1973 - Have a Change of Scene

by James Hadley Chase

  I stayed still, on my hands and knees, blood dripping from my mouth and I looked up. Opposite me was a big mirror. I saw her reflection in the mirror. The huge silver goggles, her white teeth, her lips drawn back in a vicious snarl, the blood-red trouser suit made her look like a demon escaped from hell.

  She was holding the gun by its barrel. Even as I stared at her reflection, she set herself and smashed the gun butt down on my head.

  * * *

  When consciousness returned to me, I wasn’t to know I had been in a coma for five days, had undergone brain surgery and twice had been given up as dead.

  The first intimation of life I had as I seemed to swim upwards through murky water was the sound of a voice talking. I kept swimming higher and higher with no choking sensation, only a lazy, unwilling motion to reach the surface and I tuned into the voice speaking quite close to me and the words of the speaker penetrated.

  He was saying, ‘Look, Doc, how long do you think I’ve got to stick around here, waiting for this guy to come to? I’m losing out, sitting here. I’m the top man on the force. For God’s sake, I’ve been sitting around here for five goddamn days!’

  Force? The police?

  Five days?

  I lay motionless, now aware of a throbbing headache.

  Another voice said, ‘He could come out of this coma a moment. He could stay this way for months.’

  ‘Months?’ The other man’s voice shot up. ‘Isn’t there anything you can do - like giving him a shot or something? If I go on sitting here for months I’ll go into a coma and then you’ll have two patients in your lap.’

  ‘I’m sorry we have to wait.’

  ‘That’s wonderful so what do I do practice Yoga?’

  ‘That might be an idea, Mr. Lepski. Yoga is often very beneficial.’

  There was a pause, then the man called Lepski, said, ‘So you can’t get him out of this goddamn coma?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘And it could be months?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Boy! Do I pick them! Okay, Doc, so I sit.’

  ‘It would seem so.’

  Then the sound of footsteps crossing the room, a door opened and shut and the man called Lepski snorted, got to his feet and began to move around. His fidgeting became a background sound. I was able to consider what had been said. I wished my head didn’t ache so badly and wished I could think more clearly. With an effort of will, I forced my mind to look back into the past. I saw again that awful moment when Rhea had murdered Sydney. I saw her raise the gun, saw the flash, heard the bang again and saw poor, brave Sydney’s head explode in a mess of blood and brains.

  I had been so stupid! Why had I misjudged his courage? I could see him charging at Fel, the Borgia dagger in his hand something I knew I could never have done in the face of a threatening gun. It had been a mad, reckless, but magnificent thing to have done, but only someone who had guts and real courage could have done it. Sydney must have known as soon as they had burst into the room, that they were after the necklace, but he didn’t know the necklace he was trying to protect was of glass and he had given his life for nothing.

  Well, he was dead. Now I was in the worst kind of trouble with a police officer sitting by my bedside waiting for me to talk. Did they suspect that I was involved in some way with the murder and the robbery? Surely that was unlikely? How was Maddox reacting, knowing that his company would have to pay out three-quarters of a million dollars? Knowing him, rather than pay out that enormous sum, he would dig and dig and dig until he came up with something that would hook me with the murder.

  Well, I had time. If I remained still, gave no sign that I was now conscious, I might think of some way out, some way to save myself.

  I heard the door open. A woman’s voice said, ‘Your lunch is ready, Mr. Lepski. I’ll watch him.’

  ‘Okay, baby. If he even lifts an eyelid call me. What’s for lunch?’

  ‘Beef stew.’

  ‘Sure it’s beef and not dog?’

  She giggled.

  ‘The Matron’s cat has gone missing.’

  ‘That’s it! Boy! Do I get the breaks!’ Then the door closed.

  I heard the nurse sit down, then the pages of a book began to turn. I went back to my thoughts.

  Rhea and Fel had taken the glass necklace. Fel had been wounded. Had the sound of the shot alerted anyone in the building? Had anyone seen them leaving? Maybe the police had them already and Rhea had talked. Maybe that was why this police officer was guarding me. I was sure if Rhea was caught, she would implicate me. But how to find out? I was also sure by the brief glimpse I had had of her expression in the mirror that she had meant to kill me as she had killed Sydney. But if I survived. as I seemed to be surviving. and if she and Fel were caught, then she would talk.

