James Chase - I Would Rather Stay Poor

She paused for a moment outside the door, then she turned the handle, eased the door open and entered the room. Crossing the room in the semi-darkness, she pulled the blinds, then she groped her way back to the light switch and snapped it on. She tucked the duster into the belt she was wearing and looked around the room.

There were very few places of concealment. First, she looked under the bed, but there was nothing there. Standing in a corner of the room was a suitcase, well worn and travel battered. She lifted it, but it was empty. She went to the big closet, opened it and saw at a glance it only contained shirts and underwear. She moved the various articles aside, making sure there was nothing concealed under them. She opened the second drawer, working hurriedly, her heart beating with growing panic. The drawer contained handkerchiefs and ties.

Sure now the money couldn’t be concealed in this room, she turned off the light and moved cautiously into the passage. She heard heavy footfalls coming up the stairs and her heart skipped a beat. She peered over the banister rail. Calvin was coming up the stairs, humming tunelessly, moving purposefully and quickly.

She hastily stepped into Kit’s room and closed the door. She listened, hearing Calvin enter his room, hearing the light switch dick down.

She leaned against the wall, her heart slamming against her ribs, her breath coming in stifled gasps. She waited there in the darkness.

Calvin had seen the light in his window as he had driven into the garage. He had got away earlier than he had expected. Leaving the car, he had gone to the front of the house and looked up at the lighted window. He wondered who was up there. At first, he thought it might be Kit, then it flashed through his mind it was more likely to be Iris.

He came quickly up the stairs and entered his room, surprised to find the light out. He turned it on. It must have been Iris, he thought. So she was spying for Travers! Well, all right: the time was rapidly approaching for a show-down with her. This was getting too uncomfortable and too dangerous.

Deliberately heavy footed, he crossed the room to the communicating door, turned the handle and walked into Kit’s room.

Hearing him come, Iris snapped on the fight. She faced him, realising how white she had gone. Calvin regarded her with his confident smile.

‘Why, hello! Was it you in my room just now?’

He watched her hesitate, then she said in an unsteady voice, ‘Yes… Flo had forgotten to dust… I — I said I would do it.’

His smile widened.

‘How very nice of you. I thought it was Kit up here.’ He stepped back, his blue eyes jeering. ‘Well, I’d better have a wash. I expect dinner is almost ready. I got back sooner than I expected.’

Iris didn’t say anything. She wondered if he could hear the thumping of her heart.

Nodding, he closed the door. She stood listening to his tuneless humming as he moved around his room and she pressed her hands to her breasts.

The following day was Saturday. It was a relief for Iris to know she wouldn’t have to spend the whole day in Calvin’s company. They drove together to the bank. The auditors had finished their work and had gone back to San Francisco. While Calvin went through the mail, Iris did the routine jobs Calvin had shown her how to handle. Then Calvin dictated some half-dozen letters and Iris got busy with the typewriter while Calvin looked after the odd customer who came in.

Some minutes before eleven o’clock, when Iris brought the letters in for his signature, Calvin leaned back in his chair and stared expressionlessly at her.

‘I have to go to ’Frisco this afternoon,’ he lied. ‘The old man wants to go over the audit with me. There’s a train at twelve-thirty. The next one doesn’t leave until three o’clock. If I don’t catch the twelve-thirty train, I’ll mess up my whole week-end. If I leave here at eleven-forty-five, I’ll just catch it. Do you feel capable of locking up?’

Iris had trouble in controlling her excitement. Here was the opportunity she had been waiting for, and it had come so soon! With Calvin out of the way, she would be able to search the bank! If the money was there, she would find it!

‘Why, yes, of course,’ she said, controlling the eagerness in her voice.

Watching her, Calvin saw her reaction and could almost read what was going on in her mind. He had difficulty not to burst out laughing.

‘I shouldn’t be doing this,’ he said. ‘There’s always a chance that someone will come in at the last moment, but they never have so far. I’ll leave you a float just in case. You’d better have the keys to the vault.’ His smile widened. ‘You never know. I might have a pile-up or something.’ He slid two keys across the desk. ‘You have the key to the front entrance. Okay?’

‘Yes.’

With a hand that was far from steady, Iris picked up the two keys.

He handed her a pile of papers.

‘Would you enter this lot for me?’ He looked at his watch. ‘I’ll have a wash.’

As soon as she had returned to her desk, Calvin left his office and went down the short passage towards the men’s room. He paused in the passage and listened, then moving quickly to the back entrance to the bank, he silently unlocked the door and drew back the two heavy bolts.

Then he moved silently into the men’s room and rinsed his hands. His tuneless humming was continuous.

Iris was so strung up, she could only stare at the papers lying on her desk, trying to think where she had best start her search when Calvin had gone.

She had plenty of time, she told herself. Better not do this on her own. As soon as Calvin had left she would telephone Ken and ask him to come over. Then together, they would search every likely hiding place in the bank.

She suddenly felt Calvin close to her and she reared away, nearly toppling off her stool. A thick, muscular arm went around her shoulders, steadying her. His touch made her flesh creep, but somehow she managed not to wrench away from him.

‘Day dreaming,’ he said lightly, releasing her and moving back. ‘That’s not the way to get the work finished. Well, I must get off. Sure you can manage?’

‘Oh, yes.’ Her voice was husky.

‘Have a nice week-end. I’ll be back Sunday night. Going somewhere with Ken?’

‘I hope so… if he isn’t tied up.’

‘Of course… he is chasing the mysterious bank robber.’ Calvin stared at her. ‘You two will be sitting pretty if he collects the reward.’

Iris didn’t say anything.

‘What will you do with it when you get it?’ Calvin asked. ‘Sixty thousand… it is a lot of money.’

‘We haven’t got it yet,’ Iris said unsteadily.

Calvin’s smile was jeering and yet sympathetic.

‘Sensible girl… I also never count my chickens. All the same, I wish you luck.’

He turned abruptly away and went back into his office. A few minutes later, he came out, carrying a briefcase.

‘Well, I’m off,’ he said. ‘See you Sunday night.’ He lifted his hand in a half wave, then smiling at her, he walked out of the bank.

Iris waited a few moments, then she slid off her stool and went to the window. She watched Calvin walk across the road to where his car was parked. She watched him get into the car and drive fast up the main street. She didn’t move until she had lost sight of him, then breathing fast, her heart thumping, she went over to the telephone and dialled the sheriff’s office. There was a delay, then Sheriff Thomson came on the line.

‘This is Iris Loring,’ Iris said. ‘Can I speak to Ken, please?’

‘Hello, Iris,’ the sheriff said. ‘Sorry, but Ken’s with Easton at Downside. Anything I can do?’