Chapter 12
The first thing Conway did when he entered Margo's apartment was head for the bar. The second was to throw down the stiff drink he'd poured himself.
Then he collapsed in a chair and lit a cigarette with trembling hands. He was no longer angry. He just felt as if someone had cut out his guts and tossed them away.
He'd been more fond of Teddy than he'd cared to admit, even to himself. And now that she was gone he felt only fuzzy.
On the way back to the apartment Conway had thought over their brief relationship together. In reflection he'd realized that she'd been too quick to give herself to him. He should have known at the time that something was wrong.
Well, Conway thought bitterly, something had been wrong all right-the girl. She was just as crazy as Clancy had suggested.
What would she do now? Conway wondered why he even bothered thinking of her future. He no longer gave a damn about her. He figured that she'd probably go back to PETER'S, and now that she'd learned the ropes, make some real money for a change-after she'd healed.
Of course there were a few pieces that didn't fit together, but Conway was too tired to figure them out now.
He looked up as Margo came into the room. She stood there, naked, looking over at him, a half smile spread across her face. "I thought I heard you come in," she said. "I've been waiting in bed for you."
"I needed a drink."
"Did you take care of your Teddy?"
"Yeah," Conway agreed. "I did."
Margo came over and sat down beside him, putting her hands protectively in her lap. "Don't feel too bad about it," she soothed. "We all make mistakes."
Conway looked at the woman. Suddenly, with the blindness of Teddy gone, she looked good to him. He had to say one thing about Margo, she stuck with him through thick and thin-and always came back for more. Damned few women would do as much. He reached out and slid his hands to her thighs. Damned if she didn't excite him.
"Were you taking the money and going away with her?" Margo asked softly.
"Yeah," Conway admitted bitterly. "That was the general idea."
Margo relaxed her legs just a little, taking his hand in hers and pulling it higher on her body. Her stomach trembled as she drove herself at him in short bursts, encouraging him to do more than just hold her.
"Wouldn't I do as a substitute?" she asked slowly.
Conway looked at her in surprise. At the same time he felt of her warmth. It was obvious to him that this was one woman who was completely and absolutely his. There was little doubting her loyalty. Hadn't she met him at the prizon? Wasn't she patient while he was mixed up with the other girl?
And there was more. Conway knew that Teddy would head straight for Smith, the insurance investigator, as soon as she had her clothing back on. At this moment they were probably holding a council of war.
Wouldn't it be smart, Conway reflected, to make his move before Smith figured out another cute idea? By the time that crumb recovered from his last failure, Margo and he could be out of the country living high on the dough.
The more he thought of the idea the more he liked it. Margo was still a damned good tumble, and it'd be fun to have her along. On top of that she wouldn't object if he grabbed extra action now and then.
Conway grinned broadly. "You wouldn't mind playing second fiddle?"
Margo looked pointedly at his hand fondling her. "It looks as if I'm first-string now. I'll go anywhere you take me."
Conway thought rapidly. "We'll take out of here bright and early in the morning, stop long enough to pick up the money, and head for the airport. We'll be on the first plane out of the country."
"Fine," Margo sighed rapidly. She lifted a breast and pressed it into his mouth. "Now that it's settled, suppose we go to bed."
They did exactly that. Fifteen minutes later, as Conway felt himself soar, there was only one thing that bothered him. This wasn't Margo beneath him. It was Teddy.
Only when Conway was absolutely certain that they hadn't been followed did he drive into the Northside Storage parking lot. Just as he'd suspected, Smith had been thrown off the scent by Conway's brutalizing Teddy. He hadn't yet been able to organize his forces.
"Is this where you took the money?" Margo asked as Conway prepared to leave the car.
"Yeah," Conway admitted.
There was admiration in Margo's voice. "What a wonderful idea."
Conway nodded his agreement as he stepped onto the hot pavement.
Getting the money was simple. It took all of five minutes to show his signature and claim the box. He returned to the car and ripped the container open. His hands shook as he retrieved the bank's money bag.
"Is it all there? Margo asked anxiously over his shoulder.
Conway dipped his hand in the cloth sack and pulled out a handful of hundred-dollar bills. "I never had time to count it," he grinned. "I'll just have to take the bank's word for the amount."
"We'd better get going," Margo said nervously looking around them.
Conway agreed. He slid behind the wheel and took off, heading for the airport.
It was a quick trip, even counting the stop for a phone call Margo made. She'd forgotten to tell her landlord that she was giving up the apartment.
Conway parked in the lot and looked at Margo. "What about the car?"
"Forget it," she suggested. "Remember? It doesn't belong to me."
Conway took the money and stuffed it into her suitcase. Then he carried it into the busy lobby, ignoring the porters scrambling for his business.
For a moment he stood still, enjoying the hurried bustle about him. The place had the smell of freedom. He was home safe. All that money, luxury, the lure of far-away places ... not to mention a dame that he could enjoy it with.
