‘The doc set it. It sure hurt.’
‘Tough,’ Bess said.
I looked at her. She had on a two-piece white swim suit. She’d been working in the back lawn while I was gone, and she was wet from the sprinklers. Only there was something else in her eyes. She had some mud on one hand, and she wiped her face and some of the mud smeared off.
We stood there watching each other. Finally I started for the house. Somehow I had to get to Vivian, because Noel Teece knew my name. I remembered telling him in the Lincoln. All he had to do was check a little, and he’d be along.
‘Where you going?’
‘Inside. This damn finger. You wouldn’t think a little finger could hurt so much.’
She came along behind me, her feet swishing on the grass. ‘Roy?’
I stood there holding the screen door open, half inside the kitchen. You could tell it from the tone of her voice. She had something on her mind. ‘A letter came for you.’
‘Oh?’
‘It’s in on the desk.’
‘Well, fine.’
She just stood there. She didn’t say anything.
I went on into the kitchen and let the screen door slam. It was like everything had gone out of the place, all life. There just wasn’t any sound at all.
I kept thinking of Vivian. I went in and the letter was on the desk. There wasn’t another thing on the desk. Just that letter. Now, I knew Bess was pulling something.
It was from Albert, and it was open.
I started reading and I heard her coming. It was short and sweet, just like that creep. Explaining everything, just fine. ‘Why did you lie, Roy?’
‘What in hell else could I do?’
‘You could have told me he wouldn’t give you the money. I didn’t mean to open it. I thought it was all right. I thought it was the check.’
Albert had said how sorry he was about not giving me the money. The same old line all over again. Hoe your own row. Maybe some time ten years from now . . .
‘Roy?’
‘Huh?’
‘You didn’t answer me. Why’d you tell me he was sending the money?’
I stood there with my mouth open. Vivian was walking across the front yard. She went over by a palm tree and stood there. I could see her gnawing her lip.
‘You want a telescope, Roy?’
‘Cut it out!’
‘Answer me, then.’
I had to get Vivian back into the apartment. My God, what if Teece came along now? She didn’t even know. All day long she’d been waiting for me to do something and I hadn’t even been able to talk with her.
I turned to Bess. ‘I had to lie to you. How could I tell you the way he acted? It was lousy—crumby. You never saw anything like it. My own brother!’
‘You don’t have to talk like that, Roy.’
‘Well, damn it, it’s true. I didn’t know what to do.’
‘So you let me get my hopes up. And the suit, Roy. Did he give you the suit of clothes, too?’
‘Sure, he did. Certainly. My gosh, Bess!’
‘Don’t blame me. I don’t know what to believe any more.’ She came over and perched herself on the comer of the desk. Her hair was all messed up and there was that mud on her face. ‘Take it easy, Bess.’
‘I’m taking it easy. I’m just so damned mad I could choke you.’ Vivian was staring over here at the office. Then she started back across the lawn toward number six. She paused and glanced toward the office again.
‘You notice? She cut off her slacks and made a pair of shorts. She’s got nice legs. Hasn’t she?’
‘Bess, for gosh sakes!’
She came off the desk and started toward the kitchen, and whirled and stood there. ‘You saw him four days ago. Where were you all that time, Roy?’
‘I told you—waiting for a ride down here. Listen, I didn’t have much money, you know that. The hotel bill took everything. I had just enough for that damned bottle. So I bought it. Not enough dough to get home, even. I didn’t even eat, Bess. Last night was the first meal in two days.’
‘All right,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry.’ She walked up to me and put her arms around me. She was soaking wet, but I held her tight and kissed her.
‘Forgive me, Roy?’
‘Sure. What’s there to forgive?’
‘I shouldn’t be that way. Only you were gone so long, up there in Chicago. And I know Chicago, remember? I thought all sorts of things. Then to find this out—that you didn’t get the money.’ I kissed her again.
‘What are we going to do, Roy?’
‘I’m figuring something. But I can’t tell you now. Something’ll work out.’
