James Chase - You've Got It Coming

“Nothing. I'll fix it. Give me a couple of days. I'll call you the moment I've got rid of her. I love you, Joan.”

“Oh, darling, I'm sorry about this. Don't do anything reckless, will you?”

He grinned mirthlessly.

“Of course not. It's just a matter of shelling out. I’ll get rid of her even if it costs me all I've got.”

“You mustn't do that, Harry. You'll want your money.”

“I’ll fix it: don't worry. I'll call you, sweetheart.”

He left the pay booth, walked down the path, across the road and on to the sands. He sat down under a palm tree, lit a cigarette and folded his hands on top of his knees.

Borg, who was sitting in his car twenty yards away, took his gun from its holster and laid the sight at Harry's head. It was a tempting target and he had to make a conscious effort not to squeeze the trigger.

Unaware that he was but a heartbeat away from death, Harry told himself that he now had to think of a foolproof plan to get rid of Glorie. The circumstances favoured him. They had only just arrived in Miami and no one knew them. Joan would be under the impression that Glorie had left town. Glorie had no relations nor friends who would want to know what had happened to her. That was important. It was usually an inquisitive relative who started a police enquiry. Glorie was alone. There was no one to care if she were alive or dead.

But he would have to be careful. He had beaten one murder rap. He must be sure not to make a mistake with this one. How was he to get rid of the body? That presented the greatest problem. He sat smoking for more than an hour while he considered what he had to do. At the end of the hour, he stood up, slapped the sand off his clothes and walked back to the motel. He went to the quick-snack bar, ordered a sandwich and a double whisky, and while he ate the sandwich, he went over in his mind the plan he had decided upon. There was an element of risk in it, but that was to be expected. At least it was simple and uncomplicated. But would she be on her guard? Would it occur to her that he might try to silence her? He would have to be careful how he handled her for the next twenty-four hours. His first move would be to lull any suspicions she might have. If he could do that, the rest was easy.

He asked the barman if he could lend him a large-scale map of the district. The barman found him one, and for twenty minutes or so, Harry studied the map. Then he finished his drink, returned the map, tipped the barman and walked over to the cabin.

There was a light showing in the window and he could see Glorie's shadow against the blind. As he walked in, closing the door behind him, Borg heaved himself out of his car and moved silently back to his post by the cabin window.

Glorie was slipping into her nightdress as Harry came in. For a brief moment he saw her white, well-made body before the silk garment covered it.

She didn't look at him, but walked over to the dressing table and began to brush her hair.

He took off his coat, undid the top button of his shirt and pulled off his tie.

“Glorie . . .”

“Yes?”

She didn't look around, but went on brushing her hair.

“I want to apologize,” Harry said. “I've acted like a heel. I'm sorry: I'm really sorry.”

She paused, the hairbrush stranded in midair, while she looked at him. Her big, dark eyes stared steadily at him. He had to make the effort to meet her gaze without flinching, but he did it.

“What exactly does that mean?” she asked, her voice low and cold.

“I've been sitting out there thinking,” he said and lit a cigarette. “I don't know what got into me to talk to you the way I talked to you, nor do I know what got into me to treat you as I have treated you. You are right, Glorie. I do owe everything to you. I've treated you damned badly and I'm sorry. I guess I've always been a fool about women. This kid knocked me off balance. There's been no other woman but you until she turned up. You know that. Now I've had time to think about her I realize what a fool I've been. You're right: she's only a kid. I was dazzled by her money, but I know now her old man would never let me get near her nor the money even if I wanted to, which I don't now.”

He ran his fingers through his hair, frowning. “You gave me a jolt, Glorie. It was what I wanted. I know now we two will be much better off working on this thing together without any outsider to help us. I might even teach you to fly. I've been making plans out there for us, Glorie. I want you to forgive me. I can't say how sorry I am to have treated you like this. It won't happen again.”

There, you smart bitch, he thought, swallow that lot, and if that's not enough to convince you, I've still got some more soft soap to feed you with.

“All right, Harry,” she said, still not looking at him. I’m glad you feel that way about it. You gave me a jolt too. Perhaps that's what we both needed.”

“Yeah.” He had to stifle the spark of anger that threatened to flare up. It had cost him a lot to make this speech; the effect on her was disappointing. He had expected to see her melt, but her face remained as set and as cold as before. “Well, what are we going to do? You're not going to keep me in the doghouse forever, are you? I'm sorry, and I mean it. It won't happen again: I promise you that.”

She put down the hair brush and stared at herself in the mirror.

“And I'm sorry and ashamed I had to threaten you,” she said. “I love you. You mean more to me than any other man can ever mean. I hate myself for holding this thing over your head, but for both our sakes, Harry, I've got to do it. You have had the chance to be the boss of this partnership. You haven't done very well, have you? Now it's my turn to see what I can do.”

“That's right,” Harry said. He had to fight the urge to get up, cross the room and slap her face. “I'm glad in a way you're taking charge, Glorie. You've always been just that bit smarter than I've been. But look, I've been doing some thinking out there and it seems to me we'd be sensible if we left Miami instead of staying on here. I’m going to be frank with you. I want to get away from temptation. This girl may try to hang on to me. Anyway, we're bound to run into her if we stay on here and I don't ever want to see her again. Let's clear out tomorrow. I'll buy a car and we can chuck our things in it and go. I thought we might have a look at New Orleans. What do you say?”

That was his trump card and he watched her closely, waiting for her reaction. Surely this should prove to her that he was sincere, he told himself. She was looking at him. He could see she was still a little doubtful, but she was melting. He could tell by the expression in her eyes.

“When we get to New Orleans, I'll fix a licence so we can get married,” he went on. “I’ll arrange for our capital to be transferred from New York and I'll turn twenty-five thousand over to you. I want you to have it, Glorie. You should have had it before.” Somehow he managed his wide, charming smile. “Then we'll really be partners. How's that?”

She turned her head away, but not before he had seen tears in her eyes.

“Yes, all right, Harry.”

His hands closed into fists. The trick was his! He had made a dent in her armour. That had been the right board to play.

“Fine. Well, let's turn in now,” he said. “We've got a lot to do tomorrow.” He had to make an effort to conceal a grin. “A hell of a lot to do.”

“Yes.”

As she moved past him to her bed, he caught hold of her and pulled her against him.

“It's going to be all right, baby,” he said. “You wait and see: we'll make a new start.”

She broke away from him.

“Please don't touch me,” she said. He could see her breasts under the thin silk of her nightdress rising and falling in her agitation. “I’ll get over it, but it'll take a little time. You don't know how you hurt me, Harry. It's something I can't throw off in a moment.”