Public Secrets Part 229

She smoked, and smiled.

She knew how to get the money, but she'd have to be clever, very clever.

The drug made her feel smart. It was time to pull out her ace in the

hole.

Scrounging through her dresser, she found a box of stationery. It was

pretty, rainbow-colored paper with her name across the top. She admired

it for a time, then took another hit from the pipe before searching for

a pen, muttering to herself A little insurance, she thought as she began

to write. Of course, she'd have to tear her name off the top. She

wasn't a fool.

She wrote like a child, slowly, her tongue caught between her teeth as

she formed the letters. When she'd finished she was so pleased with her

neatness, she forgot about the letterhead. There were stamps inside the

box. She hummed as she attached three of them. They looked so pretty,

she added another, then studied her craftsmanship. For a time she

puzzled over the address, then began to write again.

Kesselring, Police Detective

Los Angeles, California

U.S.A.

After some thought, she added "Urgent!" in the corner and underlined it.

She took it downstairs with her, thinking she would find some clever

hiding place. On a detour into the kitchen, she ate an entire carton of

ice cream, shoveling it into her mouth with a serving spoon. Spotting

the envelope, she began to mutter.

"Stupid girl," she mumbled, thinking of her last maid. "Can't even post

a d.a.m.n letter. Going to sack her." Indignant, she waddled out, and with

considerable effort, bent to push the envelope under the front door. She

went back upstairs and smoked herself into oblivion.

It was a week before she remembered her plan. In her mind she

remembered writing the letter. The insurance. She'd hidden it. Though

she couldn't quite remember where, that didn't worry her. What worried

her was that she was nearly out of food, and drugs. Her last bottle of

gin had been drained. Jane picked up the phone. After a few hours, she

thought, she'd never have to worry about money again.

It was answered on the third ring. "h.e.l.lo, dear. It's Jane."

"What do you want?"

"ooh, that's a nice way to speak to an old friend."

There was a sigh, bitten off. "I said, what do you want?"

"Just a chat, luy, just a chat." She giggled. Blackmail was so much

fun. "I'm running a bit low on funds."

"That's not my problem."

"Oh, I think it is. You see, when I run low on funds, my conscience

starts acting up. Just lately, I've been feeling bad about what

happened to Brian's poor little boy. I've been feeling real bad about

it."

"You never gave a d.a.m.n about that boy."

"That's a hard thing to say, dear. After all, I'm a mother. Thinking

of my own sweet Emma, a grown-up married lady now, makes me think about

that boy. Why, he'd be grown-up himself, if he'd lived."

"I don't have time for this."