James Chase - Just Another Sucker

During the drive from the airport, I tried to convince myself it was going to work out all right. The drunk who I had knocked on the head, knowing he had tried to assault Odette, was pretty certain to keep his mouth shut. The man and the women who owned the car that had crashed into the T.R.3 might not tell the police, knowing it was their fault that the car had backed into mine.

When I had reached Palm City I had gone to a bar in a quiet street. I had had a couple of drinks. The bar was crowded with people sheltering from the rain. No one paid any attention to me.

I shut myself in a pay booth and had called Malroux’s telephone number.

While I waited, listening to the thump-thump-thump of my heart, I wondered if Odette had safely reached her hotel. After a delay, I heard the butler’s voice.

‘Give me Mr. Malroux,’ I said, making my voice sound hard and curt. ‘I have a message from his daughter.’

‘Who is this, please?’

I fairly yelled at him: ‘Do what I say! Tell Malroux to come to the phone!’

‘Will you hold on?’

There was a shocked note in the man’s voice.

I heard him lay down the receiver. I waited, feeling sweat on my face. I kept looking through the glass panel of the booth at the crowded bar. No one looked my way.

Then a quiet voice said in my ear, ‘This is Malroux. Who is calling?’

Well, at least Rhea hadn’t been bluffing. She had said she would make him come to the phone and he had come.

‘Listen carefully, pal,’ I said, speaking slowly so he couldn’t miss a word. ‘We’ve kidnapped your daughter. We want five hundred thousand bucks. Do you hear me? Five hundred grand and in small bills. If you don’t pay up you won’t see her again — that’s a promise. You’re not to call in the cops and no tricks — understand? This is a snatch, pal. If you want to see your daughter again, you’ll do as I’m telling you.’

There was a moment’s pause, then the quiet voice said, ‘I understand. I will pay, of course. How do I deliver the money and how is my daughter to be returned?’

He sounded as calm and as unruffled as a politician presiding over a tea party.

‘I’ll telephone you Monday,’ I said. ‘How soon can you get the money? The sooner you get it the better for your daughter.’

‘I’ll have it ready tomorrow.’

‘Tomorrow’s Sunday.’

‘I’ll have it ready tomorrow.’

‘Okay. I’ll phone you Monday morning. You’ll get instructions where to deliver it, and remember, one word to the cops, any tricks and you won’t see the kid again. You’ll find her in a ditch, but not before we’ve had some fun with her.’

I replaced the receiver and went out to the Packard.

I didn’t feel proud of myself, but this was a job. The money involved was too big to worry about pride. I was glad to find Nina asleep. I didn’t get much sleep that night. It seemed I had barely dozed off when the telephone bell woke me.

I now listened intently to the sound of Nina’s voice as she talked to the caller.

When I heard her quick steps coming down the passage, I braced myself.

The bedroom door opened.

‘Harry… it’s John. He wants to talk to you. He says it’s urgent.’

I threw off the sheet and slipped on the dressing-gown she held for me.

‘What’s so urgent?’ I said. ‘Did he tell you?’

‘No. He’s asking for you.’

‘Okay. I’ll talk to him.’

I went into the lounge and picked up the telephone receiver.

‘John? This is Harry.’

‘Hello there, boy,’ John said. His voice sounded excited. ‘Now, listen: I’ve got this job fixed for you, and you could be right into something that could be a sensation. I want you to come down here right away. I’m calling from the D.A.’s office. Just to make it sweet for you, they’re going to offer you a hundred and fifty and expenses. But never mind that. The point is we can use you, Harry, and fast. We could have something on our hands that’ll start a prairie fire. You’ve heard of Felix Malroux: the French millionaire? It looks as if his daughter has been kidnapped. If he has — brother! Will this be something!

It’s just the set-up you can handle. Come down here right away. The D.A. will want to talk to you.’

I felt icy fingers closing over my heart.

‘Now, wait a minute,’ I said, my voice unsteady, ‘I didn’t say I’d work for the Administration.’

‘For the love of Mike, Harry!’ Renick’s voice shot up half an octave. ‘If this turns out to be what I think it is, it’s going to be the biggest goddam thing that’s ever hit Palm City. Don’t you want to be in on it?’

I was aware that Nina was standing in the doorway, looking at me. My hand was so slippery with sweat I had trouble holding the receiver. So the lid had already come off this thing. It looks as if his daughter has been kidnapped. If I worked with the D.A., at least I would know what the moves were. I hesitated for about three seconds, then I said, ‘I’m on my way, John.’

‘Fine… fine… and hurry,’ Renick said. ‘I’ll be waiting for you.’

I put down the receiver.

‘What is it, Harry?’ Nina asked.

‘I don’t know. He’s excited about something. He didn’t say. He wants me down at the D.A.’s office.

They’re paying a hundred and fifty. I’m not turning that down.’

‘Oh, Harry!’ She threw her arms around me. ‘I’m so glad. A hundred and fifty!’ She kissed me. ‘I knew it would be all right for you. I knew it!’

I wasn’t in the mood for love. I patted her and then pushed her away.

‘I’ve got to get down there fast.’

I went into the bedroom and threw on my clothes. My heart was hammering so hard I had trouble with my breathing. So Rhea had been too confident. Malroux had told the police. Well, I had lost out. I wasn’t going to make fifty thousand dollars, but at least, I had a hundred and fifty dollar a week job.

I paused as I knotted my tie.

But had I the job?

If the police found out I was mixed up in this faked kidnapping, I wouldn’t hold the job for five minutes. Maybe those two tapes would save me from being prosecuted, but they wouldn’t save the job.

I got down to the D.A.’s office a few minutes after nine o’clock. A girl took me to Renick’s office.

‘Come on in, Harry,’ he said, getting up from behind a massive desk. He gripped my hand. ‘I’m glad you’ve decided to throw in with us. You won’t regret it. The D.A. is on his way now. He should be here any minute.’

I sat on the arm of a lounging chair and took the cigarette he offered me.

‘What’s all the excitement about, John?’ I said, trying to sound casual. ‘What’s this about Malroux’s daughter?’

There was a tap on the door and a girl looked in.

‘Mr. Meadows is here now, Mr. Renick.’

Renick stood up.

‘Let’s talk to Meadows,’ he said.

As we walked down the long passage, Renick went on, ‘Watch your step with him. He’s a good guy, but a little touchy. He knows all about you and he admires your work and also the way you came out of that mess. You deliver the goods, and you’ll have no trouble with him.’ He paused outside a door, rapped and entered.

A thick-set man with chalk white hair was standing by the window, lighting a cigar. He glanced around. His small, piercing blue eyes swept over me. He was around fifty: his red fleshy face, jutting chin and this thin hard mouth gave me an immediate impression of ruthless efficiency.

‘This is Harry Barber,’ Renick said. ‘He’s on the staff from this morning.’

Meadows pushed out a cold, hard hand.

‘Glad to hear it,’ he said. ‘I’ve heard about you, Barber: what I’ve heard is good.’