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He grimaced as he looked through the open door. “You and I will go and collect the money,”
he went on. “After that, Benno takes charge, but I promise you I will see he makes it quick. I
owe you something. I am grateful to you for getting rid of Della. Now, of course, I take over
the casino myself.”
I stared fixedly at him.
“And when we get to the safe deposit, don’t make trouble,” he went on. “The money
belongs to the casino, and I can prove it. Hame will play along with me. There’s nothing you
can do about it.”
“I know when I’m licked,” I said, thinking of the .22 in the suitcase.
He went into the other room and I heard him talking to Benno. While I had a moment to
myself I tried desperately to free my hands. I might just as well have tried to tip over the
Woolworth building.
Ricca came into the room again.
“If I am not back within the hour he will take her away from here. I needn’t tell you what
he will do to her. So no tricks.”
He cut my ankles free.
“Stand up and turn round.”
Benno came to the door, a snub-nosed automatic in his hand. He kept me covered while
Ricca freed my hands.
“Okay,” Ricca said, pulling a gun from his hip pocket. “Let’s go.”
I went first and he followed. We walked down the four flights of stairs. Drawn up outside
the front door was a dark-blue Packard.
“You drive, Johnny. I’ll sit at the back. And snap into it. I don’t imagine Benno will keep
his hands off her for long. She’s pretty, isn’t she?”
My sick fear for her turned to cold, vicious rage against him. I didn’t say anything but
drove fast until I reached Roosevelt Boulevard. Here the traffic was heavy, and it took me
some minutes to weave the car to a standstill outside the Safe Deposit building.
A guard came over.
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“I deposited a suitcase here this morning. I want to pick it up.”
“You know the way, sir? Mr. Evesham will look after you.”
I said I knew the way, and went up the steps with Ricca at my heels.
The princely Mr. Evesham looked surprised when he saw me, but he remembered his
manners and stood up and bowed.
“My partner’s arrived unexpectedly,” I said, waving to Ricca. “I’ll want the suitcase for a
couple of days.”
“Certainly, sir. Shall I come up with you?”
“That’s okay. I know my way.”
“I’ll have the receipt for you to sign when you come down.”
“Thanks,” I said, and walked over to the elevator.
Ricca stood beside me, smiling, as the elevator took us to the fifth floor.
“They arrange things well here,” he said. “Might be an idea to have something like this at
the casino.”
I didn’t say anything. When the elevator stopped, I walked down the corridor with him just
behind me.
The guard came out of the guard house.
“Let me have the key to room 46,” I said.
He studied me, then went away. After a moment or so he returned and handed me the key.
