No Orchids for Miss Blandish (5 page)

Riley and Bailey became livid. They stopped breathing for seconds.

Slim looked at them and then at Old Sam's body. He had a starved, wolfish look on his face. Johnny pushed Miss Blandish, sobbing hysterically, back into the bedroom.

"Get him out of here," Slim said.

Doc and Woppy dragged Old Sam's body out of the shack. They came back quickly.

Eddie walked up to Riley and dug him in the chest with his gun.

"Okay, chum," he said, biting off each word, "the act s over. You're in a fix. Spill it. Who's the girl?"

"I don't know," Riley gasped, his body shivering.

"If you don't, I do," Eddie said. He took hold of Riley's shirt front with his left hand and gently jerked him to and fro. "She's the Blandish girl. You snatched her to get the diamonds. We're on to you, sucker. You have the diamonds on you right now." He felt inside Riley's coat pocket and fished out the necklace.

There was a long silence while everyone stared at the necklace. Then Eddie released Riley.

"I'm sorry for you, sucker," he said as if he meant it. "I can't see any future for you."

He went over to Slim and gave him the necklace.

Slim held the necklace in the sunlight. He was entranced.

"Look Doc," he said. "Aren't they pretty? Look how they glitter. They're like stars against a black sky."

"They're worth a fortune," Doc said, staring at the necklace.

Slim's eyes went to the upstairs bedroom door.

"Bring her down here, Eddie," he said. "I want to talk to her."

Eddie looked at Doc who shook his head.

"How's about these punks, Slim?" Eddie said. "We've got to get back to Ma. She's waiting."

Slim was staring at the necklace.

"Get her, Eddie," he said.

Eddie shrugged. He went up the stairs. Johnny didn't meet his eyes as he went past him into the bedroom. Miss Blandish was leaning against the wall. She was trembling violently. When Eddie came into the room, her hand flew to her mouth and she looked around wildly for a way of escape.

Eddie felt sorry for her. He thought, even scared, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

"You don't have to be frightened of me," he said. "Slim wants you. Now listen, kid, Slim's not only mean, but he's not right in his head. If you do exactly what he tells you, he won't hurt you. Don't get him sore. He's as dangerous as a snake, so watch it. Come on: he's waiting."

Miss Blandish crouched back. Her eyes were dark with terror.

"Don't make me go down there," she said unsteadily. "I can't bear any more. Please let me stay up here."

Eddie took hold of her arm gently.

"I'll be with you," he said. "You've got to come. You'll be okay. If he starts anything, I'll fix him. Come on now, kid."

He brought her down the stairs.

Slim watched her as she came.

"She looks like she's come out of a picture book, doesn't she?" he mumbled to Doc. "Look at her pretty hair."

Doc was worried. He had never seen Slim in this mood before. Usually he hated women.

Eddie stood Miss Blandish in front of Slim. He stepped back, watching. Everyone watched.

Miss Blandish stared in horror at Slim who smiled at her, putting his head on one side, his yellow eyes glittering.

"I'm Grisson," he said. "You can call me Slim." He rubbed the side of his nose with his thumb. "These belong to you, don't they?" He held up the necklace.

Miss Blandish nodded. There was something so repulsive and terrifying about this creature that she had a mad urge to scream and keep on screaming.

Slim fingered the stones.

"They're pretty, like you."

He held them out. At the movement, Miss Blandish started back, shuddering.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Slim said, shaking his head. "I like you. Here, you take them. They belong to you. Put them on. I want to see what you look like with them on."

Eddie said, "Look, cut it out, Slim. That necklace belongs to all of us."

Slim giggled. He winked at Miss Blandish.

"Hear him talk? He wouldn't have the nerve to take them from me. He's scared of me--they're all scared of me." He held out the necklace. "Here, put it on. Let me see it on you."

Slowly, as if hypnotized, she took the necklace from him. The touch of the diamonds seemed to jolt her. With a gasping scream, she dropped the necklace and ran blindly up the stairs to where Johnny stood.

"Get me out of here!" she screamed frantically. "I can't bear any more! Don't let him come near me!"

She startled Slim. He stiffened and his knife jumped into his hand. From a weak-looking idiot he suddenly changed into a vicious killer. Half crouching, he faced the others.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" he screamed. "Take them out of here! Hurry! Get them out--get them out!"

