Like a Hole in the Head

by James Hadley Chase

  When I had finished, Raimundo regarded the shelter with an approving nod.

  “I can see you’ve done this before,” he said. “Do you want to eat?”

  We went down and ate the sandwiches Carlo had ready.

  I had spent the night in a small back room in the house while Raimundo and Carlo had shared the larger room. I hadn’t slept much, but I had done a lot of thinking. I had now got over my panic about Lucy. It was only when I had defeated the sick feeling of fear for her that I began to think constructively. I was sure that Savanto was primitive enough to carry out his threat to brand her if I failed him. I was sure he wasn’t bluffing. Diaz was staying at the Willington estate for three days. I was hoping for time. Something might happen that could get both Lucy and me off the hook, given time.

  There was a telephone in the living-room. I considered the possibility of calling the police and telling them what was about to happen. This thought I put quickly out of my mind. I didn’t know where Lucy was, and they could fix her before the police could find her. and I also would be in trouble if Raimundo or Carlo woke up and caught me talking on the telephone. It was too great a risk.

  If I had to, I would go through with the killing, but only if I was absolutely sure there was no other way to save Lucy. When Diaz appeared on the first day. I could pretend to miss him. I reasoned that Savanto would accept this if T plugged how tricky the shot was going to be. That would give me another night to think of a way out. Maybe it would be too risky to miss Diaz on the second clay, but at least I would have an extra night.

  After eating the sandwiches, Raimundo and I went back on the roof. I took the rifle with me.

  It was hot up there, but the shade from the shelter I had built made it bearable.

  Soon after 15.00 we heard the motorboat start up. I rested the rifle on the concrete surround of the roof and waited. The boat came into the bay, moving fast. I got the “naked girl in the telescopic sight and adjusted the focus. I got her head in the centre of the cross wires. The sight brought her close to me. In one way I was relieved, in another way, sickened. I saw at once that this would be an acceptable shot. Even though she jinked and banked on her skis, there were long moments when she was steady enough for me to hit her in the head. Maybe Diaz would show off a lot more, but even if he did there would come a time when he would ski in a straight line and that’s when I could nail him.

  But I wasn’t going to tell this to Raimundo. I followed her through the sight for another five minutes, then when the boat started on its return run, I lowered the rifle.

  “What’s the verdict, soldier?”

  “It’s going to be one hell of a shot,” I told him. “It has to be a head shot. To be sure of killing him and not wounding him it has to be in the head. His head will be moving up and down all the time. I have to hit him in the brain. I’m sure I’ll hit him, but I’m not sure I can hit him through the brain at this distance and with him moving. A brain shot like that is one hell of a shot.”

  Raimundo put his hand under his shirt and began to scratch his chest. He looked worried.

  “You’ve got to kill him. If you only knock the bastard’s teeth out, there’ll be hell to pay and we’ll probably never get another chance to nail him.”

  “You don’t have to tell me. I’m beginning to think this plan isn’t good enough.”

  Raimundo swore softly.

  “You’d better not tell Savanto that! He picked you for a first- class shot. You’d better be a first-class shot !”

  “He knows nothing about shooting,” I said. “That’s an eighthundredyard moving target and it has to be a brain shot… an inch square. There are less than five men in the world who could guarantee such a shot.”

  “You’d better be one of them !” His voice was worried and savage.

  “Shut up! I want to think.”

  He wasn’t so angry as worried. He had lost his cocky confidence. I wondered if Savanto would take it out of him as well as Lucy and myself if there was a foul up.

  Then out of the blue a germ of an idea dropped into my mind. I paused to light a cigarette, then I asked. “Who owns this house?”

  The question surprised him.

  “What’s that to do with you?”

  “Is the owner likely to walk in on us?”

  “Forget it ! There are dozens of places like this for hire. We hired it.”

  I thought that was likely, but I wanted to know for sure. Dozens of places like this along the coast for hire. My mind worked swiftly. If Savanto had hired this place, why not another in which to hold Lucy?

