was shut it locked automatically. Most safe users preferred to lock the door with a key, and besides, this model had proved to be one of the easiest safes to break into.
It suited me. It wouldn't take me ten minutes to open, and time was an important factor in this set-up.
On Thursday, when Jenson and I were working together in the garage, he said, "I've to go to Wentworth on Saturday night: there's a Legion meeting on. Lola is on night shift. I'll be glad if you'll keep an eye open just in case she runs into a trucker who doesn't know his manners."
I got a tight feeling in my chest.
Jenson trusted me. He was leaving his wife here alone with me and he wanted me to look after her in case some trucker got fresh. It didn't cross his mind that, being alone with her, I might get the same idea.
"I'll watch it, Mr. Jenson" I said. "You don't have to worry."
He grinned at me.
"I know that, Jack. When it comes to men, I don't make mistakes. You're all right."
Friday was my day off. I asked Jenson if I could borrow the Mercury.
"I thought I'd take a look at Tropica Springs."
"You go ahead: sure, take the car."
"I could do with some money. Let me have a hundred, will you, Mr. Jenson?"
"I'll get it right away." I could see he was a little surprised. I was asking for so much, and again I cursed myself for letting him handle my savings.
He went off to the bungalow, and after a while he came back with the money.
I asked him if there was anything I could get him in Tropica Springs. He said no, and then gave me a nudge in the ribs.
"Keep away from the cat houses, Jack, and don't come home drunk."
As I drove off, I saw Lola watching me from the kitchen.
You would look a damn sight more sulky, you chippy, I thought; if you knew what I was cooking up for you.
The road over the mountain was tricky with a lot of hairpin bends, and although I kept pressing, it took me close on four hours to reach Tropica Springs, That worried me. It cut my escape time down.
I had my escape plan pretty well organised. I had decided against taking a plane. The airport would be the first place the police would check, and besides, it was unlikely there would be a plane to New York at that hour of the morning.
Parking the car, I went to a travel bureau and inquired the time of trains leaving for New York. I was told there was one leaving Tropica Springs at 12.30 a.m.
As Jenson was leaving for Wentworth at seven, I could get the safe open and the money packed by seven-thirty and could be on my way to Tropica Springs by seven-forty-five. It would only take me a few minutes to fix Lola. That gave me three-quarters of an hour to get the train.
Leaving the travel bureau, I went to a nearby store and bought myself a pair of fawn-coloured trousers and a sports coat in grey with big green pouch pockets: the kind of coat you can see corning a half a mile off. I bought a nigger brown straw hat with a red band and a pair of moccasin shoes. I also bought a big suitcase in which I put the clothes. I locked the suitcase in the trunk of the Mercury, then I went to a chemist shop and bought a pair of sun goggles and a bottle of hair bleach. These, too, I locked in the trunk.
Lola would give a description of me to the police: she would tell them what I was wearing and it was essential to have a complete change of clothing as unlike what I would wear when I left point of No Return as possible, and to make the change before I reached Tropica Springs.
Satisfied that I had taken ore of everything, I drove out of Tropica Springs and headed for Point of No Return.
At the end of the mountain road just as I came out into the desert there was a big patch of scrub and prickly cactus. I stopped the car by it, and taking the suitcase from the trunk, I set it down in the middle of the scrub.
I could easily find it again, and the chances of anyone else finding it was remote enough not to bother me.
I got back to Point of No Return soon after seven, in time to help with the
It suited me. It wouldn't take me ten minutes to open, and time was an important factor in this set-up.
On Thursday, when Jenson and I were working together in the garage, he said, "I've to go to Wentworth on Saturday night: there's a Legion meeting on. Lola is on night shift. I'll be glad if you'll keep an eye open just in case she runs into a trucker who doesn't know his manners."
I got a tight feeling in my chest.
Jenson trusted me. He was leaving his wife here alone with me and he wanted me to look after her in case some trucker got fresh. It didn't cross his mind that, being alone with her, I might get the same idea.
"I'll watch it, Mr. Jenson" I said. "You don't have to worry."
He grinned at me.
"I know that, Jack. When it comes to men, I don't make mistakes. You're all right."
Friday was my day off. I asked Jenson if I could borrow the Mercury.
"I thought I'd take a look at Tropica Springs."
"You go ahead: sure, take the car."
"I could do with some money. Let me have a hundred, will you, Mr. Jenson?"
"I'll get it right away." I could see he was a little surprised. I was asking for so much, and again I cursed myself for letting him handle my savings.
He went off to the bungalow, and after a while he came back with the money.
I asked him if there was anything I could get him in Tropica Springs. He said no, and then gave me a nudge in the ribs.
"Keep away from the cat houses, Jack, and don't come home drunk."
As I drove off, I saw Lola watching me from the kitchen.
You would look a damn sight more sulky, you chippy, I thought; if you knew what I was cooking up for you.
The road over the mountain was tricky with a lot of hairpin bends, and although I kept pressing, it took me close on four hours to reach Tropica Springs, That worried me. It cut my escape time down.
I had my escape plan pretty well organised. I had decided against taking a plane. The airport would be the first place the police would check, and besides, it was unlikely there would be a plane to New York at that hour of the morning.
Parking the car, I went to a travel bureau and inquired the time of trains leaving for New York. I was told there was one leaving Tropica Springs at 12.30 a.m.
As Jenson was leaving for Wentworth at seven, I could get the safe open and the money packed by seven-thirty and could be on my way to Tropica Springs by seven-forty-five. It would only take me a few minutes to fix Lola. That gave me three-quarters of an hour to get the train.
Leaving the travel bureau, I went to a nearby store and bought myself a pair of fawn-coloured trousers and a sports coat in grey with big green pouch pockets: the kind of coat you can see corning a half a mile off. I bought a nigger brown straw hat with a red band and a pair of moccasin shoes. I also bought a big suitcase in which I put the clothes. I locked the suitcase in the trunk of the Mercury, then I went to a chemist shop and bought a pair of sun goggles and a bottle of hair bleach. These, too, I locked in the trunk.
Lola would give a description of me to the police: she would tell them what I was wearing and it was essential to have a complete change of clothing as unlike what I would wear when I left point of No Return as possible, and to make the change before I reached Tropica Springs.
Satisfied that I had taken ore of everything, I drove out of Tropica Springs and headed for Point of No Return.
At the end of the mountain road just as I came out into the desert there was a big patch of scrub and prickly cactus. I stopped the car by it, and taking the suitcase from the trunk, I set it down in the middle of the scrub.
I could easily find it again, and the chances of anyone else finding it was remote enough not to bother me.
I got back to Point of No Return soon after seven, in time to help with the
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