Double Indemnity - James M. Cain [43]
"There's just one thing, Keyes."
"What is it?"
"I still don't know about that girl, Lola. You say you hold everything. I guess that means you hold her and Sachetti, pending the hearing. The hearing that's not going to be held. Well, listen. I've got to know no harm comes to her. I've got to have your solemn word on that, or you'll get no statement, and the case will come to trial, and all the rest of it. I'll blow the whole ship out of water. Do you get that, Keyes? What about her?"
"We hold Sachetti. He's consented to it."
"Did you hear me? What about her?"
"She's out."
"She's—what?"
"We bailed her out. It's a bailable offense. You didn't die, you see."
"Does she know about me?"
"No. I told you I told her nothing."
He got up, looked at his watch, and tip-toed out in the hall. I closed my eyes. Then I felt somebody near me. I opened my eyes again. It was Lola.
"Walter."
"Yes. Hello, Lola."
"I'm terribly sorry."
"I'm all right."
"I didn't know Nino knew about us. He must have found out. He didn't mean anything. But he's—hot-tempered."
"You love him?"
"...Yes."
"I just wanted to know."
"I'm sorry that you feel as you do."
"It's all right."
"Can I ask something? That I haven't any right to ask?"
"What is it?"
"That you do not prosecute. That you not appear against him. You don't have to, do you?"
"I won't."
"...Sometimes I almost love you, Walter."
She sat looking at me, and all of a sudden she leaned over close. I turned my head away, quick. She looked hurt and sat there a long time. I didn't look at her. Some kind of peace came to me then at last. I knew I couldn't have her and never could have had her. I couldn't kiss the girl whose father I killed.
When she was at the door I said good-bye and wished her good luck, and then Keyes came back.
"O.K. on the statement, Keyes."
"It's the best way."
"O.K. on everything. Thanks."
"Don't thank me."
"I feel that way."
"You've got no reason to thank me." A funny look came in his eyes. "I don't think they're going to catch up with you, Huff. I think—well maybe I'm doing you a favor at that. Maybe you'd rather have it that way."
Chapter 14
What you've just read, if you've read it, is the statement. It took me five days to write it, but at last, on Thursday afternoon, I got it done. That was yesterday. I sent it out by the orderly to be registered, and around five o'clock Keyes dropped by for the receipt. It'll be more than he bargained for, but I wanted to put it all down. Maybe she'll see it some time, and not think so bad of me after she understands how it all was. Around seven o'clock I put on my clothes. I was weak, but I could walk. After a bite to eat I sent for a taxi and went down to the pier. I went to bed right away, and stayed there till early this afternoon. Then I couldn't stand it any longer, alone there in the stateroom, and went up on deck. I found my chair and sat there looking at the coast of Mexico, where we were going past it. But I had a funny feeling I wasn't going anywhere. I kept thinking about Keyes, and the look he had in his eye that day, and what he meant by what he said. Then, all of a sudden, I found out. I heard a little gasp beside me. Before I even looked I knew who it was. I turned to the next chair. It was Phyllis.
"You."
"Hello, Phyllis."
"Your man Keyes—he's quite a matchmaker."
"Oh yeah. He's romantic."
I looked her over. Her face was drawn from the last time I had seen her, and there were little puckers around her eyes. She handed me something.
"Did you see it?"
"What is it?"
"The ship's paper."
"No, I didn't. I guess I'm not interested."
"It's in there."
"What's in there?"
"About the wedding. Lola and Nino. It came in by radio a little after noon."
"Oh, they're married?"
"Yes. It was pretty exciting. Mr. Keyes gave her away. They went to San Francisco on their honeymoon. Your company paid Nino a bonus."
"Oh. It must be out then. About us."
"Yes. It all came out. It's a good thing we're under different names here. I saw all the passengers reading about it at lunch. It's a sensation."