Nothing More Than Murder

He-'

'Huh-ah. But even if he had it wouldn't make any difference. You still couldn't afford to have him tell that story.'

'He can tell anything he pleases! By God, I'm-'

Hap's hand shot out. He caught his fingers in my collar and jerked and twisted.

For a minute I thought my neck was broken.

'That's how a rope feels, laddie. Just a little like that. But don't fret. If you crumb this deal, I'll settle with you myself.'

My throat felt like I'd swallowed a cantaloupe. 'How-h-how much do you think-'

'Nothing. Not a red.'

'Nothing?'

'No money. It wouldn't do any good. Your projectionist has one of the most alarming cases of honesty I've ever seen. He's even conscience-stricken at having used his information to pry a better job out of Blair.'

'But he hasn't told him yet?'

'He hasn't. And he won't.'

'I see,' I said. And he nodded and looked at his wrist watch.

'Well, I really must be shoving along. I told them at the hotel that I'd be checking out tonight. Told several people, in fact. Must be getting back to the city.'

'I hate to see you leave,' I said.

'It's trying, isn't it? But the best of friends, you know, and all that rot- Oh yes-'

'Yeah?'

'It's terribly lonely when friend Nedry gets off work. Been thinking it might be awfully awkward for you if he should be slugged by footpads or some such thing. Perhaps you'd best be at home here around eleven-thirty. Miss Farmer can alibi for you.'

'Okay, Hap,' I said.

'On second thought, I incline to the belief that some doubt might be cast on the Farmer veracity. Call your telephone operator at eleven-thirty. Ask her the time. They still give it here, don't they?'

'Yes.'

'Cheerio, then.'

'Cheer-so long,' I said.

26

There was a chocolate cake in the refrigerator and part of a baked ham. But I passed them up and opened a can of soup. I wasn't particularly hungry, and I'd been eating too much recently. Just this morning I'd noticed that I was getting a little paunchy.

I heard Carol come through the door, and I could feel her standing behind me. I went on eating and pretty soon she walked around into my line of vision. And it was all I could do not to burst out laughing.

She had a new kind of hairdo, and a plain black dress, and she was trying to stick her nose in the air and hold her chin down at the same time. Sure, Elizabeth. Or Carol's idea of Elizabeth.

I ducked my head over my soup.

'You look mighty pretty, Carol,' I said, as soon as I could say anything.

'Do you like me better this way?'

I wasn't sure of the answer to that one. 'You always look good to me. How about some soup?'

'I've already ate-eaten.'

'Coffee?'

'No. You go ahead.'

I went ahead, taking my time about it, doing some thinking. This was the second or third time she'd listened in on my conversations. She was nervous and scared, of course, but, hell, I was a little uneasy myself, and I didn't pop out at her every time she opened a door.

I wondered if it was always going to be like this. I wondered if I could never go any place or do anything without having her breathing down my neck.

Without worrying about her getting worried.

I shoved my plate back and lighted a cigarette. 'I guess you know,' I said, 'that there's been some trouble.'

She nodded. 'Yes. I know now.'

'I'm glad you heard,' I said. 'I intended to tell you as soon as I could see my way out. Didn't want to worry you unless I had to.'

'You-you weren't afraid to tell me, Joe?'

'Now, why do you say a thing like that?'

'I-I couldn't stand it if you were afraid of me, Joe! I know how you feel-how you got to feel. I'm different, now! When you kill someone it changes you. But-'

'I was afraid,' I said, 'but not that way. You'd stuck your neck out. It looked like it might not get you anything. You might have thought that we-I-had known it wouldn't get you anything. That I'd put you on a spot, and was going to walk off and leave you.'

'And try to go to Elizabeth?' she snapped.

'You see?' I said. 'Now get that idea out of your head, Carol. I had Elizabeth and I didn't want her. She had me, and she didn't want me. I figure she brought you here with the idea that I'd fall for you.'

'Oh, no, she didn't!'

'She had some reason for doing it, and it sure wasn't charity.'

'She wanted me around to make herself look good! I'm a woman myself and I know. That's why I hated her so much! Don't you suppose if she'd wanted to get rid of you she'd have got someone that didn't look like- like-'

'Carol,' I said, and I got up and put my arm around her and gave her a hug.

The dame was nuts if she thought that about Elizabeth. Elizabeth didn't need anyone around to make her look good.

'Well, it's the truth,' Carol said.

'No, it's not,' I said, leading her into the living-room. 'And you're getting yourself all upset over nothing. All that matters is that we'll be in the clear after tonight, and we'll have plenty of money. Let's not spoil it.'

'Promise you won't try to see her, Joe.'

'Of course, I won't,' I said. 'Do you think I'd run a risk like that?'

'You'll give me her-the money and let me send it to her?'

'I told you I would. Now forget it.'

She wiped her eyes and smiled, sort of trembly; and I fixed us a drink. I thought for a minute the arguments and explanations were over, but of course they weren't.

I was beginning to see that they weren't ever going to be over. I wondered how Elizabeth felt about it all now.

'How long will it be before everything is settled, Joe?'

'Two or three months, anyway.'

'Can I stay here until-'

'No,' I said. 'You know you can't, Carol.'

'Just until that insurance man leaves, Joe! Just let me stay that long. He-he scares me. I don't want to be away from you as long as he's around.'

'Well,' I said, 'we'll see.'

I meant to get her out of the house in the next day or two if I had to pitch her out a window.

Rain began to patter on the roof. It started in easy, and got harder and harder. Inside of a half hour it was a regular downpour. There was a hell of a crash of lightning somewhere near by, and Carol shuddered and snuggled close to me. I reached back to the wall and turned on the furnace.

'Joe.'

'Yeah,' I said.