The So Blue Marble (12 page)

    “I must run, Griselda. The force is being kept pretty busy these days, you understand. Goodnight.” He turned, “Goodnight, Montefierrow.”

    David bowed. He sat down, ordered drinks.

    “Why did you insist on seeing me?”

    He put his hands neatly on the table. “We’re going to the hills for a little rest, until this bank affair quiets. Danny was foolish there.”

    She didn’t say it but murder wasn’t foolish, it was insane. She didn’t want to speak of insanity before him. Because of course he was that, both of them, and Missy too.

    He said, “We thought you’d find it more comfortable to join us.”

    She cried, “Oh, no!” Be shut up with them for a week-no!

    His mouth curved. “In view of the fact that the police are so interested in your activities-”

    She shook her head decisively, “I wouldn’t want to.” And she said with deliberation, “I’ll enjoy a breathing spell.”

    “Perhaps.” He smiled at her with his lips. “Dance?”

    She shook her head. She looked at his eyes. “Why did you do that to Gig?”

    He actually laughed. “Oh, Griselda! My dear Griselda! You hold that against me?”

    She was furious. “Of course I do. He’s a friend of mine. To find him like that.”

    “You found him? That was unfortunate.”

    It was amazing, frightening, how he could express feeling with hands and mouth and voice, and never a change in those still black eyes.

    She demanded, “Why did you do it?” and he answered, “I was afraid he might attempt to follow us, interfere with our plans.”

    “But why?”

    He smiled again. “Because of you. He is in love with you.”

    She felt her cheeks warm. “That’s absurd.”

    “Not at all. I might be in love with you myself.” She looked away. “You couldn’t be in love with anyone.”

    “That happens to be true.” He spoke softly, chilly. “But if I could, I might be with you. You are exceptionally lovely, even beautiful. The way your hair shines, the storm of your eyes, the molding of your body…”

    She knew she looked a fool. She was embarrassed.

    “Danny and I are too sensitive to beauty. It is sad.” He tapped one of his own cigarettes, did not offer one to her. “Were it not so we could end this more quickly. And end it we must eventually. You understand?”

    She did and was iced again.

    “We will have the very blue marble.”

    She stated flatly, “I haven’t it.”

    He didn’t look at her. “Perhaps eventually you will find it for us.”

    She thought before she spoke. “Don’t you think if I could give it to you I would have long ago? Don’t you think I’d do anything to get you out of my life?”

    “Almost anything.” He smiled. He beckoned to a waiter hovering nearby. “Could you fix for me a little favorite? Say-brook trout boned, en casserole with pecans and filberts, and warmed with perhaps a sour white wine? I need something of exquisite food. My brother and I and our party are going up to the country for a week. A place called Canaan in the Berkshire country. Perhaps you know? A lake near where we will fish and lead a simple life.” He laughed. “But before simplicity I must have my fill of luxury. Hence-” He spread his hands.

    “I personally will inform the chef,” replied the man, and he went across the tiny waxen floor towards the kitchens.

    Griselda said, “I shouldn’t think you’d be giving away your hideout.”

    He shook his head. “You do not understand. This shall be in the papers. John always gives news to the reporters. Tobin will not think we run away. If he wishes us, we are there. Meantime nothing will be discovered of the bank mishap, and something else will take its place. Then we return.”

    She spoke, anger surging in her again. “It isn’t as easy as that to have murders forgotten.”

    He was deliberately patronizing. “It is obvious that you are lacking in experience, dear Griselda.”

    She hated him. She was surprised at herself, the venom she put into her words. “They know there were two women and at least one man in the bank last night.”

    He accepted that information thoughtfully. “And what else?”

    “They know that Grain was stabbed before he was shot. They think it happened in my apartment. Tobin and Moore woke me this morning. They were about to take the rags for examination. I don’t know what else. When we heard the extra cried…” Tears, not sudden, she’d been fighting them for too long, were in her eyes.

    He said, “I don’t pity you, Griselda. If you would give us the marble-”

    Only two words could express herself to him. She said them bluntly. “Shut up.” He did.

