The Soft Centre

‘Stop it!’ Val said fiercely. ‘You don’t know what you are saying! You haven’t killed anyone!’

‘Is that what he says I did?’ he repeated, looking up at her. Then as she said nothing, he suddenly shrugged.

‘What’s money, anyway? Give me the cheque book.’

She took the cheque book from her bag and gave it to him with a pen. He signed three blank cheques and then handed her back the cheque book.

‘I’ll never come out of here, so you may as well have the use of my money. I leave it to you, Val. Clear the account and put the money in your account.’

Val] put the cheque book back in her bag. Her hands were shaking and she was very white. ‘Who was the woman I killed, Val!?’ he asked. ‘There was no woman. You didn’t do anything? I know you didn’t!’

‘I suppose it is better to pay blackmail. On second thoughts, your father would hate me to be tried for murder, wouldn’t he?’

‘You wouldn’t be tried for murder, darling. You haven’t done anything.’ ‘Who is this man who is blackmailing us?’?‘Oh, just a man. Don’t worry about him.’?‘If he hadn’t convinced you, you wouldn’t be paying him, would you?’

‘Don’t let’s talk any more about it. I’m going, but I’ll you tomorrow.’?‘You don’t really have to bother. I manage Sitting here or my own,’ he said indifferently and closed his eyes.

In despair, she turned and walked away.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Sam Karsh was waiting when Homer Hare came heavily into his office after a long and excellent lunch.

‘Well, I thought you were in jug by now,’ Karsh said. What happened?’?‘Sammy, you must learn to trust me. We’re on to a very good thing… like I told you. The little lady has everything to gain and a husband to lose.’

‘Yeah… from what I hear, she’s lost him already.’ hare dismissed this with a wave of his hand. ‘She’s in love with him,’ he said. ‘Knowing human nature the way I do, when a woman is stupid enough to fall in love, she is a sucker for me.’ He looked at the strap watch on his fat wrist, ‘I think I can call her now. She’ll have had dine to make up her mind.’

‘This idea of yours doesn’t jell with me,’ Karsh said uneasily. We’ve never stuck our necks out this far. Are you sure she won’t bleat to the cops?’

‘She won’t. We’ve never stuck our necks out this far because we have never had the chance of picking up half a million bucks,’ Hare said. Lifting the telephone receiver, he asked Lucille to connect him with the Spanish Bay hotel.

Val had just got back from her visit to the sanatorium and was about to sit down before the open window when the telephone bell buzzed. She hesitated, then crossing the room, she answered the call.

‘Is that Mrs. Burnett?’

She immediately recognised the dreaded, wheezy voice. She controlled the impulse to slam down the receiver.

She said, ‘Yes.’?‘We talked this morning.’ She could hear the fat man struggling with his breath. ‘Is it yes or no, madam?’

‘It’s yes, but I need time,’ Val said, aware her voice was unsteady. ‘I can pay twenty thousand tomorrow. I need two weeks before I pay the rest.’

‘That would be satisfactory. In cash, if you please. Would you be good enough to come to my office tomorrow at eleven and bring the cash? You have my address. We will then be able to discuss how the rest of the money is to be paid.’

‘I’ll do that,’ Val said and hung up. She stared across the room for some moments, then she abruptly called the Florida Banking Corporation and asked to speak to the manager. She had only to mention her name to be put through immediately.

Henry Thresby, the manager of the bank, was warned by his secretary that the daughter of Charles Travers was on the line.

‘Good afternoon, Mrs. Burnett,’ he said in his bright, alert business voice. ‘Is there something I may do for you?’

‘Yes, please,’ Val told him. ‘I want twenty thousand dollars. I will be in tomorrow morning. I’ll bring my husband’s cheque.’

‘Certainly. I’ll have the money ready for you. There’ll be no difficulty about that.’?‘I want the money in one hundred dollar bills,’ Val went on, hesitated then said, ‘I would be glad if you would take a note of the numbers of all the bills and let me have the numbers. Would you also please arrange to have the money done up in a parcel and sealed with the bank’s seal?’

Thresby’s long experience in banking affairs allowed his tone to remain normal while his expression became startled.

‘Certainly… only too happy, Mrs. Burnett. The parcel will be ready for you when you come. Do you wish to check the amount before the parcel is sealed?’

‘That won’t be necessary. I’ll be at the bank about ten o’clock.’?‘Everything will be ready and arranged as you wish, Mrs. Burnett.’?‘Thank you,’ and Val hung up.