The So Blue Marble (23 page)

    She felt her way to the doorway, trying to choke back the nausea that pressed into her throat. She said, “Don’t tell Ann what’s happened.” And, “I wish I’d given it to you a long time ago.” Then she went blindly up to wake her sister.

    

    

    

    The car was at the door when they came down. Griselda had made delay in the packing, but she was still afraid for Ann to pass the living room. She had to see before Ann did. It was clean. David and Danny were on the porch in the early dusk, their coats turned up about their cheeks, their hats pulled low over their eyes. The sticks were under their arms. Ann didn’t notice. She didn’t ask where the car had come from; she didn’t care.

    Danny climbed into the front. David helped Ann first, then Griselda, himself last, his left cheek by the window.

    When the car started, Ann asked, “Isn’t Missy coming?”

    David’s voice was without feeling. “No. She’s staying here.”

    The drive in was silent. Everything was over, fatigued. Ann didn’t understand, but the others knew it was the end. The twins weren’t elated with their victory; they were gray as dream figures. Only when the glow of Riverside was against the sky did Griselda speak, in undertone to David.

    “I’m going to take Ann up, get her settled. You can wait for me. You needn’t be afraid I’ll run away.”

    “I’m not.”

    Ann said, “I do wonder if Arthur’s returned. I hope so. I feel like dancing tonight.” So easily had she returned to East Seventy-ninth Street. She added, “Would you join us?”

    David said, “No. We have business tonight”

    Griselda said, “No.” All she wanted was to get into a bed and sleep for a hundred years. To sleep, to wake and find this but a dream after all.

    The car stopped at reality. Ann’s apartment, tall and dark and strong. Ann said, “You needn’t go up, Griselda.”

    “I want to.” On the walk she spoke again to David. “I shan’t be long.” The clock in the lobby said that it wasn’t yet ten o’clock.

    It wasn’t more than ten when she returned to the car.

    David asked, “The apartment?”

    She nodded. Might as well end it where it began. Might as well give Con one last chance to win. She could pretend once there that she must have at least until morning, make up some tale that it was impossible to get it for them before then. They didn’t know but that it was in some vault somewhere. They didn’t know the little blue stone was in her wadded handkerchief now, in her purse. She could hand it to them, never see them again-never see Con again! She knew they wouldn’t let her live. But Con might be at the apartment, and faint chance that even now he might work it out. If she could speak to him, tell him of Missy, he would have the evidence that he and the X men wanted. This time she had been there, eyewitness. Nor could the twins have had time to do away with all trace of the body. She knew that Perhaps Con could win yet. He wasn’t in danger, not now. She alone was. She held the marble and she would give it up. But not yet. Not until she took this final chance.

    The car drew to the curb. David helped her out Danny stood on the other side. It was like the first night but they weren’t gay, laughing now. There were pain lines at their lips.

    The elevator groaned to the first floor, clanked. They rode in that whimpering silence to the floor, and out.

    Danny said, “There’s someone inside-a light.” Con was there. Impossible, yet he must be. She pushed the button keeping her finger tight on it. That would give Con a chance to prepare. She hid disappointment when Jasper Coldwater opened the door, abused, cross Jasper.

    “Well, Griselda,” he began.

    She asked, “What are you doing here? I thought you were in California.”

    He sighed, “It’s simply nauseous. More than I can bear, really. Inspector Tobin wouldn’t let me go.”

    He walked away from the door and she and the twins followed. Then she saw Con. He was in pajamas, comfortable, lounging in a chair by the open window; of course, a glass in his hand. Seeing him, she knew she had been wrong. She shouldn’t have brought the twins here, risked Con’s safety in this way. Not that he seemed frightened; he didn’t even look interested in anything but his drink. He greeted her casually, “So you came back home, baby. Tobin’s been looking for you.”

    Danny’s laugh was almost gay again. “Maybe this was supposed to be a trap. We don’t trap easily.”

    “It wasn’t…” But the buzz of the door broke her words. She was frozen. She hadn’t heard the elevator. The twins had sticks sharply in their hands. She whispered, “What shall I do?” her eyes frightened.

    David said, “I’ll answer it.”

    “I’ll hang my coat.” Danny backed into the closet. There was the killer’s smile on his lips.