  The germ of my idea began to grow. How could I find out? Then another idea dropped into my mind. So that I could think about it, I began to take the telescopic sight off the rifle. I was aware that Raimundo was watching me curiously.

  “Let me see the plan of the Willington estate,” I said.

  He scratched some more under his shirt.

  “What’s that got to do with this?”

  “I want to look at it.”

  “I’ve told you, soldier, Diaz’s men will be there. Get that idea out of your head.”

  “There will only be four of them.”

  “That’s plenty. They are professionals.”

  I had to bluff him if I were to work out this idea.

  “I once killed a sniper who was surrounded by more than a hundred trained troops. Four good men wouldn’t worry me.”

  He stared at me.

  “You mean you think…”

  “We’re wasting time!” I put on my Army bark. “Show me the plan !”

  We left the room and went down to the sitting-room. He found the plan and spread it out on the table.

  “Okay, take some fresh air,” I said as I sat down.

  He hesitated, not liking being ordered around, then shrugging, he went out on to the balcony where Carlo was sleeping.

  I spent some minutes examining the map. The Willington house stood in a couple of acres of lawns and flower beds. At the back of it was dense forest land with paths cut through it. To the right of the house was a swimming pool. Away from the house was the guest bungalow. This too had its swimming pool and was also backed by trees. The forest extended from the bungalow down to the sea where the boat house was. The other boundaries were surrounded by high walls. If I had charge of four bodyguards, I would have two men patrolling the paths by the boat house which was obviously the most vulnerable entrance. I would have the other two men patrolling around the bungalow.

  I sat staring at the map while I considered the idea that had come into my mind. It was a ninety-five to five bet, but even odds as low as this must be taken.

  I called Raimundo.

  “You’ve had a look at this place?”

  “Sure. I told you.”

  “How about the walls?”

  He made an impatient movement.

  “They are fifteen feet high with an alarm cable operated by an electronic system. You have only to touch the top of any part of the walls to set off the alarm.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “I’m sure! I set the alarm off. The two resident guards and two patrol cops arrived in less than ten minutes.”

  “How about the boat house?”

  “You can’t take a boat in there. There’s an alarm wire outside the harbour that sets off a warning.”

  “Could you swim in?”

  He thought, frowning and uneasy, then he shrugged.

  “I guess so, but there’ll be a guard there.”

  “Can Timoteo swim?”

  “Yes, he’s good, but you’re wasting time, soldier. Suppose you and Timoteo get into the estate, how about Lopez?”

  I had forgotten Lopez.

  “I’m looking for angles,” I hedged. “I’m taking a look at the estate. It’s just possible I might find a better way of getting at him than trying to hit him on skis.”

  Raimundo became suspicious.

  “You’re wasting time.”

  “We have time to waste
. I’m going.”

  He hesitated.

  “I’ll come with you. When are you going? Tonight?”

  “I’m going right now.”

  “Are you crazy? There are two guards there. We could walk into them and cook the deal.”

  “You didn’t tell me guards were there already.”

  “They’re always there. Willington has valuable stuff in the house, but when Diaz arrives, they leave. The girl has fixed it with the Security Agent. The negress told us. They come back when Diaz leaves, but they are there now.”

  “Can you swim?”

  He didn’t know it, but to me this was the sixty-four thousand-dollar question. If he was a good swimmer, I was in trouble. My hopes rose when I saw him hesitating.

  “I can manage.”

  “What’s that mean? Can you swim a quarter of a mile? I want to take off from here.” I pointed to the map. “That’s around a quarter of a mile to the harbour.”

  “I wouldn’t want to swim that far.”

  “Okay, so you don’t come with me.”

  As I started towards the door, he caught hold of my arm. His face had turned vicious.

  “No tricks, soldier! You make one mistake and your wife will get branded !”

