Miss Callaghan Comes to Grief

by James Hadley Chase

  She looked at him and shook her head. “It’s okay. I dare say it won’t kill me,” she said, and settled once more comfortably.

  Raven sent the car shooting forward. He knew it was in the bag now.

  Neither of them spoke for some time. The Chrysler tore through the night, ripping miles off the State Highway. As the hands of the dashboard clock crept on the night grew colder. Both of them began to feel stiff and chilly.

  Raven said, “Just ahead is Williamsburg. I guess we’ll stop there for a drink.”

  Marie rubbed her bare arms. “I’ll get a coat out when we get there,” she said.

  In ten minutes they reached the town and Raven stopped the car outside a small all−wood hotel. He went round to the boot and helped her get out a light dust−coat. He also took out a rug.

  They went into the hotel together. The clock was just striking a quarter to twelve. They went into a deserted lobby and ordered coffee and rum from a startled negro waiter.

  “Tired?” Raven asked, as they sipped the steaming coffee.

  She shook her head. “We’ll go on.” She was very decided about it. Raven grinned to himself.

  They got up to go when they had finished. She said, “Shall I drive?”

  He nodded. “Sure, if you want to. We’ll go on to Columbia, then maybe we’ll get some sleep.”

  She bit her lip. “Couldn’t you sleep now? Then we could drive all the time.”

  “So we could,” he said. “You’re sure in a hurry to get there, ain’t you?”

  And he followed her out to the car.

  19

  September 14th, 11.10 a.m.

  HOGARTY SAID, “Think it’s Raven?”

  Jay and he stared down at the battered Goshawk. Two cops who stood in the room watched them with bored eyes. They never had much use for Federal Agents.

  Jay shrugged. “It might be.”

  “Let’s go over the ground again,” Hogarty said, turning from the bed. “The girl downstairs says that the guy who had this room never went out. Goshawk always took up his meals. No one else in the hotel ever saw him. That points to Raven, don’t it?”

  Again Jay shrugged. “Maybe,” he said.

  “Then the girl over the way. How does she fit in?”

  “Suppose we talk to the kid again?”

  They went downstairs, where a round−eyed maid stood waiting. Hogarty jerked his head. “Come inside here, sister, an’ let’s go through with it again. Your name’s Alice Cohen, ain’t it?”

  The girl nodded.

  “Your boss sent you across to the apartment house opposite to ask after a certain Marie Leroyright?”

  Again she nodded.

  “Well, go on.”

  “He wanted to find out who she was. The landlady told me. She was a dancer who wanted to go to Hollywood.”

  “Why should this guy Goshawk want to know that?”

  “I don’t know. He didn’t say.”

  “You never saw the guy who had that room?”

  “No, but Mr. Goshawk sent me out for some tinted spectacles and a bottle of hair bleach. He didn’t use them himself. I got to thinking they were for this fella who had the room.”

  Hogarty and Jay exchanged glances.

  “I see,” Hogarty said. “Anythin’ else.”

  “I heard Mr. Goshawk arrange about buying a Chrysler car. I was surprised, because Mr. Goshawk was always tight with his dough. I thought he was steppin’ out a bit.”

  “All right, baby, you’re doin’ fine.” Hogarty was excited. “I’ll talk to you again in a while. Just stick around.”

  When she had gone he turned to Jay excitedly. “It looks like it. The troopers at the west barricade report that a blond guy with his wife passed through in a two−seater Chrysler.” He checked himself from a note−book. “They say the girl was wearing a red dress with pinhead white spots. Let’s go over an’ find out if that’s the dress this Leroy dame was wearing. If it is, we’ll get after them. They’re heading for Hollywood by the U.S. Highway 40.”

  Jay followed him out of the hotel.

  20

  September 14th, 11.50 p.m.

  RAVEN said, “We’ll stop at Odessa for the night.”

