Was Vidal suspicious of her and of me?
I got up and walked around the back of the hotel to where the waiting taxis were parked. There was just a chance that Jose, Vidal’s driver, was still hanging around, but, of course, he wasn’t. As I was re-entering the hotel, I spotted Rivera lounging in the shade, talking to one of the hotel porters. I moved towards him and he seeing me approaching, got to his feet and joined me.
‘The last day here, Senor Burden. Very sad for me. The Senora perhaps would like a nice drive when it is cooler?’
‘I don’t think so.’ I was surprised he made the offer until I remembered he was thinking of his tip. ‘Mr. Vidal returned unexpectedly. I doubt if she will be going out.’
He beamed.
‘It was very fortunate for Jose. He did not have to drive to Santa Rosa de Lima. Senor Vidal’s friend met him halfway at Zacatecoluca because of the heat.’
So that was it.
I drew in a breath of relief. Vidal hadn’t been suspicious of us. This hadn’t been a manoeuvre to catch us in the act.
‘Will you have the car ready tomorrow at 07.30?’ I said.
‘Yes, Senor Burden. You can rely on me.’ He paused and looked hopefully at me. ‘If the Senora doesn’t need me, I go.’
‘I’ll check first.’
I went into the lobby and called suite 7. Val answered.
‘This is Burden,’ I said. ‘Roberto wants to know if you would like a last drive?’
‘I’ll ask my husband.’ Her voice sounded calm. There was a pause, then she said, ‘No, it is all right. We are going to take a swim later,’ and she hung up.
I told Rivera he could go and he went off happily. The time was 17.10. I had nothing to do. I would have liked to have taken a swim but if Val and Vidal were coming down I thought it wiser to keep out of their way.
So I walked down to the city and in the stifling heat, wandered around the shops. I suddenly remembered I should take Rhoda back a present: no easy task as she was always critical of what I bought her. I finally bought a snakeskin belt which I thought might please her.
I returned to the hotel at 18.30 and went to the bar.
Carrying a gin and tonic out on to the terrace, I sat down.
As I settled myself, I looked across the pool. Val and Vidal were sitting under the shade of a tree. He was wearing purple swim trunks. His chunky body was covered with coarse black hair. Looking at him, I saw the brutal power and strength of him. With his short thick legs and his barrel shaped chest he looked more like an ape than a human being.
Abruptly, he turned his head and looked at me. He seemed to feel instinctively if anyone was regarding him. Then he spoke to Val, looking beautiful in an emerald green bikini.
She looked in my direction and smiled, then nodded to Vidal who raised his hand and beckoned to me to join them.
* * *
The San Salvador-Guatemala-Miami flight was full. Arriving at el Aeropuerto de Ilopango twenty minutes before takeoff, Vidal said to me, ‘Call us when we can board,’ and he and Val went to the V.I.P. lounge.
Rivera and I checked in the luggage. I got hold of one of the airhostesses and warned her the Vidals were on her flight. She promised to take care of them. I then tipped Rivera, shook hands with him and thanked him for his service, not that he deserved thanking. He had done as little as possible.
When the last of the passengers had passed through the security screen, I went to the V.I.P. lounge.
‘All ready for boarding Mr. Vidal,’ I said.
They took their seats. Satisfied they were in good hands already the airhostess was offering them champagne which they refused - I went to the economy class and took my seat.
In one week from tomorrow I would be a member of Vidal’s staff I still couldn’t believe it. Val had promised she would catch Vidal in the right mood and she had seized the chance when he had returned so unexpectedly. This surprised me. I had left her terrified yet she had been able to recover enough to persuade Vidal he would save money by employing me.
When I joined them by the pool, Val had said she would change for dinner and she left Vidal and me together.
‘This idea my wife has of you joining my staff,’ he said as soon as she had gone, ‘is smart. Dyer should have thought of it. It will save me money.’ He gave me a sharp look. ‘Save the dimes Burden’ (I noted the ‘mister’ had been dropped), ‘and the dollars take care of themselves. I should have been told agency commissions were so high. She tells me she has discussed the idea with you and you’re ready to work for me. That’s okay with me. I’ll give you a week to tie up your end so report to Dyer tomorrow week, huh? My wife wants to work with you. That’s constructive thinking. She knows the work and it will occupy her. Everyone needs to be occupied. She tells me you are efficient. I hope so Burden. I don’t get along with inefficiency. See my attorney, Jason Shackman. He will give you a contract. You will take instructions from my wife. If you have any questions, ask her.’ He got to his feet. ‘Keep on your toes. Pull your weight and you’ll be happy working with us.’ He bounced away to the hotel.
