Джеймс Чейз - You're Dead Without Money

‘But why should they be tailing us?’ Joey asked. ‘These two weren’t cops. I can smell a cop a mile away.’

‘Could they have been store detectives?’

‘I don’t think so... maybe they could have been, but I reckon I know all the store dicks by sight in this City and don’t tell me store dicks would follow us in a car.’

Elliot shrugged.

‘Anyway, you think you lost them?’

‘No question about that.’

‘Okay, watch it... let’s all watch it. Maybe it was a false alarm.’

That night Vin picked Judy up outside the Larrimore house. Conscious of Elliot’s warning, he checked several times in his driving mirror to make sure he wasn’t being followed.

Nisson, much more careful now, had got a second car. While Ross drove ahead of Vin, Nisson, in the second car, kept in touch with Ross by a transceiver and followed Vin by using the side streets.

As soon as Vin pulled up to let Judy get into the car, Nisson alerted Orson, watching from the empty villa and Orson told him in which direction Vin was driving. In this way Nisson was able to follow Vin without being spotted to the Coq d’Or restaurant.’

Vin was feeling good. As soon as Judy had got into the Jaguar he had asked her if she had the information he wanted and she said she had.

‘Fine baby... I’ll buy you an expensive dinner.’

Judy refused to tell him what she had found out until the dinner was ordered. Then while waiting for the lobster soufflé she handed him the sheet of paper on which he had written the reminders for her and he saw she had scribbled in the answers.

He studied the information and nodded his satisfaction. He now had the name of the firm who had installed the burglar alarms and also the name of the people who had arranged the electric switch controlling the drawers that contained the stamps. He knew both these firms and he knew just how to handle their appliances. This would be easier than he had thought.

‘This is fine, baby,’ he said and called for a bottle of champagne.

Judy regarded him.

‘Does this mean something to you?’

‘Sure... sure.’ He grinned. ‘It means we are that much closer to those stamps and to all that lovely bread.’

‘But how are you going to find the stamps?’

He patted her hand. ‘I’ll find them.’

Later, both feeling relaxed with the good food, Judy said, ‘I feel like being screwed. Let’s go to the Blue Heaven.’

‘Not tonight, baby,’ Vin said. ‘We’re going to your pad.’

She stiffened.

‘That’s something we don’t do!’

‘Come on, baby.’ Vin signalled for the check. ‘We’re in business... remember? I want to take a look at the lock on your door to the house.’

‘You’re crazy! I’m not taking you home!’

He smiled at her. Settling the check with the money Elliot had given him, he got to his feet.

‘Let’s go.’

Nisson on his transceiver alerted Ross that the Jaguar was heading his way. Ross set his car rolling and in a few moments, he saw the Jaguar’s headlights in his driving mirror. He kept going.

Seeing the direction in which Vin was driving, Nisson guessed he was taking Judy home. He told Ross to speed up and get to the house before Vin did.

Vin pulled up outside the Larrimore gates, cut the engine and got out of the car.

‘Come on, baby... let’s go,’ he said.

Judy hesitated, then getting out of the car, she went with him up the drive towards the house.

Through night glasses, Orson watched with interest.

As they neared the house, Vin paused in the shade of a flowering shrub. There were lights showing on the top floor: the second floor was in darkness and a single light showed on the ground floor.

‘What gives?’ he asked. ‘What are those lights?’

‘The staff on the top floor and the stamp room on the ground floor,’ Judy told him.

He had memorized the plan she had drawn of the house, but he wanted to be sure. Pointing to the far wing of the house, he asked, ‘That’s where you are?’

‘Yes.’

Taking her arm, he walked with her across the lawn, keeping in the shadows until they reached the entrance to her rooms. She unlocked the door and they went in.

‘I want to take a look at that lock.’

She led him through a small sitting room to a lobby.

‘That’s it,’ she said and pointed.

He examined the lock and grinned.

‘Strictly for kids,’ he said. ‘Fine... okay, baby, I’ll get moving. See you tomorrow night, huh?’

‘Well, since you forced your way in... you’d better stay.’

‘No... the Jag out there’s too much of an ad. See you nine o’clock tomorrow night I’ll take you to the Adam and Eve club... okay?’

‘But it’s only eleven o’clock,’ Judy protested. ‘I’ll come with you. Let’s go to the club now.’

‘Sorry, baby... I’ve got business. Tomorrow, we’ll have a ball,’ and he left her.

While Vin and Judy were at the Coq d’Or restaurant, Elliot and Cindy were in the garden of the bungalow and Joey was watching TV.

Elliot had never felt more relaxed. Cindy had seen his stump and had actually cradled it in her hands and she had cried a little. By her attitude and by the way she had insisted on taking the stump in her hands Elliot now no longer felt he was some goddamn crippled freak. He knew as he had watched her he could make love to her and she would have given herself willingly, but he hesitated. He had asked her bluntly if she had ever made love and Cindy, blushing, had admitted she hadn’t.

Now, seated side by side, looking at the yellow moon, Elliot took her hand.

‘You mean a lot to me, Cindy,’ he said. ‘I believe I’m half in love with you and I get the idea it’s the same with you, but it won’t work. I’m not for you. There’s something fatal about me. I’ve never brought anyone any happiness least of all myself. I’m telling you this because I don’t want you to get hurt.’

‘I won’t get hurt. I love you and that’s that,’ Cindy said, not looking at him. ‘I’ve loved you from the moment I met you.’

He shook his head despondently.

‘I’ve got no future to share with you. You know something? You’re dead without money.’ He let go of her hand. ‘That may seem a crazy thing to say, but it’s true. I don’t mean that you or Joey are dead without money... but I am. I’ve always thought this way. Life means nothing to me without the things, the power, the service that money can buy. That’s the way I’m made. If it wasn’t for you and all the process servers after me I couldn’t have stayed in this mean little house for ten minutes. But just having you around and the thought that with luck I’ll pick up a lump of money has made it possible. When I get that money I’m going to have a final splash and it’s going to be one hell of a splash.’

‘But with a hundred thousand dollars,’ Cindy said quietly, ‘you can live well for a long time, Don. With me to help out, you could live...’

He laughed. ‘We’re on the wrong wave length, Cindy. I don’t want to live a long time... I’m tired of living... like ol’ man River.’ He made an impatient movement. ‘I’m talking too much. I just want you to know that after this job we’re going to say goodbye. I want you to put me right out of your mind as I intend to put you out of my mind... that way no one gets hurt.’

He broke off abruptly as Vin and Joey came out of the bungalow and moved towards them.

Vin dropped into a nearby chair while Joey sat on the grass.

‘My part of the operation is fixed,’ Vin said. ‘I’ve got all the info I need from the chick to get at the stamps except in which drawer they’re kept. No trouble at all. The alarms can be fixed. There’s just one problem but this can also be fixed. This is where Joey pulls his weight.’