by Simon Swift
She shrugged. "I honestly don't know. Maybe the Coward discovered he was being played for a fool. It wasn't George. That I do know. If I had to take a guess I would plump for Coward's gunslinger Audrey Daniels but Dyke made no secret of the fact that he had many enemies."
"Ferriby's dead, do you know that?"
"Yes. After Dyke was killed and Claudia kicked him out he went right off the rails. He became paranoid about everything and started living very dangerously. I don't know who killed him either but again there are many candidates."
There was a silence as I refilled our glasses and then Marlow continued.
"The Coward got in touch immediately after Dyke's shooting. He was furious that I had been seen with Ferriby, and insisted that I started pulling my weight. He suggested that I get closer to you and I of course agreed. He still knew nothing about Liam Tighe and therefore I was at an advantage. It was his idea to coax you to Woodstock where I would be used to make you crack and give him the diamond, only I knew you didn't have it."
"What makes you think I have it now?"
"I know about Mr. Wilson. Liam Tighe left the diamond to Claudia and you opened the safety deposit box. You do have the diamond, Errol, I know you do."
At that moment, the telephone rang out making us both jump. I told Marlow to stay exactly where I could see her and keep silent. I picked up the receiver.
"Errol, is that you?"
It was Claudia.
"Hello sweetheart. I'm sorry I'm a little busy right now, can I call you..."
"Oh Errol, come back to bed darling!"
As she said it, she pressed her finger over the telephone and cut the connection. She then took the handset from my fist and threw it on the floor before peeling off her black gown. Before I could say anything, she had dropped her bra and panties to the floor and was rubbing her soft fingers up and down my neck.
"Come on, Errol," she panted, tugging at my tie. As always, it was neatly tied up in a Windsor, giving a little more resistance that the orthodox tie. "I'm tired of all these questions. We can talk some more in the morning."
I pushed her away gently. So not to make her stumble and lose her sitting position over me, simply keep her at arms length. A puzzled, almost frightened look came over her intense face as I reached for my holster. I watched her all the time, admiring her sheer sensuality, even more sexy in fear.
"You shouldn't have done that Marlow," I said, but my voice was weak.
To her relief I simply unstrapped the leather shoulder belt that holsters my weapon and tossed it on to the floor. I was now completely naked from the waist up with the most beautiful woman in the world on my lap. She curled her nose up and lunged to kiss me on the face; arms and hands traveling all over my hairy body. Again, we stopped by me lightly pushing her away.
"Don't stop now Errol, you want me so much you're gonna burst," she declared, knowing that she was spot on.
She was right. God damn was she was right.
But I hesitated. I thought of Claudia; sweet, beautiful, innocent Claudia who would do just about anything for me. She was the girl that I loved and she was the one that really loved me back. Marlow would never love me. She would probably never love anybody but herself. What must Claudia be thinking now I wondered but the thought simply filled me with dread. It didn't last long.
I looked at Marlow and sighed. Lives were at stake here.
Marlow was truly surprised by the sheer force I flipped her over with, from sitting above me onto her back. I pinned her lithe, struggling body down, holding her wrists in each clenched hand and her legs slightly parted by my full weight. She looked up at me, now struggling with less urgency, more rubbing herself against me, and again a big smile appeared. "That's the way, Errol, you know you want to."
She began to laugh, but the giggles of victory were soon replaced by moans of pleasure as I lowered my mouth to her neck. The gentle sighs and simpers rang in my neck as I slowly edged down the oasis of beauty that was Marlow.
I awoke for the second time. It was seven thirty and I could hear the shower. It stopped and before I properly got the sleep out of my eyes, in she walked. Only a towel around her dripping body and another wrapped around her head. She held a small handgun in her left hand.
"You really should wake up earlier," she said sweetly, tightening the towel around her breasts and perching on the far corner of the bed. "The early bird catches the worm. You know the old saying?"
I sat up, resting my back on the headboard, pulling the quilt up to my waist.
