Free An Ace Up My Sleeve by James Hadley Chase Page B

emphasized the apricot coloured walls and was kind to her reflection in the mirror.
    Now was the time for love, she thought and her body melted with her desire. She lifted the telephone receiver and pressed button 10 which connected her with Larry's room. There was a long pause and her heart contracted. Surely he was there? Then just when she was getting into a panic, his voice came over the line. "Yeah, ma'am?"
    "Come and see me. Follow the blue lights. They will bring you to me." "What was that again, ma'am?"
    She moved impatiently, closing her legs tightly together.
    "When you leave your room, you will see blue lights in the ceiling, Larry," she said, controlling the impatience in her voice. "If you will follow the lights, they will lead you to my room."
    "Sure, ma'am. I'll do that," and he hung up.
    She reached for the battery of buttons built into the side of the bed and pressed the blue button, then she waited. She looked a little anxiously at her reflection in the opposite mirror. Suppose he turned shy? Suppose ... no! He was a young animal. He had admitted to her he had this sexual urge. Again she looked at the reflection in the mirror and she was satisfied.
    She waited, and as she waited, she heard him coming up the stairs. She hoped he wasn't chewing gum. There was a long pause, and then a tap came on the door.
    Instinctively she pulled the wrap around her, suddenly worried it might be too transparent.
    "Come on in, Larry," she called, and now she wanted him as she had never wanted any other man before.
    He came in.
    Could it be possible? she thought as she forced a smile. He was still wearing his dark suit, his white shirt and black tie!
    When he saw her lying on the bed, the black chiffon wrap scarcely concealing the whiteness of her body, he stiffened and stepped back. "Excuse me, ma'am," he said awkwardly and began to back out of the room. "Oh, come on in, Larry!" Even to her, her voice sounded waspish. "Shut the door!"
    He shut the door, remaining still, his eyes shifted to her, then shifted away. "You're not shy of me, are you?" she said, thinking: God! if this flops, I'll kill myself!
    "I guess not, ma'am."
    "Come here."
    He moved slowly to the bed, then he stood over her, looking down at her.
    "Gee! You're beautiful! I've never seen anyone so beautiful!"
    It was a spontaneous outburst that set a flame to her body. She held out her hand. He took it and she pulled him down on the bed.
    "You're over dressed, Larry," and her fingers pulled his tie loose.
    "Is it all right, ma'am? You're sure it's all right."
    "For God's sake! You're not a kid, are you ?"
    Her frantic fingers began to unbutton his shirt He pulled away from her.
    "I'll do it, ma'am. May I see you ... may I look at you?"
    She opened her wrap, revealing her nakedness.
    "Oh, ma'am."
    He was gazing at her as she found the zip of his trousers.
    As she pulled, he began to struggle out of his jacket. His hand slipped and banged against the row of buttons which controlled the lights, the TV set and all the other gimmicks in the villa. There came a blinding flash and then complete darkness. She had his fly open. She felt him jerk away from her. She lay still, her heart hammering, her eyes blinded by the flash and the darkness. "What's happened?" she asked, her voice husky.
    "I touched something," Larry said out of the darkness. "I guess I've tripped a fuse. I'll fix it. You wait here."
    "To hell with the fuse! Larry!" She lifted herself up and stared into the darkness. "Larry!"
    "I'll fix it."
    From the sound of his voice he was already out of the room and she heard his footfalls as he stumbled down the corridor.
    I don't want you to fix it, you goddam, stupid fool! she thought as she lay back on the bed. Who the hell cares about a fuse! Come back! I want you to love me!
    She waited a long moment, hearing him blundering about somewhere in the darkness, then she got off the bed. Pulling her wrap around her, she groped her way to the door. She could see