Part 22 (1/2)
”That's none of your business,” she said
He suspected a trap, but the thought of getting ten thousand dollars filled hireed He had to hold hi to explode with exultation All his life he'd wanted to be a big shot, and noas his chance if he played his cards right
”Okay,” he said ”I don't give a daot it, whether you stole it or cut his throat for it, just so long as you've got it”
”I've got it,” she said ”But you'll have to bring ive it to you”
”What the hell do you think I a me the money here and we'll talk about the knife”
”No, you've got to co me the knife,” she said
”I ain't that crazy, baby,” he said ”It ain't that I'm scared of Johnny, but I don't have to take no rape-fiend chance like that It's your little tail that's in the vise, and you're goin' to have to pay to get it out”
”Listen, honey, there ain't no chance in it,” she said ”He can't get back before to to take hi for, and when he gets back I got to be goneyou,” chink said
”You ain't so s to find out is what caused Val to wind up dead”
Suddenly chink began to see the light ”Then it was you--”
She cut hione when he gets back, and that's for sure I just want to leave him a souvenir”
An expression of triumph lit chink's face ”You mean you want me, there in his own house?”
”In his own bed,” she said ”Theon hiave a low vicious laugh ”You and ether”
”Well, hurry up then,” she said
”Give me half an hour,” he said
She had unhooked the extension in the bedroo fro up she said to herself, ”You asked for it”
Dulcy atching fro She wore her robe with nothing underneath
”Come on in, honey,” she said ”The place is ours”
”I knew I'd get you,” he said, rab at her, but she slipped neatly out of his arht then, don't make me wait”
He looked into the kitchen
”If you're scared, search the house,” she said
”Who's scared?” he said belligerently
The bedroom which Val had used was directly acrosS from the kitchen and theroom
She started to lead chink into Val's roo room, then he hesitated before the door to the master bedroom J)ulcy had padlocked it with the heavy Yale lock Johnny had used to lock her in
”What's in there?” chink asked
”That was Val's roo locked?” he wanted to know
”The police locked it,” she said ”If you want it open, go ahead and break down the door”
He laughed, then looked into the bathroo to take a bath first,” she said ”Do youto himself with a crazy sort of exultation
”You're a real bitch,” he said, taking her by the ar her into Val's bedroom and back across the bed ”I knew you were a bitch, but I didn't knoher
”Let hed jubilantly, as though laughing to hiold bitch,” he said as though talking to hiht ”Where's the money?”
”Where's the knife?” she countered
He took it from his pocket and held it in his hand
She pointed to an envelope on the dressing table
He picked it up, opened it with one hand while holding onto the knife with the other and shook hundred dollar bills onto the bedspread She eased the knife from his hand and slipped it into the pocket of her robe, but he didn't notice He was rooting his face in thein swill
”Put it away and undress,” she said
He stood up, laughing crazily to hi off his clothes
”I'll just leave it there and look at it,” he said
She sat at the dressing table and