Part 11 (1/2)
”Okay, suit yourself. Any time you're short or in trouble, let me know. Pete'll tell you how to contact me. I've got to get moving. Forget Frankie. You're wasting your time thinking you'll hear from him. When he gets the ransom he'll have all the girls after him. So long, baby.”
He went out of the office leaving Anna staring out of the window, tears scalding her eyes.
8.
Flynn looked at his watch.
”Another five minutes,” he said to Woppy who was nursing a Thompson machine gun. ”Sweet Christ! I'll be G.o.dd.a.m.n glad when this caper's over.”
”Yeah,” Woppy said. ”Still Ma says it's a cinch and she always knows what she's talking about”
”Then what the h.e.l.l are you sweating for?” Flynn demanded.
The two men were sitting in the Buick which was drawn up by the side of the road in the shadows of a clump of shrubs. They had a clear view of the road ahead.
”You aren't so calm either,” Woppy said, taking out a dirty handkerchief and mopping his face. ”What's the time now?”
”Oh, shut up!” Flynn snarled. He was wis.h.i.+ng Eddie had come with him. Woppy got on his nerves. With Eddie, he always felt if they got in a jam, they would get out of it, but Woppy was too excitable. He jumped off the deep end the moment anything started.
”I can hear a car,” Woppy said.
In the distance, headlights appeared above the crest of the road.
”Here he comes!” Flynn said. He scrambled out of the car, pulling a powerful flashlight from his pocket.
The approaching car was traveling fast. When it was about three hundred yards from Flynn, he started flas.h.i.+ng the light.
Woppy watched, his hands clutching the machine gun, his heart hammering. Suppose the car was full of Feds, he thought. Those boys never took chances. They would storm past, spraying lead.
The approaching car slowed down. Flynn could see there was only the driver in the car. Blandish was obeying orders all right, he thought. The car swished past him. From the window a bulky object fell and thumped onto the road. The car went on, disappearing into the darkness.
Flynn blew out his cheeks. He ran to the white suitcase and picked it up.
Woppy put down the machine gun and started the car. Flynn scrambled in. He put the suitcase on the floor between his feet.
”Get going!” he said.
Woppy stepped on the gas pedal and the car surged forward. Flynn twisted around and stared through the rear window. They drove fast for three or four miles. No cars followed them.
”It's okay,” Flynn said. ”Let's get home.”
When they walked into the sitting room, Ma, Slim, Eddie and Doc were all waiting. Flynn dumped the suitcase on the table.
”No trouble, Ma. It went like you said.”
Ma got slowly to her feet and walked over to the table. She snapped back the twin locks of the suitcase. The others crowded around her. Even Slim seemed mildly excited.
She lifted the lid. They all stood staring at the neat packs of bills. They had never seen so much money in their lives.
”Man! Doesn't that look good!” Eddie said. ”Man oh man!”
Slim hung over the money breathing heavily, his mouth hanging open.
”Well, there it is!” Ma said, trying to speak calmly. ”A million dollars! At last!”
”Let's split it up, Ma,” Eddie said. ”I'm itching to spend some of my share. Come on! What's the split going to be?”
”Yeah,” Woppy said, so excited he couldn't keep still. ”What am I going to get, Ma?”
Ma closed the lid of the suitcase. She looked at each man in turn, then she moved heavily to her armchair and sank into it.
The gang watched her, puzzled.
”What's biting you?” Eddie asked impatiently. ”Let's have the money.”
”Every one of those bills in that case has a number,” Ma said. ”You can bet your life the Feds have a list of the numbers. This money is so G.o.dd.a.m.n hot, it's on fire.”
”What are you saying?” Eddie demanded, startled. ”Can't we use the stuff?”
”Sure you can if you want a free ride to the gas chamber,” Ma said. ”I'm telling you it's suicide to spend it.”
”Then what the h.e.l.l did we get it for?” Flynn snarled.
Ma crackled.
”Okay, boys, relax. I've taken care of that angle. I'm trading this hot money to Schulberg. He's willing to sit on it for years, but in return we only get half a million. Still half a million of money you can use is better than a million you can't use.”
Slim suddenly spat in the fireplace.
”Talk!” he said in disgust. ”That's all you do. Talk!” He went over to the couch and lay down on it. He started to read the comics.
”That's not so hot, Ma,” Eddie said. ”I was expecting a split of two hundred grand.”
Ma laughed.
”I dare say you were.”
”What's the split then?” Woppy asked looking anxious.
”Each of you is getting three hundred dollars,” Ma said, ”and not a dollar more.”
”You kidding? Three hundred bucks?” Eddie said, his face turning red. ”What is this?”