Strictly For Cash Part 9

aWho did you leave in charge in Los Angeles?a Who was it Della had said? For a moment I was rattled, then I remembered.

aHollenheimer. Why?a aCuriosity,a he said. He picked up the paper-knife again and began punching more holes in the blotter. aI'm a very curious man, Ricca.a

chapter twenty-one.

We'd better dust while we can,a I said.

Della reached for a cigarette. She lit it and put the lighter down with exaggerated care. She was lying on the divan near the window. The sunblinds were drawn, and there was a subdued, restful light in the room. Out on the beach I could hear voices and laughter. There was quite a crowd lounging on the sands, but no one was bathing. It was too soon after lunch.

She had taken off her dress, and was wearing a blue silk wrap. There was a cold, brooding expression on her face, and she drew on the cigarette hungrily, blowing a long stream of tobacco smoke to the ceiling.

I stood in the middle of the room, my hands in my trouser pockets, my nerves jumpy, my eyes on her. Slowly she turned her head until she was looking at me.

aScared, Johnny?a she asked, and her eyebrows lifted.

aIt is not a matter of being scared,a I said. aIt's a matter of knowing when you're licked. We've played our best card, and he's trumped it. I don't know the first thing about checking his accounts, but that's neither here nor there. Even if I could read a balance sheet that still doesn't give us access to the reserve. I always thought this was a screwy idea. What made you think he would hand over his keys?a She stared at her cigarette, flicked ash on the floor, and smiled secretively to herself.

aSo you want to run away?a aThere's no alternative. Can't you see that? All he has to do is to put a call through to Hollenheimer and ask him for a description of Ricca: then up goes the balloon.a aThere was always that risk. You don't think I hadn't taken that into consideration?a I stared at her.

aHad you?a aI thought it was more than likely he'd check with Hollenheimer. Nick's no fool.a I moved closer and stood at the foot of the divan.

aWhat's the answer, then? What do you suggest we do when he finds out I'm not Ricca? He's probably found out by now.a aLet's not worry about that,a she said. aThere are more important things to think about.a aNot for me there aren't. Suppose Reisner gives Hame the story? Then it'll all come out, and we'll go to jail for what we did to Wertham.a aPoor Johnny,a she said, and laughed. aHow fussed you're getting. Can't you see Reisner will be as anxious as we are that no one should find out Paul's dead? When a kingdom loses its king, there's always a scramble to grab. Zoe, Itta, Hame and Ricca a" especially Ricca a" aren't going to stand aside and let Reisner take over, and he knows it. He'll be as anxious as we are that no one should know Paul is dead until he has got control of the casino. He won't tell Hame. He won't tell anyone. Now do you see why we haven't a lot to worry about?a I sat on the foot of the divan. This was something I hadn't figured on.

aThat guy's dangerous,a I said. aOkay, suppose he keeps his mouth shut? What's he going to do about us?a She lifted a long, slender leg and examined it critically.

aHe'll probably put a bullet through our heads,a she said calmly. aIt would be the most sensible thing to do so far as he's concerned. He's good at arranging accidents. Does that scare you, Johnny?a Did it? Maybe it did, but I wasn't going to admit it.

aThat doesn't come into it.a aAre you sure? It would be easy. He could fix Hame. You'd be surprised what Hame does for money.a aBut not murder. You don't kid me he'd cover up murder.a aI didn't say murder. I said an accident.a I got up and began to move restlessly about the room. aWhat's on your mind, Della? All day you've been hinting at something. Let's have it.a aI haven't been hinting at anything. I've been showing you a kingdom you can inherit. Hasn't it sunk into your head yet the casino and the rake-off from Bay Street are yours for the taking? Yours and mine? Can't you see that?a aNo, I can't. What are you getting at?a Looking at the intent, set expression on her face I suddenly felt my mouth go dry.

aWith me behind you, Johnny, you could run this place. Between us we could clean up a fortune. Do you really think I'm so c.o.c.keyed as to imagine Reisner would let us walk off with the reserve?a I was getting rattled now, and I came and stood over her. aBut that was the idea, wasn't it? That's why you brought me here !a aThat's what I told you,a she said, and swung her legs off the divan and stood up. aI wanted you to see the set-up. It was a bait to bring you here. Well, you've seen it. Haven't you the itch to take it? And you can. You can take over right away a" if you have the guts.a I lit a cigarette. My hands were unsteady: whether from excitement or fear I didn't know.

