I Would Rather Stay Poor

He came in and shut the door, then moving to the foot of the bed, he stared at her.

‘What’s bothering you?’ she asked, her brown eyes glittering unnaturally. ‘Not your conscience, I’m sure.’

‘Did you see Easton?’ Calvin asked in a deceptively mild voice.

‘I did. He’s not worrying you, is he? A fat, lecherous fool. All he could think about and stare at was my body.’

‘Sure?’ Calvin’s thin lips twisted into a sneer. ‘I admit he isn’t much, but maybe he was thinking a drunk is an easy lay.’

Her face tightened with sudden fury.

‘What do you want? Say what you want and get out!’

‘I’ve found a replacement for Alice,’ Calvin said, moving to an armchair and sitting down. ‘I thought you would be interested.’

She half raised herself, resting her weight on her arm.

‘Why should I be? What new devilment is going on in that filthy mind of yours?’

Calvin smiled his charming smile.

‘You haven’t seen Iris today?’

She stiffened, her eyes narrowing.

‘What do you mean?’

‘She came to the bank this morning. She’s worried about you. She says you have been avoiding her recently.’

Kit swung her legs off the bed and sat up. Her eyes were pools of fear and anger.

‘I won’t have you discussing me with Iris!’ she said shrilly. ‘Do you understand?’

‘You can’t stop us,’ Calvin said. ‘She’s working for me as from tomorrow. She’s replacing Alice.’

Kit stared at him, her face turning the colour of tallow.

‘No!’ she said violently. ‘I’m not having that! Work for a devil like you? Iris? Oh no, I’ll soon stop that!’

‘Will you?’ Calvin lit a cigarette. ‘I don’t think so. She wants to work in the bank. How will you stop her? Why shouldn’t she work for her future father-in-law?’

‘I’m not having her shut up with a swine like you!’ Kit said. ‘I know what you could do to her with your slimy charm.’

Calvin smiled.

‘Oh, come. Don’t be ridiculous.’ His expression suddenly changed and he glared at her. ‘Listen, you drunken fool, can’t you see why it is important she should work with me in the bank? I will have the opportunity to hear from her what her boy-friend is up to. Don’t make any mistakes about him. He’s smart and he could be dangerous. And another thing: it is important to both of us she should work in the bank rather than a stranger. If I had a stranger working for me, I would never know if she might come across the money when I’m not there. It isn’t likely anyone will find the money, but I’m not taking any chances. If by some stroke of bad luck, Iris did come across it, I can’t imagine she would send her mother to the gas chamber.’

‘I’d rather that than expose her to your beastliness,’ Kit said, glaring at him. ‘She’s not working for you! That’s final! Now get out!’

Calvin studied her, his face suddenly expressionless. Then with a slight shrug of his powerful shoulders, he got to his feet and returned to his room. He heard the lock of the door snap after him.

He sat down and for some twenty minutes he remained motionless, humming under his breath. Then suddenly he got to his feet, listened intently for some moments, then hearing nothing, he stepped silently into the passage and moved across to the bathroom. He went in and closed the door. He examined the small, flimsy bolt on the door… There was no lock. He fingered the bolt, then taking a penknife from his pocket, he squatted down and loosened the four small screws. He then slid the bolt home and gently tried to open the door. The bolt held, but only just. He knew a quick hard jerk would wrench the bolt off the door.

Satisfied, he returned to his room. Shutting himself in, he went to the closet and took from it a box of golf balls. Four of these he dropped into an odd sock he took from a drawer. He swung the sock. It made an extremely vicious and efficient cosh.

He sat down to wait. The time was now half past nine. In another hour, Kit would take a bath.

He considered his plan for ridding himself of her. It was safe and simple. She had been drinking. When he heard her in the bath he would wrench off the bolt on the bathroom door, enter, slam her over the head with the improvised cosh, then hold her under the water until she was dead. He would leave her body in the bath for Flo to find. The fact the bolt was so flimsy, it would be assumed that Flo had wrenched it off when opening the door.

It was safe and simple, but he decided he had better have an alibi in case something went wrong. Leaving the cosh on the bed, he went downstairs. The television set was on, and from the sound of the gunfire, Calvin guessed the old couple were enjoying yet another gangster movie. He went to the door of the darkened room.

‘Sorry to interrupt,’ he said. ‘I’ll be in the garage. I have car trouble. If there is a telephone call for me, could I bother you to let me know?’

Major Hardy dragged his attention from the lighted screen.

‘Certainly, my dear chap,’ he said. ‘Is there any news yet of Alice?’

‘Nothing. I’ll let you know as soon as there is,’ and Calvin backed out of the room.