Woppy and Flynn closed in on Riley and Bailey. They shoved them out of the shack and into the open.

Slim turned to Doc.

"Rope them to a tree!"

His face pale, Doc picked up some lengths of rope lying amongst a pile of rubbish in a corner. He followed Woppy and Flynn.

Slim looked at Eddie. His yellow eyes seemed on fire.

"Watch her. Don't let her get away."

He snatched up the necklace, dropped it into his pocket and went out into the hot sunshine. He was shaking with excitement. The urge to kill had taken possession of him.

He could hear Riley yammering hysterically. He could see his livid, glistening face and the way his mouth worked in terror.

Bailey walked silently. His face was pale, but dangerous lights smouldered in his eyes.

The group of men reached a small clearing in the thicket and, all realizing that this was the place of execution, they stopped.

Slim pointed to convenient trees.

"Tie them there," he said.

While Flynn covered Bailey, Woppy fastened Riley to the tree with the cord Doc tossed to him. Riley made no effort to save himself. He stood against the tree, shuddering, helpless in his terror. Woppy turned to Bailey. "Get up against that tree," he said savagely.

Bailey walked deliberately to the tree and set his back against it. As Woppy came up, he kicked like a snake striking. His shoe sank into Woppy's groin, and then Bailey was behind the tree, the slim trunk between him and Flynn's gun.

Slim became violently excited.

"Don't shoot!" he screamed out. "I want him alive!"

Woppy writhed on the grass, trying to get his breath back. No one bothered about him. Doc stepped behind some bushes. His face was white and he looked sick. He was going to keep out of it.

Flynn slowly began to edge towards the tree while Slim stood motionless, the thin-bladed knife glittering in his hand.

Bailey looked around for a way of escape. Behind him the shrubs were thick; in front of him, Flynn approached cautiously; on his left, Slim stood with his knife. It was to his right that he must make his bid for freedom. He made a sudden dive, but Flynn was closer than he realised. He aimed a blow at Flynn who ducked. Bailey's fist went over Flynn's head and he floundered. Flynn closed with him.

For a minute they strained. Then Bailey who was the more powerful man, broke away. He slammed Flynn on the jaw and Flynn went down and out.

Bailey sprang away.

Slim hadn't moved. He stood there, his thin body drooping, his loose mouth half open and the knife hanging limply in his fingers. Woppy was still out. Bailey suddenly changed his ideas. There was only Slim. Doc didn't count. If he could knock Slim out, then he and Riley could surprise Eddie. It was worth the risk. He moved towards Slim who waited with yellow, gleaming eyes.

Then Bailey suddenly saw Slim grin. The idiot mask slipped and the killer was there. Bailey knew he was but a few heart beats from death. He had never felt so frightened. He stood still, like a hypnotized rabbit.

The knife flashed through the air and sped at him. He took the blade in his throat.

Slim stood over him while he died, watching and feeling the same odd ecstasy run through him which a killing always gave him.

Woppy had sat up, his face ashen. He began to curse softly. Flynn, still on his back, moved uneasily, a livid bruise growing on his jaw. Doc turned away. He wasn't callous like the others.

Slim looked over at Riley who shut his eyes. A horrible croaking sound came from him. Slim cleaned his knife by driving it into the ground. Then he straightened.

"Riley..." he said softly.

Riley opened his eyes.

"Don't kill me, Slim," he panted. "Gimme a break! Don't kill me!"

Slim grinned. Then moving slowly through the patch of sunlight, he approached the cringing man.

MISS BLANDISH was pushed into the hard light of the overhead lamp. Two pads of cotton-wool were strapped across her eyes with adhesive tape. Eddie supported her. She leaned heavily against him. His hand on her arm felt hard and warm. It was her only contact in the darkness.

From her chair, Ma Grisson stared at Miss Blandish. Before leaving Johnny's place, Eddie had telephoned her, telling her they were on their way. She had had time to appreciate what this kidnapping would mean to her and the gang. Handled carefully and with any reasonable luck, she and the gang would be worth a million dollars before the end of the week. For the past three years, she had built up the reputation of the gang. They hadn't made a great deal of money, but they hadn't done badly. They were regarded by the other gangs as good third-raters. Now, because of this slim, red-haired girl they would become the richest, the most powerful and the most wanted public enemies of Kansas City.