aSo there's no half million?a aOf course there is. That goes with the casino, but we can't walk off with it. Take over the casino and you take over the reserve.a aAnd Reisner? What's he supposed to do? Welcome me with open arms? Dust off his desk chair for me? A moment ago you said he was going to put a bullet in me.a aI said if you had the guts, Johnny. Reisner must meet with an accident.a Well, it was out now. At the back of my mind I had known this was coming. The way she had talked all the morning pointed to it, but I had refused to believe it. Now the cards were on the table, face up.

I stubbed out my cigarette, not looking at her.

aGet rid of Reisner,a she went on as calmly as if she were discussing the weather, aand the casino and Bay Street automatically fall into our laps. By the time Ricca tries to move in it'll be too late. Once we get our hands on the reserve and books, he'll have to make a deal with us. We'll keep Lincoln Beach. He can have Los Angeles, and Levinsky can have Paris. Then we're set for life.a She moved closer. I could smell the perfume in her hair. Her hands slid up to my shoulders while she looked into my eyes. aWhat are you going to do about it, Johnny?a I knew right away what I was going to do about it. She had made one mistake, and she didn't know it. She was certain she had sunk her hook in too deep to come out, but she hadn't. All right, I was sold on the place. The idea of taking control of a set-up like this was something that got me by the throat, but not at that price.

aYou talk about an accident,a I said, abut it won't be an accident: it'll be murder.a She continued to look at me, her face as set and as cold as granite.

aIt's your life or his, Johnny. As soon as he finds out you're not Ricca he's coming for you with a gun. You've got to get in first. That's not murder: it's self-defence.a I shook my head.

aDon't let's kid ourselves. It's murder.a She moved away from me and walked over to the window.

aThis is what we tell Hame,a she said, her back to me. aReisner has been dipping into the reserve. We came down to check the books. He is caught, and he knows it. There's no out for him, so what does he do? He walks to the window of his office and keeps walking. They find him lying on the terrace with a broken neck.a aDo you think Hame would believe that? Reisner's not the suicide type.a aHe would believe it. It would cost money, but he'd believe it. Use your head, Johnny. The casino is yours if you've got the nerve to take it. All you have to do is to give Reisner a push. That's not asking much, is it?a aIt's murder,a I said. aAnd I'm not touching it. I don't care how much it pays off. It's murder.a She sat on the divan and held out her hand to me.

aCome and sit down,a she said. aDon't look at me like that. You love me, don't you?a I didn't move.

aWe'll leave love out of it,a I said. aLook, maybe I am only a third-rate fighter, but I hope I'm not a dope. You worked this out ten seconds after you found Wertham was dead, didn't you? You knew unless you could get rid of Reisner you were sunk. Someone had to kill him, and you picked on me. You thought all you had to do was to show me this place, give me a car and throw yourself in as a make-weight, and I'd take murder in my stride. Well, you're wrong. I can only hope you don't realize what it means to commit murder. It's a thing you live with for the rest of your life. Maybe you haven't thought of it like that. I hope you haven't. Even if we could fix Hame, we have still ourselves to live with, and every now and then the thought will drop into our minds we killed Reisner, and that thought will poison any happiness we can get out of this place. We'll never know if Hame will continue to keep his mouth shut. He'll have us on a spot for the rest of our days. He'll want more money and more power as he gets used to the idea. It won't be long before he'll want to run the casino himself. He might even do a deal with you. He might pin the murder on me and take my place. Oh, no, I'm not getting into a jam like that. I'm not all that crazy. Murder is out! I'm not doing it: not for you nor the casino nor for all the money in Lincoln Beach!a She sat still, watching me while I talked, her face expressionless, her eyes hot and intent.

