Chapter 11
The long trek along the beach and up the path to the hotel gave Vic time to think. He needed that time, and he knew a lot was riding on the conclusions he drew before reaching the hotel.
What disturbed him was this sudden impulse to see Clayboro. It had just popped into his head, maybe because he had tried every way out but that one. But what was he planning to say to the man? What did he want from him? What could he give Clayboro? The way he handled this thing could mean life or death, and it would involve everyone wrapped up in this mess.
He tried to imagine the dialogue between them, and he saw himself in the position of appealing to Clayboro's humanity. He would lay it on the line. He loved Carmina, but Carmina didn't mean a damn thing to Clayboro. Wouldn't Clayboro be a nice guy for once in his life and leave alone somebody who meant a lot to another human?
Vic kicked the sand. The argument was nonsense. The chances of a hardened guy like Clayboro swallowing it were a thousand to one-against. He would simply say, what is it worth?
And Vic didn't have a thing to offer him.
It would have to be a bargain. And a hard one. What did Clayboro want so badly-besides Carmina-that he would do anything to have it?
Then it came to him.
He stopped for a minute and pushed the sand around with his toe, letting everything drop into place in his brain. There was risk involved. Grave risk. But he wanted Carmina, loved her, needed her. He wasn't sure how it would end-staying behind with her, leaving her or bringing her back to the States-but whatever happened her welfare was first in his heart, and no risk was too great to insure she would be safe.
It meant he must be ruthless now, something he had never had any need to be, or any desire. But what other path was open? Humanity wasn't worth a damn in this rat race. You had to take a stand, and now he could no longer straddle the fence. He would have to take that plunge he'd been avoiding and trying to go around since it all started, that plunge into corruption and brutality, if he was going to get what he wanted.
He would play the game their game-with a vengeance.
He set the plans firmly in his mind, and then headed for the hotel, a firm purposefulness in his confident stride.
He would see Clayboro all right. But he had a stop to make first.
Dana was at the bar, charming the guests of honor.
She'd played a big role in this convention, troubleshooting, smoothing over the ruffled feelings of these two congressmen whenever Sparling pushed too hard, enticing them into the trap when Sparling didn't push hard enough. She had them wrapped around her little finger.
Vic watched her for a second, admiring the way she made sure they had a good look at her breasts whose top halves were uncovered almost to the nipple by the cleavage of her dress, and that they saw plenty of thigh above the rim of her stockings and nearly to her panties, as she dangled one leg off the stool.
He put his arms around Mutt and Jeff and laughed. "Gentlemen, I wonder if I might have use for just a minute of this lovely woman."
"You might, chum," one of them said jovially, "but I don't know if she can tear herself away."
"Yes," chirped the other, "we have captivated her and she is under our spell. If you can break the spell she's yours-but only for a minute."
"I don't know what magic you weave, gents, but I'll try my counter-spell. Since we're sitting at a counter, it shouldn't be too difficult."
They both guffawed.
"I've got to have a word with you right away," he said in a low tone to her. His eyes flashed unmistakable seriousness.
"The boy means business," said one congressman.
"No, I think he means pleasure," said the other, and they burst out laughing again.
"I'll be back in a few sees," she said, kissing each on the forehead.
"A few sex," the first man said, wheezing a loud laugh.
"She's a real card," said the other.
"A real card. She can trump me any time."
They left the two members of our exalted legislature trading obscene and unfunny remarks and laughing uproariously.
"Where to?" He had his hand on her arm and was guiding her into the lobby double-time. "Hey, what's the big rush?"
"Something big. Let's go up to your room."
They hurried up the stairs and down the hall. As soon as they were inside her room he grabbed her by the shoulders and looked at her sternly. "As long as we're going to be married, how would you like a nest egg of seventy-five thousand dollars?"
Her brows shot up. "Keep talking, honey. I'm interested, to say the least."
He pushed her down in an armchair. "Then listen to this. Clayboro called me into his room a little while ago. He said Sparling has been putting big pressure on him to call off the investigation."
"I know that."
