James Chase - An Ace up my Sleeve

“How dramatic you are.” He got to his feet. “I’m leaving now. Have a good time in Nassau. Watch out for the boys there, Helga. Don’t let Herman catch you at it.” He bent to stub out his cigar. “So it is understood? You take the blame for buying the shares and I keep the account?”

“I mean it? Give me the photographs! I don’t give a damn what happens to me! Give them to me or I’ll kill you!”

He gave a snorting laugh and walked towards the door.

“Attractive as you are, Helga there are times when you bore me,” he said as he opened the door.

She aimed the gun at his broad, fat back and with a shudder, she pulled the trigger. Only the snap of the hammer greeted her.

He looked around, lifting his eyebrows.

“I’m surprised at you, Helga. A whore… now a murderess? So you would have done it. I wasn’t sure so I took the precaution to find your little toy and unload it. Admit I’m smarter than you. Goodbye. Convince Herman and remember never to try to bluff with me again. I’m a lot better at it than you.”

She stood motionless, shivering, staring at the empty gun in her hand. She heard the front door slam, then she walked slowly to a chair and sank into it. She heard a car engine start up and the car drive away.

Then she began to weep. She had always thought she was smarter than Archer. She had always been slightly contemptuous of his abilities, but the sonofabitch had beaten her! He had out-bluffed her in every move and now she would have to have him on her neck until Herman died!

She beat on the back of her chair with her fists as she cried in frustration and bitter rage. A slob like that! Now she would have to face Herman and admit she hadn’t been capable of handling his money: that she had been responsible for losing two million dollars!

“Ma’am?”

She started, stiffened and looked up.

Larry was standing in the doorway.

The shock of seeing him made her speechless. She could only stare at him, fighting back the tearing sobs that were racking her.

“It’s all right, ma’am,” he said and moving into the room, he dropped a manilla envelope into her lap. “You don’t have to cry like that.”

With shaking hands, she tore open the flap of the envelope and pulled out two glossy prints: one of her handing money to Friedlander and the other of her naked on the bed with Larry. She peered into the envelope. The negatives were there.”

“Better burn them right away, ma’am,” Larry said.

“How did you get them?”

“I knew he was up to something. I wanted you to have them. I pretended to go along with him but I came back and led. I heard him tell you they were in his suitcase. I went to his car and found them.”

She picked up a cigarette lighter, flicked the flame into life and held it to the 195

photographs. She dropped the ash into the ash tray, then she did the same with the negatives.

“I’m sorry,” she said brokenly, looking at him. “I’m really, Larry, for the way I’ve behaved.”

“That’s okay, ma’am.” He put the air ticket and the Travellers’ cheques in their leather folder on the table. “You were good to me too. This makes us quits. I’m going back to Hamburg. So long, ma’am.”

She struggled to her feet and caught hold of his arm.

“Don’t be stupid, Larry! Take this money and go back to the States! You must! Start a new life! I’ll drive you to Milan. I’ll give you more money! You don’t know what you’ve done for me! I can never forget it!”

He pulled away from her as if her touch was unclean.

“No, thank you, ma’am. I don’t want any more help from you.” He looked at her and she flinched from the accusing expression in his eyes. “You and Archer are filth to me. I don’t like saying this to you, but it’s the truth. I didn’t know people like you existed. I’m going back to the Army and I’ll serve my sentence, then I’ll be out in another year. I did this for you because of what you did for me, but I never want to see you again.”

“You mean you’re going back to Ron?”

“Ron is better than you. Yes, I’m going back to him. He doesn’t cheat and he’s honest.”

Helga lifted her hands helplessly.

“All right. I hope you will be happy with him, Larry, and thank you again.”

He went to the door, paused, turned and pulled at the peak of his cap.

“So long, ma’am. I hope you’ll be happy too.”

Her mind now was no longer with him. She was drinking of Archer. She would throw him to the wolves. Then Nassau, the sand, the sea and the sun. It would be good to lie in the sun and to think of Archer in the Establissement de l’Orbe in a small cell for at least five years.

She heard the front door shut. After a long pause, she went into the hall and turned the front door key.

The End