  I wanted to lift my hands and press them to my aching head but I resisted the urge. I wanted time. I had to appear to be still in a coma.

  Supposing she and Fel got away? What would they do? They had stolen a necklace they imagined to be worth at least a million dollars. They knew one false move would be disastrous. Would they try to sell the necklace? I had already warned them that no small fence would touch it. Now, with a murder rap hanging over them, would they be so reckless as to approach any fence? Yet I could imagine Rhea with her inborn greed for money might not be able to resist the temptation of trying to turn the necklace into money.

  But why think of them? If I was going to survive, I now had to think of myself.

  Suppose the police or Maddox - especially Maddox - suspected I was behind the steal? Suppose they got a warrant and opened my safe? How would they react when they found the real necklace?

  Then I saw a glimmer of hope, a solution and dear God! how I needed a solution!

  I lay still, my aching mind busy and it finally seemed to me that I could save myself. always providing that the police never caught up with Rhea and Fel. If they didn’t, then I was safe. I could muzzle Maddox. I could return to the showroom. With Sydney dead, Tom Luce would offer me a partnership. Without my expertise the shop could even fail. I suddenly felt lighter, relaxed and hopeful.

  It could work out, but always providing Rhea and Fel were never caught.

  But how could they be? No one, even if they had been seen leaving the apartment block could identify them. So long as they didn’t do anything stupid like trying to sell the necklace, then surely they, as well as myself, were safe?

  But Rhea?

  I remembered what Jenny had said: She has this obsession about getting rich. She just won’t accept the fact that if one wants money one has to work for it. . . she says she won’t wait that long.

  But Rhea was no one’s fool. She must realise in spite of the temptation to make quick money the moment she tried to sell the necklace she was sunk.

  Then I heard a tap on the door and the nurse get up and cross the room.

  ‘Hello, Miss Baxter,’ she said.

  ‘How is he?’ Jenny asked.

  ‘Just the same.’

  Jenny here!

  It needed a great effort of will not to open my eyes. It was too soon for that. When I let them know I was conscious, I would have to do it slowly so that if this police officer turned tough I could retreat back into a faked coma. The knowledge that Jenny had come to Paradise City and was inquiring about me was like a shot in the arm to me.

  ‘Could I see him?’

  ‘Of course.’

  I lay there, my heart pounding, as I heard movements by my bed.

  ‘He looks so bad.’ The distress in Jenny’s voice meant a lot to me.

  ‘That’s to be expected. He’s had brain surgery and it’s been touch and go, but Dr. Summers says he is now out of danger. We just have to wait for him to come out of the coma.’

  Cool fingers touched my wrist. Jenny’s fingers. I longed to open my eyes to look at her, to see her untidy hair and the expression of anxiety in her kind eyes, but it was too soon. For my own safety, I had to wait.

  Then t
he sound of the door opening and another voice - Lepski’s voice - broke in.

  ‘If that was the Matron’s cat, then I dig a cat lunch.’ Lepski was back again. ‘Hi, Miss Baxter,’ he went on. ‘You see he’s still at it.’

  ‘Yes.’ I heard Jenny sigh. ‘You will let me know the moment he comes to, nurse?’

  ‘Of course.’

  There were movements. I didn’t dare look even between my eyelashes as I heard Lepski sit on a chair near me.

  Then the door closed. Jenny had gone.

  ‘I like her,’ Lepski said. ‘She’s got something. She loves this guy like crazy, doesn’t she?’

  ‘You can say that again,’ the nurse said.

  ‘Yeah.’ There was a long pause, then Lepski went on, ‘A couple of months ago I got promoted to Detective 1st Grade. You wouldn’t believe it the way I get pushed around. Just sitting in this goddamn room day after day! They’re trying to kid me it’s important.’

  ‘I just can’t follow what this is all about,’ the nurse said. ‘I wish you would explain it to me. I’ve read all the papers but they don’t say a thing except Mr. Fremlin was murdered. Just what’s going on?’

