Free Like A Hole In The Head by James Hadley Chase Page A

lid? "Well, I do ! So does his old man! So he's going to shoot if I have to kick him black and blue! He told his father he would cooperate and that's what he is going to do!"
         Lucy put down the glass of half-finished beer. She put her hands on her knees and stared at them as if she were seeing them for the first time.
         "You can't make him shoot, Jay, unless he wants to. You know that."
         "So I'll make him want to!"
    A long pause, then she looked at me, her clear blue eyes inquiring.
    "How will you do that?"
    Yeah . . . the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question.
         "I'll talk to him." I wasn't even convincing myself. "I'll make him understand how important this is."
         "He isn't interested in money, Jay. He told me so."
         "I can see that. It's not his money. It's his father's money and my money. Yes, I can see that."
         "Even if it was his, it wouldn't interest him."
         I forced myself to stay calm.
         "Now listen, Lucy, I've had punks like him before and I have turned them into riflemen. You go along with them so far, then you have to turn on the heat." I paused, hesitated, then went on, "I'm beginning to think Savanto had something when he said it would be better for you not to be here. I want you to pack a bag and go to Paradise City. I'll fix a hotel for you. I want you to stay there for nine days and forget Timoteo. I want you to go right away."
         She looked shocked for a moment, then she stared directly at me.
         "You want me to go because you will do things to that boy you would be ashamed to do if I were here. Is that it, Jay?"
         That was it, but I wasn't going to admit it.
         "Don't talk nonsense. This goof has to be handled. We don't have women around in the Army. I don't want my wife around now. This is important. I want you out of here!"
         "I'll get lunch."
    "Lucy ! You heard what I said! I want you out of here!"
    She got to her feet.
    "I'll get lunch," and she went into the bungalow.
    I sat still, on the boil, then I got up and followed her in.
    She was looking at the cans lined up on the kitchen table.
    "Is this what you want for lunch, Jay?"
    "If it's okay with you."
    She began opening the cans.
    "After lunch I want you to pack and go."
         "I'm not going." She poured the soup into a saucepan. Then she paused and looked directly at me. "I'm not going, Jay." Her eyes were bright with tears, but her mouth and chin were firm. "You said : "No matter what, Lucy, I love you. You'll look back on this and you'll forgive me if I've hurt you." That's what you said." She began to shake a little and she looked quickly out of the open window. "You're hurting me now, but I'll look back and I'll forgive you."
         That brought me up short. My anger died. I hesitated, then lifted my hands helplessly.
         "Okay, Lucy, you win. I'm not fighting you or losing you for fifty thousand dollars. So I'll quit. I'll tell Timoteo to get the hell out of here. I'll send the bond back to Savanto. We'll settle for this broken down range and we could still make a success of it. Is that what you want?"
         She was looking at the opened can of chickens' breasts.
         "This looks nice. Are you hungry?"
         "Did you hear what I said?"
    A tear ran down her cheek and she flicked it away impatiently.
         "Yes, I heard." She put down the can and now her lips were trembling. "You may be difficult, Jay, and you may be tough and sometimes unkind, but I do know for sure you're not a quitter."
         I stood looking at her for a long moment. It took me a second or so to realise what she was saying, then I grabbed her, whisked her off her feet and carried her into the bedroom.
         "Jay! What are you doing?" She tried to wriggle out of my grip. "Jay! There's lunch to get ready ! Oh, Jay, you mad fool !"
         I undid the tops of her jeans and skinned them off her the way you skin