aYou don't really believe that, Johnny,a she said, and got up. aIt's not true.a She came over to me and put her hands on my arms, looking up at me. aI do love you. I didn't give myself to you for any other reason except I love you. I couldn't refuse you last night. I knew it was dangerous. I knew we were taking a risk that could ruin my plans, but I couldn't refuse you.a Her arms went round my neck. aOh, darling, I'm crazy about you. I've never felt like this before about any man. You must believe me! I know you're right about Nick. But what are we to do?a She was clinging to me now, her face pressed against mine. aIf we don't get rid of him, he'll get rid of us. Can't you see that? We'll have nothing. We'll be lucky to get out of here with our lives. It's he or us, Johnny. You must see that!a I started to say something, but her mouth covered mine, and I felt her breath against the back of my throat. We stood like that for a long moment of time; my heart was hammering, blood pounded in my head.

aJohnny . . .a She pressed herself against me. Her eyes were closed. Only she and I mattered at this moment; the rest of it, Reisner, the casino, the money and murder were a bad dream after you had wakened up.

My fingers sank into the hard, firm flesh above her hips. She gave a soft little moan and her mouth opened against mine.

aAll right, break it up,a Reisner's soft voice said from the doorway. aThere's a time and place for everything.a I felt her shudder and stiffen, and she tore herself away from me with a strangled scream. Her face had gone blue-white like the colour of ice. I turned.

Reisner was standing just inside the room. His mouth was fixed in a stiff little smile, and the .45 automatic in his hand looked as big as a cannon.

aAnd don't make any silly moves,a he went on, not raising his voice. He jerked the gun to an armchair near me. aSit down, Farrar. And you, Mrs. Wertham, sit on the divan. If either of you make a move I'll drill you and think up a reason for it after.a Della collapsed on the divan. She looked as if she were going to faint. I sat in the armchair, a tightness in my throat that made breathing difficult.

aThat's fine,a he went on, came farther into the room and closed the door with his heel. aWell, you two certainly know how to pa.s.s the time.a He moved to the centre of the room. The gun pointed to a spot just between us. aPlayed it pretty rough, didn't you?a he said. aDidn't it occur to either of you I'd come back last night to see what you were up to? Imagine my surprise when I found one of the cabins empty.a He looked at me, his eyes glittering. aWhat have you done with Wertham?a Neither of us said anything.

aIs he dead?a He hooked a chair towards him and sat down. aDid you kill him?a aAre you crazy?a Della said. Her voice sounded as if she were speaking through locked teeth. aHe's on his way to Paris.a aOn his way to h.e.l.l, you mean,a Reisner said. aDid you really think you could get away with this wet idea? The moment I saw you I knew something was phoney. Paul wouldn't let you travel with Ricca or anyone else all the way from Los Angeles to Lincoln Beach without someone to keep an eye on you. You've quite a reputation for taking a tumble in the hay whenever there's an opportunity, and Paul knows that as well as I do.a aHow dare you talk to me like that!a Della said furiously.

aThere were three of you in the car: you, Wertham and Farrar. One of you died,a Reisner went on, crossing his legs. aThis guy isn't Ricca, so that makes him Farrar. It makes the dead man Wertham. The set-up's gone sour. You may as well admit it.a aWait, Nick,a Della said, leaning forward, her clenched fists pressed tight between her knees. aYou, I and Johnny can do a deal. No one but we three know Paul's dead. Cut us in on half shares and we'll work our pa.s.sage. You can do with help now Paul is dead. You know I've picked up a lot of his ideas. I could be useful to you, Nick.a Reisner seemed surprised. He glanced at me.

aWhere does he come in? Why should I cut him in on anything?a aTake a look at him,a Della said. aDon't you think he'd scare Ricca? He's a gunman as well as a fighter. You'd need someone like him around once the news leaked out.a I sat still, listening, as surprised as Reisner seemed to be. aAnd suppose I didn't want to share?a Reisner asked quietly. aWhat then?a Della licked her lips. Her face was still white, but she had steadied herself. She was gambling with her last buck. You could tell that by looking at her. She was playing a king, and only an ace could beat it, and she wasn't sure if Reisner held the ace.

aThen we talk, Nick. We tell Hame, Ricca, Itta and Zoe, and let them move in. I don't think you're big enough to handle them all.a Reisner smiled.

aSo he really is dead. Well, well; that's the best news I've heard in thirty-eight years. Paul dead, huh? And a d.a.m.n good riddance. It's something I've been praying for.a Della's hand closed on a yellow and red cus.h.i.+on lying at her side. She gripped it, a fixed smile on her white face.

