Now You See It... Part 54

He turned back, his expression one of total pleading.

"Please," he said. "I need your help."

Son, I thought, despairing. I would almost rather that you murder than lie down and die like this.

Ca.s.sandra was looking at him, no less confused man Harry or, I thought, the Sheriff. She couldn't seem to deal with this new perplexity.

Neither could she walk away from it-

"AU right," she finally said, her voice extremely quiet.

Incredible, I thought. They're going to be together again ?

Harry stared at her with unbelieving eyes.

"You're staying?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," she responded. (Madness.' I thought.)

She looked at the Sheriff.

"You'll be keeping an eye on him, won't you?" she asked.

180 Richard Matheson

The Sheriff didn't answer. (I could well believe it.) He looked at Max, then at her again, as though attempting (with obviously limited means) to penetrate this new enigma: Ca.s.sandra, prepared to remain with her dearly de- mented husband after everything he'd done to her and Harry-and to the Sheriff/ for that matter-in the past hour or so.

"For G.o.d's sake-" Harry started.

"Harry, I'll be fine," she cut him off.

"You believe him?" he asked. "You actually believe the son of a b.i.t.c.h?"

She didn't answer that; she probably couldn't.

Harry made a sound of total incredulity. "Jesus Christ,"

he said.

He gestured with both hands, giving up.

"Okay," he said, his mild tone obviously belying the sense of utter disgust he felt. "Fine. To h.e.l.l with it. Stay with him!"

Seeing his attache case still in Plum's left hand, he took it from the Sheriff and looked around.

"Where's my hat?" he asked.

Immediately, he made a sound of angry indifference.

"f.u.c.k it," he said.

He turned to give Ca.s.sandra a good-bye kiss.

She turned away and walked to the picture window.

"Good-bye, Harry," she said.

And she'd been so upset by his disappearance and probable murder, I thought, dumbfounded. What in the merry h.e.l.l is going on?

Harry had stopped in his tracks to stare at her, no doubt equally dumbfounded by her contradictory behavior.

He stared at her for several moments, then turned abruptly for the entry hall.

"Let me out of this frigging nuthouse," he muttered.

Moving, he glanced at Ca.s.sandra.

Now Y-See ft-. 181

"So long, babe." He directed a cold farewell at her.

'TU mail you your hat/' Max told him.

"Don't bother," Harry responded-

The Sheriff spoke quickly.

"Are you going to press charges, Mr. Kendal?" he asked.

Harry stopped and looked around. He gazed at Max, and I could tell mat he was sorely tempted.

Then he gestured with a scowl.

"No, let him have his stupid t.i.ttle victory," he said. "Ifs all he'll have to live on for the rest of his loser life."

He glared at Max.

"You're nothing to me anymore," he said. "Not a client.

Not a friend. Not even a human being. We're quits. Fm-

ished."

Max's smile was nearly imperceptible.

"We were finished years ago," he said.

Harry directed a final, glacial look at him, then exited.

They stood motionless and silent as his footsteps moved across the entry hall. The front door opened, shut.

Harry Kendal was gone.