Elmore Leonard: Freaky Deaky

Now then. Look at it.

Donnell looked and thought, Get the signed will out of the desk and leave the motherfucking house, now.

He took another little shot of the scotch. Looked again and thought, Ask Skip what he did with it.

Thought, You crazy? He sneaky, scheming something or he would've told you. Him and Robin.

Thought, He could've put it back in her car…

And ran from the library back to the garage, reached inside and pressed the button on the wall that would raise the garage door. Nothing happened. Pressed it some more.

Nothing happened. He moved through the dark to the Mercedes-use the remote control box in the car.

The car was locked. He had come back from the Chinaman's and had not locked it, but now it was. He wanted to see in the car. But he'd left the flashlight in the library.

Donnell said it to himself again, Be cool. hey talked about the man to his face and he didn't seem to realize it, sitting in his bathrobe with his drink, Robin standing next to his chair in a kind of protective pose. She had turned off the stereo. It was quiet, talk running down. What else was there to say? Chris looked at Greta, eyes closed, head nodding. He looked at Skip, making a drink at the bar, and then at Robin again.

"You make it sound like you're defending him."

"He knew what he was doing," Robin said. She put her hand on Woody's shoulder.

"Didn't you?" Woody didn't move.

"You weren't drunk when you signed the contracts."

"The man's alcoholic, he's always drunk," Chris said.

"His lawyer knows that. You're conspiring to extort money.

The only difference, you're using paper now instead of a bomb."

Robin said, "All right, what's the problem? If you think it'll be contested, let's wait and see."

Chris looked at Woody.

"Are you listening to any of this?"

"He's asleep," Robin said. " "I almost feel asleep myself," Skip said,

"the way you're beating it to death. It's done, let's get the party going."

Chris watched Donnell come out of the sunroom and cross to the bar, taking his time; watched him pour a scotch, not saying a word. Skip nudged him.

"Go put a tape on. We got to pick this up before it dies." Chris watched Donnell give Skip a look, deadpan, that Skip missed as he walked away from the bar with a drink. He came over to Chris.

"Hold this for me."

Chris looked up at him.

"Just hold it a second, it won't hurt you."

"Put it on the table."

"Take it, or I'll pour the goddamn thing on you!"

Chris held out his hand and Skip put the drink in it.

"You got a good grip on it?"

Skip reached behind his back, beneath his jacket and came out with his .38 Special.

"Now show me that goddamn gun you have, whatever it is, with just two fingers of your one hand. Take the magazine out and hand it to me and chuck the gun in the swimming pool. Can you remember all that, or you want me to go through it again?"

Robin came over. She said, "Break his nose."

Skip said, "Just take it from him-Jesus."

Chris brought the automatic out with his left hand and Skip stepped back, arms rigid aiming the.38.

"Let me have it," Robin said.

Chris said, "Don't tempt me."

She reached down and snatched the pistol out of his hand and said,

"Weird," looking at it.

Skip said to Chris, "You're spending the night here so we won't have to worry about you. Tomorrow morning, fine, you can leave. But not before we say."

Robin extended the Clock in both hands, aiming at Chris's face and closing one stoned eye.

"Is this how you do it?"

They brought Chris and Greta to the library. Chris watched Robin, still holding the Clock, waving it idly as she looked around. She said, "You're sure?" Skip pulled aside a panel of the heavy damask draperies to show grillwork covering the inside of the window.

"Been on there forever, but he'd need a wrecking bar, at least." Chris watched Robin move to the desk. She was opening a drawer when Donnell came in with Woody. Donnell gave her a look and she gave him a shrug, closing the drawer. Now she raised the Clock in two hands, sighted on Donnell guiding Woody to his TV chair and said, "Pow." Donnell looked over, stared a moment before helping Woody into the chair, Woody saying, "What's the movie?" Donnell didn't answer. Chris said to Greta, "We're gonna be here a while."

She didn't seem to mind. She looked so small in the sweatshirt. He put her in the chair next to Woody. Donnell looked at him. Chris waited. He heard Robin say, "Donnell? Bring the phone when you come."

Donnell said, "It ain't the kind you move." Robin opened the drawer again, brought out a pair of scissors and snipped the line close to the phone.

She said, "Never mind." She walked away from the desk with the Clock auto and the scissors. Donnell turned the set on. Woody asked him again, "What's the movie?" Donnell said, "Whatever comes on," his voice flat.

"This's surprise night." Chris waited. Donnell looked across Greta at him.

"You have to go to the bathroom you tell me and I tell him."

Chris said, "The Skipper?"

Donnell stared at him deadpan. He walked away, following Robin and Skip out of the library. The door closed.

Chris turned to the TV screen. He didn't recognize the movie or any of the actors; they were all teenagers. He looked at his watch. It was

A t 2:20 the library door opened. Donnell entered.

He took time to close the door quietly. Chris, seated at the desk, watched him come through the lamplight showing in dull green shades, a dark figure now. Donnell had changed his clothes. Chris followed his gaze as Donnell glanced at the TV screen, at a young woman in an empty house at night, backing away from a door, scared to death.

Chris said, "When they do that, not look where they're going, you know some disfigured asshole is waiting for them."

"They come here," Donnell said, planting his hands on the desk, getting right to it, "they have a box of dynamite I make him put in the garage.

I go out there, it's gone and the car's locked and there's no way to open the garage up. The 'lectric thing you push don't work. And the light's out."

"You ask Skip about it?"

"What? Ask him how he's gonna blow me up? I know he's set it someplace."

"Stay out of the garage, you'll probably be all right."

"How would he work it?"

"You look around the house?"

"Enough. Box of dynamite ain't that easy to hide."

"Where's Robin and Skip?"

"In the kitchen mostly."

"Let's say he put the dynamite in the car," Chris said.

"A gray Mercedes, right? I remember it from when the limo blew up, with his brother."

"How would he do it?"

"When you drive in and out you use a garage door opener?"

"Little thing with a button on it you push, yeah."

"It sounds like he put the charge in the Mercedes and wired it to the door opener, the motor. They put us in the garage and go out the other way. Drive off in the VW, Robin presses the button-bang. No witnesses. By the time the investigation gets to a canceled check with her name on it… I don't know, I guess she's got that worked out. But why're they staying all night? Now's the time to do it."

"The man has to transfer the money, call up the bank at nine A.M. They want to see him, make sure the check don't bounce."

Chris said, "Yeah, that's right, from his trust account.

Has he paid them yet? Given 'em the check?"

"After he phones. Then I fill out the name and the amount. Shit, and get put in the garage, huh?" Donnell looked at the TV screen and back to Chris.

"I'm the one has to make the move. I ain't gonna let Mr. Woody get killed."

"I'm glad to hear you say that."

"Not this soon. I had a gun… Man, they fucked my head good."