    Silence, strained silence, was better than talking with him. There was something even better. She started to rise. “I’m going home.”

    His fingers touched her wrist. “Sit down.” He was looking towards the entrance. She raised her eyes. Missy was there, Missy in white satin fringed from the waist in shining crystal leaves, nothing above the waist but a wisp, a strap, crystal leaves wreathing her pale lemon hair. Little murmurs zigzagged about the room. Jasper Coldwater was tall behind her.

    Griselda wondered aloud where Danny was, guessed silently. There was a groove between David’s eyebrows. He said, “She’s drunk. She’s not allowed to drink. That damn cinema cretin.”

    Griselda said quietly, “My wrist is practically broken.”He was grieved. His profusion of apology was more embarrassing than his compliments had been. This was sincere. “I forgot.”

    She was grateful that she was not Missy.

    He said, “I must get her home before she is too much the fool. You will forgive me, Griselda. If you will but wait…”

    She looked at him, then away. She couldn’t understand the fury bottled in him but it was ugly. “I’ll finish the dish, David, then go.”

    He nodded as if not hearing her, made his way to that table. She watched. She couldn’t hear what he said but Missy was swaying as she stood and the color was out of her face. Griselda didn’t watch them leave. She ate and she gulped in unknown fear when someone shadowed her chair. It was merely Jasper.

    She urged, “Do join me. Taste this.”

    He was plaintive. “That twin took your sister home. He didn’t like her being out with me.” He couldn’t understand. Even husbands were delighted to have their wives out with Coldwater.

    Griselda asked, “What did he say to her?”

    “I couldn’t understand it. It wasn’t English. It didn’t sound like French or anything I’ve heard.” He protested, “She called me.”

    She told him, “I wouldn’t worry about it. They’re all so foreign.”

    He was eating from David’s plate. “Um.” He touched his lips with the napkin. “This is good. Where’s Nesta?”

    Her eyes were wide. “I haven’t seen her. I called.”

    He was a little annoyed. “She hasn’t been back to the hotel since Sunday.”

    She wouldn’t let fear touch this. Not Nesta. Too obvious where she was with a new man in tow. She laughed, “She’ll turn up when she’s bored.”

    He agreed. “I don’t doubt it.” His voice was complaining. “But it is hard to go on making excuses to Oppy. He keeps calling me, as if I should know.”

    “Tell him she’s gone fishing.” She had finished to the last drop of sauce. “I’m going home now.”

    He said, “I’ll drop you. I’m tired of this place. I’m tired of New York. I want to go back to Hollywood. But I have to see Nesta off to London. We’re a romance. Damn Nesta. Damn the pictures. She’s sailing next Monday-if she remembers.”

    He summoned the cab. Griselda said, “I wouldn’t worry about her. She won’t forget her public and the Korda picture.”

    “She makes me sick.” He saw her to the elevator, opened it for her and she was spared that. Going up in it she began to laugh. The Montefierrows had done one thing. They even made movie stars seem normal.

    

    

    

    No one in the hallway. For once, no one in her apartment. She searched, all lights blazing, before removing her coat, before putting down her bag. She chained the front entrance, re-examined the back one. She considered calling Gig but discarded the idea. It was too good to be alone. She undressed, showered, put on pajamas with green tadpoles cavorting in pattern, tied back her hair with an old pink ribbon and daubed an icy cream on her face.

    It had been so long since she was alone; she had forgotten how good it was. To be able to think. Think a little on Con, but that hurt, wanting him, after four years she should be over that want. She’d thought it was gone, at least leashed, but she knew now it would never be finished. Not think of Con. At least he was safe on the border job, or would be if he’d stop the midnight flights. He was safe. Anyone was safe away from the Montefierrow twins.

    Tobin was nice. At least he’d be nice to know if he weren’t pecking at you, if he were a friend. But why did he want her to meet David? Sergeant Moore was nice too. But they were watching, waiting to close in. What would they do to her? She hadn’t killed-but she’d known and not told. They could do something to you for that. Even if you couldn’t tell, with nothing to tell at first, and after, after afraid to speak. Afraid, not exactly of death but of something unknown, something more horrible than death. And afraid always for Con. She wouldn’t mind what the police did to her; they could shut her up, take her life. She wouldn’t like it but she wouldn’t be frightened of them. Tobin said it was a dangerous game, more dangerous than she knew. It was more dangerous than he knew. But there was still time. The twins wouldn’t really hurt her until they had the very blue marble. If the X-men would only hurry, if Con only realized how they must speed.

