blackmail

Blackmail

ArthurHailey

○1Thechiefhouofficer,Ogilvie,whohaddeclaredhewouldappearatthe

Croydonssuiteanhourafterhiscryptictelephonecallactuallytooktwicethattime.

AsaresultthenervesofboththeDukeandDuchesswereexcessivelyfrayedwhen

themutedbuzzeroftheouterdooreventuallysounded.

○rshehaddispatchedhermaidon

aninventederrandand,cruelly,instructedthemoon-facedmalecretary–whowas

terrifiedofdogs–tensionwasnot

lesnedbytheknowledgethatbothmightreturnatanymoment.

○hadfollowedhertothe

livingroom,theDuchesslookedpointedlyatthehalf-burnedcigarinthefatman’s

mouth.“oukindlyputthat

out."

○4Thehoudetective'spiggyeyessurveyedhersardonicallyfromhisgross

emovedontosweepthespacious,well-appointedroom,

encompassingtheDukewhofacedthemuncertainly,hisbacktoawindow.

○5"Prettyneatt-upyoufolksgot.”Takinghistime,Ogilvieremovedthe

offendingcigar,knockedofftheashandflippedthebutttowardanornamental

ed,andthebuttfelluponthecarpetwhereheignored

it.

○6TheDuchess'dsharply,imagineyoudidnotcomehereto

discussdécor".

○7Theobebodyshookinanappreciativechuckle."No,ma'am,can'tsayIdid.I

likenicethings,though."Heloweredthelevelofhisincongruousfalttovoice."Like

,ain'tit"

○8"Aah!"Itwasnotaspokenword,butanemissionofbreathfromtheDukeof

eshothimaswift,warningglance.

○9"Inwhatconceivablewaydoesourcarconcernyou”

○10AsifthequestionfromtheDuchesshadbeenasignal,thehoudetective's

iredabruptly,"Whoelisinthisplace"

○11ItwastheDukewhoanswered,"themout."

○12"There'sthingsitpaystocheck."Movingwithsurprisingspeed,thefatman

walkedaroundthesuite,openingdoorsandinspectingthespacebehindthem.

eopeningandclosingthe

outerdoor,hereturned,apparentlysatisfied,tothelivingroom.

○13TheDuchesshadatedherlfinastraight-backedOgilvieremainedstanding.

○14"Nowthen,"hesaid."Youtwowasinthehit-'n-run."

○15Shemethiyesdirectly."Whatareyoutalkingabout"

○16"Don'tplaygames,forreal."Hetookoutafreshcigarandbitoffthe

end,"'sbeenplentyonradio,too."

○17TwohighpointsofcolorappearedinthepalenessoftheDuchessofCroydon's

cheeks."Whatyouaresuggestingisthemostdisgusting,ridiculous..."

○18"Itoldyou–Cutitout!”Thewordsspatforthwithsuddensavagery,all

ngtheDuke,Ogilviewavedtheunlightedcigar

underhisadversary'sadversary'sno."Youlistentome,yourhigh-an'-mightiness.

Thiscity'sburnin'mad–cops,mayor,eyfindwhodonethat

lastnight,whokilledthatkidan'itsmother,thenhigh-tailedit,they'llthrowthe

book,andnevermindwhoithits,

knowwhatIknow,andifIdowhatbyrightsIshould,there'llbeasquadofcopsin

heresofastyou'llhardlye'metoyoufirst,infairness,so'syoucould

tellyoursideofittome."Thepiggyeyesblinked,thenhardened."'fyouwantitthe

otherway,justsayso."

○19TheDuchessofCroydon–threecenturiesandahalfofinbredarrogancebehind

her–ingtoherfeet,herfacewrathful,gray-greeneyes

blazing,ewould

havewitheredanyonewhoknewherwell.“Youunspeakableblackguard!Howdare

you!”