I leaned back in my seat and fastened the safety belt. It had come off! In a week’s time I would once again be working with Val. It would be turning the clock back six years. I’ll be with her constantly was my greatest wish. There will be moments like this when he is away, she had promised. Those were the moments I would live for.
I thought of all the things I had to do during the coming week. I thought of Rhoda. I would have to be very careful not to give her the slightest suspicion there was more to this offer of Vidal’s than promotion and money.
I must warn Val to keep away from the Trendie Miss boutique. It would be fatal if Olson saw her. He might tell Rhoda who she was and then the red light would go up.
At Miami airport, I joined Val and Vidal at the Customs barrier.
‘Take care of the baggage Burden,’ Vidal said abruptly.
‘Come, Valerie. The Rolls will be waiting.’
There was some delay before I cleared the baggage, then, as I followed the porter out into the lobby, I saw Vernon Dyer, immaculate in a lemon coloured suit, waiting. He gave me a sneering little grin.
‘So you have become one of us, you poor, misguided fellow,’ he said. ‘Tiny has just broken the news to me.’
‘Tiny?’
‘We call him that: top secret of course. Well, welcome to the slave house. I hear our Mrs. V. is putting her harness on again. At least Tiny won’t have to pay her, but rather you than me. Strictly between slaves, old boy, she can be difficult: repeat difficult. There are times when she can even be horrid.’ He chuckled. ‘Must be frustration. It can’t be fun to bed with hairy Tiny.’
I felt like hitting him, but I controlled myself.
‘I’ve got baggage here.’
‘I’ll take care of it. Thank God this is the last time I’ll have to be his dreary porter. See you next Monday, old boy,’ and with a languid wave of his hand, he directed the bagman to take the baggage to a waiting estate wagon.
Back home, I found the expected chaos. Surprisingly, Rhoda was out. The bedroom and the living room were in a depressing state of confusion. She had managed to spill her face powder over her dressing table. Cigarette butts overflowed from ashtrays. The bed was unmade. She had dropped her lipstick on the carpet and had trodden on it. The bathroom was in a complete mess and her clothes lay where she had dropped them. I spent a couple of hours clearing up.
By then it was lunchtime. I made myself a martini and went into the kitchen. As I expected, she had done no shopping for the weekend. Apart from a few cans of sardines, there was nothing to eat.
I wondered where she had got to. We seldom went out on Sundays. She preferred to slop around and sunbathe on the balcony. I had only a cup of coffee on the aircraft and I was now hungry. I decided to go down to the Coffee shop. As I started towards the door, Rhoda came in.
‘Oh hello.’ She came across to peck me on the cheek. ‘I wasn’t sure when you
would be back. Have a good trip?’
For a Sunday she looked surprisingly smart although she hadn’t bothered to put on her usual elaborate make-up.
‘Where have you been?’ I asked.
‘At the Club.’ She pouted. ‘I got bored sticking around here on my own. Is there anything to eat?’
‘You know there isn’t! Let’s go to the coffee shop.’
‘Oh, God! That again! I thought you might have picked something up on your way back.’
‘Well, I didn’t. I’ve got something for you.’ I gave her the snakeskin belt.
She promptly found fault with it: ‘It’s not my size and what am I going to wear with it?’
‘That’s your problem. Come on . . . I’m hungry.’ We went down to the coffee shop and ordered steaks.
‘How did you get on with the slinky Mrs. Vidal?’ she asked, once the order was given. She looked at me with a jeering little grin. ‘Have you fallen for her?’
I reached for a roll and began to butter it ‘Sorry to disappoint you. There is no romance in the offing.’
‘Well, at least, admit she isn’t bad looking.’
‘I admit she isn’t bad looking.’
