The Man Who Stayed Alive

by John Creasey

  ‘Yes,’ said Rachel. ‘You gave him too much.’

  ‘Too much?’ Eve’s voice seemed strangled.

  ‘In giving, you wanted too much,’ said Rachel carefully. ‘He wasn’t a generous giver. You should have found that out. He couldn’t give all of himself. I knew what you didn’t know, Eve. I should have let him do anything to me but not betray you, but I hadn’t the strength. I don’t think he loved me; I think if he loved anyone it was you.’

  Eve said emptily: ‘Yes. But why — why should he betray his work, why — ?’

  ‘He couldn’t resist temptation any longer,’ Rachel said. ‘So he took his big chance. I was glad to help him. I loved him quite as much as you ever did.’

  Eve moved at last, backing into the room. The hand with the packet was stretched out behind her, but she wasn’t trying to get rid of it; she was groping for somewhere to sit down, or to rest again. Whittaker didn’t speak to offer guidance, for she touched a chair and then sat down on it, her profile towards him. Rachel came further into the room; and in a way the situation was worse than it had been, because with the gun she could cover both Whittaker and Eve.

  She held the gun loosely as she said: ‘I wish I hadn’t got to tell you, but you’ve got to understand. You’ve got to understand, Eve. When Bob went to Europe this time he was after these diamonds. That was his real job. He and I made a deal. He’d get them, but it would look as if Ricky had taken them, and Bob would be in the clear. We were going to share equally. I would be able to spend money on projects like Joanna’s church. God, how I’ve longed to do that! At least, the money would do good.’ For a moment Rachel paused with a catch in her breath. But she didn’t close her eyes, and the hand holding the gun was very still. She could raise it in a flash, towards either or both of them. ‘You’ve got to admit that, Eve.’

  Eve said thinly: ‘Yes. Yes, I suppose it would.’

  ‘You suppose, you . . .’ Rachel began, and for the first time she raised her voice; but the shrillness didn’t last, and she broke off abruptly. Then, ‘It’s no use shouting at each other,’ she said. ‘At least we can be civilised.’

  Eve seemed to echo the word, for her lips moved; but she didn’t make any sound.

  ‘After the murders I hoped it would all die down,’ Rachel went on. ‘When Olive died I thought it was nearly over. Just a few more weeks and I could start selling some of the diamonds. Bob had told me whom he’d go to. I was all set. But it hasn’t worked out. Ricky guesses I have them. He once thought Bob had sent them to you, and sent a man to frighten you. Remember when you were nearly shot at, and your new hero saved you? Ricky was going to soften you up. Well, he didn’t. He switched to me, and I don’t know whether I can beat him or not. But — I’m going to try.’ Her voice grew harsh, bitter. ‘I was going to switch him on to Whittaker. You’ll admit that I tried to help Whittaker; I took big risks in having him attended here. I used my influence with Dr. Glister, and Sister Joanna, who sent the nurse when a nurse was needed. I believed that when he was well again, I could make Ricky think that Whittaker had the diamonds. It was worth trying, Stalling, playing for time, trying. And — I’m going to try!’

  ‘You’ll never do it,’ said Eve huskily.

  ‘Then we’ll all lose,’ Rachel said, ‘but I’m going to try. I’m going to kill you both. Then I’m going to send for Ricky, and promise him a deal. And when he’s here, I’ll send for the police. He’ll be so tightly framed he won’t have a chance to get out. And between killing you and sending for him, I’ll have put the diamonds away.’

  She stopped, breathing very hard, as if she hated herself for what she was planning.

  ‘Rachel,’ Eve said in a stronger voice, ‘what makes you think of killing me? What is it?’

  ‘Simply to get the money for all the things I’ve always wanted to do — all the good it will bring. I can’t give it up — I just can’t.’

  Eve didn’t speak again.

  ( ‘I tell you I can’t give it up!’ Rachel screamed, and raised her free hand. ‘I tell you I can’t! Don’t look at me like that: don’t!’ She raised the gun, and Whittaker felt his heart bound, and made an effort to fling himself forward. He could not, had no chance at all to help the woman he loved. ‘Why should I, why——’

  ‘Rachel, my dear,’ said a man from behind her, ‘you should give them up because they don’t belong to you. They belong to us all.’

  She spun round.

  A man out of sight of Whittaker fired at her. Her gun was twisted from her wrist, and she backed away, as if she could not believe her eyes.

  Pirran came in sight, holding a gun.

  Men, outside, came running.

  Pirran was smiling, in a funny little deprecating way.

  ‘They belong to the Government, Rachel, that’s what I mean. I serve the Government. Oddly, perhaps, but loyally. I had the task of finding the diamonds, and I found them. The mistakes I made came later.’ He spoke very quietly and confidently. ‘I wasn’t sure of Whittaker, and I wasn’t sure of Bob Gann. I had to check them both, and when Camponi ran amok, I was back where I started. I played it the way I thought best — and at least it’s worked out.’ A smile made the corners of his lips droop in a droll way. ‘It’s all right, Whittaker, I hold no grudge. You in your way and I in mine, we did what we believed we had to do. In fact I have been very proud to know you.’