"I mean big pressure. Bribes, threats, everything. Clayboro got too cagey and Sparling's putting all the heat on. Sparling told him if it comes to a showdown, the drug industry may go down, but so will Clayboro. Clayboro said he's not afraid. Sparling told him he would be if he knew how much we have on him. Sparling told him about the pictures we have of him-being chummy with drug people, getting off the convention yacht, in bed with this girl and that, and various other shockers. Clayboro played it cool, and he laughed off the threat. Then Sparling-sometimes I have to hand it to that guy...."
"When your back is against the wall you think of a lot of things you never thought you could think."
"I guess so, because he was really shrewd on this point. He told Clayboro we could publish a photo of him a helluva lot quicker than he could get an investigation going. Sparling even said he was ready to wirephoto some of these to the big newspapers. Anything Clayboro did about the drug industry after that would be discredited to a great degree."
"Don't give that much credit to Harold. He's going ahead pretty much according to schedule. But I must say I didn't think he had so much guts. He pulled it off, huh?"
"It would look that way, wouldn't it?" Vic said. So far so good. Dana wasn't questioning anuy of it. It even sounded authentic to him.
"But how do you know all this?"
"I'm coming to that now," he answered. He organized himself for the rest of the story-the crucial part-and then launched into it. It astounded him how fluently the stuff flowed from his mouth. "Clayboro came to my room. He was pretty agitated, even though he tried not to show it. He asked me how much I knew about what was going on and I said I knew all of it. After all, I'd planned the convention and I'm Harold's right hand man. He asked me if I realized what they were planning to do to him and I said I knew. He said people have tried to con him before and he's spit in their faces. But this is dirtier than anything he's ever encountered."
"I hope you told him what's at stake for us. We're not down here to play potsy, you know."
"That's more or less what I told him. He said he thinks Sparling is bluffing. I told him he'd be a damned fool to call the bluff."
"I'm glad you backed Harold up. You're not particularly in his good graces right now."
"I didn't back him up to get in his good graces, as you'll see now."
Then Vic pulled a smart move. "But first, I want to know one thing," he said, sitting on the arm of her chair and looking deeply into her eyes. "Can I trust you?"
"Can you trust me?" I've been wondering the same thing about you. Of course you can trust me," she said defensively, her tone ruffled and hurt.
"I'm not so sure. You seem to live for Sparling and Sparling Drugs. If it came to a choice between Sparling and me...."
"Believe me, baby, I'd take you in nothing flat. The only reason I've lived for Sparling is that there's been nobody better to latch onto."
"That's all I want to know." He'd put her on the defensive and if he could keep her there he was in like Flynn.
"But you didn't answer my question," she said, showing a little more resistance than was desirable to him. "Can I trust you?"
"I couldn't say so a little while ago. But I can now." He spoke in a tone tinged with dejection.
"What about Carmina?"
"The hell with her!" he snapped.
She stood up and went to him. He was standing by the window, his back to her, his head hanging low. She put her hand on his shoulder. "Why Vic, what's happened?"
"That double-dealing bitch. Double-dealing, ha! Triple or quadruple or Christ knows how many is more like it."
"You mean she's not as Simon pure as you thought?" Dana's voice had a note of triumph in it which she couldn't suppress.
"Simon pure? Why, do you know what I've learned about her bedroom activities? Do you know how many men she's had since we landed here? And I loved her. I know you're the wrong one to tell this too, but I have to tell somebody. I loved her very much." He turned and held her very tightly. She caressed the back of his neck and whispered "Shush" to him over and over until his explosion of bitterness had subsided.
Finally he said "Anyway, it's over and I'm through with her and I don't give a damn now. The important thing is this convention and my future. Our future, Dana. I think I could grow to love you."
She clutched him warmly, and he could sense a wave of genuine emotion come over her. His heart began to throb with the burden of this elaborate lie. He'd started feeling she couldn't be hurt, but now he wasn't so sure. He felt her opening herself up to him, her embrace one of sheer happiness and relief. "Oh Vic, I ask for nothing more," she sobbed.