‘All right. I’ll lay off I’m going to take a shower. I’m sorry what I said about her, too. But she’s been walking around in those home-built shorts of hers. She cut them so close up it’s a wonder they don’t gag her.’
‘Go take your shower.’
The minute I heard the water running behind the closed door,
I started over toward number six.
Hughes was a fine-looking old gent. He stopped me right outside the office. I tried to let him know I was in a hurry, but he wasn’t having any nonsense.
‘Mister Nichols?’
I nodded and tried to brush by.
‘Wait. I want a word with you.’
‘What is it?’
He was tall and thin and stooped a little; the scholarly stoop. He had on a gray business suit and a red bow tie and his eyes were like a busy chipmunk’s. ‘It come to me that you should do something about that shuffleboard court of yours, there. Now, if you like, I could get to work and clean it up just fine. We could—’
‘All right, you just go right ahead and do that.’ I could still hear the shower going, but it wouldn’t be for long.
‘Now, there’s one thing—’
‘I’m sorry. I’ve got to run.’
‘Well, it’s just—’
I whacked him a light one on the shoulder. He darned near collapsed, but I was already cutting across the front of the apartments.
‘Teece is alive.’
She was sitting there in a chair, with a newspaper in her hand. It was shaking like crazy.
‘I knew it,’ she said. ‘I knew it.’
‘I saw him. Downtown.’
‘Oh, God—Noel.’
‘You’d better stay inside and not go out.’
She dropped the paper on the floor and Bess had sure been right about those shorts. Then she grabbed the newspaper up and shook it at me.
‘It’s in the paper about the wreck. They found the Lincoln, Nichols. Only they didn’t find anybody in it . . . Nichols! What in God’s name am I going to do?’
She stood up and threw the paper down. I picked it up and she pointed to the little news item.
According to the report, there’d been blood all over everything. The pine trees were sprinkled with it. They’d found a smashed whiskey bottle, and that was supposed to account for the wreck. There had been no sign of any of the car’s occupants. They located a trail of blood leading up along the bank of the stream to the road and down the road, only it stopped. They had no idea what happened, but decided the person or persons involved had picked up a ride on the highway.
Vivian was breathing down my neck, trying to read it again over my shoulder, trying to thoroughly digest the bad news. Then she stepped away, flopping that thick black hair around. ‘You’ve got to get me out of here, Nichols.’
‘Relax a minute, will you? Let me think.’
‘There isn’t time to think. Noel’s after that money, now. He’s out to find me. He’ll be here. You know he’ll be here!’
‘Quiet.’ I remembered Bess. I had to get out of the apartment. ‘We can’t talk here. You just stay inside. There’s nothing to worry about. If he comes, I’ll talk with him. He may not even come.’
‘Stop it!’ she said. ‘Will you please stop it!’
‘Well, we can’t talk now. If my wife spots us together a
nd thinks anything at all, she’ll have me boot you out of here—and quick.’ She had her hands folded the way she did, praying again.
‘If I didn’t move you out, she’d call the cops.’
She shook her head. ‘Oh, no, Nichols. I’d tell her you slept with me night before last. In that hotel. How would she like that?’
‘You think she’d believe you?’
‘Nichols, we’ve got to hide the money. At least you can do that much?’
She had me going. It was like my mind had shut down like a door. What she’d said about telling Bess had jarred me. Because Bess would believe it, the way things had been going. I tried to calm down inside, so I could think straight. I couldn’t do it. I was all tied up and everything was going wrong.
She’d never let me try to ditch her and back out on this now. And Teece was alive and he knew me.
I had to take the chance of Bess finding me here, so I told Vivian I’d help her hide the money. I didn’t know what good it would do. But if Teece did raise any hell, at least he wouldn’t get that money.
‘You know,’ she said. ‘It’s not just that brief case any more, Nichols. It’s me, now. And it’s you. Noel’s not dumb. He’s probably worked it out, what’s happened.’
We hid the money in the bureau. I took the top drawers out and wedged it in against the back of the bureau. The drawers wouldn’t close all the way, so I took some of her clothes and dribbled them over the drawer. It looked like the drawer was jammed with black lace.
