’

  ‘That’s right, Miss Grandi,’ Umney said. He had been warned by Silk to give her the V.I.P. treatment ‘Hold a moment.’

  Leaving Goble to secure the boat, he clambered on to the harbour wall by her side.

  ‘No problems, Miss Grandi?’

  She released a giggle.

  ‘Absolutely super. I have things with me.’

  By her was a big suitcase and an air travel bag.

  ‘I’ll take care of them,’ Umney said, and passed the items of luggage down to Goble.

  ‘Where are we going?’ Gina asked.

  ‘We have everything fixed for you, Miss Grandi,’ Umney said. ‘Let me help you.’

  She looked down at the boat, then moved to him, leaning against him. ‘I don’t want to fall in.’

  Umney felt her fingers move on his body. She giggled again.

  ‘You’re quite a man,’ she said.

  He swung her off her feet and lowered her into the boat which Goble steadied.

  What the hell have I got here? he thought, but the feel of her fingers excited him.

  Climbing by her, he revved up the engine and backed the boat out of the harbour.

  Gina regarded Goble in the semi-darkness. Her fingers touched his fat larded shoulder, and she drew away.

  ‘You eat too much,’ she said, and joined Umney.

  Umney laughed as she sat by his side and pressed herself against him.

  * * *

  At 07.30, Frost, who hadn’t slept, put on his uniform.

  He had shaved carefully, had showered, but looking in the mirror as he was shaving, he saw his face was tight drawn, and there were black shadows under his eyes. He waited until 07.50, then leaving his cabin, he walked to the guardroom. He knew that at exactly 08.00, Suka would bring the breakfast trays. He would tap on the door and go away.

  Frost entered the guardroom.

  Marvin lay, slumped in the lounging chair, snoring and breathing heavily.

  Frost acted out his part. He pulled Marvin upright, shook him, then let him drop back in the chair, as he did so there came a tap on the door.

  Suka!

  Bracing himself, Frost opened the door.

  Suka was moving off.

  ‘Suka!’ Frost snapped. ‘Marvin’s ill or something. Take a look at him!’

  Suka paused, turned to stare at Frost, then moving by him, he entered the guardroom. He bent over Marvin, shook him, then looked up, his face expressionless.

  ‘Drugged.’

  Still acting out his part, Frost swung around and stared at the alarm panel.

  ‘The fence has been neutralised!’ he exclaimed. ‘Check on Miss Grandi! I’ll alert Amando. Where do I find him?’

  ‘I do it,’ Suka said, and moving rapidly, he rushed up the stairs.

  Frost stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting. He looked at his strap watch. The time was now 08.05. In another five minutes, Silk would telephone.

  Suka appeared at the head of the staircase.

  ‘Miss Gina not here! Mr. Amando drugged!’

  ‘Search the house!’ Frost said. ‘Make sure she isn’t here!’

  As Suka came down the stairs, the telephone bell in the guardroom began ringing.

  ‘Hold it!’ Frost said. He beckoned to Suka. ‘This
could be trouble. I want you to hear. Use the extension!’

  As Suka picked up the extension receiver, Frost snatched up the other receiver.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Tell Grandi this is a snatch.’ Frost guessed Silk was talking behind a handkerchief, but his voice still sounded menacing. ‘We have his daughter. We’ll call again tomorrow at this time. Tell him no cops,’ and the line went lead.

  As Frost replaced the receiver, he looked at Suka who was staring at him.

  ‘Could be a hoax,’ he said. ‘Check the house. Make sure she isn’t around.’

  ‘No hoax,’ Suka said, his little black eyes showing alarm. ‘Better call Mr. Grandi.’

  Frost snatched up the telephone and called the guard on the barrier at the estate’s entrance. He told him no one was to leave the estate and when the staff arrived they were to be told to take the day off.

  ‘No one leaves without my permission,’ he said.

  ‘You got trouble up there?’ the guard demanded.

  ‘Nothing we can’t handle,’ Frost said curtly. ‘Just follow instructions.’ He hung up, then seeing Suka still hovering in the doorway, he waved him away.

  ‘Check the house!’

  He waited until Suka had gone, then taking from his shirt pocket the New York telephone number Grandi had given him he dialled. As he was waiting for the connection, Marvin moaned, then slowly sat up. He pressed his hands to his eyes.