aWhen we hit that car, he was thrown out,a she said. aHe broke his neck.a aThat's your story,a Reisner returned, still smiling, abut suppose you two killed him? Has it crossed your minds I could slap a murder rap on you both and make it stick? Hame would frame you two for a grand. He's a little short of money.a I felt suddenly cold.

aThat still wouldn't stop the news leaking out,a Della said, but her face stiffened.

aThat's right,a Reisner said, abut maybe it can't be helped. Now look, this is the way I see it. I happen to overhear you two talking, and I get the idea you killed Paul. I walk in on you and Farrar pulls a gun. I beat him to the draw. I'm pretty quick with a rod, and Hame knows it. You pull a gun, too. So you both get shot. I then put a proposition up to Hame. He gets a slice from the casino if he takes care of me. He might even be persuaded to toss Itta and Zoe in the can until I get things organized. There'd be no difficulty in making a charge against them. Then by the time Ricca's got over his drinking jag a" oh, yes, Hollenheimer told me about that a" it'd be too late for him to start trouble. How do you like it?a aYou wouldn't want to cut Hame in,a Della said, and s.h.i.+fted forward. aHe'd take the lot in time. He's like that, and you know it.a Reisner gnawed at his lower lip, his eyes thoughtful. aMaybe,a he said, abut it's a way out of this mess.a aThere's another way,a Della said softly.

aWhat's that?a She turned to look at me. The expression in her eyes set my heart pounding.

aWe could kill you, Nick. That'd be the best way. We were talking about it when you came in.a I Reisner continued to smile, but his eyes turned to ice. aYeah, I heard you. That's why I like my idea, and that's why it's going to be my idea.a aNot with the safety-catch on, Nick.a It was well done. Even I looked at the gun. Reisner's eyes s.h.i.+fted from us and looked down. Della threw the cus.h.i.+on she had been grasping in one swift, violent movement. It caught Reisner in the face. She flung herself off the bed and clamped her hands on his hand and the gun, wedging her finger against the trigger so he couldn't fire.

I jumped from my chair as Reisner, swearing softly, staggered to his feet, his fist raised to club Della as she hung with all her weight on his gun arm.

I hit him on the side of his face with a long, looping right that exploded on his cheek-bone with the impact of a steam-hammer. He wasn't built for a punch like that. I felt the bone splinter as he shot backwards, dragging her with him. He cannoned into the wall, bounced away and began to sag as I stepped up close and smashed a right to his jaw. He went down, his face coming squarely on a big gla.s.s bowl of floating dahlia heads that stood on a table. The bowl flew into fragments, and the table smashed like matchwood. Water and flowers scattered over Della and the carpet.

She screamed as the water hit her, but she didn't let go of the gun until I grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet.

We stood side by side, looking down at Reisner. He had rolled over on his back. A long splinter of gla.s.s from the broken bowl, like a tiny dagger, had gone deep into his right eye. His lips were drawn back from his teeth in a snarl of pain and fear, and his right cheek was a pulp of splintered bone, teeth and blood. He looked terrible.

Della drew closer to me. I could hear her breathing: quick, short gasps, rasping in a dry throat.

Neither of us moved. We just stared down at him.

He was dead.

PART FOUR.

FADE-IN.

chapter twenty-two.

It was like a movie-projector operating inside my head, throwing images of the past on to the white screen that was my mind. I saw again the room and Della in her blue wrap that hung open to show her long, slender legs and the beauty of her body. I saw myself with blood out of my face, my fists clenched, and a sick feeling deep inside me, knowing I had killed him, and that I'd carry the image of his battered face with me to the grave.

aHe's dead, Johnny.a She gave a little sigh, then stepped back, gathering her wrap about her, turning to look at me.

I didn't say anything. I couldn't. This was murder. All right, I hadn't meant to kill him, but I had killed him, and he was there, dead on the floor, and that made it murder.

aHe's bleeding!a She ran into the bathroom and came back with a bath-towel and did something I couldn't have done. She caught hold of his long, chalk-white hair, lifted his head and slid the towel under it.

