1953 - The Sucker Punch (17 page)

After a couple of hours, she had the recording by heart.

"Okay, now let's have a rehearsal," I said. "This chair is the study door.

You handle the recorder. I'll be Hargis."

We rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed.

It wasn't until long past dusk that I was satisfied. My idea worked.

There was no question about it. Given the right lighting and the proper setting, I was positive both Hargis and Blakestone would be willing to swear I hadn't left the study.

The only weakness lay in Eve. If she lost her nerve we were sunk. If she got flustered, mistimed her cue or made Hargis or Blakestone suspicious by her manner, then the whole alibi would fall to the ground.

I took hold of her and held her close to me.

"Think you have the nerve to go through with this, Eve?"

She leaned against me. She looked white and exhausted.

“Yes."

'"Our lives are in your hands. You realize that?"

She nodded, and I could feel she was beginning to tremble.

"You still want to go ahead? There's time to pull back. Tomorrow is still a long way from us."

"No. We'll do it."

'"Okay. I've got to get back. She's playing bridge, but I want to be back before she does. Will you go through the thing on your own?"

"Not now. I—I don't want to be alone here, Chad. I'll do it again in my room. I don't want to be left here alone."

“Okay. Come on; let's get moving."

The following day, Friday 28th of September, I got back from the office soon after five o'clock.

Vestal was out somewhere. I had time to conceal in my desk drawer a pair of overalls I had taken from the garage. Changing a wheel could be a dirty job, and I had to look immaculate when Blakestone arrived.

Then I went up to my room and called Eve's room.

"Yes?"

"I'm back. Where is she?"

"She's gone to a movie. She'll be back at six."

"I'm coming along to your room."

"You'd better not."

"I've got to."

I hung up, went to my door and made sure the corridor was deserted.

Then I walked quickly to Eve's room and entered.

Eve was sitting on the bed, the tape recorder on the bedside table. She looked pale and scared.

"For the love of Mike! You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'll be all right."

''You'll have to be," I said roughly. "I'm not going through with this if there are any doubts. The whole thing depends on your nerve, Eve."

She nodded.

"I know. You don't have to worry. I'll be all right when the time comes. I mean that."

I lit a cigarette and began to move about the room restlessly.

"You've taken your car down there?"

"I took it just after lunch. It's about ten yards the other side of the Drive Slow board, behind that big thicket."

"Fine." I went to the window and stared up at the fast moving clouds.

"It could rain, Eve."

"Yes."

"I hope it doesn't. It would be bad if it rained while I was changing the wheel."

She gave a little shiver.

"Will you go through with it if it rains?"

"I'll go through with it if there's an earthquake."

"What about footprints, Chad?"

"The road's too hard. You needn't worry about that." I suddenly remembered Joe. There had been so much for me to think of he had gone out of my mind. "We've forgotten Joe."

"I've taken care of him," Eve said, not looking at me. "I put the stuff in his tea."

"And I was beginning to think you might be losing your nerve." I went over to her and put my arms around her. "When will it work?"

She pushed me away.

"Don't touch me, Chad. I don't feel like it."

"Okay, okay," I said impatiently. "When will it work?"

"Any time now."

I looked at my watch. It was getting on for six.

"Take the recorder down to my study. I've set the stage. I'll go out in the garden and wait for her. Another three and a half hours, and we'll both be free, Eve."

"Yes."

She didn't look at me.

"I'll go down."

I wanted to take her in my arms but her strained expression stopped me.

"You'll go through with it, Eve?"

"Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do. It's just that there's still time to back out: soon there won't be."

"Do you want to back out?"

I thought of getting my hands on all that money. I thought of Eve and me marrying.

"No."

"I don't either."

"I'll go down."

Vestal drove up to the garage a few minutes after six. She hated driving the Rolls, and more often than not she only let Joe handle the car when she went shopping.

We walked side by side to the steps leading to the terrace. Heavy black clouds made a roof above our heads.