  A voice said from New York, ‘Mr. Grandi’s residence.’

  Frost could imagine a prim faced, black butler at the other end of the line.

  ‘I must talk to Mr. Grandi,’ Frost said. ‘Tell him Frost calling from Orchid Villa. This is an emergency.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  There was a long pause.

  Marvin shook his head, then stared at Frost, his eyes glazed.

  ‘What the hell goes on?’ he muttered.

  Frost waved him to silence as Grandi came on the line.

  ‘What is it, Frost?’ The snarl in Grandi’s voice was chilling.

  ‘Miss Grandi has been kidnapped, sir,’ Frost said. ‘The ransom demand will be telephoned here this time tomorrow. They said there’s to be no police action.’

  There was a brief pause, then Grandi said, ‘Do nothing until I come. I will arrive in eight hours,’ and he hung up.

  ‘Kidnapped?’ Marvin staggered to his feet, reeled, then sat down again.

  ‘You’ve been drugged,’ Frost said, and going out into the lobby, he picked up the big coffee pot and a cup off the waiting breakfast trays and returned to the guardroom.

  Marvin drank the coffee, set down the cup, ran his hand over his face and stared at Frost.

  ‘The girl’s been kidnapped?’

  ‘Yep. The snatchers have just telephoned. I’ve stopped the staff arriving and I’ve told the guard to let no one out. I’ve just talked to Grandi. He says we do nothing until he arrives in eight hours. I’m going to take a look around. I want to see if they took one of the boats.’

  ‘Kidnapped? But how?’ Marvin shook his head, shut his eyes, opened them and got unsteadily to his feet.

  ‘When?’

  ‘Amando was drugged too. I’ll be back,’ and Frost left the guardroom. He walked fast down to the harbour. The gate to the harbour stood open. He wondered what Gina was doing right now: probably giggling herself silly with excitement.

  Leaving the gate as it was, he walked around the estate.

  By the time he returned to the villa, it was 09.15.

  He found Marvin with Amando in the guardroom. He was glad to see Amando looked utterly stricken. He was white and shaking. Frost was sure that when Grandi arrived, Amando would be skinned.

  ‘She’s gone,’ he said. ‘The boats are all there. Mr. Grandi will be here by 16.00.’ He sat down, waving the other two to chairs. ‘I’m in charge, and it’s my neck that’ll be chopped.’ He talked in his hard cop voice. ‘You two were drugged. How could you have been drugged?’ He glared at Amando.

  ‘I - I don’t know.’

  ‘Then you’d better start thinking!’ Frost snapped. ‘Did you have a drink last night?’

  ‘I have a glass of milk every night. Suka brings it to me.’

  Frost looked at Marvin.

  ‘We had beer, but I opened the cans. That soup! Did it taste odd?’

  Marvin had now recovered. He was staring thoughtfully at Frost.

  ‘It tasted fine.’

  ‘It could have been doped, couldn’t it?’

  ‘Then why wasn’t your soup doped?’

  Watch it, Frost warned himself, this sonofabitch is a trained cop.

  ‘This is the way I see it,’ he said. ‘As I told Mr. Grandi, to get at his daughter, there had to be an inside man to neutralise the fence. There are four men on the estate: Mr. Amando, you, myself and Suka. You two were drugged because you were both in the villa. I wasn’t drugged because I was in my cabin, and there is no way I can reach the guardroom to neutralise the fence without getting attacked by the dogs? Right?’

  Marvin’s eyes narrowed.

  ‘I guess that’s right. Suka, huh?’

  ‘Couldn’t be anyone else.’ Frost looked at Amando.

  ‘You with me?’

  ‘Yes . . . yes,’ he said in a quavering voice. ‘I’ve never trusted Suka.’ He got unsteadily to his feet. ‘I am feeling bad. I must rest before Mr. Grandi comes. I will be in my room,’ and he walked unsteadily from the guardroom.

  ‘This is the end of the road for him,’ Frost said, as the door closed.

  ‘Let’s get that yellow sonofabitch in here and grill him!’ Marvin said.

  ‘No! We do nothing until Grandi arrives. Those were his orders. As soon as he arrives, we’ll take Suka apart.’