There was blood on her hands when she stood up, and I looked at the red stains in horror.

aJohnny!a aI've killed him!a aPull yourself together!a Her voice was sharp. aNo one knows but you and I. This is what I've been praying for.a I remembered Reisner had said the same thing when he had heard Wertham was dead. Some prayers to have! That made them a pair.

aBut they'll find out,a I said. aWe've got to get out of here!a She came up to me.

aDon't be a fool! Can't you see this is what we want? This is the set-up! He's dead, and we can take over. There's no one to stop us now!a I stared at her. There was a ruthless look of triumph in her black, glittering eyes, and her scarlet lips were parted. There was no fear in that hard, lovely face: only triumph, and a suppressed and violent excitement.

I grabbed hold of her arm and shook her.

aIt's you who're the fool!a I shouted at her. aWe've killed him a" you and I! They'll come after us! They'll catch us and they'll fry us! Don't you think you're going to get away with this! You're not! Maybe we can hide the body for an hour or so, but they'll find him . . . .a She put her hand over my mouth.

aSit down, Johnny, and be quiet. It's going to be all right. Keep your nerve: that's all you have to do. I know how to handle this. It's going to be all right.a I sat down, my back to Reisner's body. All right, I admit it. I was in a bad way. I had killed a man, and it was like taking a punch in the belly.

aWhat are you going to do?a I managed to jerk out.

aLook at his face. Doesn't that tell you what to do?a I couldn't look at his face.

aWhat are you getting at? You make me sick! Haven't you a spark of feeling? How can you look at his face?a She came around the bed to stand in front of me.

aPerhaps I've more guts than you, Johnny. Aren't the stakes worthwhile? He was going to shoot us! You killed him in self-defence. Why should you care about him?a aIt's murder! It's something that's going to live with me! It's something that'll poison my whole G.o.dd.a.m.n life!a aIn a week you'll have forgotten he ever existed. But if you don't pull yourself together and help me, we'll both go to the chair. Can't you see that, you poor, frightened b.o.o.by?a Slowly I turned and looked at him. He was still a horrible sight, with the splinter of gla.s.s in his eye and his face smashed and b.l.o.o.d.y.

She bent over him and gently pulled out the gla.s.s. It was the most gruesome thing I'd ever watched. I couldn't look away, and the horror of it brought me out into an ice-cold sweat.

She squatted back on her heels, the splinter of gla.s.s between her finger and thumb, and looked at the battered dead face, her brows drawn down in a frown of concentration.

aHe could have been mauled by an animal,a she said softly. aAnd that's what they are going to think.a She glanced up. aDon't you see the way out, Johnny? All we have to do is to drop him into the lion's pit. It's as simple as that. He feeds them. He even goes into their cages. Sooner or later there was bound to be an accident. Everyone knows the risks he took. Hame knows, and that's important. They won't think anything of it if we don't make mistakes. It's fool-proof.a I could only sit and stare at her.

aYou mean you've just thought that up?a aWhy not? You have only to look at him to see it's the way out.a Spider's legs ran up my spine. She was incredible. The moment she was in a jam, her brain devised a way out. Wertham hadn't been cold before she had thought up how she could use me to gain control of the casino. Reisner hadn't stopped bleeding before she had a fool-proof idea to explain away his death. And it was fool-proof if we could only get him to the pit without anyone seeing us. She just wasn't human.

aIt's all right, isn't it, Johnny?a She looked up at me, her black eyes glittering, her fingers blood-stained, and she was like a lovely, gruesome ghoul.

aYes, it's all right if no one sees us.a Already I was beginning to breathe more freely, and my heart eased off its violent hammering. aWe can't do it until after dark.a aNo. Stand up and let me look you over. Show me your hands.a Her examination was searching and thorough, but finally she satisfied herself I had no blood on my clothes. aYou're all right. Now, listen: go out into the grounds and be seen. Go and play a round of golf. If you can get someone to play with you, so much the better. Don't come back until midnight. If anyone asks you where Reisner is, tell them he's with me, and we're not to be disturbed.a aGolf? Do you think I could play golf with this on my mind ?a I was almost yelling at her. aAre you crazy? Haven't you a spark of feeling?a aIt's you who are crazy. If you can't play golf, have a swim or walk around or go to the bar! Do anything you d.a.m.n well please, but get out of here and let them see you! You've got to keep them away from here. That's your job. You've got to make them think he and I are too busy to be disturbed. Get a grip on yourself. Play this wrong, and we're sunk!a I drew in a deep breath.

