1953 - The Things Men Do Read online

  Maybe I was letting my imagination run away with me.

  But I was curious. When they went tonight I was going to see if I could open the door to the partitioned room and have a look round.

  It was while we were having supper that Ann said suddenly, "I shall be going to mother's tomorrow, Harry."

  I stiffened and looked up.

  Once a month Ann went over to Leytonstone and spent the night with her mother. I had forgotten tomorrow was the day. Immediately my mind jumped to Gloria. It was a reflex action beyond my control, and I hastily stamped it out of my mind, but the thought had come so spontaneously and violently it frightened me.

  "I'd forgotten," I said, trying to speak calmly. "Well, that's all right, Ann."

  "If you rather I didn't go, I won't."

  "Of course you must go. She'll be expecting you."

  "I could send her a telegram."

  I looked up, frowning.

  "What on earth for? You always go, Ann."

  "Yes."

  There was a long, awkward pause.

  "If you think it would be better for me to stay, Harry, I'll stay."

  I felt myself turn red.

  "Don't you trust me then?"

  "Of course I do, darling. I just don't want to make things difficult for you."

  "I know I've been a damned fool, but I hope you don't think I'm weak in the head. I said it wouldn't happen again; it's not going to happen again."

  "All right, darling." She put her hand on mine. "Are you and Bill doing something?"

  Whenever Ann went to her mother's Bill and I had a night out together. We went over to the Regimental Club and had a game of billiards and a few drinks. It gave me a chance of keeping in touch with some of the boys I had met during the war. I looked forward to those evenings, but I realized now I didn't want to go to the club tomorrow night.

  "I'll fix up something with him."

  "We haven't seen him since Saturday. Is he all right?"

  "He came in Monday for a moment. Yes, he's all right."

  Although I had caught a glimpse of Bill from time to time across the road I had kept out of his way, and he hadn't come to the garage. I was still angry with him for hitting me, although I knew I had asked for it by swinging at him first.

  Around ten o'clock, Berry shouted up the stairs that they were going. I went down to lock up after them.

  The Humber was parked outside and I caught a glimpse of Louis at the wheel.

  "So long," Berry said. "See you in the morning."

  I watched the Humber drive away, then closed the doors of the garage.

  I went over to the door of the partitioned room. It had been padlocked on the outside, but it would be a simple matter to unscrew the hasp. I moved over to the work bench and found a screwdriver; as I picked it up, I suddenly heard a faint sound and I stiffened to attention.

  I looked about the dimly lit garage, but couldn't see anything moving. I stood motionless for several minutes, listening, then thinking I had imagined the sound I went over to the locked door.

  Then I remembered I hadn't seen Joe leave in the Humber. Had he gone previously or was he still here behind the locked door?

  I put my ear to the panel and listened. For some moments I didn't hear anything, then a faint scraping sound came to me as if someone on the other side of the door who was listening as I was listening had moved his foot.

  I stepped back silently. So Joe was still in there. I hesitated, then rapped sharply on the door.

  The silence that followed was a little unnerving.

  "Is there anyone in there?" I said, and rapped again.

  Nothing happened, but I was certain now Joe was in there; I could feel his tension coming through the door panels.

  I walked over to the bench and put down the screwdriver, then I went back to my office, turned out the garage lights and went upstairs treading loudly.

  Ann was running the bath.

  "Have they gone?"

  "Yes. I've locked up. I think it's beginning to rain."

  I wasn't going to tell her that I thought Joe was still in the building. There was nothing she could do about it, and it would only worry her.

  "I shan't be long, Harry."

  "That's all right. Don't hurry. I haven't looked at the paper yet."

  I sat down in the dining-room and glanced at the evening newspaper. It didn't hold my attention. When I heard Ann splashing in the bath, I got up, turned off the light, took off my shoes and went down the stairs again, making no sound I stood just inside the doorway of my office, looking down the length of the garage that was faintly lit by the light of the moon.

  I listened. After a while I heard the scrape and splutter of a match lighting and then I smelt tobacco smoke. There was no light showing under the door of the partitioned room. What was Joe doing there in the dark? I stood listening for some minutes, but for an occasional creak of a chair or the sound of feet shifting on the floor. I could hear nothing. Ho wasn't doing anything. He was just sitting in the darkness.

  I went back upstairs. Ann had finished her bath and was running mine. I turned off the dining-room light again, went into the bedroom and undressed.

  After my bath I told Ann I couldn't remember if I had turned off the light in the office and I went downstairs again. I stood listening, I could hear nothing. The partitioned room was still in darkness.

  I gave up. There was nothing I could do. The only explanation I could think of at the moment was that Berry suspected I would try to get into the locked room and had left Joe on guard to keep me out.

  I went upstairs again.

  My mind was too active for me to sleep. Long after Ann had fallen asleep, I lay in the darkness, staring across the room at the faint moonlight coming through the window. The rain had ceased now. Eagle Street was silent.

