Darkness at dawn : early suspense classics
Page 36
“I know—never mind rubbing it in,” she groans. “After this, I’m through passing myself off as Fay North, rubber checks or no rubber checks. What an experience! I’m her stand-in,” she explains, limping back to the car. “Same measurements, coloring and everything. I guess that’s what gave me the idea. But all I ask you boys is to pick a nice cool jail for me where the sun never shines—if we ever get back to civilization.”
When it finally dawns on me, which isn’t right away, that the real Fay has been enjoying the hospitality of a crummy Mexican jail since the night before, due to me, I begin to wonder if it mightn’t be better to stay out in the desert where I am than go back and face what I have coming to me.
About three o’clock a plane sent out from the casino to look for us sights us and comes down, and the girl and the driver go back in it, but we neither of us say anything about what she has done. I stay there with two cars, two dead snatch-artists and one live one, a pailful of water and a stack of sandwiches for company; and it’s early Monday morning before I’m back in Agua with the rescue party sent out to get me.
She’s been let out of course, but she’s standing there waiting for me on the casino steps.
“Gee, Miss North,” I mumble, “how was I to know that was you, in that black wig and all—?”
She shakes her finger at me and says, “Now don’t try to act modest. You knew what you were doing, and I think it was simply wonderful of you! That was my new system, of course. Remember, I told you I consulted an astrologer the day we left Hollywood. She told me the trouble with my betting was I had the wrong aura! I was too blond and refined. She said if I’d send out tough brunette vibrations my luck would change. Of course I couldn’t tell you, because that would have broken my winning streak.”
“Then you’re not sore?”
“Sore? Why, it was wonderful of you, Shad, the way you put me in jail to save me from being kidnaped. Such foresight—such cleverness! And I’m through with Timothy for trying such a thing on me. You’re my business manager from now on—and I won’t take no for an answer!”
As long as she won’t, I don’t try to say it.
(1935)