him. Frowning, Massino joined him at the window. He saw Sammy crossing the street, look furtively right and left, hesitate, then enter the bus station.
“What’s that big bastard doing?” Massino growled. “I told him to get back right away to my wife.”
“Watch it,” Andy said quietly.
There was a long delay, then Sammy came out of the bus station, again looked furtively to right and left, then he crossed the street, got in the Rolls and drove away.
“So what?” Massino demanded.
He could see by Andy’s expression that he had just seen something he didn’t understand but Andy did.
“He looked like a dip, didn’t he?” Andy said. “He was scared.”
“That’s right. I asked him what was the matter. He was sweating like a pig… so what?”
Andy sat down by Massino’s desk.
“All along I’ve thought Bianda wasn’t working alone. I was sure someone helped him steal the money. I thought it was Fuselli. I never thought of Sammy.” Massino grew still, his eyes glittering.
“Bianda has worked with Sammy for years,” Andy went on. “When you start to think about it, it slicks out like a boil. It’s my bet Sammy is in contact with Bianda. The money’s over there, Mr. Joe, in one of those lockers and Sammy is checking to see if we’re still covering the lockers. That’s my reading. Bianda had to have someone to work with… it’s my bet Sammy rushed the two bags over to the locker while Bianda rushed back to establish his alibi.”
Massino sat down, his face congested with rage.
“Get Ernie and Toni to pick up that sonofabitch and bring him here. I’ll talk to him! I’ll smash him to a pulp!”
“No,” Andy said quietly. “We want Bianda and the money. So we set a trap. This afternoon, you and me will take a drive uptown and with Sammy listening you’ll tell me you’ve heard from Luigi that Bianda is now in Havana and you’ve kissed the money goodbye. We then call off the boys watching the lockers so when Sammy checks again he finds the coast clear. He’ll tell Bianda and he’ll come back.” Andy stared at Massino. “All we need is Toni sitting up here with a target rifle and a silencer.”
“I want that bastard alive.”
“It’s better to have him dead and the money back, isn’t it?”
Massino thought about this.
“Maybe.”
“More than maybe, Mr. Joe. We don’t have to pay the Big Man. We handle this ourselves. It’ll save us a lot of money.” Massino showed his teeth in a savage grin.
“Now you’re using your head.” He patted Andy’s arm. “At least I can take care of that big bastard.” He brooded for a moment, his face savage. “And the whore.”
ELEVEN
The Greyhound bus had dropped them at the Brunswick bus station. Johnny had gone to the information desk and asked the girl for a decent, cheap hotel.
She was a pretty little thing with blonde curls and long, false eyelashes and she was helpful.
“You could call me biased,” she said, “but my uncle runs the Welcome hotel. It’s thirty dollars a day, everything included and the food’s wonderful. That’s for the two of you.” She fluttered her eyelashes first at Freda, then at him. “Honest, you’ll be happy there.”
“Okay and thanks,” Johnny said. “Where do I find it?”
“Third on the left up Main Street: it’s not far.” Carrying their bags and with Freda at his side, Johnny walked up Main Street. He was a little worried about the price. He had no idea how long they would have to stay at the hotel.
But when they were shown into the big room, with a double bed, two comfortable arm chairs, a shower room and a colour T.V. set, Johnny ceased to worry.
They both took showers, then got on the bed.
They had spent the rest of the afternoon in each other’s arms. Around 19.30, they went down to the restaurant and enjoyed a good meal.
Johnny was pleased to see Freda was much more relaxed and even gay. They watched T.V. until midnight, then went to bed. Neither of them spoke of the Mafia nor of the money, consciously enjoying this comfort, and desperately clinging to what they both knew was an interval free of danger.
The following morning, Johnny called Sammy. Freda, sitting up in bed, listened. When he hung up, they looked at each other.
“We’ll know this time tomorrow,” Johnny said. “Do you think it’ll be all right?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.” He got back on the bed. “Baby, I
want my boat. Do you mind?”
“Of course not. I want it too.” She put her hand on his. “I want it for you because I love you.”
Later, as he was dozing off, she said, “They’ll never find us, will they?”
What was the use, after warning her, in telling her they could never escape? .What was the use of telling her they were buying time? But he couldn’t lie to her. In silence, he turned his hand to grip hers.
He felt her shiver and he knew she had got the message.
“Love me,” she said, pulling him on to her. “Make me forget.”
The day drifted by. They went down to the restaurant for lunch. They returned to their room and watched a ball game on T.V. They went down to the restaurant for dinner, then returned to their room. They watched T.V. until after midnight.
Johnny didn’t sleep much. He kept thinking of Massino. He was aware that Freda was having nightmares. Twice, she cried out, but by putting his hand on hers, he stilled her cries.
Soon after 07.30, he called Sammy.
“What’s happening?”
“I got news,” Sammy said, his voice excited. “Mr. Joe is sure you’re in Havana. He said he’s kissed you good-bye.”
Johnny’s heart gave a little jump.
“How do you know that?”
“I had to drive Mr. Joe and Mr. Andy up town. Mr. Joe was in a terrible mood: cursing and swearing. He told Mr. Andy this Mr. Luigi had telephoned. This gentleman said you were now in Havana and there was nothing more he could do. He said the money was gone.” A pause, then Sammy asked, “You’re not in Havana, are you, Mr. Johnny?”
“Never mind where I am. Look, Sammy, check the bus station. I must know if the boys are still there. Will you do that?”
“Yeah, I’ll do it.”
“I’ll call you back. When can I get you?”
“It’s my night off. I’ll be right here at five.”
“I’ll call you just after five.”
“And, Mr. Johnny, you still mean it about the six thousand bucks? I’m worrying about it: Cloe’s giving me no peace.”
“You’ll get it. I told you: it’s a promise.”
When he had hung up, he told Freda what Sammy had said. They looked at each other.
“You know something, baby?” Johnny said, smiling at her. “I think you’ve saved us. It was your brainwave to have told them I was heading for Havana. I’d never have thought of it. This could be our break. If the locker isn’t guarded and I’ll know this evening, then we can get the money.”
“Oh, God, Johnny! I prayed last night! I haven’t prayed for years. So what do we do?”
“If we get the green light this evening, we hire a car and drive back to East City. We can do it in three hours. We’ll arrive at the bus station around eleven o’clock. That’s a good time. Not many people around and it will be
