Джеймс Чейз - Believe This... You’ll Believe Anything

Where the hell was Val? The feeling that the work was fast getting on top of me made me angry and uneasy. I looked at my watch. The time was 11.10. Pulling a scratch pad towards me, I methodically wrote down the details of all the flights and the necessary hotel bookings in order of priority. I found out of fourteen briefs, five were immediate and the rest could be left until tomorrow.

Hoping that at any moment Val would appear, I concentrated on the five briefs. I didn’t realise it was 13.00 until the intercom buzzed and Dyer’s drawling voice said, ‘I forgot to mention it old boy. There’s a canteen at the back of my office block. The food’s reasonable and cheap.’

‘Could I have a sandwich sent up?’

‘Ah yes, I was forgetting you’re a desk-lunch man.’ The sneer was unmistakable. ‘Dial 23 on the green phone. They’ll send you what you want.’

‘You haven’t seen Mrs. Vidal?’

‘She popped off to Palm Beach. Didn’t she look in?’

I drew in a long, slow breath.

‘No, she didn’t.’

‘She seemed a little moody. Maybe she forgot it’s your first day. Did you get your leg-man?’

‘No.’

‘Too bad. How are you managing? Quite a lot for you to handle on your own I should imagine.’

‘It’s under control,’ I snapped and switched off.

Popped off to Palm Beach.

It was hard to believe. We hadn’t seen each other for over a week. Surely she couldn’t have forgotten? Surely she had been counting the days and the hours as I had been. I pushed back my chair and went over to the window. I had to get those visas for Rangoon before 17.00. I looked at the papers covering my desk. I couldn’t afford the time to go myself. Then I thought of Sue who always rose to an emergency. I hesitated. If Massingham heard about it. Sue could get into trouble. There was no harm in asking, I told myself. Olson would be out at lunch. Sue would be on her own.

I called her.

‘Hello, Clay! I was wondering about you. How are you getting on?’

‘I am in a jam Sue. I’ve got no staff and I want two visas for Rangoon by 17.00. You’ll save my life if you can help me.’

‘Have you the passports?’

‘Yes.’

‘Jake has to go to Miami for visas. I’ll tell him to come to you first. He’ll be with you in half an hour.’

‘You wonderful girl!’

‘Clay... you better give Jake something. If it got out...’

‘I’ll take care of him. You’re a real life saver.’

‘Bye now,’ and she hung up.

I returned to my chair and sat down, looking at the litter of papers before me. I decided I would have to do my own typing. I was gathering the schedules together when the door jerked open and Val came in.

The sight of her set my heart thumping. She looked marvellous and so chic. She carried a large plastic bag which she tossed on her desk. Then she shut the door.

‘Darling Clay! Did you wonder where I had got to?’

I got slowly to my feet.

‘Dyer told me.’ My voice was husky.

‘I just had to go. They’re selling off. I’ve got the most marvellous dress for practically nothing! I must show it to you.’

I reached her, put my arms around her, but she pushed me away.

‘No, Clay. Not here!’ She was speaking in a whisper. ‘It’s too dangerous. Anyone could walk in.’

I controlled myself and moved away from her, a feeling of sick disappointment and resentment sweeping over me.

‘Never mind the dress, Val,’ I said sharply. ‘Have you seen what Dyer has left us to handle?’

She frowned.

‘What do you mean?’

‘There’s a hell of a lot of work here and it is urgent. I’ve been waiting for you.’ I picked up the schedules and dropped them on her desk. ‘These need your immediate attention. Would you let me have four carbon copies? While you’re doing that, I’ll fix the flights.’

‘But Clay!’ She was staring at me her beautiful eyes shocked. ‘You sound worried. What’s so important?’ I kept control of my temper.

‘Unless you start working, Val, and fast, six V.I.P.s won’t take off and we will have fallen down on our first assignment. Judge for yourself how important it is.’

‘Clay... you’re shouting at me!’

‘I’m sorry. I’ve had quite a morning. I’ve even had to get my ex-secretary to help out. Come on, Val. Let’s get stuck into it.’

‘But I can’t work in this. I must change. This dress looks marvellous but it is a beast to sit in, and besides, darling, I haven’t had lunch, have you?’

I moved around her, sat at her desk and pulled the typewriter towards me.

‘No. I don’t want anything right now. I’ll start these while you change. Be as quick as you can, won’t you?’ She touched my shoulder lightly.

‘I believe you are angry with me.’

‘Just be as quick as you can.’ Threading paper into the machine, I began to type.

She looked at me for a long moment, then picking up the plastic bag, she left the room.

The buzzer sounded on my desk. Cursing, I crossed over and snapped down the switch.

‘Mr. Burden? This is the security guard. A messenger on a motorcycle, Jake Lamb, asking for you.’

I said to send him up, then returned to my typing.

Some five minutes later a girl brought Jake in. He stared around the luxurious office, his eyes popping.

‘Doing yourself pretty well, aren’t you, Mr. Burden?’ he said.

‘Not so bad.’ I gave him the passports. ‘Get these back with the visas as quick as you can, Jake. It’s an emergency.’

‘Sure. Miss Harkness told me,’ and he winked at me.

As I led him to the door where the girl was waiting I pressed a ten dollar bill into his hand.

When he had gone, I completed one of the schedules and was starting on another when Val came in. She was wearing a white blouse and a dark skirt, and looked wonderful.

‘I’ve ordered sandwiches and martinis,’ she said. ‘Now I’ll take over.’

‘Fine. I’ll fix the flights.’

I moved out of her chair.

‘Not cross with me any longer, darling?’

‘No, of course not.’

She sat down. ‘I’ve often thought of this moment Clay, when we would work together again. Do you like your office?’

I sat down at my desk, aware we were wasting time.

As I lifted the receiver, I said, ‘Marvellous. If only Dyer hadn’t left us with such a pile of urgent work...’

There came a tap on the door and a flunkey entered wheeling a trolley on which stood two silver covers, a big cocktail shaker and glasses.

‘All right, Ferdy,’ Val said. ‘We’ll help ourselves.’

When he had gone, she got up and poured drinks while I talked to Pan-Am.

‘I’m hungry,’ she exclaimed. ‘Come and eat Clay,’ and she look the covers of neatly cut sandwiches.

‘Let’s eat while we work,’ I said.

‘I can’t eat and type at the same time. I’ll get everything greasy, and you can’t talk on the phone and eat at the same time. Don’t be difficult Clay. Come and eat.’

I gave up. So if these damn V.I.P.s didn’t take off, it was just too bad. If Val didn’t realise the amount of work we had to do before I went home then, that was also too bad.

I joined her at the trolley and took a double martini-gin from her.

‘Here’s to us, darling,’ she said and smiled at me. ‘It’s fun. Isn’t it?’

I drank half the cocktail at a gulp and immediately felt better and hungry. We began eating the caviar and smoked salmon sandwiches.

‘God! It’s been endless... this waiting,’ she said. ‘I thought Monday would never come, didn’t you?’

‘You can say that again.’ I paused, then went on, ‘Val, we must have extra help. We need a leg-man to handle the visas and do the odd jobs. I’ve spoken to Lucas and he says I must speak to Vidal. Can you fix it?’