  ‘Strictly between you and me, we don’t know what’s cooking either. Everything depends on Carr coming to the surface and telling us just what did happen. We think something important has been stolen, but we don’t know what. So you don’t understand what it’s all about, so that makes two of us.’

  I was now listening intently.

  ‘But surely you have some clues?’ the nurse said.

  ‘Baby, you have been reading too many detective stories.’ Lepski’s voice sounded bitter. ‘All we know is a man and a woman broke into Fremlin’s place, shot him, put Carr out of action and scrammed. We have a description of them. The nightman heard the shot and saw them leaving. His description amounts to nothing. So it depends on what Carr saw and what he knows. So I sit here. You get the photo?’

  ‘I’m glad I’m not you.’

  ‘That makes two of us.’ A long pause, then Lepski asked, ‘What’s for supper?’

  ‘You’ve just had your lunch, Mr. Lepski.’

  ‘Never mind. I’m a man who looks ahead. What’s for supper?’

  ‘I wouldn’t know. It depends on how the cook feels.’

  ‘Is that right? How about telling her I’ll give her a feel if she cooks up something good?’

  The nurse giggled.

  ‘That’s not a nice way to talk, Mr. Lepski.’

  ‘You’re right. Sitting around here, looking at this guy turns me off. You going?’

  ‘I certainly am before you get a feeling for me.’

  ‘An idea! If I wasn’t a respectably married man.’

  I heard the sound of the door closing.

  So they didn’t know the necklace had been stolen. So Lawson had seen Rhea and Fel leave, but as Lepski had said, that didn’t mean a thing. In their disguise and moving fast, they would be as good as anonymous. I lay still, thinking, then decided I mustn’t come to the surface for at least a couple of hours. I mustn’t let Lepski have an inkling that I had heard what he had told the nurse.

  So I lay still and thought while time moved on. My head ached and Lepski’s fidgeting irritated me.

  From time to time the nurse looked in. Finally, the doctor arrived and I decided now I could show signs of life. As I heard him greet Lepski, I moved, groaned softly, opened my eyes and looked up at a fat face bending over me, then I shut my eyes.

  ‘He’s coming to.’

  ‘Man! Is that news!’ Lepski exclaimed.

  I opened my eyes again and raised my hand to my aching head and felt bandages.

  ‘How do you feel, Mr. Carr?’ This from the doctor.

  ‘Where am I?’ The classical remark made by people returning to consciousness.

  ‘There’s nothing for you to worry about. You’re in the city hospital. How do you feel?’

  ‘I have a headache.’

  ‘I’ll fix that. Don’t worry. Just relax, Mr. Carr.’

  ‘Sydney - they killed him.’

  ‘Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll give you a shot and you take it easy. There’s plenty of time.’

  ‘Hey! Hold it! I want to talk to him!’ Lepski said, feverishly. ‘This is important.’

  ‘You don’t talk to my patient yet.’ There was a snap in the doctor’s voice. ‘Nurse .’

  A moment later I felt her dab my arm and then the prick of a needle. As I drifted off I thought that time was on my side. I was in no rush to talk to Lepski, but I knew in this coming game of poker, I held the better cards.

  * * *

  Sunlight woke me. I moved, raised my head, then blinked around. The pain in my head had gone. My mind was clear. Across the room, standing by the window was a tall, lean man with a heavy sun tan who I guessed was Lepski. Seated by my side was an attractive nurse who, seeing me move, got to her feet and bent over me.

  ‘Hello, Mr. Carr, feeling better now?’

  ‘I’m feeling pretty good.’ I lifted my hand to my head. ‘What’s been going on?’

  ‘Just relax. I’ll call Dr. Summers.’

  She crossed the room to the telephone as Lepski converged on me. I found myself looking up into two hard pale blue eyes: cop’s eyes.

  ‘Hi, Mr. Carr,’ he said, keeping his voice down. ‘Am I glad to see you alive again. Do you feel like talking?’

  ‘Who are you - the doctor?’

  Then Lepski was shoved aside by the nurse.

  ‘Not yet,’ she said to him. ‘You don’t talk to him without Dr. Summers’ say-so.’

  ‘Is this a goddamn ball!’ Lepski said and walked back to the window.