  Marie clenched her fists, but said nothing. The continuous driving had unnerved both of them, and Raven had lost patience. He wasn’t going to drive like this day and night, with her sitting at his side. What the hell did she think? She wasn’t just goin’ to sit around all day and all night, letting him take her free of expense all the way to Hollywood. It was time she paid for her trip.

  “It’s a tough little town,” he said, “but it’ll do for the night. We’ll stop again at Kansas City. You’ll like that.”

  She said, “It’ll take us weeks to get to Hollywood.”

  “Not after tonight it won’t,” he said with a little grin. “Time’ll go fast enough after tonight.”

  She looked at him uneasily, but said nothing. A few minutes later they drove into Odessa.

  Raven stopped at a petrol station and had his tank filled. He asked where a hotel was, and then drove in the direction indicated.

  As they got out of the car he said, “Mr. and Mrs. Young, baby, an’ don’t forget it.”

  She walked into the lobby without answering. A negro came out at a run and took their bags. Raven went over and signed the register. The clerk blotted the ink, looked at the name, gave a little start, and glanced up at Raven searchingly.

  “Anythin’ wrong?” Raven asked, his eyes suddenly going hard.

  The clerk shook his head. “Quite okay, sir,” he said. “You’ve omitted to say where you’ve come from.”

  Raven took up the pen and scribbled “Jefferson City", then he turned away.

  “A double room?” the clerk asked.

  Marie stiffened.

  “Sure,” Raven said, smiling at her. “An’ a double bed.”

  There was no elevator, and they followed the negro up two flights of stairs.

  “These hick hotels give me a pain,” Raven said.

  Marie found she couldn’t answer him. Her heart was beating wildly, and she felt a little sick.

  They went into a large, shabbily furnished room. The big iron double bed took up a lot of room. When the negro got his tip he left them with a broad grin.

  Raven took off his hat and dust−coat and yawned. “How do you like it?” he asked, looking round.

  “I think it’s horribly sordid,” Marie said with a little shudder. “Mr. Young, must we go through with this?

  You could have given me a single room, couldn’t you?”

  Raven grinned at her. “Sure I could.”

  “You said it was business. You said I didn’t have anything to worry about. Can’t you see this is all horribly sordid?”

  Raven sat on the bed. “I’ve brought you so far,” he said, “and I guess I’m entitled to a little consideration from you. But I won’t force myself on you. I’ll put it like this. If you want to go on with me you’ll stay here tonight and be nice. If you want either to stay in this burg an’ rot or walk back to St. Louis, then I’ll go off now an’ take the car an’ leave you to it. What’s it to be?”

  She said, “Oh, all right. You’ve got me where you want me, haven’t you? I trade my body for the ride.

  That’s what you mean, isn’t it?”

  Raven’s face twitched. “I thought of lettin’ you down easy,” he said between his teeth, “but if you’re goin’

  to swap smart cracks you’ll go the whole way.”

  She sat on the other side of the bed away from him and began to cry. “My God!” she said. “I’ve been a fool.”

  He suddenly lost patience with her and pushed her on to the bed. She saw the sudden lust that had come into his eyes and for a moment a scream hovered in her throat.

  Raven said, “Don’t yell.” He pinched her jaw between two fingers. “Do you want to go through with this or shall I beat it?”

  She lay flat on her back and looked up at him. She s
aw the blank lustful look that made him almost animal.

  She could see the little beads of sweat standing out on his toad−coloured skin. She could see his body trembling and she could feel the vibrations shaking the bed. She wanted to say no, but she knew he’d have no mercy on her. He’d leave her here. She had one dollar and forty cents in her purse. What could she do with that?

  So she shut her eyes, blotting out the strange inhuman face so close to hers, and through dry lips she told him to go ahead.

  He put his hand on the front of her dress and ripped it. The thin material tore easily. She half sat up, but he shoved her down again. “Stay still,” he said, his eyes blazing savagely. “I’ll buy you everything you want.

  Stay still.”

  “No, not like this,” she said, taking his wrist in both hands as he gripped her slip. “Pleaseit’s horrible. Not like this.”