‘Now, I’ve got to scram.’
‘Nichols, Nichols.’ She got her arms around my neck and slung herself against me. ‘I’m scared.’
I pulled her off and checked the back way from the kitchen door. No sign of Bess. I went on outside and started toward our place. Bess stepped onto our back porch from the kitchen, and looked at me. She had on a bright-colored skirt and a peasant blouse. Her hair was brushed to a soft gold.
‘Where’ve you been, Roy?’
‘Just checking the paint on the rest of the place. Sure needs a paint job.’
‘Wait, I think I heard a car stop out front.’
It felt as if the porch steps began to rock and heave.
‘Roy, you’re pale as a ghost. What’s the matter?’
‘Nothing, honey. Nothing at all.’
I pushed past her on the porch. She followed me through the house and I was sweating all over. Sure enough a car had stopped out front. It was a big black baby, a Cadillac, and the sun shot off it like a mirror. It was huge.
I stared till my eyes watered. Then a man got out and stood there a minute, staring at the motel sign. It wasn’t Teece.
‘Look at that car. It’s like a hearse.’
I didn’t answer. My heart gradually began to slow down and we stood there together, watching him.
‘Think he’s coming here?’
He was. He threw a cigar away, turned and started up across the grass. He was a big guy, wearing a single-breasted powder- blue suit and a light gray felt hat. I didn’t like it, the way he came at the office. His head kept going back and forth, his gaze checking.
‘Could it be somebody from the bank?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Well, go out and meet him, Roy. He probably wants an apartment.’
‘His kind don’t stay at motels.’
I went on outside and waited. He saw me and his face didn’t change expression. Then he grinned and paused by the porch steps. I came down a step.
‘Roy Nichols?’
‘That’s right.’
‘My name’s Radan; Mister Nichols. I’ve just come over here from Tampa. That mean anything to you?’
‘No. Why?’
He pursed his lips and lifted one foot to the first step of the porch. Then he took off his hat and held it in both hands on his knee and watched me. His hair was immaculate. It was black hair and it was perfectly combed. His eyes were level and steady. There were tiny nips at the corners of his mouth and, standing there, he gave an impression of great leisure.
I heard Bess moving around inside. ‘Looking for a place to stay?’
He shook his head gently. ‘Nothing like that. Not yet, anyhow.’
‘Well, what is it?’
‘That’s not the question, Mister Nichols.’
‘Maybe we’d better talk inside?’
‘That’s up to you. I believe perhaps it might be best that we talk alone, privately. At least, for now.’
‘Oh?’
He took his foot down and lightly banged his hat against his leg. He seemed to be waiting for something.
I stepped down beside him. He edged a little toward the front lawn, looking at me with his head a shade to one side. Then we both walked out on the lawn.
‘Is that your wife inside, Mister Nichols?’
‘Yes.’
‘I didn’t want to embarrass you.’
I didn’t say anything.
‘I understand how these things are, Mister Nichols. Now, where is Vivian?’
‘Vivian?’
‘Yes. Vivian Rise. You know what I mean, Mister Nichols.’ He cleared his throat carefully. Unless you would rather go back inside and discuss it with your wife.’
‘I don’t get you.’
‘I’m sorry about this,’ he said. He kept his voice low and his manner was apologetic. ‘But I can’t do anything about it. You see, I’ve been sent over here to clear this up. You recall Noel Teece, don’t you, Mister Nichols?’
The screen door slammed and I heard Bess coming toward us. ‘Roy? Could I be of any help?’
The guy turned and jerked his head in a neat little bow. ‘We’ll see, Mrs. Nichols. We’ll see.’
Chapter 8
Bess smiled at this Radan. She had slash pockets in her skirt. She jammed her hands into the pockets and stood there, smiling and rocking back and forth on her heels.
Vivian might not know who Radan was. More than likely she’d never heard of him. So all she had to do was wander out here now, in those shorts of hers and make things just right. I got a tight feeling at the base of my skull, as if somebody’d put a clamp on there and was screwing it tighter and tighter.