  A moment later a short fat man wearing a white coat came bustling in. He took my pulse, beamed at me, said I was doing fine and not to worry about anything.

  ‘Mr. Carr, there’s a police officer who wants to question you. Do you feel like talking to him? Don’t hesitate to say no if you don’t feel well enough, but it seems important.’

  ‘It’s about Sydney Fremlin?’ I made my voice husky, a whisper.

  ‘Yes.’

  I closed my eyes and remained silent for several seconds. I wanted him to know I still felt pretty bad.

  ‘All right.’

  The doctor turned and beckoned to Lepski.

  ‘Just a few minutes.’

  Lepski came and stood by my side.

  ‘Mr. Carr, I can guess how you’re feeling, but this is important. Can you tell me what happened? Just briefly, just tell me what happened to have gotten you in this mess.’

  I noted his voice wasn’t hostile and that surely meant he wasn’t suspicious of me.

  Sounding weary and speaking in a whisper, I said, ‘Fremlin and I were working. The door burst open. A man and a woman rushed in. Fremlin tried to stop them. The woman shot him and then she hit me.’

  ‘What were you working on?’

  ‘A design for a diamond collar.’

  ‘Have you any idea what they were after?’

  ‘The diamond necklace.’

  ‘What necklace?’

  ‘We were converting the necklace into a collar. The necklace was lying on the desk, did they take it?’

  ‘There was no necklace when we arrived,’ Lepski said, leaning forward and staring at me. ‘What necklace, what was it worth?’

  That would be enough for now, I told myself and wearily closed my eyes.

  ‘That’ll do,’ Dr. Summers said. ‘He must rest now.’

  Lepski made a noise like a trapped bluebottle fly.

  ‘This is a murder case, Doc. I’ve got to talk to him. Hey! Mr. Carr!’

  I opened my eyes, stared at him, then closed my eyes. I got another prick in the arm and I drifted away, hearing Lepski protesting.

  When I came to again, I found another man sitting by my side. He was tall, lean and ugly in a pleasant way with an easy quiet manner.

  ‘How are you, Mr. Carr?’

  Behind him hovered the nu
rse.

  ‘A bit doped,’ I said, shut my eyes, moved my head, then looked at him again. ‘Who are you?’

  ‘I’m Steve Harmas,’ he told me. ‘I represent the National Fidelity Insurance Corporation.’

  I felt a cold chill start up my spine.

  So this was the man who I had heard so much about: the man who solved frauds and murders with Maddox behind him.

  This man would be far more dangerous than Lepski. I was sure of that, but I couldn’t stall any longer.

  This was the showdown. I had to convince him or I was sunk.

  ‘Feel like talking?’ Harmas asked. His voice was quiet and he had this bedside manner, but I wasn’t conned.

  ‘Yes.’ I made out I was making an effort and I raised myself slightly so I could look directly at him.

  ‘Go ahead.’

  ‘I’ll make it brief, Mr. Carr.’ His voice wasn’t hostile, but his eyes were watchful. He didn’t con me for a moment. ‘Did you know Mr. Fremlin had insured a diamond necklace for three-quarters of a million dollars?’

  ‘Yes he told me.’

  ‘We get the idea the necklace has been stolen. From what you told Lepski, it was the necklace they were after. Mr. Fremlin’s safe was open, no sign of the necklace. Did they get it?’

  ‘No.’

  He stared at me.

  ‘They didn’t? Are you sure?’

  ‘Yes.’

  He regarded me doubtfully.

  ‘Do you know where it is?’

  Here it is, I thought, now I play my ace card.

  ‘Yes, I know it’s in my safe in my apartment.’

  There was a long pause as Harmas regarded me, his eyes quizzing.

  ‘In your safe, Mr. Carr? I’m not following you.’

  I closed my eyes and pretended to rest, then looking at him again, I said, ‘I can assure you the necklace hasn’t been stolen. There were two necklaces. The original in diamonds and an imitation in glass. We were working with the imitation.’

  Harmas let breath whistle out between his teeth.

  ‘Is that good news! My boss thought we were going to be stuck for a three-quarters of a million claim! You really mean this?’