  ‘So we sit around here for eight goddamn hours, doing nothing?’

  ‘That’s what I’ve got to do, but you’re officially off-duty. Go and get some sleep.’

  Marvin poured more coffee.

  ‘I couldn’t sleep.’ He drank, then sighed. ‘Gee! My kid’s going to be disappointed. I promised to take him to the fun fair. I’d better call Mrs. Washington and tell her I won’t be coming.’

  ‘Why do that? Why disappoint the kid? Grandi won’t be here until 16.00. That gives you at least six hours to be with your kid. Go on, see him, and get back here before 14.00. Why not?’

  Marvin hesitated, then his face lit up.

  ‘I’ve never broken a promise to him . . . not ever. Do you think it’ll be all right, Mike?’

  ‘Sure. I’ll just have to sit around, counting my fingers. The action won’t start until Grandi gets here. Go on, get off.’

  Still Marvin hesitated.

  ‘How about Suka?’

  ‘We have him trapped,’ Frost said. ‘The guard won’t let him out and the fence is electrified. I intend to stay right here by the telephone in case they call again. I intend to lock myself in when you’ve gone. No problem.’

  ‘Well, then if you’re sure, I’ll get off.’

  ‘I’ll alert the guard to let you out. Have a ball with your kid.’ Frost reached for the telephone and gave the guard instructions to let Marvin out and let him in on his return, then he went on to the guard, ‘Mr. Grandi will be arriving around 16.00. Let him in,’ and he hung up.

  After some twenty minutes, he saw Marvin drive away in the T.R.7.

  At their last meeting, Frost had told Silk of his idea of making Suka the fall guy, and Silk had approved. He had told Silk what he then was going to do, and again Silk approved.

  ‘One Jap less is one Jap less,’ Frost had said.

  He got to his feet and went to the door leading to the villa and raising his voice, he called, ‘Suka! Hey, Suka!’

  Leaving the door open, he returned to the desk and sat down.

  After a delay, Suka appeared in the doorway.

  ‘I want you to go down to the harbour right away,’ Frost said. ‘When I checked the grounds, I found the harbour gate open. I forgot to shut it. I have
to stay here by the telephone. Will you go down and shut it?’

  Suka nodded.

  Frost got up and pressed the button that neutralised the fence.

  ‘The current’s off,’ he said, trying to speak casually. ‘Go ahead.’

  Suka nodded and hurried away.

  Frost was aware his heart was thumping. He had never killed a man, but what was one Jap less?

  Drawing in a deep breath, he pressed the red button, turning on the current. The moment Suka touched the gate, he would be dead.

  Seven

  At exactly 14.00, Jack Marvin walked into the guardroom.

  ‘Hi, Mike! Any excitements?’

  It had been a long wait, and Frost was jittery. Suka hadn’t returned, that must mean he was dead.

  It was the only way, Frost had argued to himself. Having made Suka the fall guy, it would be too dangerous for him to live. From time to time, he wanted to go down to the harbour, but if Amando came to the guardroom and found him missing it would poke a hole in the story he was going to tell.

  He was going to tell Grandi that he had immediately suspected Suka, and had taken precautions to make sure Suka couldn’t leave the estate. He had told the guards to let no one out and he had electrified the fence. Obviously, he would say, Suka got in a panic and had decided to take off in one of the boats, forgetting the fence was electrified and had been killed. The police would have to be called, but Frost felt he could deal with them. Suka had been killed accidentally.

  Marvin was the man to find the body.

  ‘Not a thing,’ Frost said, ‘but I’m goddamn hungry. You eaten?’

  Marvin grinned.

  ‘I’ve been eating hotdogs and ice cream with the kid for the past hour. Why didn’t you tell Suka to get you something?’

  ‘I thought I’d wait until you got back. Be a pal, and tell him to hustle up a snack.’

  ‘Sure.’

  It was over ten minutes before Marvin hurried into the guardroom. He looked worried.

  ‘No sign of him. I’ve checked his cabin.’ He stared at Frost. ‘You don’t think he’s scrammed?’

  ‘No way,’ Frost said impatiently. ‘He’s around the estate some place. Take a look, Jack. I’ve got to stay by the telephone. Watch it! The current’s on. Don’t touch the fence.’