He brought himself up sharply and pushed her away from him. "Okay, now for the good news. Clayboro was impressed when I told him Sparling wasn't a man to fool around with. And then I looked at him squarely and said 'Tell me, Lucas, what are those photos worth to you?' He got the idea right away. He said 'What's Sparling paying you for this job?' I said I'm getting twenty-five grand-if it works out. He said 'I'll double it-if you can make sure it doesn't work out.' I said nothing doing. I'd lose my job and then where would I be? Then he said he'd triple it. Seventy-five thousand, that was as high as he'd go, if I'd turn the photos over to him tonight."
Dana whistled. "In other words, seventy-five G's and he's free to pursue this investigation or not, because we'll have nothing on him."
"Exactly. It's a fraction of what he'll earn as soon as he gets back, reveals the drug business scandal, and picks up the stock after it hits rock bottom. As soon as things cool off the stock will rise fast-what the hell, people have to have drugs-and he'll make back many times seventy-five thousand."
"It sounds fantastic-except for one thing. You'll be drawn and quartered by the manufacturers."
"I covered that too," said Vic, thinking fast. "I made him agree to let me work for him." .
"Boy, you sure learn fast. Where is the green, callow youth I knew a few weeks ago?"
"Gone-for good. I've learned enough lessons since then to fill ten books. And now I'm applying them for fun and profit." The lies rolled one after another off his tongue. It wasn't as difficult as he'd thought it would be. It was true that he'd learned a lot recently. So much that it was simple to turn off the better part of himself and play the role of operator to the hilt. He wondered for an instant just how far he could go if he really wanted to follow through. Quite far, he imagined, quite far indeed.
"Then you want me to get the photos, is that it?"
"Yes. And the negatives."
"I know where Sparling's got them hidden."
"Good. Go fetch them. I'll turn them over to him and he'll make his getaway tonight."
She started towards the door and then stopped. "How do we know he won't double-cross you?"
"I'll get it in writing, for one thing, besides a healthy cash downpayment tonight. For another I'll warn him I intend to slit his throat if he crosses me. And I will."
She threw her arms around him. "I'll be back as quickly as I can." She thrust the full form of her body against him and gripped him tight. With fierce lust in her eyes, she said "And later tonight, when it's all over, you and I are going to love each other black and blue!"
He ran a finger down her white throat and plunged his hand down her dress, gripping her breast firmly and urging it up over the bodice. He pressed his mouth to it. He pulled away and said "That's a down payment."
She was panting from the suddenness and eagerness of his advance. "Oh Vic, don't stop." She pushed him away, lifted her dress up.
"We don't have time," he said urgently.
She guided his hand to her thighs. He touched the incredibly soft flesh on the inside of each, lingering a moment and then moving on. "Keep going, darling.
Don't stop." Higher and higher his hand moved, and higher and higher came the pitch of ecstasy that displayed itself in the quivering of her muscles. He reached the legs of her panties and ran both hands under them, exploring the smoothness with deft fingers. He ran his hands around to her buttocks and caressed them. "Good, good, good," she kept murmuring.
Her hips moved in and out, pushing her thighs against him. His hands roamed over her body and came around quickly. His fingers made intimate contact. "Oh, darling. Oh, that's good. That is so good."
Suddenly she shuddered, he could feel a deep pulsing in the flesh of her thighs. She groaned, staggered, and fell into the armchair, breathing like a pump.
After a few minutes she got up and walked-a little shakily-to the door. "I'll be right back for more."
"We'll have to postpone it until I've spoken to Clayboro."
"I hope you're both men of few words, in that case," she answered ,blowing him a kiss. The door closed and then opened again and she stepped back in. "One more thing bothers me, Vic. When Sparling learns that Clayboro is gone with the photographs, he'll make it a living hell for us. Maybe we should go tonight too."
"No, there's no reason why he should suspect you of doublecrossing him. He trusts you implicitly. When the accusations start flying, just play dumb. The story is simply that Clayboro learned, we don't know how, where the photos were hidden, and that's that."
"Okay." She winked and left again.
It was amazing what love had done to her. Her trust and devotion were almost overwhelming. He wondered if there was a bigger heel in the world than him right now-even Sparling, even Clayboro.