Radan cleared his throat. ‘You have a very nice place here.’
‘Thank you. We love it, don’t we, Roy?’
‘Oh, yes.’
Radan looked at me and smiled pleasantly. He banged his hat against his leg. He looked at his fingernails. He banged his hat against his leg. He looked at his fingernails, and then at the apartments. He checked the roofs, glancing at Bess from the comer of his eye.
‘Thinking of staying in St. Pete?’ Bess said.
He frowned at her.
I glanced over at number six. There was no sign of life. But I knew she was there, behind the Venetian blinds, watching, waiting.
‘Let’s see around back,’ Radan said. ‘I’d like to have a look at your garage, Mister Nichols.’
I started to say something and changed it fast. I didn’t want him to see the Ford with Georgia plates. If he got a look at that, there was no telling. I didn’t know exactly who he was, but I had a good enough idea. I wished to God I was out of this. But there was no way out right now.
‘All right.’
‘Sure,’ Bess said. ‘We’ll show you.’
‘Well—Mrs. Nichols.’
‘Bess, you know—’ She stared at me.
I tried to give her the eye, making it look as if this guy was nuts. As if I didn’t know anything about what he wanted, one way or the other. I winked at her.
‘Guess I’ll see about dinner, Roy.’
Radan nodded and Bess went back inside.
We walked on across the grass toward the far side of the block, over to the edge of the apartments. ‘I’m afraid you’re in over your head, Mister Nichols. I don’t think you have any idea what you’re really mixed up with. Or have you?’
I didn’t say anything.
‘You understand?’
‘I don’t believe so.�
��
He paused and got in front of me and lightly tapped the brim of his hat against my chest. Then he pursed his lips and turned and walked toward the comer of the apartments. The shuffle- board courts were just beyond, under some pines.
‘Come along, Mister Nichols.’
We went on past there. I had this one court. Hughes was on his hands and knees on a pad, scrubbing the cement with a G.I. brush. He was working with a pail of soapy water, wearing khaki shorts. He kept coughing as he worked. There was soap and water all over everything. He was really scrubbing.
‘Now, Mister Nichols,’ Radan said. ‘You’ve got to understand that we want to know where this girl is.’
Hughes saw me. He got up, straightening like a rusty hinge, and came toward us, stooping. He waved the brush and a string of soap and water dribbled wildly. ‘Mister Nichols?’
‘We’d better go the other way.’
Hughes reached us. Radan sighed.
‘How you like that, Mister Nichols? Getting her really cleaned up around here.’ Hughes’ eyes sparkled. He waved the brush and a long stream of soapy water sprinkled on Radan’s suit. Radan kept on smiling, brushing at it with his hat.
‘I’m sorry,’ Hughes said. ‘Excited, I guess. You can’t blame me, getting the courts all fixed up and all.’
Hughes moved in closer and stood there, holding the brush so it dribbled gobs of soap on Radan’s shiny right shoe.
‘I’ll have her cleaned up in a jiffy. Then I can play. We’ll get up a game, right, Mister Nichols? You and your wife can come out and we’ll have a fine time. I think the Donnes are becoming interested in the sport.’ Then Hughes nudged my arm, looking at Radan. ‘Is this somebody new—going to stay here, Mister Nichols?’
I shook my head.
‘I’m afraid not, sir,’ Radan said. He walked toward the rear of the apartments, past some benches I’d put beside the shuffle- board court.
‘Mister Nichols?’ Hughes called.
We kept going. At the corner of the apartments, Radan paused. He got out a handkerchief and bent down, rubbing at the soap and water on his shoe. It took all the shine off. ‘I don’t exactly go for this,’ he said.
‘Sorry.’
He straightened. ‘You smash your finger in the wreck, Mister Nichols?’
‘What wreck?’
‘That won’t do any good. There’s no use pretending. We know all about it. Either you take action, or we take action. That’s the way it is.’ He was still very apologetic.
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