  Tomorrow night I should be alone. Try as I could I wasn't able to keep Gloria from creeping into my thoughts. I struggled against the temptation of thinking about her. Even if I did decide to get into touch with her tomorrow, she would be certain to have nothing more to do with me. I had let her down badly, and she wasn't likely to give me another chance to do it again.

  I felt bad about the way I had told her I would come to her flat and then hadn't even telephoned her to say I couldn't come. At least, I should telephone her tomorrow, I told myself, and explain. I wouldn't go further than that. I would tell her Ann knew about her, and I couldn't meet her again. That was the least I could do. Once I had made this decision, my mind relaxed and I went to sleep.

  I must have slept four or five hours. I woke suddenly to find the grey light of dawn coming through the curtains. I heard a car engine start up, and I instantly thought of Joe.

  I slid out of bed and went over to the window and parted the curtains.

  There was a mail van standing by the opposite kerb. Two postmen were waiting by it, and as I watched, I saw Bill come out of the sorting office, nod to the other two who got into the van.

  Bill then consulted his watch, made a note of the time, and climbed in beside the driver.

  The van drove off.

  I peered at my wrist watch. It was half-past three.

  "What is it, Harry?" Ann asked sleepily.

  "It's all right. I thought I heard a car drive up, but it was only a mail van."

  I got back into bed and settled down once again. Then suddenly I recalled what Bill had told me when he had announced his promotion:

  You mightn't believe it, but every so often we carry valuables in these 'ere vans, and when we do, yours truly in the future will look after the driver and see no one gets the wrong ideas about the stuff.

  Then on Monday before we quarrelled, he had said: Not much doing at the moment, but next week we've got an important consignment to take care of. Keep that under your hat. Harry.

  I found myself, wide awake now. Was it this consignment that Dix was after? Was be planning a mail robbery? That would explain why he had taken space in my garage and not the shop at th
e top of the road-My garage was directly in front of the sorting office. That would also explain why Joe was in the partitioned room. He could be checking on the movements of the mail vans. I remembered that Dix had insisted on that particular space in the garage: the one with the window that looked right on the sorting office.

  I felt a trickle of cold sweat run down my face. If Dix was planning a hold-up, then Bill would be in danger. I knew Bill well enough to be sure he wouldn't submit tamely to a hold-up: he might get badly hurt.

  My heart was bumping unevenly against my side. I also could be involved in this. If the police discovered that Dix had used my garage to watch the movements of the vans and had paid me seventy-five pounds for the use of my place, might they not imagine I was one of the gang?

  My first reaction was to tell Bill and lot him decide what was best to do. Then another idea occurred to me. I wasn't anxious for Bill to find out I had been so easily duped by Dix, always supposing I had been duped. The best way surely would be to talk first to Gloria. If I told her bluntly what I suspected, she might have information about Dix that would confirm my suspicions, and then if I was sure Dix was planning a robbery I could go to Bill.

  I would see Gloria tomorrow, I decided, and have it out with her. I suddenly wondered if she were one of the gang.

  Surely not: she had her own business, was well off, had a flat in Bond Street. No, it was absurd to think she was one of them. Dix just happened to be a friend of her. She couldn't be held responsible for her friends. But she might know something about him once I had told her what I suspected.

  I tried to stifle the elation I felt at the thought of seeing and talking to her again. There was nothing to be elated about, I told myself. I had to see her. There was no question of going back on my promise to Ann. There would be no nonsense between us, I would talk to her about Dix, hear what she had to say, and then leave. If it hadn't been that I didn't want to worry Ann about my suspicions of Dix I would have told her I had to see Gloria again. But if I were wrong, if Dix were all right, and my suspicion a mistake, there was no point in getting Ann worried over nothing.

  There would be time to tell Ann all about it when I had some proof.

  chapter nine

  Ann left just after lunch. She took with her a small overnight case, and as we walked down the garage, I spotted Berry looking at her out of the corners of his eyes as he topped up the radiator of his car.

  I made no move to introduce him, and as we passed, he deliberately turned his back on us.

  We paused on the pavement just outside the garage.

  "I'll be back about eleven tomorrow, Harry," Ann said, keeping her voice low. "You will be all right?"

  I forced a laugh.

  "Of course I will. I expect Bill will be over some time this afternoon. We're almost sure to go to the club."

  "All right, darling. Then I'll get off." She kissed me and gave me a worried little smile.

  "So long, and remember me to your mother."

  "Good-bye, Harry."

  I stood in the doorway and watched her out of sight then I started back to the office.

  Berry swung round and eyed me with a jocular grin.

  "Going to be a bachelor tonight?"

  I liked him even less in this mood.

  "That's right. She's going to see her mother."

  "Sometimes mothers-in-law have their uses," he said, and winked. "Well, don't do anything I wouldn't do."

  I went on towards the office, feeling hot and angry. I shut myself in the office, lit a cigarette and wiped my damp hands on my handkerchief. I sat hesitating for several minutes, then I reached out and pulled the telephone towards me. I dialled Gloria's number. As I listened to the ringing tone, my heart bumped unevenly. I sat listening for over a minute before I decided she must be out. With a feeling of intense irritation I dropped the receiver back on its cradle.