  I hit him a back-hand swipe that sent him reeling across the room. He thudded against the wall, bounced off and came at me. He was so mad he forgot to get on balance. As he rushed at me like a charging bull I hung one on his jaw. It was a block buster of a punch and he went out like a match flame in a gale.

  I heard a sound behind me and I turned swiftly. Carlo stood gaping in the doorway of the french windows.

  “Sweep him up and put him to bed,” I said. “I’m going out.” His brutish face showed bewilderment. I didn’t give him a chance to begin thinking. I shouldered him aside and went down the steps and started across the sand dunes towards the distant arm of the bay.

  * * *

  It was a longer swim than I had thought but it didn’t worry me. During my Army days I had swum five miles under pressure with Vietcong bullets splashing around me from time to time. I took it easy, and after a while, I came within sight of the Willington boat house. Slowly and cautiously, I swam towards it. There was a small harbour and I could see the motor boat. I swam just outside the entrance to the harbour, looking for any sign of life, but the place seemed deserted. Raimundo had said there was an alarm cable guarding the harbour. I didn’t think it likely it would be operating during the day, but I wasn’t taking a chance of alerting the two resident guards. I dived deeply and swam along one of the walls of the harbour entrance, then surfaced by the motor boat.

  As I came up, shaking the water out of my eyes, a girl’s voice called, “Hi! Do you know you’re trespassing?”

  I looked up. Nancy Willington was standing on the cabin roof, looking down at me. She had on the skimpiest bikini I have ever seen : a joke of a bikini that was only just enough to cover her nipples and her crotch. At close quarters she was the most sensational-looking woman I had seen. Woman? Perhaps not yet… not mentally a woman. She reminded me a little of Brigitte Bardot when she had first set the movie screen alight.

  “I didn’t know anyone was here,” I said, treading water. “I’m sorry… excuse me. I guess I’ve come to the wrong place.”

  She laughed, leaning forward to look down at me, her full breasts threatening to escape from the tiny halter.

  “Do you usually swim to people’s places?”

  “I said I was sorry, didn’t I?” I started to swim, not fast but with purpose towards the harbour exit.

  “Hey ! Come back ! I want to talk to you!”

  I had gambled on her curiosity. The ninety-five to five chance looked as if it could pay off.

  I turned round and swam back to the boat. I caught hold of the mooring-rope.

  “I didn’t mean to trespass.”

  “Come aboard,” she said. “Do you want a drink?”

  I swung myself on to the boat’s deck. I was wearing only a pair of white cotton trousers. They were sopping wet and they stuck to me. I could have been naked. I didn’t think this would faze her, and I had too much on my mind for it to faze me.

  She came off the cabin roof and joined me. Her eyes ran over me, missing nothing and she gave me a gamin grin.

  “Some man !” she said.

  “You think so? Okay… some girl!”

  She laughed.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I am looking for my wife.”

  This was the idea that had come to me while I was talking to Raimundo. I had to find Lucy. This girl knew the district. She just might know of a villa or a bungalow that had been recently rented.

  “Your wife?” Her green eyes widened. “Have you lost her?”

  I couldn’t tell her the truth. If I did, she would think only of herself. She would be on the telephone in a moment to warn Diaz to keep away. So I had to lie to her.

  “I’ve lost her,” I said, “but I’m not bothering you with this. I’m a stranger around here. I saw this place and wondered if she was here. Sorry…”

  “You’re the craziest man I’ve ever met!” she exclaimed. “You mean you are swimming along the coast, looking for your wife? I don’t believe it !”

  “I guess it’s crazy.” I made my voice harsh. “I haven’t a boat so what else can I do? I’ve an idea she is somewhere along here so I’m looking.”

  “You lost her? You mean she’s left you?”

  I gave her my hard Army look.

  “Sorry I trespassed. I’ll get going.”

  “Don’t go temperamental on me.” She cocked her head on one side and gave me a sexy look. “I’ve nothing to do and God ! am I bored ! I’ll help you. We can go in the boat.” She sat on the cabin roof. “Tell me about it.”