aAnd what are you going to do?a The awful little smile I had seen when she was a split second away from shooting me flickered across her mouth.

aI'm staying here a" with him. I'm making sure no one gets in and finds him. That's what I'm going to do.a aYou've got nine hours of it.a aThat won't kill me. I've things to think about. You don't think I'm scared to be alone with him, do you? He's dead. I'm not squeamish, even if you are. I've got my life to plan.a I longed to get away from that ghastly room, from her, from him. I wouldn't have stayed with that battered body for nine hours for all the money in the world.

I moved to the door.

aAnd, Johnny . . .a I paused.

aWhat is it?a Out of the corner of my eye I could see his white and brown shoes and his gaudy yellow socks. I hurriedly looked away.

aWe have to trust each other, Johnny,a she said, as still as a statue. aDon't lose your nerve and run away. You might be tempted, but don't do it. If you did I couldn't cover this up. I must have your help. So don't run away.a aI'm not going to run away.a aYou might be tempted. A nine-hoursa start is tempting, but if you did bolt I'd have to tell Hame it was you who killed him, and Hame would believe it.a aI'm not going to run away,a I said, and my voice was a croak. She came to me and put her arms around my neck, and I felt a shudder run through me at her touch.

aYou still love me, don't you, Johnny? It's going to be all right. It's going to work out the way we planned. We're set up for life now.a All I could think of was that her fingers, stained with his blood, were touching the back of my neck. I wanted to shove her away from me, but I didn't because I knew she was as dangerous as a rattlesnake, and there was nothing to stop her going to Hame and pinning the murder on me. So I kissed her, and the touch of her hot, yielding lips made me feel sick, and the sight of him lying there with his head wrapped in the towel made me feel even sicker.

aI'll be waiting for you,a she said, her face against mine. aKeep your nerve, Johnny. It's going to be all right.a Then I was outside, with the hot afternoon sun on my face and nine hours of h.e.l.l in front of me. I had a frantic urge to run and keep running until I'd put miles between me and that cabin where she was keeping watch over his dead body, but I knew I wasn't going to run away because she had me in a trap from which, as far as I could see, there was no way out.

chapter twenty-three.

The bar-room with its sun awnings and lavish fitments, its mahogany, horseshoe-shaped bar, and its pink-tinted mirrors-was empty when I walked stiff-legged across its expanse of parquet flooring. The square-shaped clock above the rows of bottles told me it was twenty-five minutes past three: not the hour to start drinking, but that wasn't going to stop me. If I didn't get a drink inside me quick I'd flip my lid.

The barman appeared from behind a jazz-patterned curtain and looked at me with polite enquiry. He was a tall, thin bird with a high, bald dome, s.h.a.ggy eyebrows and a long, beaky nose. His white coat was as clean as soap and water could make it, and as stiff with starch as a bishop watching a muscle dance.

aYes, Mr. Ricca?a I wasn't expecting to be recognized, and I flinched.

aScotch,a I said. My voice sounded like a gramophone record with a crack in it. aSet up the bottle.a aYes, Mr. Ricca.a He reached up to a shelf and took down a bottle still wrapped in tissue paper. His long, bony fingers ripped off the paper, and he put the bottle in front of me.

aFour Roses, sir,a he said, aor would you prefer Lord Calvert?a I picked up the bottle and poured myself a slug. My hand was shaking and I slopped the stuff on the polished counter. I felt him watching me.

aGet the h.e.l.l out of here,a I said.

aYes, Mr. Ricca.a He went away behind the jazz-patterned curtain.

I knew I shouldn't have snarled at him, but I wanted that drink so badly I couldn't control myself, and I knew I couldn't have carried the gla.s.s to my mouth with him there to watch the unsteady journey.

And it was unsteady. I slopped most of it, but I got the rest down. I poured myself another slug. I hoisted that one without spilling a drop, and the tight horror that was coiled up inside me began to loosen up.