○astheDukeof

Croydonwhointerjected,"It'snogo,oldgirl.I'goodtry."Facing

Ogilvie,hesaid,"ivingthecar

andkilledthelittlegirl."

○21"That'smorelikeit,"hefreshcigar."Nowwe'regetting

somewhere."

○22Wearily,inagestureofsurrender,theDuchessofCroydonsankbackintoher

ngherhandstoconcealtheirtrembling,sheasked."Whatisityouknow"

○23"Wellnow,I'llspellitout."Thehoudetectivetookhistime,leisurelyputtinga

cloudofbluecigarsmoke,hiyessardonicallyontheDuchessasifchallengingher

ondwrinklinghernoindistaste,shemadenocomment.

○24OgilviepointedtotheDuke."Lastnight,earlyon,youwenttoLindy'sPlacein

vethereinyourfancyJaguar,andyoutookaladyfriend.

Leastways,Iguessyou'dcallherthatifyou'renottoofussy."

○25AsOgilvieglanced,grinning,attheDuchess,theDukesaidsharply,"Getonwith

it!"

○26"Well"–thesmugfatfaceswungback–"thewayIhearit,youwonahundred

atthetables,eintoacondhundred–withareal

swingingparty–whenyourwifeheregotthereinataxi."

○27"Howdoyouknowallthis"

○28"I'lltellyou,Duke–I'

ethem;theydothesameforme,likelettingmeknowwhat

gives,an’in'tmuch,outoftheway,whichpeoplewhostayinthis

hoteldo,Idon'’emneverknowIknow,orknowme.

Theythinktheygottheirlittlecrettuckedaway,andsotheyhave–exceptlike

now."

○29TheDukesaidcoldly,"Ie."

○30"OnethingI'uriousnature,ma’'dyoufigure

wherehewas"

○31TheDuchesssaid,"Youknowsomuch...Isuppoitdoesn'

ardheoften

forgetstodestroythem.”

○32Thehoudetectivecluckedhistonguereprovingly."Alittlecarelesshabitlike

that,Duke–,here'swhatIfigureabouttherest.

Youan'yourwifetookoffhome,youdrivin',thoughthewaythingsturnedoutit

mighthavebeenbetterifshe'dhavedrove."

○33"Mywifedoesn'tdrive."

○34Ogilvienoddedunderstandingly.",Ireckonyouwere

lickered(=liquored)up,butgood..."

○35TheDuchessinterrupted."Thenyoudon'tknow!Youdon'tknowanythingfor

sure!Youcan'tpossiblyprove..."

○36"Lady,IcanproveallIneedto."

○37TheDukecautioned,"Betterlethimfinish,oldgirl."

○38"That'sright,"Ogilviesaid."Justsitan'ghtIenyoucomein–

throughthebament,so'rightshaken,too,thepairof

meinmylf,an'aid,Igotacurious

nature."

○39TheDuchessbreathed,"Goon."

○40"Latelastnightthewordwasoutaboutthehit-'chIwentover

bedon'tknow–it'sawayin

acorner,behindapillarwherethejockeysdon'teitwhenthey'recomin'by."

○41TheDukelickedhislips."Isuppothatdoesn'tmatternow."

○42"Youmighthavesomethingthere,"Ogilvieconceded."Anyway,whatIfound

mademedosomescouting--acrossatpoliceheadquarterswheretheyknowme

too."e

cigartipwasglowingheinspectedit,thencontinued."Overtheretheygotthree

taheadlighttrimringwhichmustacomeoffwhenthekid

an’tsomeheadlightglass,andlookin’atthekid's

clothin',theyreckonthere'llbeabrushtrace."

○43"Awhat"

○44"Yourubclothesagainstsomethinghard,Duchess,speciallyifit'sshinylikeacar

fender,say,an'icelabkinpick

itupliketheydoprints–dustit,an’itshows."

○45"That'sinteresting,"theDukesaid,asifspeakingofsomethingunconnected

withhimlf."Ididn'tknowthat."