  Men were filling the room beyond, now; some uniformed police and some in plain-clothes.

  ‘I followed you in today, using a key which I had made many weeks ago,’ Pirran said to Rachel. ‘Some of your friends in Harlem told me that you were showing an interest in the jewel merchants there. Loyalty is a strange thing, Rachel. Loyalty to the country goes very deep in unsuspected people, and is shallow with the most unlikely ones, too. But that is a truism. You were allowed to keep Whit-taker here. You have been closely watched, because, you see, we had reason to suspect Bob. We knew of his association with you. We didn’t know whether his wife was involved in this deal, and didn’t know whether we could really trust Whittaker. But Dr. Clister told us that Whittaker would soon be about again; we guessed you were trying to find a market for the diamonds. So it was time we moved in.

  ‘Don’t run away, Rachel.’

  ‘Don’t——’

  She turned and ran, past Whittaker, past Eve, towards the passage, across it, with men thundering after her. Her footsteps clattered on the kitchen floor. A man shouted. There was a crash of glass, and a man shouted in horror:

  ‘Stop her! She’s jumping out!’

  There was no time to stop her.

  Pirran came back to the room a few minutes afterwards, and Whittaker watched and waited. Eve was by the window; and in these few quivering minutes no one could help her to fight her battle.

  Neither of them tried.

  Whittaker had to say something, could not just look at her. ‘So you were an F.B.I, man, Gus?’ He spoke flatly, wearily. ‘You were in danger first, and then the danger faded when you did the deal with Maisie. But Camponi found out.’

  Pirran smiled very faintly.

  ‘I can tell you most of the story now,’ he said. ‘How Camponi discovered that I was bribing Maisie, and . . .’

  He seemed as anxious as Whittaker to talk; perhaps believing that it might help Eve, or at least stop her from thinking those tormenting thoughts. As Pirran talked, the pieces fell into place. Most of it Whittaker already knew, but he had never heard the whole story before in a coherent whole.

  Ricky sent Camponi to Europe for the diamond theft. The F.B.I, sent Pirran and Bob — Bob not knowing who Pirran was. Pirran stole the diamonds back, deliberately taking the risk so as to draw not only Camponi but the great Ricky.

  There he failed.

  Camponi killed in that awful night at sea, Bob, waiting his chance, got the diamonds and gave them to Olive — on the afternoon of the murders.

  Bob died.

  Maisie died.

  Olive escaped and did a courageous best,
and nearly succeeded, but Ricky suspected her and kept at her, until Blick killed her: an accidental murder.

  Then Rachel had the jewels.

  There wasn’t much more that anyone needed to be reminded of. Now, Whittaker knew it all, except. . .

  ‘What about Ricky?’ he asked gruffly.

  ‘We’re going to hang Ricky,’ Pirran said dreamily. ‘Blick talked, and he has the evidence we need.’ Pirran looked at Eye, and added very quietly: ‘Bob always said he would get Ricky one day. Remember?’

  Eve didn’t speak; could only turn away.

  Two hours later, in the apartment, Pirran and the Government officials opened the packet and displayed the shimmering beauty of a million dollars’ worth of diamonds.

  ‘Payment from European Governments for goods they needed desperately,’ Pirran said. He gave his almost droll, fish-like smile. ‘Tell me, Whittaker, did I fool you or did you begin to suspect who I was? Is that why you let me go?’

  ‘You fooled me utterly,’ Whittaker admitted. He didn’t smile. ‘Now fool me again, will you? In your position I would question Mrs. Gann at once; I would break her down until she told me everything she knew — although she may not know a thing. Fool me, Pirran. Leave her alone, and leave us here, will you?’

  Pirran said, ‘If at any time either of you needs help, I hope you will let me know.’

  He went out.

  Eve was still sitting in the chair where she had been when Rachel had made the move to shoot her.

  Whittaker moved slowly as he heard the outside door close. He would move clumsily for a long time. He would probably do and say the wrong thing for a long time. He was in no position to tell Eve what he felt, to say how precious she was to him. He could not even begin to tell her that he understood how deep the wound had gone. He could only hope that before long she would begin to live again, first for the children and then for herself — and later, perhaps, for him.

  He got off the bed and stood there weak on his legs; he hadn’t really walked unaided yet.

  He took a step forward.

  ‘Eve,’ he said in a husky voice, ‘I need — I need your help.’

  She turned her face slowly and blindly towards him; as if she could not see; and he wondered if she would ever be able to see life clearly again. For that moment, despair clutched at him. But it loosed its hold, for she saw him, and hi a swift movement, got up and came towards him, saying:

  ‘You mustn’t do that! Neil, you must get well quickly.’ She reached him. ‘You must, do you understand, you must get well.’

  ‘It’s all right,’ Whittaker said, and he thought of Pirran as he spoke of himself. ‘In fact, it’s fine, Eve. I’m the man who didn’t die.’ He put his arm about her shoulders as she helped him on to the bed. ‘Because you wouldn’t let me’ he went on. ‘There isn’t another reason in the world.’

  THE END.