The irony of it! They were trying to save his life so that he could be executed! Why couldn’t they let him die?
What was I going to do?
If he lived, I would have to come forward. I had now no excuse not to. Sarita was no longer helpless.
Soon she would be walking again.
Maybe he wouldn’t live. There was nothing I could do now but to wait. If he died, then I would be out of this mess for good.
But if he lived…
II
The next six days were nightmare days for me.
The press was quick to recognise the drama of the doctors’ fight to save Vasari’s life. There was a bulletin printed every day. One day the headline would read:
The next day it would be
On the sixth day, the headlines read:
The paper stated that an operation by one of New York’s most eminent surgeons was to be performed on Mandon in a final effort to save his life. The surgeon, interviewed by the press, said that Mandon had only the slightest chance of survival. The operation was so delicate that it would attract the attention of the medical profession throughout the world.
It was while I was reading this that I heard Sarita say, ‘Jeff! I’ve spoken to you twice. What is it?’
I put down the paper.
‘Sorry, darling. I was reading. What did you say?’
I had trouble in meeting her puzzled eyes.
‘Is something wrong, Jeff?’
She was seated opposite me at the breakfast table in her wheel chair. We were alone. She looked well, and she was already restless to try to walk.
‘Wrong? Why no, of course there’s nothing wrong.’
Her cool grey eyes searched my face.
‘Are you sure, Jeff? You have been so nervy these past days. You worry me.’
‘I’m sorry. I was preoccupied with the bridge. There’s a lot to think about.’ I got to my feet. ‘I must get down to the office. I’ll be back about seven.’
I had a date with Jack at the bridge site. The first girder was to be put in place.
While we were waiting, Jack said, ‘Is there anything on your mind, Jeff? You’ve been looking like hell these last few days.’
‘I guess I take all this a bit harder than you,’ I said. ‘I’m really worked up about this bridge.’
‘You don’t have to be. It’s working out like a charm.’
‘Yes. Well, I guess I’m the worrying type.’
He saw the foreman was handling the girder clumsily, and with a muttered expletive, he left me and went down to where the men were working.
I would have to watch myself, I thought uneasily. The strain was beginning to show.
Two days later, it happened.
The headlines of the paper said Mandon’s operation had been successful and he was now out of danger. In another week he would be flown to Santa Barba jail. As soon as he was strong enough, he would go for trial for the murder of Rima Marshall.
I read the report in the evening paper that had been delivered to our home.
I felt physically sick.
This was it! Vasari had survived and now, unless I told the truth, he would stand trial and be executed.
I looked across at Sarita who was reading. The temptation to tell her the truth was strong, but my instincts warned me not to tell her.
I mustn’t wait any longer. Tomorrow I must go to Santa Barba and tell Keary the whole story. He must start the hunt for Wilbur right away.
‘I forgot to tell you, Sarita,’ I said as casually as I could. ‘I have to go to San Francisco tomorrow. I’ll be away a couple of days. It’s to do with this steel project.’
She looked up, startled.
‘Tomorrow? Well, all right, Jeff, but isn’t it rather sudden?’
‘We’re not getting delivery fast enough,’ I lied. ‘Jack wants me to go. I’ve only just remembered.’
When she had gone to bed, I called Jack at his pent house apartment.
‘I want to talk to Stovell,’ I said. ‘I’m running up to San Francisco tomorrow. The steel isn’t coming through fast enough.’
‘It isn’t?’ Jack sounded surprised. ‘I thought they were doing pretty well. They’re sending it through as fast as I can handle it.’
‘I want to talk to Stovell anyway. Ted can look after the office while I’m away.’
‘Well, okay,’ I could hear the puzzled note in his voice. ‘Suit yourself. There’s no big rush at your end now.’
That night as I lay in bed, I wondered what Keary would do when he heard my story. Would he arrest me or would he first check my story? Should I tell Sarita that she might not see me again when I left the next morning? Should I tell her the truth?
What a shock it would be to her if I were arrested and didn’t see her again. I knew I should tell her the truth, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
All night, I lay in the darkness, sweating it out, and when the dawn light came through the open window, I was still undecided what to do, but finally as I was dressing I decided to see the police first.
A little after four o’clock in the afternoon, I walked into the Santa Barba police station house.
A large, well fed police sergeant sat at a desk, chewing the end of his pen. He looked at me without interest and asked me what I wanted.
‘Detective Sergeant Keary please.’
He took the pen out of his mouth, looked at it suspiciously and then laid it on the desk.
‘Who shall I say?’
‘My name is Jefferson Halliday. He knows me.’
His large hand hovered over the telephone, then as if he couldn’t be bothered, he shrugged and waved me to the corridor.
‘Third door on the left. Help yourself.’
I walked down the corridor, paused outside the third door on the left and knocked.
Keary barked, ‘Come on in.’
I opened the door and walked in.
Keary was lolling in a desk chair, reading a newspaper. The room was small and cramped. There was just room for the desk, the desk chair and an upright chair. With me in the room, it became a squeeze.
He laid the newspaper down and leaned back in the chair so that it creaked. His small eyes widened at the sight of me.
‘Well, well, it’s Mr. Halliday,’ he said. ‘This is a surprise. Sit down. Welcome to Santa Barba.’
I sat down, facing him.
‘You’re lucky to catch me, Mr. Halliday,’ Keary said, producing the inevitable pack of chewing gum.
‘This is my last day of work I’m glad to say. I’ve been thirty-five years on the force and I reckon I’ve earned