"Oh, don't be shy Errol, please. Not after last night." She frowned. "It's a shame things are as they are but..." She stood up and dropped the towel, "...that's just how it goes."
I sat in silence, watching intently as Marlow slowly dressed herself. Teasing me with her sheer magnificence, she slid on her silky, black panties before swapping them for navy blue. Then, a matching bra, with stockings and suspenders. She stood there, over me, after doing in reverse what politicians would pay thousands of dollars for, and sighed. The handgun held firmly in her left hand.
"Do you want a coffee, Errol?" she asked.
"You're not working for Coward are you?" I said, not waiting for an answer. "Not for them under duress, and not with them."
Marlow half smiled, looking at myself and then the lump of metal in her hand.
"Is that what you used to kill Ferriby?" I asked nodding at the gun.
She smiled wickedly. "Come on now Errol, let's not spoil things. We were getting on so well."
"Don't flatter yourself sweetheart," I retorted. "You're nothing special."
"You can resist me about as much as I can you." She smiled. "You know that as well as I do."
I said nothing, which seemed to upset Marlow.
"I do love you Errol. In your own way I know that you love me also but if I have to..."
"What, you'll shoot me down?" I interrupted.
She held the gun uneasily, touching her wrinkled nose. "Just tell me where the diamond is and we can stop all the unpleasantness. I told you everything you need to know last night. You now must realize that the Flegenheimer Diamond belongs to me. It certainly doesn't belong to Claudia Cortene and I think you have already been handsomely rewarded. Just tell me where it is!"
I fumbled on the bedside cabinet, knocking off a tumbler of water, which splashed down on the lovely carpet. Marlow let out a shriek before pulling out a pack of Luckys and tossing them over. I lit one up and inhaled deeply. She looked extremely agitated as I exhaled, impatient to the point of hysterical.
"Maybe I don’t know where the diamond is. Everybody seems to have got it in their head that I do, but hell, maybe they're wrong?" I held out my hands and puffed on the cigarette. "So Liam left his old girlfriend a little something but it wasn't the diamond. He didn't leave her the diamond because he never had it himself. None of us did. Both you and Coward are looking up the wrong tree and the only one playing games is the late Dutch Schultz. He would have never left a priceless diamond to a cheap tart!"
"How can you say such things?" whimpered Marlow her face a mask of anger and despair. "I love you. You love me. If it wasn't for me the Coward would have already killed you."
I laughed a good old chesty laugh and shook my head condescendingly.
Trembling now and with tears running down her cheeks, Marlow raised the gun. "Where is the diamond Errol? It's the last time I'm going to ask you. Coward may have offered you $20, 000 but I am offering you your life."
Casually I took another drag of my Lucky and blew out a thick cloud of smoke. "I very much doubt that my life is yours to offer," I answered.
"I love you but I'll kill you if I have to." Slowly her violently trembling arm moved and pointed the gun right at me. "Don't make me do it Errol, tell me where it is and it'll be all right."
I remained defiant. Holding the burning ember between forefinger and thumb, squinting as I sucked the last life from it. She was barely three feet away from me now. Arms held out in front of her
, with the gun shaking. Her usually immaculate face was tarnished by dried tears. Wearing the most incredible lingerie, she looked even more beautiful than usual. Despite the usual arrogance having drained away, I could see the anguish in her face. Indecision; could she do it after all? Could she pull that trigger? I was in no doubt that she could, and probably would.
In the short time I had known her, Marlow had displayed her talents to the full. Switching roles from damsel in distress to lady-killer with the utmost of ease. She was a woman who knew exactly what she wanted all of the time. Was our situation different? I considered it for a while. Maybe she really did love me in her own inimitable way, but even if she did it wasn't strong enough to stop her killing me. Marlow was out for herself and would let nothing get in her way.
Her finger curled nervously around the trigger, and she began to sob uncontrollably. No longer the silent streams flowing down her high cheekbones, giving off the desired effect without too much effort. No, she was now going the whole hog - maybe they were even real, right now I didn't really care.
