Strictly For Cash by James Hadley Chase Read Free Book Online Page B

pressmen said, "Let's go, boys: this is the one time a fighter really likes to lose his friends."

    They all laughed as if he had cracked the best joke in the world, but they went. The little room seemed suddenly vast and empty as the last of them drifted through the doorway.

    "Hello," I said, and reached for my coat. "Did you win any money?"

    She smiled. Her teeth were small and even and sharply white against her scarlet lips.

    "A thousand, but you gave me a heart attack when you went down. I had to lay out four and I thought I was going to lose it."

    "Sorry about that," I said. "I wasn't concentrating. There was a girl at the ringside who took my mind right off my business."

    "Oh!" She looked at me from under her eyelashes. "How did she do that?"

    "She happened to be the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

    "You should tell her that. Girls like being told things like that."

    "I am telling her."

    "I see." She continued to smile, but her eyes hardened. "That's very flattering, but I don't believe it. It looked like a dive to me."

    My face reddened.

    "What do you know about dives?"

    "All the signs were on the wall. The funny little men whispering in your ear, the way you left yourself open. I go to all the fights. It happens every now and then. What made you change your mind?" -

    "The girl," I said, "and the thought of all the little mugs who were betting on me."

    "This girl seems to have had quite an influence on you," she said, studying me, then she went on, "I think you're handsome, Johnny."

    I leaned against the wall, aware I was wasting precious time. I shouldn't be talking to this girl. I should be getting out of here before the crowd left. That was my only chance of giving Pepi and Benno the slip. But not even Petelli himself could have got me out of this room at this moment.

    "Who are you?" I asked. "Why did you come up here?"

    Her face was serious now, but there was still that look in her eyes that kept sending tingles up my spine.

    "Never mind who I am. Call me Della if you must call me something," she said. "I'm here because you're in trouble, and I guess it's partly my fault. You are in trouble, aren't you?"

    "Yeah, but it's nothing you can do anything about."

    "How bad is the trouble?"

    "Two Wops are laying for me. If they catch up with me, it's probably curtains."

    "You double-crossed Petelli?"

    That startled me.

    "You know him?"

    "That little thug! I know of him, but I wouldn't know him if he were the last man on earth. We're wasting time. I'll get you out of here." She went to the window and looked out. "You can reach the car-park by climbing down that pipe."

    I joined her at the window. There weren't many cars left in the park by now.

    "There's my car: the first one on the right in the second row. If you can reach it without being seen, you'll be safe."

    "Wait a minute," I said, looking at the low-slung Bentley coupe she was pointing at. "I can't drag you into this. These Wops are dangerous."

    "Don't be a fool. They won't know a thing about it."

    "Let's be sensible about this . . ."

    "Oh, don't argue! I'm going down to the car now. Lock the door after me. As soon as you see me down there, come on after me. I'll drive over to you. Get in the front seat and leave the rest tome."

    Glancing at the Bentley again, I spotted the expensive-looking item in the seersucker suit. He was standing by the car, looking to right and left.

    "Your friend won't like this," I said. "He's waiting for you now."

    She laughed, a hard, humourless little sound that made me stare at her.

    "He's not a friend: he's my husband," she said, and moved quickly to the door. "I won't be five minutes. Don't let anyone in." She was gone before I could stop her.

    I crossed the room and shot the bolt. Now I was alone the room seemed horribly empty. I returned to the window. Her husband was pacing up and down beside the car. As I watched him he took out a cigarette-case and lit a cigarette. By the way he threw