○46"ca,though,Ireckonitdon'tmakealoto'

yourcaryougotabustedheadlight,andthetrimring''tanydoubtthey'd

matchup,evenwithoutthebrushtracean’theblood.0hyeah,Ishouldatoldyou.

There'splentyofblood,thoughitdon'tshowtoomuchontheblackpaint."

○47"Oh,myGod!"Ahandtoherface,theDuchessturnedaway.

○48Herhusbandasked,"Whatdoyoupropotodo"

○49Thefatmanrubbedhishandstogether,lookingdownathisthick,fleshyfingers.

"LikeIsaid,Icometohearyoursideofit."

○50TheDukesaiddespairingly,“WhatcanIpossiblysayYouknowwhathappened.”

Hemadeanattempttosquarehisshoulderswhichdidnotsucceed.“You'dbetter

callthepoliceandgetitover.”

○51“Wellnow,there'snocallforbeinghasty.”Theincongruousfalttovoicetook

onamusingnote.“What'sdone'ganyplaceain'tgonnabring

s,whatthey'ddotoyouacrossatthe

headquarters,Duke,youwouldn',youwouldn'tlikeitatall.”

○52Theothertwoslowlyraidtheireyes.

○53“Iwashoping,”Ogilviesaid,“thatyoufolkscouldsuggestsomething.”

○54TheDukesaiduncertainly,“Idon'tunderstand.”

○55“Iunderstand,”theDuchessofCroydonsaid.“Youwantmoney,don'tyouYou

cameheretoblackmailus.”

○56Ifsheexpectedherwordstoshock,detective

shrugged.“Whatevernamesyoucallthings,ma'am,don'me

ttolivetoo.”

○57”You'dacceptmoneytokeepsilentaboutwhatyouknow”

○58”IreckonImight.”

○59”Butfromwhatyousay,”theDuchesspointedout,herpoiforthemoment

recovered,“wouldbediscoveredinanyca.”

○60”Iguessyou're'ssomereasonsitmightnot

ingIain'ttoldyouyet.”

○61“Tellusnow,plea.”

○62Ogilviesaid,“Iain'nyouhitthatkid

youwasgoingawayfromtown,nottoit.”

○63”We'dmadeamistakeintheroute,”theDuchesssaid.“Somehowwe'dbecome

'asilydoneinNewOrleans,withthestreetwindingastheydo.

Afterward,usingsidestreets,wewentback.“

○64“Ithoughtitmightbethat,”Ogilvienoddedunderstandingly.“Butthepolice

ain'’'s

why,rightnow,they'reworkin'yget

aroundtoarchin'downtown,butitwon'tbeyet.“

○65“Howlongbeforetheydo”

○66“Maybethree,talotofotherplacestolookfirst.”

○67“Howcouldthathelpus---thedelay‘”

○68“Itmight,”Ogilviesaid.“Providin'nobodytwigsthecar–an'ein'whereitis,

'ifyoucangetitaway.”

○69“Youmeanoutofthestate”

○70“Imeanouto’theSouth.”

○71“Thatwouldn'tbeeasy”

○72“No,ma'tatearound–Texas,Arkansas,Mississippi,Alabama,allthe

rest'llbewatchingforacardamagedthewayyoursis.”

○73TheDuchessconsidered.“IsthereanypossibilityofhavingrepairsmadefirstIf

theworkweredonediscreetlywecouldpaywell.“

○74Thehoudetectiveshookhisheademphatically.“Youtrythat,youmightas

wellwalkovertoheadquartersrightnowan'epairshopinLouisiana's

beentoldtoholler'cops'theminuteacarneedingfixin''d

doit,plearehot.”

○75TheDuchessofCroydonkeptfirm,sntial,

sheknew,astfewminutesthe

conversationhadbecomeaseminglycasualasifthediscussionwereofsome

more,shewasaware,theroleofleadershiphadfallentoher,herhusbandnowa

tens

ortantthingwastoconsider

htoccurredtoher.

