Джеймс Чейз - Have a Change of Scene

‘If that was the Matron’s cat, then I dig a cat lunch.’ Lepski was back again. ‘Hi, Miss Baxter,’ he went on. ‘You see he’s still at it.’

‘Yes.’ I heard Jenny sigh. ‘You will let me know the moment he comes to, nurse?’

‘Of course.’

There were movements. I didn’t dare look even between my eyelashes as I heard Lepski sit on a chair near me.

Then the door closed. Jenny had gone.

‘I like her,’ Lepski said. ‘She’s got something. She loves this guy like crazy, doesn’t she?’

‘You can say that again,’ the nurse said.

‘Yeah.’ There was a long pause, then Lepski went on, ‘A couple of months ago I got promoted to Detective 1st Grade. You wouldn’t believe it the way I get pushed around. Just sitting in this goddamn room day after day! They’re trying to kid me it’s important.’

‘I just can’t follow what this is all about,’ the nurse said. ‘I wish you would explain it to me. I’ve read all the papers but they don’t say a thing except Mr. Fremlin was murdered. Just what’s going on?’

‘Strictly between you and me, we don’t know what’s cooking either. Everything depends on Carr coming to the surface and telling us just what did happen. We think something important has been stolen, but we don’t know what. So you don’t understand what it’s all about... so that makes two of us.’

I was now listening intently.

‘But surely you have some clues?’ the nurse said.

‘Baby, you have been reading too many detective stories.’ Lepski’s voice sounded bitter. ‘All we know is a man and a woman broke into Fremlin’s place, shot him, put Carr out of action and scrammed. We have a description of them. The nightman heard the shot and saw them leaving. His description amounts to nothing. So it depends on what Carr saw and what he knows. So I sit here. You get the photo?’

‘I’m glad I’m not you.’

‘That makes two of us.’ A long pause, then Lepski asked, ‘What’s for supper?’

‘You’ve just had your lunch, Mr. Lepski.’

‘Never mind. I’m a man who looks ahead. What’s for supper?’

‘I wouldn’t know. It depends on how the cook feels.’

‘Is that right? How about telling her I’ll give her a feel if she cooks up something good?’

The nurse giggled.

‘That’s not a nice way to talk, Mr. Lepski.’

‘You’re right. Sitting around here, looking at this guy turns me off. You going?’

‘I certainly am before you get a feeling for me.’

‘An idea! If I wasn’t a respectably married man.’

I heard the sound of the door closing.

So they didn’t know the necklace had been stolen. So Lawson had seen Rhea and Fel leave, but as Lepski had said, that didn’t mean a thing. In their disguise and moving fast, they would be as good as anonymous. I lay still, thinking, then decided I mustn’t come to the surface for at least a couple of hours. I mustn’t let Lepski have an inkling that I had heard what he had told the nurse.

So I lay still and thought while time moved on. My head ached and Lepski’s fidgeting irritated me. From time to time the nurse looked in. Finally, the doctor arrived and I decided now I could show signs of life. As I heard him greet Lepski, I moved, groaned softly, opened my eyes and looked up at a fat face bending over me, then I shut my eyes.

‘He’s coming to.’

‘Man! Is that news!’ Lepski exclaimed.

I opened my eyes again and raised my hand to my aching head and felt bandages.

‘How do you feel, Mr. Carr?’ This from the doctor.

‘Where am I?’ The classical remark made by people returning to consciousness.

‘There’s nothing for you to worry about. You’re in the city hospital. How do you feel?’

‘I have a headache.’

‘I’ll fix that. Don’t worry. Just relax, Mr. Carr.’

‘Sydney... they killed him.’

‘Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll give you a shot and you take it easy. There’s plenty of time.’

‘Hey! Hold it! I want to talk to him!’ Lepski said, feverishly. ‘This is important.’

‘You don’t talk to my patient yet.’ There was a snap in the doctor’s voice. ‘Nurse...’

A moment later I felt her dab my arm and then the prick of a needle. As I drifted off I thought that time was on my side. I was in no rush to talk to Lepski, but I knew in this coming game of poker, I held the better cards.

Sunlight woke me. I moved, raised my head, then blinked around. The pain in my head had gone. My mind was clear. Across the room, standing by the window was a tall, lean man with a heavy sun tan who I guessed was Lepski. Seated by my side was an attractive nurse who, seeing me move, got to her feet and bent over me.

‘Hello, Mr. Carr... feeling better now?’

‘I’m feeling pretty good.’ I lifted my hand to my head. ‘What’s been going on?’

‘Just relax. I’ll call Dr. Summers.’

She crossed the room to the telephone as Lepski converged on me. I found myself looking up into two hard pale blue eyes: cop’s eyes.

‘Hi, Mr. Carr,’ he said, keeping his voice down. ‘Am I glad to see you alive again. Do you feel like talking?’

‘Who are you... the doctor?’

Then Lepski was shoved aside by the nurse.

‘Not yet,’ she said to him. ‘You don’t talk to him without Dr. Summers’ say-so.’

‘Is this a goddamn ball!’ Lepski said and walked back to the window.

A moment later a short fat man wearing a white coat came bustling in. He took my pulse, beamed at me, said I was doing fine and not to worry about anything.

‘Mr. Carr, there’s a police officer who wants to question you. Do you feel like talking to him? Don’t hesitate to say no if you don’t feel well enough, but it seems important.’

‘It’s about Sydney Fremlin?’ I made my voice husky, a whisper.

‘Yes.’

I closed my eyes and remained silent for several seconds. I wanted him to know I still felt pretty bad.

‘All right.’

The doctor turned and beckoned to Lepski.

‘Just a few minutes.’

Lepski came and stood by my side.

‘Mr. Carr... I can guess how you’re feeling, but this is important. Can you tell me what happened? Just briefly... just tell me what happened to have gotten you in this mess.’

I noted his voice wasn’t hostile and that surely meant he wasn’t suspicious of me.

Sounding weary and speaking in a whisper, I said, ‘Fremlin and I were working. The door burst open. A man and a woman rushed in. Fremlin tried to stop them. The woman shot him and then she hit me.’

‘What were you working on?’

‘A design for a diamond collar.’

‘Have you any idea what they were after?’

‘The diamond necklace.’

‘What necklace?’

‘We were converting the necklace into a collar. The necklace was lying on the desk... did they take it?’

‘There was no necklace when we arrived,’ Lepski said, leaning forward and staring at me. ‘What necklace... what was it worth?’

That would be enough for now, I told myself and wearily closed my eyes.

‘That’ll do,’ Dr. Summers said. ‘He must rest now.’

Lepski made a noise like a trapped bluebottle fly.

‘This is a murder case, Doc. I’ve got to talk to him. Hey! Mr. Carr!’

I opened my eyes, stared at him, then closed my eyes. I got another prick in the arm and I drifted away, hearing Lepski protesting.

When I came to again, I found another man sitting by my side. He was tall, lean and ugly in a pleasant way with an easy quiet manner.

‘How are you, Mr. Carr?’

Behind him hovered the nurse.

‘A bit doped,’ I said, shut my eyes, moved my head, then looked at him again. ‘Who are you?’