‘Sure.’ I took the papers up to my office, put them on the desk, hesitated, then started from the office towards Val’s room. I had only taken three steps along the corridor when I came to an abrupt halt.
Coming up the stairs, moving like a ghost, was Gesetti.
We looked at each other. From under the brim of his white hat, his flat snake’s eyes glittered menacingly.
The sight of him chilled me.
‘Looking for something, buster?’ he demanded and came up the last of the stairs with the speed of a cat.
I backed away from him. He looked as lethal as a cobra. Panic grabbed me. I backed into my office and hurriedly shut the door.
This was the man, Val had told me, who would kill us if Vidal found out that we were lovers. He put the fear of God into me. It was something I couldn’t control. I was furious with myself that I had shown him so clearly I was frightened of him, but there was something so vicious and deadly about him surely anyone would be frightened of him?
I sat at my desk, wiping my clammy hands with my handkerchief, listening for the sound of his footsteps, but hearing nothing. I was sure he was still outside my door. I had to restrain the urge to rush to the door and turn the key.
It took me nearly ten minutes to calm down. I now hadn’t the courage to venture out of the office. I still couldn’t be sure that Gesetti wasn’t out there in the corridor so I called Roger Everet of the Florida Air Taxi service.
‘Hello, Burden,’ he said when he came to the telephone. ‘What’s it this time? Your dwarf paid up like a lamb by the way.’
‘He wants an air taxi: three passengers and luggage for San Salvador on standby. As soon as Hermes has blown itself out he wants to take off.’
‘Can do. Same terms?’
‘Same terms.’
‘Okay, tell him the kite will be at readiness.’
‘What do the weather boys say?’
‘Could be through in three or four days but it’ll be bad while it lasts. Let’s see, today’s Tuesday. He could take off Saturday with luck.’
‘Okay. I’ll tell him.’
I still had no desire to see Val as yet. Gesetti had acted like a bucket of cold water thrown over me so I began to type the paper Dyer had given me: dull speeches of directors of an oil corporation.
As I typed I became aware that the wind was hissing. The palm trees began to rustle. Away in the distance came the faint rumble of thunder.
At lunchtime I went down to the darkened dining room. On the table were two plates of sandwiches and bottles of beer. I took two sandwiches and a beer back to my office, then completed the work Dyer had given me.
The wind was now whistling through the trees and slamming against the boarded up windows. The thunder sounded closer.
Later Dyer called me on the intercom.
‘Finished those speeches yet?’ he asked.
‘Yes. Shall I bring them down?’
‘Tiny’s asking for them. Take them to him, will you?’
I found Vidal at his desk, a pint of milk and some sandwiches near him. He looked up from the paper he was reading.
‘Those speeches you wanted, Mr. Vidal,’ I said and put them on his desk.
‘Thanks.’ He leaned back in his chair and reached for a sandwich. ‘Got that air taxi fixed?’
‘Yes. Everet thinks you could take off on Saturday.’
‘I hope he’s right. Now go talk to Mrs. Vidal. I’ve just been up. She’s complaining she’s lonely.’ He eyed me, then went on, ‘and listen Burden, don’t give her any sympathy. She imagines she is having a nervous breakdown. That’s a lot of hooey. She’s just bored. When women get bored they dream up any damn thing to make themselves the centre of attention. So don’t play along with her. Understand?’
I hesitated. Then bracing myself, I looked directly at him.
‘Excuse me, Mr. Vidal, but I don’t agree.’
He was reaching for a pen as I spoke. His hand hovered over the pen and he looked up sharply.
‘What was that?’
‘I was with Mrs. Vidal when she fainted. She hit her head. Dr. Fontane visited her twice a day for three days and he called in a specialist. It doesn’t seem reasonable to me to suggest this is an attempt to attract attention.’
He sat back, his little eyes probing.
‘Interesting. Do you think she is having a nervous breakdown Burden?’
‘I don’t know, but you don’t fall and hit your head for the fun of it.’
He gave his short barking laugh.
‘That tells me how much you know about women. Of course they’ll fall and hurt their heads or scratch their wrists with a razor blade or take just enough sleeping pills if they feel neglected. Women are special animals, but I understand them. Don’t worry about Mrs. Vidal. If anyone is to worry it’ll be me and I’m not worrying yet. Go and see her, amuse her, do something to get her mind off herself.’ He reached for his pen and signed the paper he had been reading.
I remained where I was. He looked up and frowned at me.
‘Go along Burden. I’m busy.’
‘I think you should begin to worry, Mr. Vidal.’ I was determined now to have it out with him. ‘I think there is something radically wrong with Mrs. Vidal.’
That made him pause. He sat back in his chair.
‘Wrong? What do you mean?’
‘There are times when she appears to be hypnotised.’
His eyebrows crawled up.
‘Hypnotised? What the hell are you saying? Who would want to hypnotise her?’ He gave his short, barking laugh. ‘Utter nonsense!’
This made me angry and without caring, I said, ‘I believe you are responsible! I believe you have hypnotised her!’ He stared fixedly at me, his little eyes glittering. Then the telephone bell rang. He waved me to the door.
‘Believe that Burden, you’ll believe anything. Now get out!’ He picked up the telephone receiver.
As I closed the door, I heard him say, ‘This is Vidal. Goddamn it! You’re late...’
Well, I’ve told him, I thought as I climbed the stairs. He now knows I know. Would that make him more cautious? Would it make it now easier for Val? That was all I wanted: to make it easier for her.
Reaching the head of the stairs, I walked quickly down the corridor and tapped on Val’s door.
‘Who is it?’ Her voice sounded unsteady.
‘It’s Clay,’ I said, my mouth close to the door panel.
The key turned and the door opened. Val moved back as I entered the room.
We looked at each other as I shut the door. She had on a blue housecoat. Her hair lay on her shoulders. The sight of her, so pale, dark smudges under her eyes, her hands trembling sent a pang through me.
‘How do you feel darling?’ I longed to take her in my arms.
‘How do I feel?’ She moved listlessly to a chair and sank into it. ‘Desperate Clay, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I have no more will. I want to kill myself.’ Her face crumbled and she closed her eyes. ‘I haven’t even the will to do that.’
A sudden crash of thunder made me start. The wind now was screaming around the house.
‘Kill yourself?’ I turned cold with alarm. ‘What’s happened, Val? Has he molested you?’
‘Oh, there’s that.’ She put her hands to her face. ‘I’ve got beyond caring about that. No, it’s the end of everything now for me and for you. He has decided to leave. I am to go with him.’
‘Leave? Where is he going?’
‘He has decided to settle in Lima... where he can’t be extradited.’
I pulled up a chair close to her and sat down.
‘Extradited? Val, darling, don’t talk in riddles. Is he in trouble?’
She nodded.
‘You were right Clay. His empire is going to crash. He owes millions and the Federal people are investigating his tax position. He doesn’t seem to mind. He treats it as a joke. As soon as the hurricane is over, he, I and Gesetti are flying to San Salvador where he has hidden money. Then we go to Lima. He says he’ll begin again. It also means he can never return to the United States. I go with him. I can never return. I’ll lose you again, but this time for good.’