○76“itcalled”

○77“Atrimring.”

○78“Isittraceable”

○79Ogilvienoddedaffirmatively.“Theycanfigurewhatkindo'carit'sfrom---make,

model,an'maybetheyear,hyourcar

beingforeign,it'lllikelytakeafewdays.”

○80“Butafterthat,”shepersisted,“thepolicewillknowthey'relookingfora

Jaguar”

○81“Ireckonthat'sso.“

○lthatthismansaid,theyhaduntilFridayorSaturday

lculatedcoolnesstheDuchessreasoned:thesituationcamedownto

ngthehotelmanwasboughtoff,theironlychance--aslimone

--layinremovingthecarquickly,Ifitcouldbegotnorth,tooneofthebigcities

wheretheNewOrleanstragedyandarchwouldbeunknown,repairscouldbe

madequietly,,evenifsuspicionttledon

theCroydonslater,togetthecaraway

○83Undoubtedlywhatthisoafishdetectivesaidwastrue:AswellasLouisiana,the

otherstatesthroughwhichthecarwouldhavetopasswouldbealertandwatchful.

Everyhighwaypatrolwouldbeonthelookoutforadamagedhead-lightwitha

dbehardnottofall

victimtosomesharpeyedpoliceman.

○arcouldbedrivenatnightandconcealedbyday.

dbe

hazardous,ouldbeback

uldchooanunlikelyroutetoavoidattention.

○85Buttherewouldbeothercomplications...andnowwasthetimetoconsider

nthey

stoppedforpetrol,astheywouldhaveto,theirspeechandmannerwouldbetray

them,...thewereriskswhichhadtobetaken.

○86Orhadthey

○87TheDuchessfacedOgilvie.“Howmuchdoyouwant”

○88Theabruptnesstookhimbysurpri.“Well...Ifigureyoupeopleareprettywell

fixed.”

○89Shesaidcoldly,“Iaskedhowmuch.”

○usanddollars.”

○91Thoughitwastwicewhatshehadexpected,herexpressiondidnotchange.

“Assumingwepaidthisgrotesqueamount,whatwouldwereceiveinreturn”

○92Thefatmanemedpuzzled.“LikeIsaid,IkeepquietaboutwhatIknow.”

○93“Andthealternative”

○94Heshrugged.“paphone.“

○95“No,”Thestatementwasunequivocal.“Wewillnotpay,you.”

○96AstheDukeofCroydonshifteduneasily,thehoudetective'sbulbous

countenancereddened,“Nowlisten,lady…”

○97Peremptorilyshecuthimoft.“d,youwilllistentome.”

Hereyeswererivetedonhisface,herhandsome,highcheekbonedfeaturestin

theirmostimperiousmold.“Wewouldachievenothingbypayingyou,except

possiblyafewdays'emadethatabundantlyclear.”

○98“That'sachanceyougotta...”

○99“Silence!”wing,sullenly,

hecomplied.

100Whatcamenext,theDuchessofCroydonknew,couldbethemostsignificant

ustbenomistake,novacillationordallying

uwereplayingforthehigheststakes,

endedtogambleonthefatman't

dosoinsuchawayastoplacetheoutcomebeyondanydoubt.

101Shedeclareddecisively,“ill

payyoutwenty-fivethousanddollars.”

102Thehoudetective'yesbulged.

103“Inreturnforthat,”shecontinuedevenly,“Youwilldriveourcarnorth.”

104Ogilviecontinuedtostare.

105“Twenty-fivethousanddollars,”sherepeated.“n

thousandmorewhenyoumeetusinChicago.”

106Stillwithoutspeaking,dyeyes,asif

unbelieving,encehung.

107Then,asshewatchedintently,hegavetheslightestofnods.

thOgilviespoke.“Thiscigarbotherin'you,

Duchess”

109Asshenodded,heputitout.

(fromHotel,1965)