  “Let go. Do you hear? Let go.”

  Her hands dropped away as he ripped the silk from her and the hot night air slid over her frightened nakedness. She put both her hands over her eyes and began to cry.

  Her long white body and her tight drawn−up breasts inflamed him. He reached out two shaking hands towards her, when a heavy rap sounded on the door.

  For a second Raven stood paralysed. Then his instinct overrode his lust and he jerked up, his hand pulling his gun from its holster.

  “What is it?” he said. His voice sounded cracked and hoarse to him.

  Marie half turned on her side, hiding her head in her arms. Her white shoulders heaved with her crying.

  “Come on out, Raven, with your hands in the air,” someone called.

  Raven turned very cold. His mind sprang to the clerk and the start he’d given when he had signed the book.

  He was trapped. He hadn’t even the Thompson, which, like the crazy fool he was, he’d left in the boot of the car. He fired one shot that crashed through the door and he heard footsteps move hastily away.

  Marie sat up on the bed with a scream. “What is it?” she said, staring at his gun. “Why are youshooting?

  What”

  Raven turned on her savagely. “Shut up!” he snarled.

  “Hi, Raven,” someone called again, “you can’t get away. The place’s surrounded. Better give up. You’ve got no chance in the world.”

  “Come an’ get me!” he shouted back savagely, sending another shot through the door.

  “Raven?” Marie gasped. “Are you Raven?”

  He turned on her. “Yeah. Now you know, you stupid little bitch. You got me outta town, do you understand? Now, by God, you’ll get me out of here too!”

  Shoving his gun into his side pocket, he grabbed her by her arm and pulled her to her feet. He wrenched off the ripped clothes that hung on her.

  She was too terrified to feel her shame. “What are you going to do with me?” she said.

  “You’re goin’ out there,” Raven told her, pulling his gun out again. “You’re goin’ to walk in front of me. If they shoot at me it’s goin’ to be too bad for you.”

  “You can’t do that. It’s not my fight. You wouldn’t force me into this… please… not like this!”

  Twisting her arms behind her, he gripped her two wrists in one of his hands, then, crouching close behind her, he shoved her to the door.

  “I’m comin’ out!” he yelled. “Don’t shoot. I’m comin’ out.”

  In a low, savage voice, he said to her, “If you faint, or try any tricks I’ll spread your goddamn’ guts all over the town.” He rammed the cold gun into her backbone, making her cry out with the pain, then he unlocked the door and pushed her out.

  The two Federal Agents were so startled when Marie suddenly appeared that for a moment they hesitated.

  It was that moment that Raven had gambled on. He fired twice almost as one shot. The flash of the gun burnt Marie’s arm and she screamed wildly.

  The two Agents slowly folded up, one of them shot through the head and the other in the middle of his chest.

  Raven said, “Keep moving.”

  He ran her along the passage, but there was no one about. They went downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs the night clerk lurked, staring up with terrified eyes.

  The sight of Marie’s naked body seemed to mesmerize him. Raven shot him between the eyes.

  He shoved Marie down the stairs fast and they crossed the deserted lobby. Through the open door he could see the Chrysler still parked outside. Another car stood near it, but it was empty.

  His brain worked swiftly. The clerk would have reported to the Federal Field Office that he’d come to the hotel. The Feds would send out the alarm and then come on over. In a town like Odessa it was nearly a safe bet that there were only two Feds. The talk of surrounding the place was bluff.

  Cautiously he pushed Marie out into the street. No one fired at him. Taking a deep breath, he ran her across to the car. “Get inside,” he snarled. “Quick.”

  She pulled open the door and climbed in. Raven looked over his shoulder, saw something move in the shadows, fired once and then scrambled under the wheel. Desperately he trod on the starter, and as the engine sprang into life he set the car bounding forward.

  Marie sat crouched away from him, covering her breasts with her arms and shivering as the cold wind bit into her body.

  “Sit still and hold your trap,” Raven said, “or I’ll finish you.”

