II
That was the end of my int!macy with Lola. Funnily enough, now that Roy was here, I didn’t
mind. For weeks now this business of going to the bungalow with her after we had locked up each night had given me a squeasy feeling.
Every time I went into the big bedroom I thought of Jenson. I forgot about him as soon as I had Lola in my arms, but there was always this moment when I entered the room when I did think of him.
Roy helped me move the single bed into the cabin.
“So you’re in the dog house,” he said, grinning. “Women! They hold their sex over you like a
club. I’ve had all I want of it. I’m beginning to see why Jenson walked out.”
All day Lola had sulked, not speaking to me. Around ten o’clock she had got in the Mercury and had driven off to Wentworth. It was when she had gone that I moved my things out of the bungalow.
“She’ll get over it,” I said. “Anyway, it’ll be a change to have some male company.”
While he was servicing a car that had come in, I packed my things in a suitcase. I had put the .45 in the top drawer of the chest which I shared with Lola. When I came to look for it, it had gone.
This really rattled me. Only Lola could have taken it. I searched the drawers in the chest, but I didn’t expect to find it and I didn’t. I searched the whole room and the other rooms in the
bungalow, but I didn’t find it.
Why had she taken it?
The rest of the evening was spoilt for me. I kept worrying and thinking about the gun. I
remembered that hard look of hatred that had come into her eyes.
I kept asking myself if our association together during the past weeks had been an act on her side.
I stayed up with Roy during his night shift, and we both turned in around one o’clock. I heard
her come in around three o’clock.
I was in bed by the window and I looked out, seeing her park the Mercury, and in the moonlight I watched her enter the bungalow. I was tempted to get out of bed and go over there and ask her about the gun, but I decided to wait until the morning. I didn’t
sleep much that night.
She didn’t come into the lunch room until after eleven. Roy was peeling potatoes and I was
washing the dishes from last night’s trade.
She had a sulky expression on her face, but she greeted Roy well enough: me, she ignored.
Roy winked at me and jerked his head at the door. Then switching off the potato peeling machine, he went out, leaving us alone together.
“Where’s the gun?” I said.
She stared at me.
“I got rid of it.”
“How?”
“I buried it on the road to Wentworth. Does that satisfy you?”
I didn’t know if she was lying or not.
“What’s the idea then?”
“They could prove the gun shot him, couldn’t they? It’s safer to get rid of it.”
That made sense, but I still wasn’t sure if she had really got rid of it.
“And Chet, I’ve been thinking …”
“Well, go on. What have you been thinking?”
“Now you have your boy friend with you, you can run this place on your own. I’m leaving.”
“Do you think that is a good idea?”
“Of course. I’ve always want to leave. I’ve told you that over and over again. Now with Roy
here it is possible.”
“What will the sheriff think when he finds you gone?”
“You can tell him I’ve gone to join Carl, and you two are in charge.”
“You’re forgetting every police station has my description and photograph. Sorry, Lola, that cat won’t jump.”
Her eyes began to glitter.
“You’re going to open that safe, Chet, and you are giving me the money! I’m leaving at the end of the week! Do you understand?”
“It won’t work, Lola, for three very solid reasons.
First, I have to keep out of sight. If you leave, it will appear that Roy is running this place on his own and the Sheriff could get nosy enough to check up. If he finds me here, I’m sunk.
Secondly, Jenson is buried here and if the police ever dig him up, you’re going to be here to take the rap. You shot him, and it’s your pigeon.
Thirdly, I’m not opening the safe and you’re not getting the money, for the moment you get it, I’ll be in trouble.
There’ll be nothing to stop you from telling the police I killed Jenson, and
that’s something I’ll take d@mn good care you don’t tell them.”
I expected her to fly into a rage, but she didn’t. Her face lost some of its colour. Her eyes went dark, but otherwise she kept calm.
“Sure about it, Chet?”
“Yes.”
“Just so long as I know. I’ve waited four years now to get away from this h*ell hole. I’ve learned to be patient. I’ll get out of it and when I do, you’ll be sorry I didn’t leave sooner.”
“If we are going to warn each other, Lola, let me warn you too. Roy could open that safe, but don’t get that idea in your head. If he opened the safe and saw what was in it, he’d take it. I’m telling you. Don’t kid yourself he would fall for you.
I wouldn’t have had him here if I thought for one moment you could make an impression on him. I’ve known him all my life. Women bounce off him.
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