The Soft Centre

‘What’s biting you, Spike?’ Jacko asked with deceptive mildness. ‘What did the cops say?’ ‘Plenty,’ Spike said. ‘They are looking for you. They’re talking about a murder charge. That’s too hot for me. On your way, Jacko, and keep clear of me.’

Jacko and Moe exchanged glances. Jacko began to sweat. There was a long pause, then Moe said, ‘Okay, Spike, we’ll go, but they’re nuts. Jacko hasn’t killed anyone.’

Jacko heaved himself to his feet. Spike was watching Moe which was stupid as Jacko was much closer to him. With a movement, terrifyingly swift for a man of his size, Jacko grabbed the whisky bottle and slammed it across Spike’s face with bone crushing violence. Spike reeled back, dropping his knife. Moe sprang like a black cat at him as he collapsed on the floor. His black hand, holding the gleaming knife, flashed up and down twice, then he got to his feet. He bent over Spike’s lifeless body and wiped the blade of the knife dean on Spike’s shirt, then he looked at Jacko.

‘He was chickening out,’ he said. ‘Better this way. What do we do now?’

Jacko lowered his great body on to the chair. He took out a carton of chocolates and began to stuff chocolates into his mouth.

‘We’re getting into the real crap now, boysie,’ he said, his mouth full. ‘We’d better get out… but where do we go?’

‘It must be Henekey,’ Moe said, sitting on the table, swinging his legs. ‘The kid must have seen us. We’ve got to fix her, baby. Without her, without Spike, we should be in the clear. I’ll go down to the motel and knock her off.’

Jacko nodded.

‘But where do I go?’

Moe frowned as he swung his legs, then he suddenly grinned.?‘Go to Hardy. He got us into this mess. Go to him, baby. He’ll have to cover you for the night. By tomorrow you’ll be in the clear. Without the kid, they haven’t a thing on us.’

‘Is there anyone else?’ Jacko asked. ‘Anyone who could fix us?’

Moe thought of Toey. Toey had seen the kid finger Jacko. He hesitated. It was a pity to get rid of Toey as he was a good barber, but Moe didn’t hesitate for long.

He told Jacko about Toey.

Jacko looked sad. Toey also cut Jacko’s hair, but he realised that once Toey knew the cops were looking for him on a murder charge, he would turn soft.

‘Fix him too,’ he said and got to his feet. ‘You take me to Hardy in my car, and then fix Toey. Then you go to the motel and fix the kid.’

‘Yes, sweetie,’ Moe said. ‘You leave it all to me.’

The two of them, one gross, the other hard and slim, moved silently out of the secret room and into the darkness of the night.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Gina Lang sat on the bed, occupied in painting her toenails while she listened to a Sinatra L.P. playing in the lounge.

The time was a little after ten-thirty. Lee Hardy had said he would be back by eleven, and then they would go to the Coral Club for a drink before taking in a midnight movie. Her task completed, Gina stood up. She was wearing a bra and black lace pants. She surveyed herself in the full length mirror with shrewd, searching eyes. She was twenty-three. She had had her first affair at the age of fourteen with a man she had long forgotten. Since then, she had spent the past nine years drifting from one man’s bed to another’s. During this sexual pilgrimage she had acquired two mink coats, a diamond necklace, various other pieces of jewellery of lesser value and fifteen thousand dollars in the bank Looking at herself now in the mirror, she searched for any sign of her past life, and was pleased to see that nothing so far had left a scar on her attractiveness. Her body was firm and beautifully made. Her face amused her, and she knew fascinated men, but she wasn’t too sure about her eyes. She tried to soften their expression, but failed. Well, she thought, shrugging, at least they’ll warn Lee not to fool around with any other woman now, and he needs the warning!

She had been living with Lee Hardy now for three months. Their meeting had been casual. When she discovered he had money, a Cadillac and a penthouse, she was happy to leave the party with him at which they had met. They went back to his luxury home.