I finished the Scotch and poured another.
“Go into the bathroom and smarten yourself up. If Hame sees you like this, he’ll know you
did it.”
I went into the bathroom. She had cleaned up the mess in there. I caught sight of my face in
the mirror. I looked like hell: my face was running with sweat, my hair hung over my eyes
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and my skin was the colour of a fish’s belly.
I ran cold water into the basin and stuck my face in it. I rubbed my skin h*rd with a towel
until it got back a little colour. I fixed my hair, I was still trembling.
She stood in the doorway, watching me.
Then suddenly she said softly, “Who was she, Johnny?”
I didn’t think I had heard right.
“What was that?”
“Who was she?”
I went on combing my hair, but my insides turned cold.
“Who was who? What are you talking about?” Somehow I managed to keep my voice
steady and my face expressionless.
“The girl who brought you back. The guards told me. Who was she?”
“How the hell do I know?” I said, and turned to face her. “I’d lost my way. I told you. I was
late. I wanted to get back quick. She passed and I thumbed a ride. I didn’t ask her who she
was. What does it matter, anyway?”
She stared at me, and I stared right back.
“I only wondered,” she said. “You’re good at thumbing rides, aren’t you?” She moved into
the sitting-room, and I followed her. “From now on, Johnny, our future lies together. Even if
we didn’t happen to love each other, we know too much about each other ever to pan. You do
understand that, don’t you?” She didn’t wait for an answer, but went right on, “I think we’d
better have an understanding together. There must be no other girls. I mean that. I’d never
share you with anyone. I told Paul the same thing. I just won’t tolerate cheating. If the idea
that you can play around with other women ever enters your head, I’ll get rid of you, and
there’s only one way to do that. I’ll turn you over to Hame.”
I started to say something when the telephone bell rang. She walked swiftly across the
room, picked up the receiver and said, “Hello?”
I stood and watched her. She listened to the excited voice for what seemed a long time, then
she said, “I can hear the noise now. How awful. He was always a fool, going into their cages.
Paul warned him time and again. Yes, Ricca’s here. He’s just got back. No, we’ll keep clear
of it. Will you handle it? We don’t want to get mixed up with the newspaper men. That’s fine.
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I’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you so much, Captain.” She listened, laughed, and said, “Good-bye, now,” and hung up.
She looked at me.
“It’s all right. It’s working out just the way I said it would. Hame is making himself useful.
We keep out of it.” She came over to me. “Pour me a drink, darling. We must celebrate.”
I gave her a whisky.
“Well, here’s to us. We’re set now. We’re rich. Life’s just beginning for us. Can you
believe it, Johnny?”
I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t.
She drank the whisky, her eyes on my face, then she moved across the room, smiling, and
pushed home the bolt on the door.
“No one will disturb us, darling. They’re all too busy. Let’s celebrate properly. Show me
how much you love me, Johnny.”
