'Now, Miss Norman . . .'
'Take it! Take it!' she screamed and fearing a scene, Burnett grabbed the recorder and the three tapes and hurriedly left. It was only on his way down in the lift that he realized she hadn't returned the expensive eavesdropping microphone. He wondered if he should go back for it, but her distraught face and the wild look in her eyes warned him not to. He would pick up the micro-, phone after the week-end when she would be calmer.
Some three hours later, Daz returned to the flat. He had already checked with Burnett who had told him the money was waiting for him.
Elated that he was going to lay his hands on such a sum, he had dated a chick to meet him at Billy Walker's Boozer that was once an elegant restaurant and from there they would go to a club in King's Road and from there into her bed.
He was through with Natalie. With a thousand pounds in hand and with his know-how, Dublin would be the place for him.
He was slightly startled when he entered the flat to find Natalie sitting on the settee, white faced, trembling and crying.
'What the hell's up?' he demanded, thinking how ugly she looked.
She dabbed her eyes and straightened.
'I have the money, Daz.'
He moved further into the room.
'You have? What are you so miserable about? You oughta be pleased.'
'Judas wasn't pleased . . . he hanged himself.'
Daz had vaguely heard of Judas. He wasn't sure who he was, but he had an idea he was a baddie and not a goodie.
'What are you talking about? Who's hanging who?'
'Nothing . . . you wouldn't understand. Are you hungry?' He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
'Where's the money?'
'You're not hungry? I've bought you a steak.'
'To hell with the steak. Where's the money?'
Looking at him, she was shocked to see the greed on the lean, handsome face.
She got unsteadily to her feet and went to a cupboard. She brought the money to him in neat stacks.
It made her heart contract to watch him fondle the money. This couldn't be the man she loved so desperately who had opened the hidden door in her life: this was a greedy, vicious young animal who mauled the money as he had mauled her body.
'Are you pleased?'
He ignored her and began stuffing the money into his various pockets.
'What are you doing?' Her voice went shrill.
He stowed away the last packet of money and then regarded her.
'Getting the hell out of here . . . that's what I'm doing.'
'You mean now you have the money, you — you don't want me?'
'Who the hell would want you?' He pointed a finger at her. 'I'm going to give you some advice. From now on, baby, keep your legs tightly crossed. That's your trouble. You dig your own grave,' and he was gone.
Natalie stood motionless, her hand against her slow thumping heart. She listened to the lift descend, taking him out of her life forever.
Then she walked slowly to a chair and sat down. She remained there as the hands of the clock on the wall moved around its face, marking the hours. Then when the light began to fade she eased her stiffness by stretching out her long, slim legs. Her mind began to work again. After all, she told herself, why should he care? I could have guessed what was going to happen. She closed her eyes. Now her lack of charm and her plainness was underlined as it had never before been so underlined. She realized all along she had been praying, waiting, hoping for a