I could see she was irritated, I wasn’t rising to the bait ‘You mean she didn’t try to drag you into her bed?’
‘Shall we skip this drivel, honey,’ I said quietly. ‘I’ve something important to tell you, but if you must play you’re not so funny game, I’ll wait until you are through.’ I thought this was the safest way to play it. I was right. She flushed angrily. She hated to be treated like a child.
‘So what’s so important?’ she demanded.
‘Are you quite sure you don’t want to continue about Mrs. Vidal?’
‘Cut it out Clay! Don’t be so filthy! What’s important?’
‘I’m changing my job. Vidal made me an offer to come on his staff and I’ve accepted it!’
Her eyes popped open wide.
‘You mean you’re leaving A.T.S.?’
‘That’s right.’
‘But why?’
‘The money is twice as good as I’m getting now and the work will be much more interesting. It’s an opportunity too good to miss.’
‘Is it?’ She paused as the waitress set the plates before us. ‘How about your pension? You’ve worked for A.T.S. for years. I think you are nuts. Suppose Vidal drops dead? What will you do then?’
These were shrewd points which I hadn’t considered. I couldn’t tell her the reason I was going to work for Vidal and the only reason was that I would be in continual contact with Val.
‘He won’t drop dead and he’s taking care of the pension angle.’
She ate some of the steak, frowning.
‘Well, I suppose you know what you are doing. Where will you work?’
‘He has offices close to the house.’
‘Hey! What about me?’ She put down her knife and fork and stared at me. ‘How do I get to work and home again?’
‘With the extra money he is paying I can afford to buy a car for you.’
Her eyes lit up.
‘Honest?’
‘That’s what the man said.’
‘I don’t want some crummy heap Clay. I want either an Austin Cooper or a Toyota.’
‘You can have what you want.’
‘Big deal, huh?’ I could see she was pleased. She was so busy thinking about the car, she raised no further objections.
It was as easy as that. However, while we were getting ready for bed after watching TV, she said suddenly, ‘I suppose you’ll be seeing a lot of Slinky?’
‘Who?’
‘Mrs. Vidal.’
‘I doubt it. From what I hear she travels a lot with Vidal.’
‘Oh.’ Rhoda thought for a moment, then decided not to pursue the subject. ‘Come on to bed. I feel sexy.’
I didn’t but this wasn’t the time to say no. When I put out the light and took her in my arms, I thought of Val, but even thinking of her wasn’t enough to turn me on.
When it was over, Rhoda said crossly, ‘What’s the matter with you? That was a complete drag.’
‘Sorry. I have a lot on my mind.’
‘You can say that again,’ and she turned her ‘back to me.
I lay in the darkness, thinking of Val. It was long past midnight before I fell asleep.
* * *
The following week proved a busy one and I was glad to have Olson to handle the routine work. I saw Massingham and told him of Vidal’s offer.
He took it well, ‘It’s up to you Clay,’ he said. ‘We’ll be sorry to lose you. Are you sure you’re doing the right thing? Vidal could be here today, gone tomorrow.’
‘Oh, I wouldn’t say that. I’ve thought about it. I need a change. There will be more to it than booking tickets and the money is good.’
‘All right. Try it. See how you like working for him. If it doesn’t work out, come back to us. There’ll always be a place for you.’
It was more than I had expected.
I called on Vidal’s attorney, Jason Shackman. He had my contract ready. It was a simple affair. Either party could give six months’ notice: the contract to run for three years with a salary increase each year. I signed. He signed, and that was that.
Rhoda had her Austin Cooper and loved it. Although I was busy, the days dragged. I longed for the moment when I would see Val again.
On Saturday morning, as I was clearing my desk. Dyer came in.
