Джеймс Чейз - There’s Always A Price Tag

In the afternoon I took the Buick, and driving at a steady thirty-five miles an hour, I went out to the road that led to the forestry station. It took me an hour and five minutes to get there. That meant when we left at half past ten on Sunday night, we would get to the forestry station around twenty to twelve. By that time the highway should be fairly free of traffic.

I didn’t sleep much that night. I wondered if Helen was also lying in the darkness, thinking as I was. Somehow I doubted it. She seemed nerveless.

When I did eventually fall asleep, I slept late and didn’t get up until past noon.

As I was leaving the garage apartment to go over to the house, I ran into Marian, coming down the drive.

I remembered Helen telling me that she was giving her the half-day off on Sunday, asking her to get back at ten. I had hoped that she would have left before now. I wasn’t anxious to see her until this job was over.

‘Hello there,’ I said, coming to a stop under the shade of a tree. ‘Where are you going?’

‘To see a girl friend of mine,’ Marian said, looking up at me. There was a curious expression in her eyes. It was as if she were seeing me for the first time. I had trouble in meeting her eyes. ‘What are you doing?’

‘I’ve some work to do. I shan’t be going out until later.’

Again she looked at me.

‘Is there anything worrying you, Glyn?’

‘Why no. What should be worrying me?’

She moved closer and put her hand on my arm.

‘You look worried.’

I forced a laugh.

‘That’s my natural expression. I wish I were coming with you. How are you after your sleepwalking act?’

‘I’m fine.’ She paused, then went on, ‘I know I shouldn’t say this, Glyn, but she is in love with you, isn’t she?’

That jolted me. I stared at her.

‘She? Who? What do you mean?’

‘Mrs. Dester.’

‘Loves me? What put that idea into your head? Of course she doesn’t.’

‘I think she does. She’s deliberately stopping me seeing you. Besides, I can tell by the way she looks at you. Of course she’s in love with you.’

‘You’re wrong.’ I was pretty raided now. If the police were to question her and she let out this bit of information, we would be in trouble. ‘She’s got no use for me. If Dester hadn’t insisted that I should stay she would have booted me out long ago.’

Marian lifted her shoulders. I could see I hadn’t convinced her. Then she launched another thunderbolt.

‘Is Mr. Dester really in the house, Glyn?’

For a moment I couldn’t believe I had heard aright. I felt I was losing colour. My mouth turned dry.

‘Of course he is. What in the world?’

‘Are you sure?’ She looked searchingly at me. ‘I have a feeling he’s not in the house. I never hear a sound from his room. It’s uncanny.’

‘He’s there all right.’ I had trouble in keeping my voice steady. ‘I go in now and then to take a look at him. He’s in a pretty bad way. He sleeps most of the time.’

‘I see.’ She hesitated, then went on, ‘Well, I don’t think I’m going to stay much longer, Glyn. I don’t like it here. There’s an unpleasant atmosphere. I don’t like Mrs. Dester.’

‘I won’t be staying much longer myself,’ I said. ‘I hope you’ll wait until I go. I’ll miss you, Marian.’ I took her hands in mine. ‘I’m just hanging on until I get a legacy that’s coming to me. Do you know what I’d like to do when I get the money?’

‘What would you like to do?’

‘Go with you to Rome.’

She laughed. ‘You wouldn’t really. Why?’

‘I guess you know why. I guess I’m in love with you, kid.’

She looked searchingly at me.

‘Sure you don’t say that to every girl you meet, Glyn?’

‘I’m sure. Well, I’m not going to keep you. I may not get the money, but if I do, you might think about it. I wouldn’t be in the way. We could even stay at different hotels. I wouldn’t stop you working. Just so we could have the evenings together. Then later, if you feel you wanted to, we might — well, we could marry.’ I grinned at her. ‘People do.’

I could see she was startled. ‘You certainly rush your fences, Glyn, but I will think about it.’

I pulled her to me and kissed her.

‘I’m crazy about you, kid.’

She clung to me for a moment, then broke away. ‘I must go. I’m late already.’

I watched her hurry down the drive, then I walked slowly towards the house.

I didn’t tell Helen what Marian had said about Dester not being in the house, but I was pretty worried. If the police questioned her, if they suspected Dester hadn’t been in the house, she might underline their suspicions.

Later in the afternoon I put the first move of the plan into operation.

I drove the Buick to a car park, a couple of miles from Hill Crest Avenue and left it there. I told the attendant that I shouldn’t be picking the car up until late that night. I took the bus back to the house, and for the rest of the afternoon and evening, Helen and I went over the plan together. We had gone over it so often we could have recited it in our sleep, but I knew the importance of being word perfect.

Around half past nine I went up to Dester’s room and shut myself in. I took a suitcase from the closet and put it on the bed. I took off my suit and shoes and packed them in the case. Then I put on one of Dester’s dark suits that fitted me pretty well and a pair of his nigger brown calf shoes. I laid his camel-hair coat on the bed and one of his wide-brimmed slouch hats.

I lit a cigarette and began to pace slowly up and down. My nerves were jumpy, my heart beat heavily.

I kept trying to think of Marian and trying to imagine us in Rome together. If it hadn’t been for her, I told myself, I would have backed out at this last minute, but the only person I was kidding was myself.

I heard the Rolls pull up outside the house and I went to the window and looked out.

Helen had timed it to the second. It was two minutes past ten as she got out of the car. She was wearing a pale green summer frock, a small white hat and white gauntlets. She looked lovely as she swung the car door to and came up the steps and into the house.

A few moments later she entered the room.

‘She’s not back yet?’

I remained at the window looking down the dimly lit drive. ‘Not yet.’

She joined me at the window. ‘Well, this is it.’

She sounded calm, almost casual.

‘Yes.’

‘Are you jumpy?’

‘I’m all right.’

‘You’d better be.’

I looked at her. Her green eyes were glittering and her face was as hard as stone. ‘This was your idea,’ she went on. ‘You’re not so enthusiastic as you were. Get this girl out of your mind!’

‘It’s going to be all right, so shut up!’

‘It had better be all right!’

I turned back to the window. I saw Marian coming up the drive. She walked quickly, swinging her handbag, and as she came under the porch light, I could see she was smiling.

‘Here she is.’

‘All right. I’ll go down and talk to her.’

‘Don’t let her come beyond the kitchen door.’

‘I know what I have to do.’

I gave her a few seconds, then I sneaked out and stood in the shadows at the head of the stairs.

She and Marian were in the lounge. I heard Helen saying, ‘I’m taking Mr. Dester to the sanatorium now. I was expecting Mr. Nash back. He went out in the car about an hour ago to get some cigarettes. He may yet be back in time. I can’t imagine what’s keeping him, but if he isn’t back would you be ready to help me? Mr. Dester is very shaky. We may have to support him to the car. If you will stand in the kitchen doorway and keep out of sight, you can come to me if I need you. Don’t let him see you. He’s sensitive, and he doesn’t want help.’