‘But you should. You’re young. Don’t tell me you haven’t a boy-friend.’
Her flush deepened painfully.
‘No… I haven’t.’
There was a pause then he said, ‘By the way, I meant to ask you about Mrs. Reeder’s account. Couldn’t we suggest she invests in something a bit more exciting than gilt edged?’ Now he had learned what he wanted to know, he deliberately changed the subject. Alice immediately lost her shyness. For the next half hour, they discussed Mrs. Reeder’s investments, then they were interrupted by Miss Pearson and Major Hardy who had seen the six o’clock serial and were now anxious to be entertained by the younger people.
After dinner Alice and the old people watched television and Calvin, excusing himself, saying he had letters to write, went upstairs.
He stretched out on his bed, lit a cigarette and gave his mind again to the idea that had suddenly come to him on the golf course. The more he considered it, the more convinced he became that it would work.
Finally, a little after ten o’clock, he heard the lock click back, then the communicating door opened. Kit came in and went to one of the lounging chairs and sat down.
‘Well? What is this idea of yours?’ she asked, looking at him as he lay inert on the bed, staring fixedly up at the ceiling.
‘Maybe it’ll surprise you to learn that Alice is planning with her boy-friend to steal the Pittsville payroll,’ Calvin said. ‘What do you think of that as an idea?’
Kit frowned.
‘I don’t follow you. What do you mean?’
‘You heard what I said. If the payroll vanishes, the Federal agents will know it is an inside job. Either Alice or myself will be suspected. Well, Alice is the one who is going to get stuck with it.’
Kit moved impatiently.
‘No one would believe she would do such a thing.’
‘That’s right, but they would believe it if she had been persuaded by her boy-friend to let him have the keys and if he persuaded her to tell him about the electronic eye… they would believe that.’
‘But she hasn’t a boy-friend. She isn’t the type ever to have a boy-friend. What are you talking about?’
‘She’s going to have one,’ Calvin said and grinned, ‘and he’s going to be quite a boy. He’s going to grab that three hundred thousand dollar payroll and vanish into thin air.’
She sat tense, watching him. ‘Explain…’ she said sharply.
‘The more I think about it, the more certain I am that Alice is made for this job,’ Calvin said. ‘Don’t forget she had both keys to the vault when Lamb had his stroke. She would have had plenty of time to make an impression of my key before I arrived. It is easy enough to do with a piece of soap. She gives the impression to her boy-friend who makes a duplicate key. She also tells him about this electronic eye arrangement. The trick of this hicky is it doesn’t come into operation until all the lights are out in the bank. All the boy-friend has to do is to remove all the light bulbs except the one in the vault and then turn on the light. The vault light can’t be seen from the street and when it is on, the alarm system can’t operate.’
‘But Alice hasn’t a boy-friend and she isn’t likely ever to have one,’ Kit said impatiently.
‘Before I’ve done with her, she’s going to have a boy-friend, and the two of them will lift the payroll.’
‘But how are you going to get her a boy-friend?’ Kit demanded. ‘She…’
‘It’s a trick,’ Calvin said and got off the bed. He went over to the closet and took out the bottle of whisky. ‘Sure you won’t have one?’ he asked, waving the bottle towards her.
‘I told you… I don’t drink!’ she snapped. ‘What do you mean… a trick?’
Calvin poured himself a drink, then sat on the edge of the bed.
‘Alice won’t know she has a boy-friend, but she’ll have one just the same. In actual fact, he won’t exist, but when the money vanishes, the police will be convinced it is her boy-friend who has taken it.’
Kit’s brown eyes were suddenly alert with interest. ‘How is it done?’
‘We have only to convince two people: Major Hardy and Miss Pearson. The police will question them and they’ll tell them about the boy-friend. Naturally, you and I will also have seen him, but we’ll know he doesn’t exist whereas the old couple have got to believe he does.’
