we do it, it must be foolproof.’
‘I’m ready to take risks.’
‘You think about it,’ Calvin said. ‘I’ll think too. It’s got to be foolproof.’
He got to his feet and crossed to the closet. He took from it a bottle of whisky. ‘Let’s drink to it.’
She looked first at him, then at the bottle he held in his hand. Her expression puzzled him.
‘I don’t drink,’ she said curtly. ‘I never drink.’
She moved past him towards the communicating door. He put down the bottle and caught hold of her arm. For a moment they looked searchingly at each other, then she jerked free.
‘I give nothing for nothing,’ she said. ‘Don’t complicate things.’
She went into her room, shut and locked the door.
Calvin shrugged. He poured a stiff shot of whisky into a glass.
‘I’ll wait,’ he said half aloud. ‘What I don’t get today, I’ll get tomorrow. She’s worth waiting for.’
For the first time in years he slept dreamlessly and in the dark. He now felt secure, knowing he was no longer alone.
2
On Saturday afternoon, Calvin drove out to the Downside Golf Course.
He played perfect golf because his mind was fully occupied with the problem of stealing the payroll. He didn’t think about golf. He approached the ball and hit it without bothering if it hooked, sliced or flew straight. It had flown straight. He putted in the same frame of mind. The ball would either drop or miss by yards: it dropped.
His afternoon wasn’t wasted. He now had an idea. This was something he wanted urgently to discuss with Kit. It irritated him when he drove into the garage to find her estate wagon wasn’t there. He went up to his room, stripped off, took a shower, then putting on a shirt and slacks, he pulled his armchair up to the window and sat down to consider this idea of his. A little after six o’clock, he heard the television start up. Then at half past six, he saw the estate wagon drive into the garage.
There would be the inevitable dinner to prepare. He would have no chance to talk to Kit for at least another three hours. He went downstairs.
He met Kit as she came hurrying in. They paused and looked at each other.
‘Did you get any golf?’ she asked.
‘I played a round… not a bad course.’ He stared fixedly at her. ‘I have an idea. Let’s talk about it tonight.’
She nodded.
‘About ten?’
Again she nodded.
He went down the stairs and into the lounge. Alice was sewing on a button on a blouse. The two old people were in the other room, watching television.
Calvin dropped into a lounging chair. He switched on his charm as Alice looked up. She flushed and looked quickly away from him.
‘Gee! I’m tired,’ he said. ‘I’ve been playing golf all afternoon. What have you been doing?’
She looked confused as she said, ‘Nothing… really… sewing…’
‘Don’t you find it dull living here?’ he asked, staring at her. Suddenly this thin pale spinsterish girl had become very important to his financial future.
‘No… I don’t find it dull at all,’ she said. ‘I like it here.’
‘Do you ever go out dancing?’
Blood stained her face.
‘No… I don’t care for dancing.’
His expression was kindly as he shook his head.