"Last time... Errol... I mean it." She could barely manage to get out the words, as her finger applied more pressure.
I shook my head and flicked the stub into the ashtray. My sudden movement broke the détente and as her finger overbalanced, squeezing the trigger its full recoil. She closed her eyes and screamed.
The short, sharp clicking sound of the firing pin hitting an empty chamber was clearly not the expected outcome. Immediately her eyes opened, now in desperation and shock, and she pulled the trigger again and again and again. Still no gunfire and the gun dropped to the carpeted floor.
I reacted quickly, leaping out from under the thick, heavy duvet and grabbed Marlow. Tossing her on to the bed like a rag doll she yelped with pain as her head hit the board at the end of the bed. Holding a hand to her throbbing head, she watched me fearfully. I reached a full arms length in between the mattresses and pulled out a tin, followed by my own 9mm handgun.
"I knew the gun was empty, I was just..." A heavy slap across the face stopped her pathetic pleas.
"Oh no," I said somberly. "I think I've heard enough for the time being." I shook my head and smiled my toothy grin. "You surprised me sweetheart, I'll give you that. It was fifty-fifty, but I'd have bet against." I put my hand to her wringing cheek and stroked it gently. "You really are a dangerous lady to know."
I put my gun down on the bed and opened the lid of the tin. "Don't even think about it," I said curtly, unable to resist a chuckle as Marlow eyed my own gun hungrily. She immediately put on a look of innocence and hurt, before peering curiously at the contents of the tin.
"Ammunition," I answered, without her actually asking the question. "Luckily, the pellets I took from your little weapon," I smiled at her worried gaze, "fit nicely into my own."
One by one, I filled up the little holes for the bullets and clicked the breech closed.
Chapter Twenty-Seven – Big man in the clouds
By the time I could get through to Ava, it was almost lunchtime. I washed and shaved at the hotel. I was still wearing yesterday’s clothes. They were a little ruffled and shabby but would have to do until I could get back to Joe's Diner. I'd forced a smoked mackerel down about an hour ago. The hotel breakfast had already finished and that was all I could manage.
Ava picked up the telephone immediately.
"Hello sweetheart, it's Errol."
"Errol, where were you last night? That poor girl came back in floods of tears. I hope you've not..."
"Ava, listen okay, I don't have much time."
"Okay," she calmed down. "Fire away."
"This afternoon I want you back in the office. Open for business as usual. Any cases of interest note down the details and I'll be taking appointments next week."
"But…" she sounded confused. ”I thought the office was dangerous. You said..."
"I said it was being refurbished and now it's been finished so I want it opened for business, okay?"
There was a short silence. "What about the case, Errol? Have you solved it? Is this whole mess finished and done with?"
"Not on the telephone, precious okay? Just do as I ask, open for business and I'll take care of the rest."
"Okay Errol, is that all?"
"No, just one more thing. Is Claudia still with you? I need to talk to her."
I could hear Ava sigh and again there was a pause. She was usually the most professional person you could ever hope to meet and to employ her was a dream; her telephone manner impeccable. Right now, however, she was clearly flustered.
"She's not here right now, Errol. Shall I tell her to call you at Joe's?"
"How about telling me what's going on right now?" I retorted.
Again Ava sighed. "It's probably nothing Errol..."
"Let me be the judge of that sweetheart."
"It's just last night like I told you, she was very upset. First you cancelled dinner and the..."
"Get to the point!"
"She called you at the hotel... she said that you were with another woman. She was dreadfully upset Errol. She ended up spending a lot of the night with Hermeez..."
Someone else I had stood up last night, I thought glumly. "They had a lot to talk about, conversing most of the evening. Then she came back here for the night, still very upset."
"So they had a few drinks together and he brought her back. What's the problem? For Christ's sake he's my best friend."
"Oh well it's probably nothing Errol, it's just... well he picked her up again this morning." She said it bitterly, as if her own hopes had been dashed. "She seemed very secretive; I don't know why I just got the vibes, okay? And they drove away quickly. She was supposed to meet me for coffee and hour ago and never showed."
