Джеймс Чейз - The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Every available detective was out checking on the stream of information that Beigler kept passing on. The Detectives’ room was deserted except for Beigler who wished someone had the time to bring him some coffee.

The telephone bell rang for the twelfth time in the hour.

Grunting, he scooped up the receiver.

‘That you, Joe? This is Aldwick, security guard, Florida Safe Deposit Bank.’

‘Hello, Jim, what do you want?’

‘This guy, Algir. We know him here. He’s rented a safe and he comes in and out every day.’

‘Is that right?’ Beigler came to attention. ‘What’s he doing renting a safe with you?’

‘Big gambling man, that’s his story. Registered in the name of Lowson Forester, but the description matches and I recognize him from the picture in the papers. It’s Algir all right.’

‘Look, Jim, I’ll send someone down as soon as I have a man to spare. Maybe he has something in his safe we should look at.’

‘You’re unlucky. We can’t open the safe without his key.’

‘You can bust it open, can’t you?’

‘That’s for Mr. Devon to say.’

‘Okay, as soon as I have a man I’ll send him down, but if Algir shows up before then, will you handle him?’

‘You bet. Nothing I’d like better. So long, Joe, don’t over work,’ and Aldwick hung up.

Beigler scribbled a note on a scrap of paper and spiked it. The telephone bell rang again and shaking his head, he lifted the receiver.

Ira walked into the cafe and paused to accustom her eyes to the dim light after the glare of the early morning sun. She saw Edris waving to her from the far end of the bar and reluctantly, she walked down the aisle and joined him.

She knew something was badly wrong by his tense expression and by the whiteness of his face, and she felt a chill creep up her spine. Neither of them said anything until the barman had taken her order for coffee.

She had been lucky, she told herself that Mel hadn’t come down for breakfast before she left. He would have been certain to have questioned her for leaving so early.

She had told Mrs. Sterling she had an early date and couldn’t wait for breakfast. Now she was here, she couldn’t imagine what Edris wanted, and as she stared at him, seeing the way his eyes kept shifting and the sweat beads on his narrow forehead, she felt frightened.

Edris didn’t waste any time.

‘Seen the papers this morning?’ he demanded abruptly.

She shook her head.

‘Phil’s in trouble. The cops are looking for him. We haven’t much time, baby, so listen carefully. You’re getting the Garland money.’

He slid the key Algir had cut across the table to her.

‘Oh, no!’ Ira said, shrinking away from the key.

‘Shut up! Phil can’t get it. He has to keep under the wraps so you’re going to get it.’

‘I can’t! It’s too dangerous!’

Edris snarled at her. He looked like a vicious, cornered animal.

‘Save your breath!’ He pulled from his hip pocket a copy of the Paradise City Sun he had brought with him. ‘Take a look at this.’

She stared at the photograph of Algir on the front page of the paper and at the banner headlines. With growing horror, she read that Algir was wanted for questioning by the police in connection with the murder of the unknown girl found at Coral Cove.

Murder! Algir!

She stared stupidly at Edris.

‘I don’t understand. Did he...?’

‘It’s time you did understand,’ Edris said, his voice a hissing whisper. ‘That was crap I told you that Norena was drowned. She was in the way so Phil took her from the school before he collected you and he wrung her neck. The stupid slob didn’t bury her deep enough so they’ve found what’s left of her!’

Ira thought she was going to faint. She gripped the edge of the table with both hands, steadying herself, feeling the blood drain out of her face.

‘So they’re on to him and they’re hunting for him,’ Edris went on, watching her. ‘He needs money for a quick getaway. You’re going to get it for him or we’ll all be in the cart. Understand? If they catch him, he’ll sing his head off, and you and me will be down a very deep hole.’

‘I won’t do it!’ Ira said huskily. ‘It’s nothing to do with me. I didn’t know.’

‘Oh, shut up! You’ll do it!’ Edris said viciously. ‘Do you imagine the cops will ever believe you didn’t know that Algir knocked her off so you could take her place? This is a murder rap, baby, and you’ll be nailed as an accessory. You’ll draw life. Phil and I will go to the gas box, but you’ll spend the rest of your days in another kind of box with bars. Personally I prefer gas.’

Ira shivered.

‘Now use your head. You get the money for us and you’ll be in the clear,’ Edris said. ‘They can never hope to find out who the dead girl really is so long as they don’t catch Phil. I’m leaving, but you can stay. You’re the one in the gravy. You can still keep your home and still keep in the clear so long as Phil and me get the money. Can’t you see that? This is your big chance, but you’ve got to pay for it.’ He looked at his watch. The time was 08.50 hours. ‘Now, come on, doll, tell me you’re going to do it!’

Ira sat for a long moment, motionless. If she could only get rid of these two animals, she told herself, she would do anything!

Finally, she nodded.

‘I’ll try,’ she said, not looking at him.

‘You’ll do better than that. Listen carefully: as soon as the vault is open, get the money. Stick it in your pants. Tell whoever it is you have to tell you’re feeling sick. You’ve eaten something bad or something. Ask to go home. I’ll be waiting right here. Give me the money and go home and you’ll be in the clear. Phil and I will be out of Paradise City by eleven. Do you dig all that?’

She was getting over the shock now and her panic was subsiding. This was an all or nothing chance, she told herself. Once she was rid of these two, she might even be able to hold onto this new way of life she loved so much.

‘I’ll do it,’ she said breathlessly. ‘I’ll get you the money,’ and she stood up.

Edris stared at her.

‘I’ll be waiting, baby. Remember, you slip up and we’re all done for, remember that.’

She walked unsteadily out of the cafe and across the street to the bank. She was sick with fear. She was only just beginning to accept the fact that Algir had actually murdered Mel’s daughter. She was sure if Mel ever found out, he wouldn’t believe she had had no part in the murder.

She had to get the money to get rid of these two. If they were caught! She shivered at the thought of trying to explain and convince Mel and the police she hadn’t known that Algir had murdered Norena. She knew Edris was right, they would never believe her.

The next hour passed agonizingly slowly. She sat at her desk in the accounts department aimlessly turning sheets of paper, too fearful to know what she was doing. One of the girl clerks, passing, stopped to ask her if she was all right.

‘You look terrible, Norena. Don’t you think you should go home?’

‘I’m all right,’ Ira said curtly. ‘Don’t fuss.’

The girl looked at her again, then shrugging, she went away.

As the hands of the wall clock slowly moved to 09.45 hours, Ira got up and walked across the main hall towards the vault. Aldwick wasn’t there and this surprised her. The other guard was unlocking the grill.

‘Where’s Aldwick?’ she asked, pausing as he slid back the grill.

‘Busy,’ he said curtly and handed her the pass key.

She went quickly down the steps, snapping on the lights of the vault. Reaching her desk, she paused for a long moment to listen, aware that her heart was hammering and her mouth was unbearably dry. Hearing only the hum of voices and the shuffling of feet from the main lobby, she walked quickly down the lane that led to the Garland safe.