James Chase - You've Got It Coming

Здесь есть возможность читать онлайн «James Chase - You've Got It Coming» весь текст электронной книги совершенно бесплатно (целиком полную версию без сокращений). В некоторых случаях можно слушать аудио, скачать через торрент в формате fb2 и присутствует краткое содержание. Год выпуска: 0101, Жанр: Старинная литература, на английском языке. Описание произведения, (предисловие) а так же отзывы посетителей доступны на портале библиотеки ЛибКат.

You've Got It Coming: краткое содержание, описание и аннотация

Предлагаем к чтению аннотацию, описание, краткое содержание или предисловие (зависит от того, что написал сам автор книги «You've Got It Coming»). Если вы не нашли необходимую информацию о книге — напишите в комментариях, мы постараемся отыскать её.

Reckless Harry Griffin was an ex-pilot on the skids. But he had an ingenious scheme for hijacking a plane and heisting 3 million dollars worth of diamonds. Another hardfisted mystery by the author of NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH.

You've Got It Coming — читать онлайн бесплатно полную книгу (весь текст) целиком

Ниже представлен текст книги, разбитый по страницам. Система сохранения места последней прочитанной страницы, позволяет с удобством читать онлайн бесплатно книгу «You've Got It Coming», без необходимости каждый раз заново искать на чём Вы остановились. Поставьте закладку, и сможете в любой момент перейти на страницу, на которой закончили чтение.

Тёмная тема
Сбросить

Интервал:

Закладка:

Сделать

As the bus took her towards her apartment, Glorie was thinking that the first important move in Harry's plan had been accomplished. The interview had been no worse than she had expected. She had guessed that Ben would have treated her as he had treated her. She felt slightly sick as she remembered the sneering way he had looked at her. She thought how much he had changed since they had been lovers. It seemed to her now to be impossible that they had ever been happy together: unbelievable.

She didn't envy the pretty doll she had seen under the sunray lamp. In fact she pitied her. She would earn everything Ben gave her, and she would probably not last long. But there was no doubt that she was pretty and attractive.

She had been a fool not to have smartened herself up a little before she had seen Ben. It would have saved her that insulting, contemptuous look Ben had given her: a look that had made a sharp dent in her already sagging ego.

She must warn Harry to be on his guard. Ben was certain to make every effort to dig into his background. She remembered he had once said that he never took anyone on trust. “If a guy acts cagey, he has something to hide,” he had said. “If he has something to hide, I want to know what it is: it might give me a hold on him.”

She suddenly stiffened as a thought dropped into her mind. It was more than likely that Ben had sent one of his men after her.

What a fool she was! Already the bus was slowing down for the stop a few yards from her apartment house. In another few seconds she might have taken one of Ben's men right to Harry.

She remained on the bus and let it go beyond her usual stop.

She looked quickly at the other passengers. There were only four of them: three women and an elderly clergyman. The danger, she told herself, wouldn't be on the bus. She would be followed by car. She looked back through the rear window at the slow-moving mass of traffic.

Any one of the cars behind the bus could be carrying Ben's man. She paid the additional fare and got off the bus, three stops higher up that put her in the heart of the shopping centre. She had first to make sure she was being followed, and if she was, then she had to shake the follower off. She made her way through the crowd and stepped quickly into the entrance of Ferrier's, one of the big stores. She paused to look back.

A Buick convertible forced its way across the double line of traffic and parked fifty yards or so further up the street. A tall, slouching figure of a man got out of the car and wandered towards her.

He looked the kind of man Ben would employ, and with her heart beating rapidly, she entered the store. She walked through the various departments to the escalator that would take her to the next floor. As she was carried upwards, she looked back into the well of the store.

The tall man, hands in pockets, a cigarette between his thin lips, was moving with long strides to the escalator, and she was now satisfied that she hadn't underestimated Ben. He had sent someone after her.

She went into the hosiery department and bought herself a pair of nylon stockings. The department was almost empty. The tall man wasn't in sight.

Then she went down the escalator again and crossed over to a row of telephone booths. The last one in the row was empty. A woman was in the one next to it. By the way she was arranging her parcels and making herself comfortable, Glorie guessed she would be there for some time. She stepped into the end booth and slid the door shut. Screening the dial with her body, she dialled her apartment number. While the bell was ringing, she glanced through the glass panel of the door.

The tall man was nearby, examining an electric razor he had picked up from a display of razors on a counter. She knew he wouldn't be able to overhear her and she waited impatiently for Harry to answer. He came on the line after a moment or so.

