Free 1958 - Not Safe to be Free by James Hadley Chase

you will be cooperative.”
    “What do you expect me to do, then?”
    He moved back to his chair.
    “It’s to your advantage and father’s advantage too if I get away with this. I think I can get away with it. If you tell father, he will rush off to the police. If you say nothing, there is a reasonable chance that no one will ever find out what I have done, so I’m asking you not to say anything.”
    Sophia didn’t hesitate. What Jay had said was true. If she told Floyd, the horrible thing would be newspaper headlines within hours.
    “All right, Jay. I won’t say anything. I give you my word.”
    He nodded.
    “I shall have to trust you, but I think you are clever enough to see that it won’t help any of us if I am caught.”
    “You can trust me.” Sophia lit another cigarette. “But what are you going to do with the—the body?”
    “I thought I’d put it in a trunk and leave it somewhere,” Jay said. “I haven’t really got down to making a plan.”
    “The trunk would be traced to you,” Sophia said. “Besides, you couldn’t handle it yourself. No, that’s not a safe idea.”
    “Perhaps you can suggest a better one?” Jay said, watching her.
    “When you brought her up here, someone must have seen you.”
    “Oh, no. We came up separately. It was around four o’clock. There was no one up here.”
    “But you can’t be sure she wasn’t seen. She may have told someone she was coming here.”
    “No, she didn’t. I warned her not to tell anyone. No one knows she came here. I’m sure of that.”
    “What makes you think you won’t be found out? The police are clever. When her body is discovered, there will be an investigation. You may have left clues. Murderers always do.”
    Jay put his head on one side. He was enjoying this. Sophia was showing unexpected intelligence and interest. He was surprised that she was taking this so calmly. It was as if she were dissecting the plot of a movie. He had often listened to her discussing movie plots with his father and he had been impressed by her shrewdness and her quick fault-finding.
    “I don’t think I have left any clues,” he said, “but that’s part of the risk. It’s my wits against theirs. The one thing that helps the police more than anything is the motive. There is no motive to this murder. If I can get rid of the body, I should be safe.”
    “I hope so.” Sophia glanced at her watch. “I think I should join your father now.”
    Jay nodded.
    “I’ll come too. Will you wait a moment while I change?”
    “All right.”
    He put the key of the door on the table.
    “I won’t be a few minutes. I’m trusting you, Sophia.”
    She watched him go into his bedroom and close the door, then she picked up the key. At this moment the reaction hit her and she suddenly felt faint and sick. She fought down her faintness, and, making an effort, she got up, crossed over to the liquor cabinet and poured out a stiff shot of brandy. She drank it and then moved to the open window.
    A big crowd circulated in front of the hotel on the watch for the Stars who were coming out now onto the terrace for an aperitif and to display themselves.
    It was a hot night and the big moon made a glittering patch of yellow on the sea.
    She stood there, leaning against the wall, staring at the active scene below.
    If I can get rid of the body, I should be safe .
    Jay’s words echoed and re-echoed in her mind.
    How was he going to do it?
    Safe? Could anyone ever hope to be safe after doing such a thing?
    She heard him come out of his bedroom, close and lock the door and she turned.
    He looked very handsome in his tuxedo.
    He paused by the door and smiled at her.
    “Shall we go?”
    “Yes.”
    She unlocked the door and they left the suite.
    From his hiding place, Joe Kerr watched them.
     

II
     
    J ay sat in the cinema seat, his eyes staring blankly at the lighted screen. He was sharply aware of Sophia, sitting next to him. He could smell her subtle perfume and from time to