looking for you. They’ve called in the state police and all the roads around the lake are blocked, but we can get through the other way, going north. You’ll be in the back, in the luggage compartment, anyway. I took out the spare tire and put in a bunch of blankets to make a bed. It’s big. I measured it. I got in it myself, thinking: When I’m standing up, the top of my head is just under Jack’s chin. It’s plenty large enough for you. I even put in a pillow.”
I had stopped eating. I stared at her. She had everything figured out, and for the first time I began to realize what a mind there was behind that lovely and reckless face.
“Nobody will ever know except Buford, and he won’t talk. He can’t. The rest of them will think you died in the swamp. We’ll go on to southern California, with you traveling all the way in the luggage compartment and staying at night in tourist cabins. I’ll cut your hair short, a crew cut, so the curl doesn’t show. And you’ll grow a mustache. They’ll never find us. Think how it’ll be, Jack! Just the two of us. I’ve been crazy all night, praying to God to let you get here.”
It would work. It would work perfectly. I could see it would. I could get in there in the back of the car and be out of the state before dark tonight. Buford’s hands would be tied and he wouldn’t even report it; there’d be no description of the car, or anything. I knew she was a little wrong about one thing, about their thinking I had died in the swamp, for the dogs would tell them I’d got out of it. But even then they’d never know where I’d gone; the trail would end at the highway, for the dogs couldn’t follow me through all that oily smell and gasoline. I would just disappear into the air. Nobody had seen me get here to this place, and nobody would see me leave. It was perfect, all of it, and this girl was tremendous, this flame-haired toy with the brain of Machiavelli. I sat there looking at it for a whole minute, at the beauty of it, thinking that two hours ago I was whipped, without a chance in the world, and now escape was right here in my hand. All I had to do was get in the car with this girl and go.
Not with this girl, or any other girl, to anywhere, I thought. I knew what had brought me up out of that lake bottom, and it wasn’t this.
She had both hands on my arm again, still looking at my face and talking. “It’ll take me only a minute to dress, Jack. You wait here, while I change.” I looked at her.
“I’m not going, Dinah.”
“What?” She was staring, open-mouthed. It didn’t make any difference. She couldn’t stop me. Nothing could, anymore. “I’m not going with you. I want your car, and a gun. I’m going after Doris Shelvin.”
Twenty-six
Jack! Please! For the love of God, listen to me!” She had me by the arm, pulling at my sleeve. I had run into the living room and was in front of the gun case, snatching up an automatic.
“Where’s the ammunition for this?” I asked. Then I saw it, and jerked out the clip to load it. “What time is it?”
“They’ll kill you!” she cried out, paying no attention to my question. I shoved the gun in my pocket and grabbed her wrist to look at the watch. It was ten minutes to four. I had a little over an hour until daylight. But I still had to get the car keys from her. Would she give them to me? I thought wildly. I didn’t want to have to take them away from her, but I would if I had to.
“Give me the keys, Dinah!” I said. “I’ve got to have that car.”
She was around in front of me now, grabbing at my shirt. “Listen, Jack! Please listen to me. Oh, God, isn’t there any way I can make you understand? Haven’t you heard what I’ve been telling you? I can take you away, where they’ll never find you. I want you, Jack! I want you to go with me. I’ll take care of you. I’ll hide you.”
“Dinah! The keys.” I caught her arms.
“I’ll watch out for you. We’ll go anywhere you say! What do you want