Джеймс Чейз - There’s Always A Price Tag

‘No, I’m not going to tell them. I am on your side,’ I said. ‘If I wasn’t I should have let you drive him down to the gates. I didn’t know he was faking. If he had been drunk and had hit something, you would be in jail by now.’

‘Would I?’ She looked at herself in the mirror, then put down the comb, opened a silver cigarette-box that stood on the dressing-table and took out a cigarette. ‘Why?’

‘Because there was no guarantee that he would have been killed. He might have been hurt; he might have come out of it without a scratch. Suppose he had told the police you had put him in the car? Even if they didn’t slap an attempted murder rap on you, they would have tipped the insurance company and that would have been that.’

‘I still don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she said, blowing smoke at the reflection of herself in the mirror.

‘You don’t fool me,’ I said, stubbing out my cigarette and lighting another, ‘but okay, if you want it in one syllable words here it is: when Dester dies he will be worth three-quarters of a million. You are his wife. Unless he has willed the money elsewhere, it will come to you. You don’t want to wait until he dies naturally. For all you know he might outlive you. You have decided to help him into his grave. That’s okay if you can do it, but you don’t seem to realize how tricky it is. You have only to make one slip and you’ll kiss that money good-bye for keeps. You’re dealing with the biggest and the most powerful insurance company in the country. You have already made one slip. You’ve shown your husband your hand.’

‘How have I done that?’ she asked.

‘He wasn’t drunk. As soon as you left the garage he came to. He told me he wanted to make sure you would murder him for the insurance money and now he is sure. He said he is going to take care you don’t ever get the money.’

She lifted her eyebrows. ‘Did he say that?’

‘Yes.’

She thought for a moment, then she shrugged her shoulders.

‘Well, that seems to be that then, doesn’t it?’ She looked at me. ‘It is very touching that you should tell me this. Why don’t you go to the police and tell them instead of me?’

‘Don’t be dumb,’ I said. ‘I told you I’m on your side.’

‘Why are you on my side?’

I grinned at her. ‘Take a look in the mirror: that should tell you. Besides, I was planning to take half of what you got from the insurance company.’

She studied me, her face expressionless.

‘What makes you think you would have got it?’

‘You’re not stupid. You would have figured it was better to have half a bun, than no bun at all. If you hadn’t shared with me, I would have blown the lid off your racket.’

‘You couldn’t have proved anything,’ she said.

‘No, but I could have created doubt. I’ve been digging into your past. After seeing the way you handled Dester when he was pretending to be drunk, I can see how easy it was for you to tip Van Tomlin out of the window.’

‘He fell out. I didn’t touch him.’ There was a wary look in her eyes that told me I had jolted her again.

‘That’s your story,’ I said. ‘If I went along to the National Fidelity and told them what I had seen in the garage on Wednesday night and jogged their memory about Van Tomlin, you wouldn’t have a hope in hell of ever collecting Dester’s insurance. They would stick their best dicks on to you. They would investigate Van Tomlin’s death. They would make you sue them for Dester’s insurance, and they would cast so many doubts, paint such a picture of your character that no judge would find for you. They might even hang a murder rap on you. I’ve had some experience with big insurance companies, and you’d be surprised at the antics they get up to so they don’t have to settle a claim.’

She continued to stare at me. ‘So you imagine you’re in a nice, safe position to blackmail me?’

I laughed.

‘I was in a nice, safe position to blackmail you, but you’ve handled it so badly there won’t be any insurance money now for you: nor for me. Dester’s on to you, and he’s going to make sure you don’t get the money. You’ve got to face it.’

‘Have you finished?’ she asked, stubbing out her cigarette.

‘Yes, I’ve finished. I just wanted you to know where you stood. Don’t make plans to knock Dester off. Your only chance is to wait now until he dies of drink. Maybe he’ll have a change of heart and leave you the money in his will, providing you are nice to him. Why not try it? It can’t hurt you. Play ball with him. Win him over. He can’t last much longer at the rate he’s swallowing the stuff.’

‘When I want your advice I’ll ask for it. Now, get out!’ She stood up, facing me.

‘He said you were as cold as an iceberg,’ I said, getting up. ‘I don’t believe it. I’m tempted to find out just how cold you are.’

She didn’t move, but the colour of her eyes darkened.

‘We’re alone here,’ I went on, moving towards her. ‘Do you see any reason why we shouldn’t use this opportunity?’ I got within a foot of her, then reached out, putting my hands on her shoulders. Her hand flashed up towards my face, but I was expecting such a move. I caught her wrist, jerked her to me, twisted her arm behind her and crushed my mouth down on hers. For a long moment she remained rigid, not fighting me off, but her lips hard and unyielding, then she suddenly relaxed against me, her arms slid up and around my neck.

Around twenty minutes past one, I went into her bathroom and took a shower. I was feeling pretty good. My forecast had been accurate. She was no iceberg, and I wished now I had had a bet with Solly when I told him I could thaw her out.

I dressed in the bathroom and returned to the bedroom. She was lying on the bed, covered by the yellow wrap, her hair spread out on the pillow, her eyes closed, her breathing gentle and steady. Her face was flushed. She looked younger and more lovely than I had ever seen her before. I stood at the foot of the bed and looked down at her. Like a relaxed cat, she stretched, opened her eyes and stared up at me.

‘So you really think I’ve got no hope of getting that money?’ she said.

‘Is that all you can think about?’ I said, suddenly irritated that the first words she could speak to me had to be about the money. Up to this moment, she had not spoken a word since I had taken her in my arms.

‘Why not? It’s important, isn’t it? Three-quarters of a million! Think what we could do with all that money.’

Well, at least, she was now including me in the financial scene. I sat on the bed, close to her.

‘He said he was going to make sure you didn’t get it,’ I said. ‘Yesterday he flew up to San Francisco. It’s my bet he’s talked with the insurance people. No, I think you can kiss it good-bye.’

‘His contract runs out today,’ she said, reaching for a cigarette. She put it between her red lips and waited for me to light it. She went on, ‘He’ll stay here night and day, drinking. He’ll have no more credit. They’ll take everything. I might as well pack and get out now.’

‘And where do you think you’ll go?’

She shrugged. ‘I’ve a little money put by. I’ll find someone else. There’s always some fool with money to be found. I think I’ll go to Miami.’

‘Don’t be in too much of a rush,’ I said, lighting a cigarette. ‘Stick with him until the smash. You never know. He might borrow on the policy and square his debts. Three-quarters of a million is quite a piece of money.’

‘He won’t give me any of it. No, I’m going to clear out. I’ve wasted too much time already. I can look after myself.’

‘I’m not so sure that you can,’ I said, looking at her. ‘You may be smart at hooking a guy, but you’re not all that hot when it comes to landing him. You lost thirteen thousand on the Van Tomlin deal. You’ve made a complete mess of the Dester deal. Tell me, did you push Van Tomlin out of the window?’