  “Why should you care? It’s a personal thing. I want my wife back. There’s a chance she’s using a house along this coast. The rest is my business.”

  She pouted.

  “You don’t have to shout at me. She might be happy without you. Have you thought of that?”

  “What the hell has that to do with you?” I barked. “I’m going to find her !”

  She blinked. I was sure no man had ever spoken to her in that tone of voice.

  “You’re right out of a cave,” she said. “If I were your wife, I would love you. I’ll help. I know all the houses along this coast for around five miles.”

  “He will have rented a place. Do you know the ones for rent?”

  “Has she run off with some man? She must be soft in the head!”

  “So she’s soft in the head. When I find her I’m going to give her a hiding. She’s been aching for a hiding ever since I married her and she’s going to get it.”

  Her eyes lit up.

  “I wish someone would give me a hiding,” she said. “I need it. I wish .. .”

  “To hell with what you need.” I was now sure I was handling her right. “I know what my wife needs and that’s what she’s going to get. Do you know the houses for rent along this strip?”

  “Yes. There are three about half a mile from here. About two miles further on there’s another… a good one.”

  “Let’s go to look at them.”

  “Don’t you want a drink?”

  “I’ll have that later.” I stared at her. “Let’s go.”

  She went down into the cabin and started the engine. While I had been talking to her, I kept looking towards the forest that hid the guest bungalow from the boat house, wondering if the regress was watching me, but I didn’t see her. I went down into the cabin as the girl began to reverse the boat out of the harbour.

  “I’m Nancy,” she said. “What’s your name?”

  “Max.” It wasn’t a lie. Max is my second name.

  She looked at me over her shoulder.

  “I like Max. It’s a gorgeous name.” She cleared the harbour. “What do we do now, Max?”

  “Take her along the coast, not too fast and not too clos
e.”

  “Aye, aye, Captain.” She giggled. “Did you and her boy friend fight?”

  I was always forgetting the marks from Raimundo’s fists on my face.

  “Not him… I got into an argument.”

  “I like men who fight. What happened?”

  I looked at her. Her eyes were unnaturally bright. I could see under the thin material of her bra that her nipples had come erect.

  “Why should you care?”

  She pouted.

  “I like a good fight. I like it when two men…”

  “Skip it ! What’s that house we’re coming to?”

  She grimaced, then looked to where I was pointing.

  “It belongs to Van Hesson. He’s quite a gorgeous man, but his wife is the worst kind of creep. Don’t let them see you. She would tell my husband.”

  We passed the house. I could see a number of people on the lawn under gay sun umbrellas.

  Nancy advanced the throttle and we swept past the place.

  “Some women are drags, aren’t they?” She giggled. “She’s terrified her husband is going to lay me. She won’t let him come near me.”

  “How about this one?”

  We were approaching another house built on the same lines as the previous one.

  “That’s rented. He’s gorgeous to look at. She’s building a baby. She’s enormous. He doesn’t leave her for a second. I’ve never been able even to speak to him.”

  We went on, passing two more houses. Two elderly people on the lawn of one and a party of old, fat people, playing cards under the shade of the trees at the other.

  I was beginning to think the ninety-five to five chance wasn’t going to pay off.

  “You see the cape ahead?” Nancy said, putting her hand on my naked shoulder. “That’s the place I was telling you about. It belongs to Jack Dexter. He’s marvellous, but God! his wife’s a drip ! Right now they are in the South of France. The place has been rented. jack hates renting his houses — he has around six of them — but she’s so mean, she insists.”

  I was beginning to get worried. Time was running out.

  “Are there any more rented houses along here?”

  “Dozens of them, but they are all gruesome… strictly for the tourist trade. This one’s nice.”

  Graceful cypress trees screened the approach to the house. I could see a harbour, then as we got closer, a powerful motor boat. Beyond the harbour was a sandy beach.