She had abruptly brought the story back into real life by mentioning Maddox. She was ready to be rid of her husband.
He was sure of that if he could convince her he could do it with safety and with profit.
'Yes: there's Maddox. We mustn't underestimate him. He's dangerous, but he does think in a groove. Man and wife: man insures his life for fifty thousand dollars and suddenly dies. How about the wife? That's the way his mind works. It is essential to our plan that you have a cast-iron alibi. He must be absolutely convinced that you couldn't have had anything to do with your husband's death. Once he is convinced of that, he'll let the claim go through. I can convince him.'
She picked up the poker and stirred the fire.
'So if I went into Pru Town while you ... you handled Phil, it would be all right?' she asked as calmly and as casually as if they were discussing a movie they had seen.
'That's the way I see it,' Anson said. He finished the whisky and sat up. 'Do you like the idea?'
She turned slowly and stared at him.
'Oh, yes, John, I like it. If only you knew how this drab life with him is crushing me! Fifty thousand dollars! I can't believe it ... all that money and my freedom!'
Anson felt a chill of uneasiness run through him. This was too easy, he thought. She has either been planning to murder Barlowe for months or she doesn't realize what she is getting into. It's too easy.
'The money would come to you,' he said, looking intently at her. 'I would have to trust you to share it with me. I need the money badly, Meg.'
She got to her feet.
'Let's go upstairs.'
The expression in her eyes wiped out his uneasiness.
Somewhere downstairs a clock chimed five. Through the open window, the first grey light of the dawn made light enough for Anson to look around the shabby bedroom.
He grimaced at its poverty, and then looked at Meg, lying by his side. The grey light softened her features. She looked younger and even more beautiful.
'Meg...'
She stirred, murmured something and her hand touched his naked chest.
'Asleep?'
She opened her eyes and looked blankly at him, then she smiled
'Not really ... dozing ...'
'Me too.' He slid his arm around her, pulling her to him. 'I've been thinking; you really want to go ahead with this thing? It's not just: something you're imagining is going to happen in one of your stories?'
'I want to go ahead with it. I can't go on living this way. I must have money ...'
'That's the way I feel, but it won't be easy. There is a lot to think about. We've only just started; we're only on the fringe of this thing.'
She was now fully awake and she sat up. 'I'll get some coffee. Let's talk. We may not get the chance again ... not to have a real talk.'
She was right of course. After this, he knew he would have to be very careful about seeing her again. If Maddox ever found out they were lovers, the plan forming in his mind would be cooked.
He waited for her, listening to her moving around downstairs. She came back eventually with coffee and set the tray on a table by the bed.
She had on a pale green nylon nightdress that was completely transparent, but now Anson could look at her without feeling the desperate urge to possess her, for their love making had been long and satisfying.
She poured a cup of coffee and gave it to him. 'If we do it ... you're sure it will work?' she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed while she poured herself a cup.
Her attitude not only made him uneasy, but it irritated him. She couldn't be so utterly cold-blooded as she sounded, he thought. She just didn't realize what they were planning.
'No, I'm not sure,' he said, determined to make her realize the danger of this thing. 'It will take time. I'll have to plan every move. But first I want to be absolutely certain you're really willing ... you really want to do this thing.' She made an impatient movement. 'Of course I do.'
'Do you realize what we are planning to do?' Anson paused, then went on, speaking slowly and deliberately, 'We are going to commit a murder! Do you realize that?'
He was watching her. Her expression hardened, but she didn't flinch.
''You heard me, Meg? We are going to commit murder!'
'I know.' She looked at him, her mouth set in a determined line. 'Does it frighten you?'
He drew in a deep breath.
'Yes ... it frightens me. Doesn't it frighten you?'
Again she made an impatient movement.
'I can't even feel sorry for him. I've had to live with him for nearly a year. I've thought for months now how happy I could be if he were dead ...'
'You could have divorced him,' Anson said, staring at her.
'Where would that get me? At least I have a roof and food -no other woman but a mug like me would look at him ...and now I won't have him near me. You don't imagine he sleeps in this bed, do you? I lock him out. I've locked him out ever since our first horrible night together. You don't know ... he's vile ... he's ...' She stopped grimaced. 'I'm not talking about it. Some men have these kinks ... he has ... I'll be glad when he's dead!'
Anson relaxed. Now he could understand her indifference. At last, he had found someone he could work with. This woman wouldn't let him down.
'I'm sorry,' he said. 'I didn't know it was as bad as that. Well, all right ... we'll use him, but you must think about it. If I make a mistake, you'll be involved. Don't kid yourself the jury will be kind to you. A woman who helps to murder her husband for gain gets a pretty rugged time.' 'Why should you make a mistake?' Anson smiled mirthlessly.
'Murder is a funny thing. You can plan carefully and you can be awfully smart, but you can still make a mistake and you have only to make one mistake.'
'Is that what you are going to do?' She put down her cup and lit a cigarette. 'I don't think so, John. I have faith in you. I think you're clever enough not to make a mistake.'
'Have you any money?' he asked abruptly. 'I want three thousand dollars if I'm going to work this the way it has to be worked.'
'Three thousand dollars?' She stared at him. 'I haven't even twenty dollars to call my own.'
He had expected that. He had thought it would be too good to be true if she had the money he needed.- 'All right...forget it... I'll get it somehow.' 'But why do you want three thousand dollars?' she asked curiously, staring at him.
Anson felt an impulse to be dramatic. He flicked aside the sheet so she could see the horrible bruise that discoloured the skin of his stomach.
Meg caught her breath.
'What happened? That must be terribly painful ... John! What happened?'
He flicked the sheet over himself. Her concern made the encounter with Hogan now trifling.
Staring up at the ceiling he told her about Hogan and he told her about Bernstein.
'I'm in trouble,' he concluded. 'I must have money. For months now I have been hunting for a way out. Now I have found you. The two of us will escape together at the cost of a man's life.'
'You owe this bookmaker a thousand ... why do you need three thousand?' Meg asked.
'I need two thousand to cover the first premium on a fifty thousand dollar life policy,' Anson told her. 'Until the first premium is paid, we can't even think about how we can get rid of your husband. So ... somehow ... I have to raise three thousand dollars.' He leaned back against the pillows, looking out of the dirt grimed window at the rising sun. 'I'll have to steal it.' He looked at her and grinned. 'One thing leads to another, doesn't it? When you get involved in murder, you go the whole way or you don't go at all.'
'Steal it? What do you mean?' He put his hand on her thigh.
'Just that. I must have three thousand dollars. It shouldn't be difficult. I'm committed now. I must find some