Ma Grisson was big, grossly fat and lumpy. Flesh hung in two loose sacks either side of her chin. Her crinkly hair was dyed a hard, dull black. Her little eyes were glittering and as impersonal as glass. Her big floppy chest sparkled with cheap jewelry. She wore a dirty cream colored lace dress. Her huge arms, mottled with veins, bulged through the lace network like dough compressed in a sieve. Physically she was as powerful as a man. She was a hideous old woman, and every member of the gang, including Slim, was afraid of her.

Eddie whipped the tape from Miss Blandish's eyes. It was a shock to her to be confronted by this old woman, sitting slumped in the armchair. At the sight of her, Miss Blandish caught her breath sharply and shrank back.

Eddie put his hand on her arm assuringly.

"Well, Ma," he said. "Here she is, delivered as per your instructions. Meet Miss Blandish."

Ma leaned forward. Her staring, beady eyes terrified the girl.

Ma hated talking as much as she hated talkers. She said one word when most people said ten, but this was an occasion she felt called for a speech.

"Listen to me," she said, "you may be Blandish's daughter but you mean nothing to me. You're staying here until your old man buys you back. It depends on him how long you do stay here. While you're here, you're going to behave. So long as you do behave, you'll be left alone, but if you start making trouble, you'll have me to reckon with, I promise you. You'll be sorry if you do cross me. Do you understand?"

Miss Blandish stared at her as if she couldn't believe this terrifying old woman really existed.

"Do you understand?" Ma repeated.

Eddie nudged Miss Blandish.

"Yes," she said.

"Take her up to the front room," Ma said to Eddie. "It's all ready for her. Lock her in and come down here. I want to talk to you."

Eddie led Miss Blandish from the room. As they went up the stairs, he said, "The old girl wasn't fooling, baby. She's meaner than Slim, so watch your step."

Miss Blandish didn't say anything. She seemed crushed and terrified.

A few minutes later, Eddie joined Doc and Flynn in Ma's room. Woppy had been sent downtown for news.

Eddie poured himself a shot of whiskey, then sat on the arm of a chair.

"Where's Slim got to, Ma?"

"He's gone to bed," Ma said. "Never mind about him. I want to talk to you and Flynn. You heard what I said to the girl about making trouble? The same applies to you two. Neither of you nor Woppy are going to start trouble just because there's a good-looking girl here. If I catch any of you interfering with her, you'll be sorry. More gangs have come to grief through a woman than through the cops. I won't have you boys fighting over her. That girl is to be left alone. Is that understood?"

Eddie grinned jeeringly.

"That go for Slim too?"

"Slim doesn't bother with women," Ma said, glaring at Eddie. "He's got too much sense. If you thought more of your job and less about your cheap floozies, you would be better off. That also applies to Woppy and to you," she looked at Flynn who moved uncomfortably. "You understand? You're to leave the girl alone."

"I'm not deaf," Flynn said sulkily.

"And you, Eddie?"

"I heard you the first time, Ma."

"Okay." Ma reached for a cigarette and lit it. "This girl is worth a million dollars to us. She has been missing since midnight. By now Blandish will have alerted the cops and they will have alerted the Feds. We've got to contact Blandish and tell him to call off the Feds and get a million dollars in used bills ready for delivery. We shouldn't have any trouble with him. He has the money and he wants his daughter back," She looked at Eddie. "Go downtown and telephone Blandish. Tell him he'll get instructions soon how he is to deliver the money. Warn him if he tries to double-cross us, his daughter will suffer. I don't have to tell you what to say: make it raw and crude."

"Sure, Ma," Eddie said.

"Then get off."

As Eddie rose to his feet, he asked, "What's the split going to be, Ma? I'm the guy who spotted the girl. I ought to get more than the rest."

"We haven't got it yet," Ma said curtly. "We'll talk about it when we do get it."

"And how about me?" Flynn put in. "I was there too."

"Yeah?" Eddie answered. "If it hadn't been for me you would have gone to bed."

"Shut up!" Ma snapped. "Get off!"

Eddie hesitated, then meeting the hard little eyes, he shrugged and left the room. They heard the Buick start up and drive away.

"Now, you," Ma said to Flynn. "Who knows we're connected with Riley and his gang and with what happened last night?"