They could have made it easy the way the cabbie started to roll except that soon all of Manhattan would have known about it. About one crazy cab, one crazy Buick, and traffic scattering itself into a snarl wherever they went.
“Pull up,” Jesso said, “and then keep going.”
He jumped near the corner and ran. Going down the subway stairs, he caught a glimpse of the Buick roaring by and the taxi up ahead turning into a one-way street.
The subway was good. He could barrel along underground and like a mole come up just about anywhere. He took the first train coming through and then watched for the stations. He could come up anywhere, today, tomorrow-and then he remembered about Gluck. That bastard wasn’t one man, he was a thousand. And any place Jesso would come up there’d be a subway station, and in that station would be one of Gluck’s gorillas. Unless he got out now.
He passed two more stops, just for the distance, and then he got out. It looked good. It wasn’t far from Beekman Place. He was fingering for a dime while he was still running up the stairs, and then he was inside a drugstore, dialing a number.
“Bard residence,” said the maid.
“Get me Miss Bard.”
“Who shall I say-”
“Get Miss Bard!”
It took a while and then her voice said, “Hello?”
“Lynn, listen close and don’t talk.”
He heard her gasp.
“You alone, Lynn?”
“No, but-”
“Out of earshot?”
“Yes, Jackie. My God, Jackie, I heard-”
“Shut up. Is your place on Long Island empty?”
“Yes, Jackie.”
“And nobody coming out there?”
“It’s closed. Daddy is in-”
“I’m two blocks away. Get your car out, roll by the drugstore, and I’ll meet you on the curb. And keep the motor going.”
“Right now, Jackie?”
“Who’s in the apartment?”
“Winnie, but you don’t know him. He’s just somebody I know and when I heard about you-“
“Never mind. Can you leave?”
“Of course, Jackie.”
“Ten minutes. And bring the keys for that house.”
He hung up, waited five minutes, and Lynn’s convertible pulled up. She had the top down. She looked anxious and beautiful.
“Lynn. Now don’t talk. Let’s have those house keys and get out of the seat. In two days you can come out to the place and pick up your car. I’ve-“
“I’m coming along,” she said, and she looked at him as if she weren’t ever going to let go again.
He bent over the door, talked fast.
“This is trouble. Lynn. Stay away and I’m sorry I had to call you. Thanks for the car. I’ll-“
He didn’t have to finish. There wasn’t any point to it unless he was going to toss her out of the car and leave her lying in the street. She had moved over, wanting him to drive, but that’s as far as she was going.
Jesso jumped in and slammed the door. They sat like that while he made the top come up, and when he pinched his finger putting the catch on the top he swore as if nobody were listening. Then he drove. Once she tried to ask him questions, but it didn’t work. He took the Queensboro Bridge and headed out Northern Boulevard.
They weren’t far from La Guardia. Why sit around in Oyster Bay when he could take off for California, three thousand miles away from Gluck, pick up the rest of his dough, and then head back for Germany? The only trouble was he didn’t know about the flight, had no reservation. Better yet, forget about that loot in L.A., head back for Europe, leave Gluck and Lynn and all of it behind.
He made a sharp turn south and headed for Idlewild. His ticket back to Frankfurt was good any day, there was a good chance of getting a reservation at short notice, and it was seven-thirty. The Stratoliner was due to leave the same time every day, nine P.M.
“Darling, Oyster Bay is the other way. You shouldn’t have turned off.”
“I changed my mind. We’re going to Idlewild.”
She didn’t answer. She didn’t know where he was going from Idlewild, but she thought she was going along.
“It’s better that way all around. You won’t get involved any more.”
“Jackie-”
“Give up, Lynn. I’m just using your car.”
Then they both kept still. When he approached the airport he could recognize it by the lights. It was dark by now. The traffic tower glowed with a bluish light and the building below had a long bright line of windows that looked like teeth. Almost by instinct he swung away from the drive leading to the gates and cruised the parking lot first. Take it slow, check how it looks, because maybe Gluck has notions about airports and railway stations and maybe not.
He didn’t see a thing. He cruised the entrance once, didn’t dare try it twice. Park a while, maybe? And let the reservations get used up. Or maybe do some necking in the front seat just so time would pass and he wouldn’t have to risk it out there, risk the trip, the dough, Renette, and his life.
“I’m getting out.” He braked the car past the entrance. He gave it one more look, picked up his brief case from the floor. “Lynn, now hear me good. I’m going out there and maybe nothing happens.” He paused, reached to his belt. “See this?” She saw the gun. “And this?” She watched him cock the hammer. “I’m going out there with this thing in my hand. Here, in my pocket. And maybe you’ll hear about it from where you’re sitting. So sit, don’t move, and if I’m not back ten minutes later, take off and be glad you’re rid of it all. So long.” He got out of the car.
And then he was by the bright entrance. There were cars parked along the curb, one was empty, one had an old couple in it, the other one a G.I. and his mother. Nobody looked like a gorilla or like Gluck.
When Jesso had his hand on the glass door he didn’t freeze, he almost died. The man’s voice said, “Wait, Jackie!”
Chapter Twenty-one
He snapped around like a spring and would have had the gun out if the couple hadn’t come through the door and bumped his arm.
“Jackie, your left,” and then he saw Murph. He ambled toward the door, past Jesso, and while he passed he said without moving his mouth, “There’s a nest of ‘em inside. Blow fast.”
Jesso was off. He sprinted to the convertible down by the curve. Lynn had the door open and he almost jumped into her lap.
“Hold on,” he said, and the car tore off
He almost went crazy at the Cross Boulevard intersection, but then he was twisting the car through the clover leaf and along the freeway that went across Jamaica Bay.
“Darling, are they chasing us?”
“Shut up a minute.”
He looked back, but all the cars looked alike. He was cursing under his breath till the lit highway stopped swimming and then he felt better. He was at the toll gate before he knew it and Lynn was ready with the money. Good, smart Lynn. And when he twisted down the ramp to Channel Drive, going out the length of Long Island he felt