  I tried to get her four times during the afternoon, but each time the telephone remained unanswered.

  As I was about to try for the fifth time, a knock came on the door and it was pushed open.

  I looked up sharply.

  Bill stood in the doorway, his red face wreathed in smiles.

  "What-cheer, Harry; thought I'd look in. It's our night out tonight, isn't it?"

  I wasn't expecting him, and for a moment I was taken aback. My mind worked swiftly. The last thing I wanted to do was to go to the club with Bill, but I knew if I didn't go, Ann would hear about it.

  "That's right." I pushed back my chair. "Same time?"

  I saw a look of relief jump into his eyes.

  "Why not? I'll pick you up here about seven. We’ll have a bit of supper before we go to the club."

  "Suits me."

  We were both embarrassed and uneasy. Bill took refuge in offering me a cigarette. I lit one and then his.

  "No hard feelings, Harry?"

  "Don't be an ape. I asked for it and I got it."

  "I shouldn't have done it all the same. Okay, let's forget it. I just looked in to see if tonight was still on. I've got to get back. See you at seven."

  I heard a sound at the door and turned. Berry was standing in the doorway, his grey cold eyes on Bill.

  "Got a match? I seem to have used my last one."

  Bill handed over his box of matches. I noticed he was looking intently at Berry.

  "This is Mr. Berry," I said. "He's to do with the radio firm I was telling you about. Mr. Yates."

  Berry thrust out his hand.

  "Glad to know you," he said, smiling expansively. "You two boys going to paint the town red tonight?"

  "That's the idea," Bill said.

  "I've seen you across the road, haven't I? Aren't you a guard or something?"

  Bill's shrewd eyes twitched.

  "That's right: just got appointed."

  "Like it?"

  "It's all right."

  "Don't get much chance for any action I bet."

  "That's a fact."

  Berry leaned against the doorway.

  "What happens if you do happen to run into trouble? You boys aren't allowed to carry arms, are you?"

  Bill grinned.

  "You bet we are. I've got a machine-gun, a box of grenades and a couple of automatic rifles. Anyone who starts messing about with me will know all about it."

  "Aw, stop kidding," Berry said and laughed. "I hear you take nothing with you except a club and a prayer."

  I stood aside, listening to all this, certain now that my suspicions were right. Why should Berry have toned the conversation to this subject unless he was after information?

  "Don't believe all you hear," Bill said good humouredly.

  "We can look after ourselves all right. We have a surprise for any hold-up thug."

  "I don't know why you aren't equipped with armoured cars like they have in the States. They carry guns over there, and if they have to, they shoot."

  "So do their cops," Bill returned. "Our cops don't carry guns, but we've got a lot less crime here than they have. Work it out for yourself." He turned to me. "Well, so long, Harry, see you at seven."

  "If you two boys haven't anything special to do tonight,"

  Berry put in quickly, "why don't you come along to my place? I'm throwing a little party. Nothing special; a few girls, a few drinks, a bit of fun. What do you say?"

  "No, thanks," I said before Bill could speak. "We're fixed up for tonight. Thanks all the same."

  Berry lifted his shoulders.

  "Well, if you change your mind, it's 3a Queen's Avenue: top flat. Look in any time." He flicked ash on the floor before adding, "Ed'll be there, and so will Gloria."

  I felt Bill look at me.

  "Sorry; we can't make it tonight."

  "I've got to move," Bill said. "Be seeing you."

  He nodded to Berry and walked quickly back to the sorting office.

  Berry began to pick his nose as he gave me a long, hard stare.

  "Was he kidding, would you know?"

  "Kiddin
g about what?"

  "Carrying guns."

  "Worry you?" I said, taking a page out of his book.

  He laughed, although his eyes hardened.

  "Just curious, that's all. Well, I can't waste any more time. Ed'll be in tomorrow."

  "What was the idea leaving Joe here all night?"

  I was watching him closely and saw his eyes flicker.

  "He was on the job."

  "In the dark?"

  "Why not? Good time to work at night, pally. No interference." He turned away and walked back to the partitioned room.

  A few minutes to seven o'clock, Bill returned. I had changed and was waiting for him. Berry had gone, but I knew Joe was in the partitioned room behind the locked door.

  "All set?" Bill asked.

  "Coming now."

  He helped me close the double doors. I locked them, and then we walked down Eagle Street to Oxford Circus, caught a bus to Soho, and walked along Greek Street until we came to the small Greek restaurant where we usually had supper on our nights out.

  While we were waiting to be served Bill said suddenly, "That bloke Berry doesn't look like a radio expert."

  "Well, you don't look like a guard on a mail van: so what?"

  Bill grinned.

  "He looked like a Spiv to me, Harry."

  I very nearly told him then about my suspicions, but on second thoughts checked myself. Gloria would be at Berry's party tonight. She would probably get back to her flat around midnight. I would be able to get rid of Bill by that time, and I planned to go to her flat after I had left Bill and have it out with her. It would be unwise, I argued to myself, to tell Bill what I suspected until I had talked to Gloria.