“You will come with me, Juana. I am not leaving you alone in Mexico City.”
She shrugged and patted his hand.
“Very well, cariño. I will do what you think best. When do we leave?”
“Next Thursday.”
“Perhaps if we left on Wednesday, we could drive to New York.”
“You will have no use for a car in New York, Juana. No one these days owns a car in New York... there is never anywhere to park it. We will sell it. I will ask Creel to find a buyer.”
He was watching her closely. He saw her eyes darken, but after a little thought, she nodded.
“I didn’t realise that. Good. Then we will sell the car and we will use the money to help furnish the apartment.”
That night while Juana was preparing dinner, Cade called Ed Burdick.
“I’ll be back on Thursday, Ed,” he said. “Ready for work.”
“Well! Why haven’t you written? I was getting worried about you. I called El Prado. They said you had checked out. What’s going on? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll give you all the dope when we meet.”
“Fine. I have a job lined up and waiting for you. Can you make a start on Friday?”
“What is it?”
“There’s a new musical opening with Harry Weston’s costumes. We have an exclusive for the Supplement. It’s all fixed for Friday afternoon.”
“That’s okay,” Cade said. “I’ll be there,” and he hung up.
He then called Creel.
“Juana and I have decided to settle down together, Adolfo,” he said, after greeting the Mexican. “We are leaving for New York on Thursday. We are leaving her Thunderbird in the garage. Could you sell it? Get what you can for it, but sell it.”
There was a long pause, then Creel said in an alarmed voice, “Did you say you and Juana? No, it must be a mistake, Val, what was it you said?”
“It’s all right. Don’t get excited. I know what I’m doing. Will you take care of the car?”
“Of course, amigo.”
“Thanks,” and Cade hurriedly replaced the receiver.
On Wednesday night, as Juana was packing, she sat suddenly on the bed, holding her head in her hands.
Cade went to her.
“Darling! What is it?”
“I’m just dizzy. It’s all right.”
She dropped back flat on the bed, and he saw she was white, and there were beads of sweat on her face.
“What is it?”
She shut her eyes. For a long moment her body shifted as if in pain, her mouth tightened.
“Juana!” Cade was alarmed. “Tell me! What is it?”
She made an obvious effort as she opened her eyes.
“It would happen now! I have hell every month!” She rolled on her side. “Please leave me.”
Cade felt sudden panic.
“I’ll get a doctor. Don’t worry... I...”
“Don’t be stupid!” She was suddenly furious and she sat up, her eyes snapping. “Women have this damn thing! Don’t act like a child. Just leave me. I’ll be all right.”
He went down stairs and moved uneasily from the living-room to the patio and back to the living-room. Later, unable to bear the silence from upstairs, he went up to the bedroom and cautiously opened the door.
Juana was in bed, the bedside lamp shaded. Her face was chalk white and she looked towards him, her brow furrowing with irritation.
“Please leave me alone. This happens sometimes. There is nothing to worry about. I’ll be like this for two or three days, and then I’m fine again. I just want to be left alone.”
Cade moved further into the room.
“Do you think you will be able to travel tomorrow?”
“I will if I have to.” Her face twisted. “Please don’t bother me, cariño.”
“You don’t have to,” he said quietly. “You can come later. Is there anything I can do?”
“No, nothing. I could be all right tomorrow.”
But of course, she wasn’t. She looked so white and ill that Cade knew he couldn’t expect her to travel, and yet he felt this was suddenly too convenient. He had now learned to distrust her. He was determined to keep her for himself as long as he could.
“I’ll have to leave in an hour,” he said standing by the bed and looking down at her. “You don’t really feel like coming do you?”
“I’ll come if you really want me to,” she said. “It hurts, but I can put up with it.”
“You stay where you are,” and he went downstairs and called Adolfo.
“Will you come quickly, amigo?” he said when Creel answered the call. “I have to leave in an hour and I need you.”
“I will be with you in ten minutes,” Creel said and he was. He came hurrying up the path, mopping his face, anxious and worried.
“Will you do something for me, Adolfo?” Cade said as he led the way into the living-room. “There is no one else I can ask: no one else I can trust.”
“Anything, amigo,” Creel said, “but what is this about Juana? I have warned you...”
“Yes. Don’t let us discuss it,” Cade said. “Have you anything important to do for the next three days?”
Creel blinked, then shrugged.
“I seldom have anything important to do.”
“I want you to remain here. I want you to stay with Juana, and when she is well enough, I want you to put her on a plane to New York. I want you to be her jailer.”
Creel stared at him, his eyes growing round.
“Jailer? I don’t understand, amigo.”
“We were going together to New York this morning,” Cade said. “Last night, she complained of being ill. She looks ill, but she could be faking. I don’t trust her, Adolfo. This could be an excuse to escape from me again.”
“I still don’t understand,” Creel said, bewildered. “Why not let her escape if that is the way she feels? What is the use of a woman like her to you?”
“I can’t explain it to you. She wants me. I am sure of that. I even believe she loves me, but now, I think she is in the process of balancing me and money and the scale is tipping in favour of money. If I can get her to New York, I think I will win. It is a battle between us. My life would be empty without her. It’s as simple as that. I must keep her.”
Creel lifted his fat shoulders.
“Are you so sure about that?”
“Yes, I am sure. You are my friend. I have no one else who I trust more than you. Will you do this for me?”
“Of course. I won’t fail you, amigo. She will be on the New York plane. That I promise you.”
Later, Cade went upstairs and told Juana.
“Adolfo will stay here,” he said. “When you feel well enough, he will put you on a plane. I don’t want you to be alone in Mexico City.”
She lay flat in the bed, her black tresses arranged around her in a shroud, her eyes distant.
“You have no trust in me, have you?”
“No,” Cade said. “But I love you and I am going to keep you. This is the only way I can make sure that I will keep you.”
She suddenly smiled and held out her arms.
“How I love you!” she exclaimed. “It is good for a woman to be loved like this. No man has ever taken so much trouble. When I am better, I will be with you, cariño.”
Cade kissed her, feeling her passion in the soft movement of her lips.
“We can make a wonderful life together, Juana,” he said.
“We will make a wonderful life together,” she said.
Carrying his bag, Cade came down the stairs to where Creel was waiting. The two men shook hands.
“It is time I did something for you, Adolfo,” Cade said.
“A time will come,” Creel said with a smile. “It is what friendship is for.”
“I will telephone every evening at eight. Watch her, please. There should be no trouble while you are here.”