    She couldn’t speak, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t call out desperately, “Go away.” She must let Tobin walk into this. And he and Con would try to keep the twins from getting away with the marble. She knew it. They wouldn’t be afraid; they didn’t know what the twins were really like.

    David opened the door, shielding himself behind it. She stood watching the opening with sick, paralyzed eyes. And then she breathed. Only Gig.

    David bowed. “Come in. We didn’t expect you. We’re about to have a drink. I’ll fix them, Con.”

    Con waved his glass agreeably.

    Gig looked different. She realized what it was. He was wearing his top coat and he didn’t remove his hat. It was as if he were going away.

    He asked David with little curiosity, “What happened to your face?”

    “I believe I cut myself shaving.” The smile flickered, went out. “Yes, that was it.”

    Jasper was testy. He turned on Danny. “I suppose you cut yourself, too.”

    He replied evenly, “I suppose I did.”

    David passed Griselda on his way to the kitchen cupboard. “Hadn’t you better get what you came for? Then Danny and I can be on our way. After all, we weren’t invited to this party.”

    Danny spoke. “We don’t like to crash it, as you say.”

    “I’ll get it,” she said bluntly, but waited for Con to speak. But he said nothing. Maybe he hadn’t heard.

    “The
Normandie
sails at midnight, I believe. We can make it.”

    Jasper didn’t understand any of this. “You can’t sail without luggage and reservations.”

    Danny laughed at him soundlessly. “We can. We have.”

    Griselda went to the bedroom. She closed her eyes for an instant. She had been wrong, but she wasn’t wrong now. She must ask for time. She mustn’t give Con a chance to do anything about it This must be done before Tobin came, before he and Con were together. Nothing would stop the twins now. Not if they had to kill everyone in the room. They should have the marble and go, go quietly, forever.

    She took it from her bag, closed it into the hot palm of her hand and returned to the living room.

    Con still lounged in the chair, still drinking. She looked at him, asking mute forgiveness for what she was about to do, what she must do. But he didn’t understand. He only pantomimed the glasses on her nose as if he hadn’t noticed before.

    “So you were here Saturday.”

    She said, “Yes.” He must have seen Irish before she had. Of course, Tobin with him. It didn’t matter now. The police had her but she didn’t care. After she gave the twins the blue marble they would go, the horror of them would be gone. She could endure whatever came after that.

    David and Danny stood in the room between the others and the door. Their sticks were still under their arms carelessly, held by their elbows against their sides, but quicker than sound they could be touched. Gig was on the piano bench, his hands in his coat pockets.

    She walked to David. “Here it is.”

    He held out his hand and she put the tiny ball, so round, so exquisitely blue, into his palm. He spoke with a certain exaltation, “The blue marble!” He touched it with one finger almost reverently and it fell apart. So it did open if you knew how. She could see the filigree etching of a map.

    Gig’s voice sounded. “You will have to take much care that the marble isn’t stolen from you or that you aren’t murdered by someone who wants it.”

    Everyone, save Jasper who was bored, looked at him, curious not at his words but that he should speak then. And he went on, “Need I say that if you move or attempt to touch your canes you will die, even as I am speaking. You know that. That is why you have not made the move. The same applies to all of you, even to Griselda.” The revolver in his hand covered the room.

    He spoke to the twins again, “If you will release your elbows-that is right.” The sticks clattered to the floor. “Don’t make any move with your feet. I know there is a gas pocket. You used it on me once, you recall. Griselda, please kick their sticks into the fireplace. No, don’t pick them up, use your feet. Now, Griselda, if you will stand in front of the fireplace, your back to it That is right”

    She obeyed, feeling like Alice. It grew curiouser and curiouser. Gig now.

    Gig said, “You, Mr. Coldwater, will extract Mr. Satterlee’s artillery. Just keep your hands high, Mr. Satterlee, while he does it. Don’t be afraid, Mr. Coldwater. I shan’t hurt you, unless you should decide to try to use the guns. Just drop them at my feet.”

    David spoke. “You too have been after the marble?”

    Gig smiled. “Yes. For many years. But it pleased me that you should acquire it for me, save me the- messy work-or much of it. Of course, I did have a few touches.”

