The Soft Centre

THE SOFT CENTRE

JAMES HADLEY CHASE

CHAPTER ONE

Valerie Burnett lay in the bath, her head against the padded head-rest, her eyes closed. Through the half open window came the sound of distant voices from the terrace below. It was a cheerful sound, and Valerie was glad to listen to it. She was glad too that they had come to this hotel in Spanish Bay: it was everything that had been said about it. It really was, she thought, the nicest hotel she had ever been to, and she had been to so many, she couldn’t try to enumerate them.

She opened her eyes and looked down at her long beautifully formed body. Her full breasts and a small strip of flesh across her hips were startlingly white against the rest of her golden tan.

They had been in Spanish Bay for only a week, but the sun had been excitingly hot and she had tanned quickly and without burning.

She lifted a wet hand and picked up the gold and platinum watch that Chris had given to her for a wedding present. She saw it was twenty minutes to twelve. She would have time to dress leisurely and then go down to the terrace for an ice cold martini. She still hadn’t quite adjusted herself to drinking martinis when Chris now only drank tomato juice. In some odd way, it made her feel guilty that he could no longer drink alcohol, but the doctor had warned her that she must continue to act and live normally as it would be bad for Chris to know that, because of him, she was altering her previous way of life.

As she put the watch back on the table by the bath, the telephone bell rang. She dried her hand on a towel and lifted the receiver.

‘There’s a call from New York,’ the operator told her. ‘Will you take it, Mrs. Burnett?’

No one but her father knew they were at the Spanish Bay hotel, so it must be her father calling, Val thought.

‘Yes,’ she said, and her brows moved into a small crease of worry and irritation. She had asked her father to leave them alone. Well, all right, he had done so for a week. It was her fault he should be calling. She hadn’t written to him, and she should have done, knowing how anxious he always was about her.

Her father’s voice came over the line. He had a deep, impressive voice. She often thought when listening to him talk that if he hadn’t become a tycoon, he would have made a magnificent Shakespearian actor.

‘Val? You there?’?‘Why, hello, Daddy. It’s nice…’?‘Val! I’ve been waiting to hear from you!’

‘I’m sorry. You know how it is. The sun has been wonderful. I know I should…‘?‘Never mind that. How is Chris?’?‘Oh… well, he’s fine. We were only talking about you last night and he…’?‘I want to know how he is. Look, Val. I have a meeting in five minutes. Don’t waste time. How is he?’

She moved her long legs in the water impatiently.?‘Darling, I’ve just told you. He’s fine.’?‘I think it was a mistake for you to be down there alone with him. He’s still a sick man, Val. Tell me: has he still got that goddamn tick around his mouth?’

Val closed her eyes. The water seemed to be getting very cold or perhaps it was her body was turning cold.

‘It is much better,’ she said. ‘Really…’?‘But he’s still got it?’?‘Well, yes, but it’s…’?‘Does he sit around still like a Zombie?’

Aware that tears were filling her eyes, Val said, ‘He—he still likes to sit and do nothing. but I know it will be all right. I know he is much better.’

‘What does Dr. Gustave say about him?’

Val reached forward and twisted the knob to release the water in the bath.?‘He said Chris is improving, but it would take time.’?‘Time! Well, for God’s sake, he has been acting like a Zombie now for eighteen months!’?‘I wish you wouldn’t say things like that, Daddy. I know how long it has been, but it really isn’t so long considering what…’

‘It’s too long. Look, Valerie, you’re twenty-five with all the instincts of a normal, healthy woman. You can’t go on living like this. It isn’t fair to you. I worry about you. You can’t be tied to a man who…’

‘Daddy!’ Her voice suddenly became sharp. ‘I love Chris! I’m his wife! I won’t listen to this kind of talk! I mean that! It’s not your business! It’s mine!’

There was a pause, then her father said in a more gentle tone, ‘I love you too, Val. I can’t help worrying. All right. I understand. I won’t make it harder for you, but I must know,— what is going on. I rely on you to tell me, and remember if there is anything I can do. I want to do it… anything.’

‘Thanks. Daddy. yes, of course, but I can really and truly handle this thing.’ She pulled the towel over her as she lay In the empty bath. ‘I’m getting cold, darling. I’m in my bath.’

‘What’s Chris doing?’?‘He’s on the terrace, reading Oliver Twist,’ Val said. ‘He’s discovered Charles Dickens. He’s bought the whole set and he’s reading right the way through.’

‘Well…’ There was a pause, then Val heard a murmur of Voices over the line, then her father said, ‘I have to go. Val. You are sure you can handle this?’