I couldn't believe in three hours’ time I was going to kill her. It just didn't seem possible.

She was chattering away, looking up at me, a bright smile on her pinched, ugly little face, and I could see the love she had for me in her eyes.

"You look tired, darling. I think we should go away so you can have a rest."

"I'm all right," I said curtly. "You don't have to worry about me. I don't want to go away just yet."

“Let's talk about it. Will you come up and sit with me while I change?"

"I have some work to do. I'll come up in a little while. There're some papers I want Blakestone to look at."

She pouted. "You work too hard, Chad darling."

At the top of the steps, she slid her bony arms around my neck and kissed me.

I felt my stomach turn over, but somehow I managed to keep my expression from giving me away.

I went into my study and shut the door.

Eve had put the recorder on the desk. The chair was in the right position; its back to the door. The desk light and a lamp by the window were on.

The lighting was dim, restful and concealing. I went over to the window, pushed aside the curtains, opened the window and looked down on to the flagstone path. Even if it did rain there would be no telltale footprints to give me away.

I went back to the chair, unlocked the bottom drawer and checked the overall and the gloves. Underneath them was a tube of sacking filled with sand. I took it out and balanced it in my hand.

I suddenly felt sick as I swung the bag to and fro, and with a little grimace, I hurriedly dropped it back into the drawer and turned the key in the lock.

Everything was ready.

I had now to wait until nine o'clock.

As I stood staring emptily at the recorder I heard a sudden squall of rain beat against the windows.

A tap sounded on the door. Hargis came in.

"Excuse me, sir, Joe is unwell. I believe Mrs. Winters wanted the car tonight."

"What's the matter with him?"

"He complains of a headache, sir, and he is vomiting."

"Probably eaten something to disagree with him. I'll tell Mrs. Winters when she comes down."

"Yes, sir."

He went out and shut the door behind him.

I stood still, wiping my sweating hands and listening to the quick, violent beat of my heart.

chapter fourteen

I
had three double whiskies before dinner. I needed them. I felt tense and my nerves were so jumpy I was scared Vestal would notice something was wrong.

The meal seemed to me to be interminable, and I had to force myself to eat.

When we finally moved into the lounge for coffee, Vestal went to the window, pushed aside the curtains and peered out into the dark, rain-swept night.

"This is most tiresome," she said crossly. "We haven't had rain for weeks. This would happen just when I'm going out."

"It always sounds worse indoors than it is," I said, sitting before the small log fire Hargis had lit to take the chill off the room. "It'll probably stop in a little while."

“It's simply pouring. I don't think I'll go if it keeps up like this."

Although I had been expecting her to say this, my heart skipped a beat.

Hargis was pouring coffee. I realized how important it was that he should be able to report later that I hadn't pressed Vestal to go.

"I don't blame you," I said casually. "There's a good television programme on tonight. Why don't you call Mrs. Hennessey and tell her you're not coming?"

Vestal came over to the fire. She took the cup of coffee Hargis offered her and sat down.

"It's most tiresome. I did so want to meet Mr. Stowenski. I don't like driving in the rain." She looked at Hargis. "Find out If Joe is feeling any better."

When he had gone, she went on, "What's the use of having a chauffeur if he gets ill when I want him?"

I forced a laugh.

"It's the first time, isn't it? Everyone gets ill sometimes. You'll be telling me next you can't drive in the rain. What are you worrying about?"

She looked sharply at me.

"Is anything the matter, Chad? You've been behaving most oddly all the evening."

I felt my nerves give a little jump.

"I have? Oh, nonsense. What do you mean?"

"I'm very sensitive to atmosphere. You're strung up tonight. Why, Chad?"

I started to say she was mistaken, when Hargis returned.

"I'm sorry, madam, but Joe has gone to bed. He still appears to be unwell."

"Then you'd better not go," I said, cutting in on her impatient exclamation. "This violinist fellow will have plenty of fans hanging around him. He isn't likely to miss you."