    “Bette!” Griselda gasped.

    “Yes,” he admitted. “But nothing serious, Griselda. Only that she wouldn’t recognize me. She interrupted my search here.” He smiled again. “And now, Mr. Coldwater, you will take the marble from David and bring it to me.” The gun did not waver as Jasper gingerly obeyed, plucking it from David’s palm, hurrying across the room to lay it in Gig’s. The tiny marble, but so very blue.

    And again the buzzer sounded. Griselda’s knees slumped. She held to the mantelpiece for support.

    Con said, without moving, without concern, “It’s probably Toby. Somebody better let him in or he may think something is wrong.”

    Jasper tittered.

    Con said, “I mean we don’t want him calling some dumb cops to bust in the door on us, do we? Edwin Booth, make yourself useful and open the door.”

    Jasper asked with some hauteur, “Are you speaking to me?”

    “Yeah, you.”

    Gig’s gun was steady. He said, “Yes, Mr. Coldwater, you had best open it.”

    Jasper sighed. His face showed that he wasn’t used to being ordered around like one of his own servants. But he didn’t like that pointed gun. He scurried like a rabbit, let Tobin in.

    Gig stated, “Mr. Coldwater will take your gun, Inspector Tobin.”

    “Never carry one.” Tobin walked on into the room as if none of this were happening. “Looks like I’m a little late, Con.”

    “Looks like it,” Con replied. “Moore with you?”

    “He came up the back way.”

    Griselda turned her head. Moore was there, lounging in the bedroom doorway. She heard him say, “Look quick, Toby! Give Griselda a hand.”

    She had known she couldn’t stand there much longer. She was beginning to weave like a buoy. Tobin caught her, dropped her without ado into a chair. Danny asked, “Shall I get whiskey?”

    Gig answered, “Stay where you are. I still have the gun pointed, you see.”

    Con drawled, “You might as well put it down, Zcrsky. I filled it up with blanks today while you were down seeing about a passport.”

    Gig looked first puzzled, then incredulous.

    Con lit a cigarette. “My God, didn’t you know we’ve had a tail on you for weeks?”

    Tobin put in his word. “And if any of the rest of you have any bright ideas about retrieving your artillery, just skip it. Moore’s got more medals than anybody on the force for target practice. Quick on the draw, too, aren’t you, Cowboy?”

    Moore looked embarrassed, thumbs in his belt, but he nodded.

    Tobin said, “There’s some X-men downstairs. Garth’s on his way now from Washington. And is he tickled to have you twins safe at last.”

    David bowed slightly. “Why does he want us? We’ve done nothing.”

    “He might ask a few questions about how you happened to get hold of the blue marble.”

    David smiled. “We don’t have the blue marble, Inspector. Herr Gigland-or is it Zcrsky?-has it.”

    Con said, “Zcrsky’s the name, and by the way, Zcrsk, I found where you’d hidden Gig. That’s one reason I’ve been so tied up, babe.” This was to Griselda.

    Tobin said, “Marble or no marble, twins, you’ll get yours. The X is handling and they’ve finally got enough against you to put you both away for good.”

    Con added, “We’ve even got your pilot that forced my plane down and took Irish away so you could kill him.”

    The twins did not speak. Gig did. He laid the emasculated gun carefully on the piano bench. “You will let me go, please. I have done nothing wrong. I am not a killer, as these.”

    Con said, “Garth’s been looking for you too, you know, Zcrsky.” He unfolded himself from the chair and started across to him. “You might as well hand back the marble. It won’t do you any good now.”

    Gig’s calm was frenzy immediately. He backed nearer the window. He shrilled, “I won’t give you the marble! I won’t! I’ve waited too long for it! It’s mine!” Con took another step towards him and Gig screamed in his fury, “Don’t touch me! This is mine, mine!” He wasn’t normal; he knew he was cornered. He thrust his hand behind him out of Con’s reach, but he had forgotten the open window. He stumbled against it, grasped at the ledge to keep from falling-and the marble slipped from his palm. He whirled, clawing for it, but it rolled away, over the edge, down, down, four stories to the street below. There was no sound in the room but Gig’s sobbing, Danny’s quick intake of breath.