Thinking of Margo, he turned to see where she'd gone. She was there, standing a few feet away from him, turning around as if searching for someone. There was an odd look on her face. The smile she was so free in giving had faded, replaced by an expression he found hard to recognize. "You coming?" Conway prompted. "We got places to go."
The girl went dutifully along with him to a ticket counter.
"I'd like a couple of first-class seats to Europe," Conway told the man behind the wood.
"Where in Europe?" the passenger agent asked.
Conway hadn't thought that far ahead. He looked at the schedule of departures on the television set and saw a flight to Italy was ready to board. "I guess Italy would be fine," he said.
The clerk picked up his telephone. "I'll see if we have space available."
Conway fidgeted while he waited. Margo's nervousness was catching. Just then he caught sight of a familiar figure coming toward him. Recognition was instantaneous. It was Smith, the insurance investigator.
Conway felt his heart plummet. It took him a moment to jump into action. By then it was too late. Smith was blocking his way.
"Don't be a fool," Smith snapped, guessing what the younger man had in mind. "I can have this whole place sealed off in three minutes. You haven't a chance of getting away."
Conway's mouth had suddenly gone dry and his brain was spinning wildly at this unexpected turn of events.
"Where's the money?" Smith snapped.
Conway fought for sanity. "What money?" he managed to say. "I was just taking a little trip." The words out in the open had a naked sound.
"It's in my bag, Harry," Margo spoke up from beside them. "He put it there before we came in for the plane."
Conway spun on the girl in astonishment. But she wasn't Margo. She was someone he'd never met in his life. Her expression was twisted in hate, tinged with venom. He didn't understand any of this. He tried to say something, but his throat wouldn't cooperate.
Smith had retrieved the case from the scale and opened it. He extracted the money bag and held it in front of Conway. His stony eyes had given way to an amused expression. "You are a punk kid," he said dryly. "I told you we had ways."
"How-?" It was all Conway could get out.
Smith seemed proud of his accomplishments. He ignored the crowd that was beginning to gather about them. "It was Margo's idea," he said slowly, enjoying every word. "She came to me while you were still in prison. I set her up in the apartment and gave her the car. All she had to do was stick to you until you came up with the money." He took a deep breath and continued. "I was following you the night you raped the Grinson girl. After that it was easy. Margo stayed away from her apartment and let you have your fun. Then, when you were ready to take off, Margo put my card in the girl's purse and suggested that Teddy was the plant. You fell like a ton of bricks. Margo figured you'd come back to her. You did." He shrugged, adding coldly. "I said you were stupid. You proved it yourself."
Conway listened to the man talk, the words spinning in his ears like angry bees. He turned to Margo. "But why?" he asked.
"You thought you owned me," the woman spat angrily. "You took my virginity and turned me into a tramp. No man can do that and get away with it. I spent two years thinking of a way to get even." Her anger had brought tears to her eyes as she added, "I found a way."
Through his confusion Conway thought of something else. "And Teddy was never a part of it?"
Smith shook his head. "The poor kid never knew what was going on," he admitted.
From somewhere Conway felt fresh strength. The knowledge that Teddy hadn't deserted him helped. His old feeling for the young girl surged back within him.
And Conway thought of something else. They had the money now. That's all Smith had wanted in the first place. He was still free. They couldn't do anything to him. He turned cocky. "Okay," he growled. "You've got what you wanted. So I didn't give the money back voluntarily. Your deal was that you had to have it in ten days or else."
"That's right," Smith agreed soberly.
"So okay," Conway said, smiling insolently. He began to move away, gaining fresh confidence every second. He had a crazy thought. Maybe ... just maybe he could talk Teddy into coming back to him. Sure, he'd done her dirt; but the gal would understand. Wasn't she hooked on him? Nobody ever left Steve Conway for long. And there was still that job Clancy had offered. The future wasn't quite as black as he'd first believed. He might even figure a way to get back at Margo for what she'd done. That dame deserved anything she got. "So I'll be going now," he announced out loud. "I got things to do, places to go."
"Not so fast," Smith snapped. His old anger had returned. "There's still the matter of Teddy Grinson." He waved his hand and, as if by magic, a half dozen police descended on their little group.
Conway stopped in his tracks. He never had liked the law. "What about Teddy?" he spat. "She's none of your concern."
Smith shoved his face forward. The veins were standing straight out. "She was found in the yacht basin this morning," he said, having difficulty controlling his rage. "She was dead. A cab driver saw you waiting for her there last night. Your prints were on her suitcase. You got even with her, all right. You threw her into the lake after ravaging her like an animal."
Conway reeled backward as if he'd been struck in the face. He would have fallen if a policeman hadn't caught him. He opened his mouth to scream out his innocence. Didn't these people know? Teddy was suicide-prone. This time she'd succeeded. How could he have killed her? He loved her.
Loved? Conway heard the words. For the space of a second the depths of his twisted mind opened and he knew the truth. He'd been in love with Teddy all the time.
Conway said nothing. Who would believe him? He hardly believed himself.
The boy had grown to manhood, and the man had failed.
The warden had been right. Steve Conway was returning to prison.