Free Just Another Sucker by James Hadley Chase Page A

possibly hurt Nina if I again made love to Odette. The time to have stopped was the first time; the second time made no difference. Once you did it, you had done it. I even began to imagine I had enjoyed Odette’s savage, primitive embrace, and as the hours dragged by, I found myself waiting impatiently for tomorrow night.
    Later in the day, I went to the bank and lodged the tape with the other one, then I went to the beach cabin and spent the rest of the day swimming and sitting in the sun, my mind gradually becoming obsessed with Odette.
    The following morning, as we were finishing breakfast, Nina said, ‘Have you decided about John’s offer?’
    ‘Not yet,’ I said, ‘but I’m considering it.’
    She stared steadily at me and I had to shift my eyes.
    ‘Well, while you are making up your mind,’ she said, ‘there are three bills that must be paid. I haven’t the money.’ She dropped the bills onto the table. ‘The garage man won’t let us have any more gas until we have settled his account. The electricity bill must be paid or we’ll be without light. The grocery bill must be settled. They won’t give us any more credit.’
    I still had sixty dollars left from the hundred Rhea had paid me. At least I could take care of the grocery and the electricity bills.
    ‘I’ll fix these,’ I said. ‘The garage man must wait. Have we any gas?’
    ‘About half a tank.’
    ‘We’d better use the bus whenever we can.’
    ‘I have four pots to deliver tomorrow. I can’t use the bus.’
    There was a sharp note of exasperation in her voice I had never heard before. I looked at her. She faced me, her dark eyes unhappy and angry. The prick of conscience made me angry too.
    ‘I didn’t say you couldn’t use the car,’ I said. ‘I just said when we could we’d better use the bus.’
    ‘I heard you.’
    ‘All right then.’
    She hesitated. I could see she wanted to say something further, but instead, she turned and left the room.
    I felt bad. This was the nearest we had ever come to a quarrel. I left the bungalow and walked to the bus stop. I settled the two bills: that left me with fifteen dollars. At the end of the week Bill Holden would want the rent for the cabin, but with any luck, I would be worth fifty thousand by then.
    I spent the rest of the day at the beach cabin, swimming, lounging in the sun and watching the clock, counting the minutes to the time when Odette would come up the veranda steps.
    Again the beach became deserted soon after half past eight. I was now sitting on the veranda, as tense as any schoolboy waiting for his first date.
    A little after nine o’clock, she came out of the darkness. As soon as I caught sight of her, I was out of my chair, stupidly excited, my heart thumping, and as she came up the steps, I caught hold of her, my hands gripping her arms, pulling her to me.
    Then I got a shock.
    She put her hands on my chest and gave me a hard shove, sending me backwards.
    ‘Keep your paws to yourself,’ she said in a cold, flat voice. ‘When I want you to paw me, I’ll tell you,’ and she walked past me into the cabin.
    I felt as if I had come under a douche of icy water. I felt suddenly deflated and horribly cheap. After a moment’s hesitation, I followed her into the cabin and shut the door.
    She was wearing powder blue slacks and a white pleated shirt. Her black hair was caught back by a white bandeau. She looked very desirable as she curled herself up on the settee.
    ‘You should never jump to conclusions, little man,’ she said and smiled. ‘You mustn’t ever take any woman for granted. You amused me the other night, but you don’t amuse me tonight.’
    This was my moment of truth. I could have killed her. I could have taken her by force, but those words put a picture of myself in a frame. They were needles, pricking a balloon.
    I sat down. With an unsteady hand, I lit a cigarette.
    ‘I’m glad I’m not your father,’ I said. ‘That’s one thing I’m really glad