you friend Miss James. She’s been dropped from the rolls.”
“I see,” she said coolly. “And now you’re ready to transfer your great-hearted devotion?”
I walked over and took a good look out the window. The meadow was empty of life. I came back and sat down.
“Yes,” I said.
“I’m flattered.”
“Never mind you’re flattered. Have you got the money?”
“I might have,” she said.
“Where is it?”
“I said I might have.”
“It’ll take more than that, honey,” I said. “Let’s get it on the line.”
“Why?”
“You haven’t got a chance. You’re cold meat. As soon as it’s dark and I can get out of here, I’m going to shove. I can get away. And you’ll be a dead woman with a hundred and twenty thousand dollars as soon as your friend out there moves in on you.”
She stared thoughtfully. “And what is this proposition of yours?”
“The geetus, baby.”
“I have it.”
“You know about not trying to kid me, don’t you?”
Her eyes were cold. “I said I had it.”
I took another drag on the cigarette and looked at her a long time. There was no hurry. Keep the pressure on her. “Let’s put it this way,” I said at last. “You’re dead. We both know that. You’re dead twice. If that character out there doesn’t clobber you with his rifle, you’ll be caught by the police and go on trial for murder. With your looks and a good sob story you might beat the chair and get off with life, but it’s a sad outlook either way.
“Alone, you haven’t got a prayer. No car, no clothes, no place to hide. You’re naked, with the light shining on you. With me helping, you might have a chance. A slim one. Say one in a thousand.
My deal is the same one Diana James and your husband cooked up. I’ll try to get you out of here, hide you until some of the pressure is off and we can redecorate you as a blonde or redhead, and deliver you to the West Coast or somewhere. I don’t say I can do it. You can see the odds yourself. But I’ll try.”
She nodded slowly. “I see. And for how much?”
“Make it a round number. Say a hundred and twenty thousand dollars.”
She continued to stare at me. “You know, when you said I was hard, I didn’t realize what an authority I was listening to.”
“You didn’t think I was going to do it for nothing? Look at the risk. The minute I start to help you, I’m committing a crime myself. And when I lose my amateur standing it’s going to be for big money.”
“So you’d just take all of it?”
“That’s right. Of course, if you get a better offer in the next hour or so. . .”
“And what would I live on if I did get to the Coast?”
“What does anybody live on? Go to work.”
“At what? I never did any work in my life.”
“How do I know what? I’m not an employment counselor. Is it a deal, or isn’t it?”
She thought about it for a minute. Then she shrugged. “All right. But suppose you get the money? What guarantee do I have that you’ll carry out your end of it? Just your innate sense of honor?”
“That’s right.”
“Enchanting prospect, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Now, where’s the money?”
She smiled. “That’s the only thing I have in my favor. You’ll have to go through with at least part of your bargain before you even get it.”
“Why?’
“It’s in three safe-deposit boxes in Sanport.”
“Safe-deposit boxes!” I stared at her. “Well, how in the name of God are you going to get at it? With every cop in the state looking for you!”
“Well, naturally, they’re not rented under my right name.”
“Oh,” I said. “And where are the keys?”
“At home.”
“In your house?”
She nodded, her eyes a little mocking.
“But that means that even if we can find some way to get out of here, we’ve still got to go right back in the lion’s mouth.”
“Umh-humh,” she said. “It isn’t easy, is it? But that’s the reason I engaged such high-priced talent. It’s no job for the inept. Let me know when you think of something.”
* * *
The sun climbed higher. It was hot in the cabin. I tried to make myself sit still and think, but then I’d be up and pacing the floor again. I watched the window constantly.
There was a way out of it. There had to be. All I had to do was find it. We had to have a car. We couldn’t use her Caddy, but