James Chase - Strictly For Cash

I turned ice-cold. I had only to look at him to see he wasn’t bluffing.

“She’ll give you her word not to talk,” I said. “I don’t give a damn what happens to me, but you’ve got to let her go!”

“I happen to hold all the cards in this deal,” Ricca said.

“Ask yourself which would be better for her: a bullet through the head or to be worked over until you decide to talk. You’ll see Benno at work. Better save her from that. What do you say — a quick bullet or Benno?”

Benno put his hand on the front of Ginny’s frock and ripped it down to her waist.

I was licked and I knew it. Ginny would be better off dead than tortured by Benno.

Without looking at her, I said, “Yes. Don’t let him touch her. I’ll talk.”

Ricca rubbed his hands.

“I thought somehow you would. Where’s the money?”

“The Miami Safe Deposit.”

I could see by the momentary blank expression in his eyes he hadn’t expected this.

“I see. Very sensible of you.”

Then suddenly I remembered the .22 I had left in the suitcase. I felt a hot surge of triumph run through me. With that gun I could fix him and turn the tables on Benno.

“You will write them a letter...” he began, but stopped as I shook my head.

“Do you imagine I’m all that of a dope? I and no one else can get the money. I left instructions I was the only one to enter the strong room.”

Ricca stared down at his feet. Then he glanced up and waved his hand at Benno.

“Take her away,” he said. “Why doesn’t Pepi come?”

“He doesn’t know we’re here,” Benno said. “How many more times do I have to tell you?”

“Try to find him. We want him.”

“Forget him! He might be anywhere. Can’t you swing this yourself?”

“Take her away.”

Benno shoved Ginny out of the room. As he reached the door he put his knee in her back and shot her forward. I heard her fall on the floor.

“If ever I get my hands on you...” I said, straining at the rope that held my wrists.

Ricca smiled.

“It’s your own fault. How can you expect an animal like Benno to treat a girl decently?” He grimaced as he looked through the open door. “You and I will go and collect the money,” he went on. “After that, Benno takes charge, but I promise you I will see he makes it quick. I owe you something. I am grateful to you for getting rid of Della. Now, of course, I take over the casino myself.”

I stared fixedly at him.

“And when we get to the safe deposit, don’t make trouble,” he went on. “The money belongs to the casino, and I can prove it. Hame will play along with me. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

“I know when I’m licked,” I said, thinking of the .22 in the suitcase.

He went into the other room and I heard him talking to Benno. While I had a moment to myself I tried desperately to free my hands. I might just as well have tried to tip over the Woolworth building.

Ricca came into the room again.

“If I am not back within the hour he will take her away from here. I needn’t tell you what he will do to her. So no tricks.”

He cut my ankles free.

“Stand up and turn round.”

Benno came to the door, a snub-nosed automatic in his hand. He kept me covered while Ricca freed my hands.

“Okay,” Ricca said, pulling a gun from his hip pocket. “Let’s go.”

I went first and he followed. We walked down the four flights of stairs. Drawn up outside the front door was a dark-blue Packard.

“You drive, Johnny. I’ll sit at the back. And snap into it. I don’t imagine Benno will keep his hands off her for long. She’s pretty, isn’t she?”

My sick fear for her turned to cold, vicious rage against him. I didn’t say anything but drove fast until I reached Roosevelt Boulevard. Here the traffic was heavy, and it took me some minutes to weave the car to a standstill outside the Safe Deposit building.

A guard came over.

“I deposited a suitcase here this morning. I want to pick it up.”

“You know the way, sir? Mr. Evesham will look after you.”

I said I knew the way, and went up the steps with Ricca at my heels.

The princely Mr. Evesham looked surprised when he saw me, but he remembered his manners and stood up and bowed.

“My partner’s arrived unexpectedly,” I said, waving to Ricca. “I’ll want the suitcase for a couple of days.”

“Certainly, sir. Shall I come up with you?”

“That’s okay. I know my way.”

“I’ll have the receipt for you to sign when you come down.”

“Thanks,” I said, and walked over to the elevator.

Ricca stood beside me, smiling, as the elevator took us to the fifth floor.

“They arrange things well here,” he said. “Might be an idea to have something like this at the casino.”

I didn’t say anything. When the elevator stopped, I walked down the corridor with him just behind me.

The guard came out of the guard house.

“Let me have the key to room 46,” I said.

He studied me, then went away. After a moment or so he returned and handed me the key.

“Third door on the right, sir.”

I continued down the corridor and stopped outside room 46.

“Without your cooperation,” Ricca said, “it would have been impossible to get the money. What a sensible young man you are.”

I unlocked the door and pushed it open.

“Quite luxurious,” Ricca said, looking in. He made no move to enter. “I think I’ll wait here. Bring the money to me.”

But I wanted him inside with the door shut.

“The door has to be closed before the safe will open,” I said, entering the room. “Wait outside if you like.”

He looked up and down the empty corridor, then pulled out his gun.

“In that case I’ll come in with you. I don’t trust you out of my sight, but don’t make any false moves.”

I had no qualms about killing him. Ginny’s life and mine were worth a lot more to me than his. I knew the sound of a .22 wouldn’t be heard outside the steel-lined room.

I stood beside the safe and began to spell out the combination. I was calm and my hands were steady. I kept thinking of Ginny along with Benno. I knew I mustn’t make the slightest slip.

The safe door swung open.

“Better keep back,” I said. “There’s a gadget somewhere that photographs when the safe is opened.”

“They seem to have thought of everything,” Ricca said. I could tell by his voice he wasn’t suspicious. “Is the money there?”

“What do you think?” I hauled out the suitcase and dumped it on the table. There wasn’t room for him to come around and stand by my side. He faced me. I snapped back the locks and threw open the case. The open lid was towards him. He couldn’t see what was inside the case. I tossed a bundle of bills on the table as he began to move forward. He paused and looked at them, an oily smile spreading over his face. That gave me the opportunity to pick up the .22 lying in the case.

I aimed through the lid of the case at his belly. A little gun like a .22 hasn’t much stopping power, but I knew a slug in his gut would paralyse him. I waited until he began to move forward again, then looking right at him, I squeezed the trigger.

The gun went off with a noise like the breaking of a dry stick. Ricca reared back, his face contorted with agony, his hands clutching at his fat paunch. Then he folded forward as if he had a hinge in his back. His gun dropped out of his hand, and he fell across the table, his face hanging over the upraised lid of the suitcase.

I gave the top of his head a hard shove, and he slid off the table on to the floor.

I was breathing heavily, and I began to shake as I watched him squirm about on the floor, his hands pressed to his belly, blood oozing out between his fingers.