I Would Rather Stay Poor

When he had finally persuaded the last customer to leave, and after he had locked the doors, he went into his office and lit a cigarette. Everything was working out the way he planned, but for all that, he was uneasy. He was worried about Kit. He hadn’t seen her since the previous night and he was wondering how she was reacting. He was sure by now that Easton had talked with her. Although he was tempted to telephone her to find out what had taken place, he resisted the impulse. Any moment now, the auditors from head office would be arriving to make a complete bank audit. Calvin had been asked if he couldn’t find some local girl to take Alice’s place as there was no one at head office who could be spared. This had given Calvin an idea. He reached for the telephone and called the rooming-house. Flo answered.

‘Is Miss Iris in?’ Calvin asked. ‘Could I speak to her?’

Flo said Iris was just about to go out, but to hold on. A moment later Iris’s young, fresh voice came over the line.

‘Hello there,’ Calvin said. ‘If you’re passing the bank, could you look in? There’s something I want to talk to you about.’

‘I’ll be passing in about half an hour,’ Iris said, her voice revealing her surprise. ‘What is it?’

‘Something I’d rather not talk about over the telephone,’ Calvin returned, and he hung up.

When he had broken the connection he called the snack-bar across the road and told them to send over a couple of chicken sandwiches. Then getting to his feet, he went down into the vault. He stood looking at the deed box in which he had hidden the money. The box stood on the floor with some twenty other boxes on top of it. Calvin’s fleshy face lit up as he thought of the money in the box and he longed to open the box and finger the neat packets of money, but he resisted the impulse.

He left the vault and hearing a rapping on the bank door, he opened up and took the sandwiches from the boy the snack-bar had sent over. He tipped the boy, relocked the bank door and returned to his office. He began to eat the sandwiches.

As he was about to start on the second sandwich, he heard rapping on the bank door again and he opened it.

Iris looked inquiringly at him. She was wearing a sports shirt and a pleated white skirt. Calvin felt a sudden stab of desire run through him as his eyes took in her young, well-developed body.

‘Come on in,’ he said, his smile wide and charming. ‘What a morning I’ve had! I’m just snatching lunch. Phew! Everyone’s been in making sure they haven’t lost their money!’

Iris walked past him into the bank and turned to watch him shut and lock the door.

‘You must have had a time,’ she said sympathetically. ‘I’ve been listening to the radio nearly all the morning.’

Calvin led the way into his office.

‘Yes… it’s been pretty rugged.’ He waved her to the visitor’s chair and then going around his desk, he sat down. ‘Alice of all people! I don’t know… It’s a shock.’

Iris stiffened.

‘You don’t really believe she took the money, do you?’

‘Well, she’s gone and the money’s gone.’

‘I was talking to Ken on the telephone this morning. He thinks she was forced to do it and has been kidnapped.’

This news startled Calvin.

‘That’s an angle I hadn’t thought of… could be he’s right. It makes sense. Alice just isn’t the type to steal. Did he say what was happening?’

‘They are making a house-to-house check to try to find this man or at least where he stayed when he was seeing Alice. They’re hunting for Alice, too, of course.’

Calvin picked up the half-eaten sandwich and bit into it.

‘There’s something I want to talk to you about,’ he said. ‘I’m now short of an assistant. I must have someone here to help me. Head Office has told me to find local talent.’ He smiled at her, watching her intently. ‘I thought of you. Would you be interested to work here? The pay isn’t bad… seventy-five a week.’

She looked surprised.

‘But I don’t know a thing about banking.’

‘You don’t have to. There’s some typing to do and the rest you can easily pick up.’ He wiped his fingers on his handkerchief, watching her. ‘I’d like my future daughter-in-law to work with me. I wish you would. There’s no future in working for a movie house. What do you say?’

She hesitated.

‘I’ve been working night shifts so I could see Ken,’ she said. ‘I don’t know how he will react.’

‘He’s going to be busy on this robbery,’ Calvin said. ‘Besides, it isn’t good to work at night. Come on, let me persuade you.’

She suddenly smiled.

‘Yes, all right. I’d like to.’

Calvin nodded, pleased.

‘Fine. Look, I’m under pressure. Do you think you could start tomorrow? If you have to lose your salary at the movie house, the bank will make it up to you.’

‘Yes… all right, I’ll start tomorrow.’

He got to his feet.

‘I have the auditors coming and I must be ready for them. We’ll make a start tomorrow. I’ll drive you in as I used to drive poor Alice.’

They walked to the door together.

‘Kit all right?’ Calvin asked as he unlocked the bank door. ‘I didn’t see her this morning.’