"Okay sweetheart. Thank you for keeping me informed. Now you just do as I ask okay, I'll be in to see you later."
I hung up the telephone and rubbed my forehead.
When I arrived at Joe's Diner, I got the whole story again from my loyal friend. He seemed unconcerned, but duty bound to inform me. I patted him on his meaty shoulder and pinched his chubby cheek. "Don't you worry my old mate, everything's going to be just fine."
"Are you all right, Errol? You seem a little tired. Are things getting to you a bit? You should slow down a bit you know, no offence mind, just a little advice."
"Don't you worry about me. Get the bubbly on ice. Soon we're going to have a celebration. Do you mind if I use the telephone?" I asked, quickly changing my tone.
My fat friend stood back, his arms in the air. "Everything's just as you left it. Help yourself."
I thanked Joe and made my way through to the temporary office in the back room. It would be my last day there I thought joyfully, and I wouldn't miss it one little bit.
I propped my feet up on the cluttered desk and picked up the handset. Dialing with one hand, I loosened my tie with the other, instantly thinking back to last night. I reached over for the fresh bottle of bourbon on the edge of the desk as the phone connected through. You're a diamond you old sod, I thought about Joe, a God damn diamond.
"Hello I need to speak to Stanley Cortene please," I said politely down the phone, whilst pouring myself a healthy measure. "Oh, I think you'll find him if you look hard enough. Tell him it’s Errol Black."
There was a short pause. I could hear a conversation in the background. And then...
"Black?" came the rough voice of the don. "Are you in trouble?"
I took a big gulp of bourbon. "Can we meet someplace, I've got something very important to tell you? As soon as possible."
Again there was a pause and a muffled conversation. "Seven o'clock tonight. The Empire State Building."
The line went dead. Slowly I replaced the handset and finished my drink. I hope you're right, I said to myself, I really do.
A quick change of clothes and I was once again on the move. A pair of gorillas had been tailing me ever since my meeting with the Coward. They were young, pretty and cute,
but no doubt keen hotshots from twenty yards. It was nothing out of the ordinary, quite expected in fact, but I wasn't quite ready just yet. Where the hell was Hermeez? He wouldn't have any trouble losing them. I didn't have time to try anything at the moment so I took them with me. But soon they would have to go.
"Any problems, sweetheart?" I asked Ava, propping my hat on the hat stand. She remained silent and I pulled up a chair. "Seems like you've got everything up and running again. Sorry about the short notice, but..."
"Errol! Shut up!" shouted Ava. I could see she had been crying.
"What is it precious?" I asked, rising to my feet immediately and taking my young secretary in my arms. "I didn't upset you did I? You know I'm busy darling, it doesn't usually bother you."
"Errol, stop!"
I held her at arms length and looked into her eyes. Her long face was sun burnt and her badly applied makeup was all smeared. "Does this mean the wedding's off?" I laughed.
A small smile appeared on Ava's worried face. "Come on, it’s not too hard is it?" I urged and her face cracked from a brief glimmer of a smile into one filled with sorrow.
"Oh Errol, I'm so sorry," she whispered.
On the desk was a letter. Ava picked it up in her shaking hands and held it out for me. I took the letter and looked at Ava for explanation.
"I was so suspicious, I didn't know what else to do..." she spluttered as if in justification.
I said nothing.
"I looked through her room," she continued, her head now to the floor in shame. "And this is what I found. It was in a worn, brown envelope. I'm sorry, Errol, I couldn't help but read it."
I held the letter in disbelief, before I could begin to read it Ava again hugged me, crying uncontrollably. "How could she do it Errol, how could she do it?"
A few moments passed. I held my closest ally in my arms warmly. Comforting her, combing her thick hair with my fingers. Eventually she calmed down a little and I made her a coffee. I sat her down in a comfy chair, poured a handsome measure of spirit into the coffee and handed it to her. I then sat down to read the letter. In silence apart from the odd sniffle.