‘All fixed for Monday, old boy?’ he asked. ‘I’ve been saving it all up for you. You’ll be as busy as a buzz saw. Tiny is going on a trip at the end of the week. Bring plenty of tranquillisers with you.’ He took a blue card in a plastic envelope from his pocket. ‘This is your pass. Show it to the guard at the barrier. Don’t lose it.’ He looked around my office, then rested a hip on my desk. ‘It foxes me why you’re giving this up. Here, you are your own boss and you have fixed hours of work.’ He shrugged. ‘It’s your funeral. You’ll appreciate this after a week or so working for Tiny.’ He looked thoughtfully at me. ‘Take a tip from me and be careful of Mrs. V. Strictly between you and me, she’s an odd ball. There are times when she really baffles me. She’s fine one day, then moody and far away the next. The damnedest thing happened a couple of months ago. She and I were discussing the arrangements for a big dinner party. I couldn’t remember the name of one of the guests. She couldn’t either. Then just when we were about to give up, I remembered. I snapped my fingers like this.’ With thumb and third finger, he made a loud snapping noise. ‘Believe it or not, she went into a trance. You know . . . like a subject who has been hypnotised. She just sat motionless, her eyes empty: she looked like a goddamn zombie. Gave me a hell of a turn. I had seen the trick done at a nightclub. I snapped my fingers twice in her face and she came to as fast as she had gone into the trance. She didn’t seem to know what had happened.’ He took out his gold cigarette case and offered it. ‘Odd, don’t you think?’
I refused the cigarette. It was as much as I could do to keep my face expressionless.
As I said nothing, he scowled. That I appeared to show no interest in what he had told me plainly irritated him.
‘Well, don’t say you haven’t been warned,’ he went on. ‘No finger snapping, old boy, unless, of course, you want to make her your slave, but with Tiny around that would be most unwise.’
‘You’ll have to excuse me,’ I said curtly. ‘I’m trying to clear up,’ and opening a desk drawer I began to empty it.
‘Mustn’t hold you up gossiping then.’ He slid off my desk. ‘Have a nice weekend.’ He moved to the door, then paused. ‘Oh, one other thing. Tiny works seven days a week. Don’t count on your future weekends. I never do,’ and on that cheerful note, he left.
I had no time to think over what he had told me about Val as Olson came in with some last minute queries. We were all kept busy until 13.00. Then, as it was my last day, I invited Sue and Olson to join Rhoda and me for lunch. When we broke up, Rhoda sa
id she wanted to go into Palm Beach to do some shopping. As she now had her own transport, I gladly opted to return to the apartment.
Sitting on the balcony, I thought over what Dyer had told me and recalled what Val had also told me. Had Vidal really hypnotic powers? If he had, was Val under his influence? If she was, could he get from her that we were lovers?
Remembering her terror and her warning of his viciousness (he would have us killed!), I became so uneasy I just couldn’t continue to sit on the balcony any longer. I had to find something to do to rid myself of this pressure of growing alarm.
I changed into slacks and an open neck shirt and drove to the golf club. I found Joe Harkness of the American Express hopefully looking for a partner. He brightened when he saw me.
‘You’re in for a beating, buddy,’ he said. ‘I’m feeling right on form.’
With Val very much in my thoughts, I was in no mood to concentrate, and I played my worst ever round of golf.
As we went together to the bar, Harkness said. ‘Boy! You’ve certainly things on your mind. Is Dyer worrying you?’
Knowing he would find out sooner or later, I told him, starting from tomorrow, I was going to work for Vidal. The news seemed to shock him out of his jocular mood.
‘Is that such a bright idea Clay?’ he asked. ‘Of course it’s no business of mine, but the last man I would care to work for would be Vidal.’
‘He’ll probably be tricky, but the money is good and I need a change.’
‘But for how long? I have an idea he isn’t going to last. This empire he’s built gives off a smell. Frankly, I’ve never slept better since we lost the account. I have a feeling that before long there’s going to be a godawful crash.’
I looked sharply at him.
‘Just a feeling? Anything to support it?’
‘Nothing tangible but people are talking and there’s no smoke without fire.’ He glanced around to make sure we couldn’t be overheard, then went on, ‘I know for a fact that when his contract with U-Drive comes up for renewal at the end of this month, they are only going to give him a month’s credit instead of six. Once that leaks, all his other creditors will do the same. Has it occurred to you Clay that if your people still had his account and learned no one was going to give him six months credit any longer, wouldn’t they follow suit? If Vidal suspected that his credit was going to be cut, it I would be a smart move to hire an experienced operator like yourself to handle his travel. At least, he would be saving agency commissions.’
1975 - Believe This You'll Believe Anything Page 7