  He knew it was too risky to go on to Kansas and he turned off on to the dirt road that led to Fayetteville.

  The needle of the speedometer climbed until it stood at 65. On a dirt road that was fast enough. As he drove his mind crawled with schemes. His hair no longer afforded him a disguise. They must be on to that. God!

  These Federal dicks were smart. If he could only put enough miles between them before they reached Odessa he might stand a chance of beating them. Otherwise it would mean a show−down.

  Marie said in a low voice, “Can’t you stop a moment? I’m freezin’.”

  “I’d rather you freeze than me burn,” he said with a savage laugh. “Sit on the floor, it’s warmer down there.

  I ain’t stoppin’ for no one.”

  She slid off her seat and crouched down on the floorboards. “Can’t you let me go?” she pleaded. “I’m no use to you now.”

  He considered this, then decided to take her a little further. “You shut up,” he said. “I don’t want another yap outta you.”

  The road improved as the car ate up the miles, and he was able to increase his speed. He swung through Fayetteville at a terrific speed, and headed south again.

  He knew he’d got a tank full of petrol, and with luck he ought to shake them. After a few miles he slowed down and got out.

  He said to Marie, “If you move I’ll shoot you.”

  He ran round to the boot and opened it, pulling the Thompson out. He hesitated about taking out one of her bags, then slammed the boot to. To hell with it, he wasn’t going to waste time on her.

  He stood looking back into the darkness. Far away he could make out two pin−points of light. He knew what they were at once. A car was coming at a great speed. It might not be the Feds, but it was too risky to take chances.

  He ran back to the car and climbed in, putting the Thompson behind his head along the top of the seat.

  He started the car again and drove off at a furious pace. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It showed 2.30. Somehow or other he’d got to get under cover before daylight. He’d got to ditch the car and he’d got to get another. He looked down at Marie, who seemed to have fallen into a doze. He’d got to get rid of her.

  His mouth tightened. It was tough on her, but she’d have to go for good. The pin−points of light were no nearer. He could see them dancing in his rear mirror. They must be three or four miles away. Maybe they could see his own headlights. He hesitated, then reached forward and turned them out. The road, down which he was roaring, suddenly disappeared and he automatically eased up on the accelerator. He sat forward to pe
er into the darkness. This wasn’t going to help his speed, but at the same time he wasn’t showing himself to the Feds.

  Ahead of him he could just make out a turning; he swung the car, braking as he did so. It was quite a narrow road, bordered by tall trees. He forced the car forward again, gaining speed. There was a good chance that the pursuing car would go on past. They might think he was heading for the State Highway again, which he knew linked up the road he’d been on previously.

  He glanced back and then he felt the car run off the road. Instinctively he jammed on his brakes, but he was too late. The car crashed against some trees with such violence that he was nearly shot through the wind−screen.

  Marie woke with a start and gave a little scream. Raven climbed out of the wrecked car, cursing. He was badly shaken, and lurched when he walked.

  Through the trees, on a crest of a hill, he could see the lights of the following car coming towards them rapidly. He turned and dragged Marie out of the car.

  “Not a sound,” he said, his gun digging into her side.

  She stood close to him, her body shivering with shock and cold, and they both watched the lights come nearer. Faintly the wail of a siren split the air.

  Raven showed his teeth. It was a Federal car, then. He waited, holding his breath as the lights grew larger.

  Then with a snarl and a roar the car swept past the turning he had taken and roared on into the night.

  Raven relaxed limply. He wiped the cold sweat off his face. “Come on, you,” he said to Marie, “we’ve got a little walk on.”

  Then, as she moved slowly towards the car, he suddenly realized that he couldn’t take her any further. Now was the time to finish her, not later.

  In the misty moonlight he could see her tall white body with its graceful lines, and again he wanted her.

  Throwing caution aside, he took two quick steps towards her and pulled her round. She gave a gasp of terror when she realized what he was going to do. She began to struggle and he was startled at her strength. They swayed together on the uneven ground and then she began to scream.