    And where did Gig fit in? If he weren’t Gig, who was he, and what did he want? One thing certain, he wasn’t a killer. But what was he doing here?

    Too many circles. Missy. Missy ought to be saved. She was too young. Ann, jealous because David had called her sister. What was David doing to Ann? David couldn’t feel. Didn’t Ann know that or did he pretend to her?

    Nesta. Jasper. But they were normal. Again she smiled at considering Hollywoodies normal.

    No more thoughts. Sleep. That was best. She relaxed, snapped off the bed lamp, and closed her eyes.

    The dream woke her, dreaming someone was in the room, but that couldn’t be. She stirred without opening her eyes, relaxed again. But there was someone in the room, someone watching her in the dark. She didn’t want to open her eyes but her arm reached to the light.

    “Don’t turn it on.”

    Missy’s voice. Griselda sat upright in bed. The room wasn’t dark. There were reflections from street lights below. She could see Missy’s outline perched on the far window ledge like an organ grinders monkey.

    She had closed the Venetian blinds earlier, although the windows were left open. Missy must have raised that one. Perhaps that noise had wakened her.

    She asked, “How did you get in here?”

    “Through the bathroom skylight.”

    She was small enough. She looked like a little boy in the half light, a dark cap on her head, dark knickerbockers and shirt, even long dark stockings, boys’ oxfords. She was smoking one of her little cigarettes.

    Griselda could see the flame in the tip, brighten, dull, brighten, dull, nervous smoking. With her bare toes she loosened the bedclothes, if she had to get up in a hurry- She asked, “Why did you come here?” Missy spoke simply as a child. “I’m looking for Danny.”

    She was amused. “And you thought he’d be here?” Missy said, “If he had been here, I would have killed you.”

    Griselda prickled. Her small sister meant that. She told her, “I haven’t seen Danny since Sunday.” That horrible night. “Why should you think he was here?”

    Missy repeated, “If he were here I’d kill you.” Griselda spoke sharply, “You shouldn’t talk that way!”

    The youngster snapped back at her. “Why shouldn’t I? He’s mine. I won’t let anyone else have him.” She added slower now, “David’s mine, too. I won’t let anyone have him.”

    Griselda prickled again. She wished to explain but Missy added, “I don’t have to worry about David. He doesn’t want anyone.”

    Griselda breathed again.

    “I don’t suppose you know where Danny is?” Missy asked the question with rare politeness.

    “I haven’t a notion.” That wasn’t quite true. She went on, “I thought you were all going away.”

    Missy said bluntly, “Not until we get the blue marble.”

    “I mean,” Griselda explained, “for a-breathing spell. David said…”

    Missy gave a big sigh. “If David says we are, we are. But he can’t make Danny go if Danny isn’t here.”

    She was losing her fear of this gamin. She lighted a cigarette, was curious. “Does David know you’re here?”

    The child tittered. “He’s asleep. I put some drops in his night cap.” Suddenly she was angry. “The way he treats me!” Her voice was sly. “But he’s not as smart as he thinks. He won’t wake up till I want him to.” Then angry again, “I don’t care if Danny beats me. He doesn’t mean it. He only does it when he’s mad. But David doesn’t get mad. He’s like a god.”

    Missy wasn’t rational. What had made her this way? They had, of course. But how? Drugs? Subconscious hypnotism? Griselda shivered. She spoke as to a child. “I don’t see why you stay with them. It can’t be much fun being beaten.”

    The younger was defiant at once. “I don’t have to stay. I stay because I want to. And not you nor anyone can stop me.”

    “I wouldn’t try.” Griselda spoke softly.

    Missy dropped her cigarette out of the window. “I’m going now.”

    “Yes. You should get some rest if you’re going to the Berkshires in the morning.”