Ring of Fear

“No matter how preposterous those photos are, I’ve

seen worse. I know the type.” He gave an odd kind of a snort. “Hell, I even modeled for some at one point.” He snorted again at my gasp, and looked at me with a wry grin. “I’m not a nice guy, Nialla. I told you that. That’s right, shake your head, because nothing I say is going to change your opinion of me. Correct?” I nodded, and his smile curved up in a kind of smugly satisfied way. “Then, dear heart, using the same irrational logic, nothing can convince me you’re not a nice girl. Fair?”

I wanted to slap his face, and I wanted to laugh because he’d talked me so neatly into that trap.

“So”-and he cradled me in his arms with the air of someone who has won a decisive victory-”we now ponder those alleged feelthy pictures from another angle. Let’s assume, since that particular fateful night was mentioned, that Marchmount is the other body. Ergo, why isn’t our chum peddling his wares to Marchmount? Or is that why Marchmount is not at home at the big house?”

The phone rang. I jumped as if I’d been kicked. Rafe gave me a reassuring grin as he strode to answer it.

“Good evening, Michaels. I see Cartland got my message to you. Mrs. Clery just had a threatening phone call that I tried to trace, with no cooperation from the local operator. The extortionist had some compromising photos he told Nialla he’d send me unless he got paid off. Oh, yes, he mentioned the accidents, and when she wouldn’t grovel, brought up the photos. She hung up. He called back, and I answered. Told him just where he could put those faked photos. Nialla believes the blackmailer is Caps Galvano.” He glanced over to me, eyebrows raised until I nodded hasty confirmation. “Yes. Yes?” There was a rather surprised look on his face. “Nialla, you’re positive of your identification of Galvano?”

“If I wasn’t before, I am now, and you know why,” I said, speaking sharply. Fear and shame were fuel to my anger. “Why?”

“Michaels says the California police have Galvano listed as dead.”

“He can’t be.”

“She says he can’t be. When did he-ah-die, Michaels? Well, I’d find out the details. I wouldn’t trust that bastard to be dead until his body started to stink. I’m not telling you your business… all right, I am”-and Rafe chuckled amiably-”but Nialla’s positive about her identification. And there are other reasons why I’d prefer you checked more thoroughly with the California, authorities on Mr. Galvano’s so-convenient demise.” He listened a moment. “All right, and also request the local Bell Tel to cooperate. Yes, I suppose Bob Erskine’ll have to know, but I prefer my own security measures to his, Michaels, and they’re in effect right now.” Another pause. “Well, thanks for that, too.” He said good-bye in a very cheerful voice and hung up, altogether looking pleased with the exchange.

“What was that last bit about? And how could Galvano be dead?”

“Yes, that’s very interesting, isn’t it?”

“What else was Michaels saying?”

“It’s turned out that Pete Sankey did have an idea who started that barn fire. Mentioned it to Mac at A-Barn and Budnell on Monday, which is the last time he was seen alive.”

“Then he got killed because of me. Galvano killed him. So Galvano isn’t dead. Dead men can’t kill. How convenient. Dead men can’t be executed, because they’re dead already. It’s the brandy, Rafe!” He’d grabbed me and shaken me. I think I was more appalled at the imminent hysterics than at my feeling of guilt for Pete.

“Listen, Nialla, not all the keening in the world -will bring Pete Sankey back, so don’t carry guilt for him. After all, you didn’t order him to go after the guy. And frankly, my dear, to jolt you out of that self-centered rut, Pete did it because horses were involved, not Nialla Donnelly. Pete didn’t think much of the human race, but deliberate barn burning was something no horseman can tolerate.”

He was right about Pete Sankey. And he was right about me, too, wallowing in self-pity and guilt.

“You’ve quite enough to worry about without taking on guilt for Pete Sankey’s death. That’s the trouble with being raised right”-and there was bitterness in Rafe’s face now-”you expect everyone to operate on the same rules you were raised to respect. The ‘all-men-are-brothers’ routine. You’re absolutely lost when something like blackmail or rape hits you, because ‘people don’t do such things.’ Take a swig,” he ordered me as he refilled our glasses.

“Worst lesson a parent can teach a child-love one another. Now, the ‘do-unto-others’ bit makes slightly more sense, although I hardly want you seducing Louis Marchmount to get your own back, or blackmailing Caps Galvano. Goddamnit”-and Rafe leaned forward, elbows on his knees, glaring at the dark night beyond the windows-“why the hell is Caps bothering you? You’re small fry. Even your father’s insurance couldn’t have been more than ten thousand dollars-twenty thousand at the most. He must have reams of stuff on Marchmount if he’s taken to blackmailing. And why would he have to fake his own death? Unless…” He turned to me again, his eyes intense with his thoughts. “But why would a racetrack tout like Galvano need an ‘out’? Unless he had promised to doctor a Marchmount entry! Hmm. Nialla, when Galvano came to you, he sold you some story about trying to clear your father’s name? How did he know it needed clearing?”