Part 6 (1/2)
”I don't like kidnapping,” he said. ”It's a cruel, horrible business. I'm sorry for the girl and her father. I don't like it.”
Ma smiled. Doc was the only member of the gang allowed to speak his mind or offer advice. Ma seldom took his advice, but she liked to listen to him. He was someone to talk to when she was lonely, and sometimes his advice was sound.
”You're a soft old fool,” she said contemptuously. ”The girl has had everything up to now. Let her suffer. Her old man's worth millions. He can afford to suffer too. I've suffered: so have you. Suffering does people good.”
”Yes,” Doc said. He poured himself a stiff drink. ”But she is young and beautiful. It is such a waste of a young life. You don't intend to send her back to her father?”
”No, she isn't going back. When the money is paid, we'll have to get rid of her. She knows too much.”
Doc s.h.i.+fted uneasily.
”I don't like it, but I suppose it's not my business.” He emptied his gla.s.s and refilled it. ”This is a big thing, Ma. I don't like any of it.”
”You'll like the money when you get your share,” Ma said cynically.
Doc stared at his gla.s.s.
”It's a long time now since I got excited about money. There's something I want to tell you. Slim behaved very oddly with the girl: very oddly indeed.”
Ma looked sharply at him.
”What do you mean?”
”I was under the impression that Slim had no use for women. You told me that, didn't you?”
”Yes, and I'm glad of it,” Ma said. ”I've had enough trouble with him without having that kind of trouble.”
”He's interested in this girl,” Doc said quietly. ”I've never seen him act the way he acted when he set eyes on her. He seemed smitten: like a kid gets smitten with a first love. I'm sorry, Ma, but I think you are going to have that kind of trouble with him now.”
Ma's face tightened and her eyes snapped.
”You aren't kidding, are you?”
”No. When you see them together, you'll know I'm right. He seemed anxious for her to have the diamonds. He's got them. Have you forgotten?”
”I haven't forgotten,” Ma said grimly. ”He'll give them to me when I ask for them. So you really think he's fallen for this girl?”
”I'm sure of it.”
”I'll soon stop that,” Ma said. ”I'm not having woman trouble in this house!”
”Don't be too sure,” Doc said gravely. ”Slim's dangerous. He could turn on you. The trouble with you, Ma, is you won't face up to the fact he isn't normal...”
”Shut up!” Ma snarled. This was a forbidden subject. ”I'm not listening to that c.r.a.p. Slim's all right I can handle him. Leave it that way.”
Doc shrugged. He took a drink. His face was beginning to flush. It took very little liquor now to make Doc drunk.
”Don't say I didn't warn you.”
”I want you to write a letter to Blandish,” Ma said, changing the subject. ”Well deliver it tomorrow. Tell him to have the money ready in a white suitcase. He is to put an ad in the Tribune, to appear the day after tomorrow, offering kegs of white paint for sale. That'll tell us the money is ready. Warn him what will happen to the girl if he tries a double cross.”
”All right, Ma,” Doc said and taking his gla.s.s, he left the room.
The old woman sat for some time, thinking. What Doc had told her, disturbed her. If Slim had fallen for this girl, then the sooner she was got rid of the better. She tried to convince herself Doc was exaggerating. Slim had always been scared of girls. She had watched him grow up. She was sure he had never had any s.e.xual experience.
She got to her feet.
I'd better talk to him, she thought. I'll get the necklace from him. I'll have to be careful how I sell it. Maybe it would be safer to keep it for a while. It'll be hotter than a stove for months.
She went upstairs to Slim's room.
Slim was lying on his bed in his s.h.i.+rt and trousers. The necklace was dangling between his bony fingers. As Ma entered the room, the necklace disappeared with the same incredible speed with which he could produce his knife.
Quick as he was, Ma saw the necklace although she didn't say so.
”What are you lying down for?” she demanded, advancing up to the bed. ”You tired or something?”
Slim scowled at her. There were times when his mother bored him with her stupid questions.
”Yeah I'm tired. I didn't want to listen to all that talk downstairs.”
”You should be thankful I can talk,” Ma said grimly. ”We're going to be rich, Slim. That girl's worth a pile of money to us.”
Slim's face lit up and his scowl went away.
”Where is she, Ma?”
Ma stared at him. She had never seen such an expression on his face before. She stiffened, thinking, so Doc's right. The poor fool looks smitten. I wouldn't have believed it.
”She's in the front room under lock and key,” she said.
Slim rolled over on his back, staring up at the ceiling.
”She's pretty, isn't she, Ma?” he said, simpering. ”I've never seen any girl like her. Did you see her hair?”
”Pretty?” Ma snarled. ”Why should you care? She's just like any other girl.”
Slim turned his head and stared at her. He looked surprised.
”You think that?” he asked. ”Haven't you eyes in your head? What's the matter with you? I've always thought you were smart. She's beautiful. If you can't see it, you must be blind.” He ran his fingers through his greasy long hair. ”She's like something out of a picture book. I want to keep her, Ma. We don't have to send her back, do we? We'll get the money and I'll keep her. I've never had a girl. She's going to be my girl.”
”Yeah?” Ma sneered. ”Do you think she'll want you? Look at your hands and s.h.i.+rt. They're filthy. Do you imagine a snooty little b.i.t.c.h like her will look at you?”
Slim examined his hands. He seemed suddenly unsure of himself.
”I guess I could wash,” he said as if it was an idea that had never occurred to him before. ”I could put on a clean s.h.i.+rt.”