“Harry? This is Glorie.”

“How did you get on?” he asked anxiously.

“It's all right. He'll see you. Now listen, Harry, he's sent one of his men after me. I think he wants to find out who you are, and he thinks I'll lead him to you. I'm calling from Ferrier's, and his man is right outside. You've got to pack and leave at once. This man mustn't see you. I'll keep him busy until you have time to pack and get a taxi. Then I'll lose him.” She looked at her watch. The time was twenty minutes to one o'clock. “I shall be at the corner of Western and Lennox at one-fifteen. There's a newsstand there. Stop the cab, get out and buy a paper. Don't look at me unless I speak to you. If I have shaken him off I'll join you in the cab. If he's still following me you must go to the station. The train leaves at two. If I can, I'll see you off, but if I can't, then we will meet in the lobby of the Astor in New York on Friday at eleven o'clock. Do you understand?”

“Sure.” Harry's voice sounded excited. “Don't take any risks, baby. I'll be there at one-fifteen.”

“Yes.” Glorie felt a little pang. She hated being parted from him, and the thought of the next three lonely days dismayed her.

“And Harry, be careful as you leave the apartment. Ben may have checked the telephone book and found where I live. He may have sent someone down to watch the house. Make certain you're not followed, won’t you?”

“I'll take care of that. He is going to see me?”

“Yes. I'll tell you what happened when we meet. One-fifteen, Harry, and be careful.”

As Harry laid down the receiver, he heard the front-door bell ring.

His mind occupied with what Glorie had been telling him, he crossed the room and entered the small hall. His hand was reaching to open the front door, when he paused, his face suddenly tightening. Since he had been living with Glorie he couldn't remember anyone calling after ten o'clock.

Who could this be? He remembered Glorie's warning. It was possible the caller was one of Ben's men. He stepped silently to the door and gently slid home the bolt. Then he waited, tense and listening. The bell rang again, sharply and persistently. Still Harry waited. Several minutes dragged by. Then the key in the lock began to move. Harry watched it, his heart thumping. Someone had nipped the end of the key in a pair of long forceps and was turning the key from the outside. There was a soft click as the lock snapped back, then the door handle turned and the door creaked against the bolt.

Harry stepped away from the door. Moving silently he went into the bedroom and pulled out his suitcase from under the bed.

The man outside would know there was someone in the apartment from the fact that the key was in the door. He would probably wait in the passage. He might wait there for the rest of the day.

Harry cursed under his breath. He looked at his wristwatch.

He had only twenty minutes before he met Glorie.

He packed hurriedly, taking only a change of underthings, a shirt, his best suit and another pair of shoes. He tiptoed into the bathroom for his shaving kit and sponge. Crossing to the bathroom window, he opened it and glanced out. The iron fire escape down to the back alley showed him his way out. He returned to the bedroom, finished packing, then he opened the top drawer of the chest, took from under a pile of shirts a Colt .45 automatic and a box of cartridges. He loaded the gun and slid it into his hip pocket, put the cartridges into the suitcase, closed the lid and snapped down the catches. Then he opened the wardrobe door, took out his topcoat and hat and put them on.

He went into the bathroom, pushed up the window and stepped out on to the iron platform of the escape.

A girl who worked at a drug store on the corner of the block and who was friendly with Glorie lived in the apartment below.

Harry knew she would be at work at this time and the apartment would be empty. He went down the iron steps to her bathroom window which was half open. He opened it fully, glanced down into the alley to make sure no one was watching him, then climbed into the bathroom, reached for his case and lowered the window. He walked through into the sitting room and into the hall. At the front door, he paused to turn up his coat collar and pull his hat further over his eyes. Then he opened the door and stepped into the passage.

Читать дальше
Тёмная тема
Сбросить

Интервал:

Закладка:

Сделать

Похожие книги на «You've Got It Coming»

Представляем Вашему вниманию похожие книги на «You've Got It Coming» списком для выбора. Мы отобрали схожую по названию и смыслу литературу в надежде предоставить читателям больше вариантов отыскать новые, интересные, ещё непрочитанные произведения.


Отзывы о книге «You've Got It Coming»

Обсуждение, отзывы о книге «You've Got It Coming» и просто собственные мнения читателей. Оставьте ваши комментарии, напишите, что Вы думаете о произведении, его смысле или главных героях. Укажите что конкретно понравилось, а что нет, и почему Вы так считаете.

x