That seemed the right thing to say for Vestal immediately bridled angrily.

"He is expecting me," she said sharply. "I am quite sure he wouldn't have accepted Charlotte's invitation unless I was going. I must go."

"Well, please yourself," I said as Hargis left the room. "You won't get wet in the car, and if you're going you'd better get ready. It's nearly nine."

She went over to the window again.

"Chad, darling, you wouldn't be sweet and come with me?"

"I'm sorry, but Ryan Blakestone will be here in half an hour."

"Oh well, I'd better get ready." She came over to me and took hold of the lapels of my tuxedo, smiling up at me. "Sure you're not worried about anything, darling?"

"You fuss too much," I said, and taking hold of her I crushed my mouth down on hers.

We remained like that for two or three ghastly seconds, and when I pulled away from her, she caught hold of my hands.

"I needn't go tonight, Chad." There was that naked desire in her eyes I had seen at the Stadium. "We could be together."

"We'll be together later," I said, turning away so she shouldn't see the horror on my face. "You go now. I have Blakestone in my hair until eleven."

There was a long, awkward pause, then she said, "Tonight then, Chad."

When she had left the room, I went over to the whisky decanter and poured a big shot. My hands were shaking as I drained the glass.

A minute or so to nine she came in. She had on a white raincoat, a small black hat, and she was pulling on black leather gauntlet gloves.

"Come with me to the garage, Chad."

"If you'll excuse me, Vestal, I won't. I have some letters I must dictate before Blakestone comes."

She gave a helpless little shrug.

"I'm afraid I'm sometimes a nuisance to you." She looked at me, her eyes miserable. "Goodbye then."

"Have a good time."

As soon as I said it I realized the horror of those words, and I turned quickly so she shouldn't see my sudden change of expression.

"I think I'll enjoy it. I'll be back about twelve-thirty."

I heard her cross the room and go into the hall.

“Is it still raining, Hargis?" I heard her say.

"It doesn't appear to be quite so bad, madam. Can you manage?"

"Oh yes. I won't be very late."

As the front door closed behind her Eve came into the study.

We looked at each other.

She was pale, but there was an expression in her eyes I had never seen before. She didn't look scared anymore.

"I brought a cap for you," she said in a whisper. "You mustn't get your hair wet."

"Good girl."

I pulled off the jacket and tossed it on to the chair.

"It's up to you, now."

"It's all right."

I took the overall out of the desk drawer and got into it. She handed me the gloves and the cap.

"You must hurry."

"Take care of this end, Eve."

"It will be all right."

Looking at her I felt it would be all right. She had got her second wind now, and her nerves seemed steady.

I dipped into the drawer again and brought out the sandbag.

Eve moved away from me. I didn't look at her. I kept the sandbag down by my side, out of sight.

"You must hurry." There was a little shake in her voice now. The sandbag had suddenly brought the setup to life.

"I'll be back in half an hour. Keep your nerve, Eve. It'll work out all right."

I went to the window, opened it and swung my leg over the sill.

I looked back at her.

She stood by the desk, watching me.

"Good luck," I said.

She nodded. I saw her lips move, but no words came. I let myself drop to the flagstone path. A moment later the window above me closed.

It wasn't raining so hard now, but there was a stiff wind. I set off at a fast clip towards the garages.

Vestal had further to go than I had. She followed the coverway, and could walk from the house to the garages without getting wet.

I had to cross the lawn.

It was nearly pitch dark. I had no fear that anyone would see me from the house.

Keeping my head down, I ran across the lawn, feeling the rain against my face.

The garage was in darkness. The garage doors were controlled by a photoelectric cell. As soon as anyone got within a few yards of them and broke the beam, the lights went up and the doors opened.

I took up a position near the doors, in a patch of shadow. The coverway from the house was dimly lit, and after I had waited a minute or so, I caught sight of Vestal's white raincoat in the distance.

My heart was slamming against my ribs, and my mouth was as dry as sand. I clutched the sandbag and waited.