1958 - Not Safe to be Free by James Hadley Chase Read Free Book Online

taken off her frock and now, clad only in panties and brassiere, she was painting her lips with a fine-haired brush.
    “Thank you,” she said as Miss Kobbe put the martini on the dressing table. “Do you know if Jay is in his room?”
    “I don’t think he is, Mrs. Delaney,” Miss Kobbe said. “I haven’t heard him. Do you want me to see?”
    Sophia hesitated, then shook her head.
    “No, it’s all right. Will Mr. Delaney be tied up for long?”
    “He’s waiting a call from Hollywood. Mr. Cooper is coming up at six forty-five.”
    “What’s happening tonight?”
    “Mr. Delaney is meeting Miss Lucille Balu in the bar at nine. He then wants to catch the last part of the film showing tonight. You and he are having supper at half-past twelve with the van Asters at the Chateau de Madrid.”
    Sophia sighed.
    “When Mr. Delaney is off the phone, please tell him I want to speak to him.”
    “I will, Mrs. Delaney.”
    Miss Kobbe went out.
    Sophia drank half the martini, then, lighting a cigarette, she slipped on a wrap and lay down on the chaise lounge by the open window.
    She had been uneasy and worried since she had left Jay. His explanation about the girl in his room hadn’t satisfied her. It had been too glib: too calculated. She was sure he had been lying and she had an instinctive feeling that something was seriously wrong. The scratches on his arm, the way he had held the curtain cord, the blue bead she had found on the floor and the atmosphere and tension that had been in the room had formed a sinister impression in her mind.
    The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she had become. She felt that Floyd should be told and yet she was anxious that he shouldn’t go off the deep-end, as ne so easily did. She knew he didn’t take much interest in his son and that he was inclined to be unfairly critical of him. She didn’t want to make the already big rift between the two any bigger, but she was now so uneasy in her mind that she felt compelled to shift the responsibility on to her husband. She heard the telephone bell tinkle as Floyd hung up and then, after a pause, her bedroom door opened and he came in.
    “Well, honey, did you have a nice swim?”
    “Yes, it was nice. Sit down, darling. I want to talk to you.”
    He moved over to the chaise lounge, his half-finished martini in his hand and he sat down by her side. He put his glass on the side table and then rested his hand, under her wrap on her knee, smiling at her.
    “What is it? You looked worried. I don’t like to see my baby doll worried. Is there anything wrong?”
    For a moment she hesitated. Floyd was unpredictable. Was it her business to talk to him about his son? Would he be offended? Then she thought of the way Jay had moved across the room, the curtain cord in his hands and the sudden frightening feeling she had had that perhaps he meant her harm. This recollection decided her.
    “Not exactly wrong, Floyd. It’s about Jay. . .”
    Delaney’s smile faded and two deep lines of disapproval appeared above the bridge of his nose.
    “Jay? Why should you be worrying about him?”
    “Floyd, this is in strict confidence. Please. . .”
    His hand slid over her knee and along her thigh and he smiled again.
    “Of course. What is it?”
    “He had a girl up here.”
    Delaney stared at her, then took his hand away and rubbed his jaw, his eyes hardening.
    “A girl? Up here?”
    “Yes. When I left you, I came back here to pick up my swimsuit. I found the door locked. When I finally got in, there was a smell of perfume in the room. I knew at once someone had been in here. I asked him if he had brought a girl up here and he admitted it.”
    “Well, for the love of mike!” Delaney said and got to his feet. He began to prowl around the room, his face set in a heavy frown. “Who was she?”
    “I don’t know. She was in his bedroom. He said he was lonely. He met the girl in the lobby and thought she was attractive and brought her up here. Then he