Girl on a Slay Ride by Louis Trimble Page B

daylight.”
    Graef said, “Aye, aye, sir. You heard him, Nick. Put the bags over under the trees and hunt up some firewood.”
    Thoms looked around at the grassy meadow floor. “Where?” he asked.
    Mallory said, “You’ll find some downed timber over in the trees. If it isn’t punky, bring it.”
    “See, Nick,” Graef said, “Mallory is a nature boy. He feels this sort of thing.”
    Mallory ignored him. He set the tent up on a flat-topped knoll some distance from the fireplace and close to the creek. He began to carry equipment into the tent.
    He was looking for the briefcase when he became aware that Graef was laughing at him.
    Graef said, “I’ll just hold the securities for a while, Mallory.”
    “They aren’t mine,” Mallory said. “Go ahead and steal them.”
    He felt the elation of mild victory as he saw Graef’s lips tighten. Graef said, “I don’t intend to steal them. I’m using them just as I’m using Mrs. Lawton—to keep you in line.”
    “And if I do everything you want, I get both back?”
    “Certainly,” Graef said.
    “And what happens,” Mallory demanded, “once you find the money?”
    “Then you lead us down the north slope of these mountains, to a cove on the strait. I told you that I had everything planned. I even have a boat waiting to take Nick and me into Canada. From there we board a freighter and go where we can spend Blalock’s money.”
    “Why all the trouble? Why not go back to Kansas City and spend it?”
    Graef smiled. “Because it’s marked, after all. That point was brought out at Blalock’s trial.” He nodded. “So just behave, Mallory, and you and your lady friend won’t be out anything but that station wagon. And it wasn’t worth very much.”
    He was lying, Mallory thought. Once Graef had the money and was guided out of the mountains, he’d have no further need for any of them but Thoms. And, as Graef had said, he left nothing to chance.
    Mallory walked away. He went into the tent and opened his suitcase. He brought out the twenty-two. He wasn’t surprised to find it empty and his two boxes of shells gone. Thoms would have seen to that.
    Mallory saw Denise coming out of the woods. She walked awkwardly over the rough ground on her high heels.
    Mallory said, “You’d better change your shoes.”
    She entered the tent in silence. Mallory had set up the folding table and stool against one wall and put her make-up kit on the table. She sat on the stool and lit a cigarette. Mallory saw that she carefully rapped the ashes into the palm of her hand.
    He began to inflate one of the air mattresses. Denise said nothing to him. She finished her cigarette, took the butt outside and flipped it into the creek. She returned to the tent and lowered the flap over the entrance. She began to undress.
    Mallory looked up from the air mattress he was inflating.
    She removed her jacket and skirt. She still wore no slip. She reached back and undid her brassière strap. She let the brassière fall to the floor of the tent. She ran her hands over her bold breasts, smoothing out the marks made on the white flesh by the brassière’s elastic band.
    She said coldly, “I’m going to take a nap, if you don’t mind.”
    Mallory got up and walked out of the tent. He was shaking with anger.

Chapter XII
    M ALLORY found Graef and Blalock seated on boulders near the circle of stones. Thoms was not in sight, but Mallory could hear the ax ringing faintly from the timber to the west.
    Blalock did not appear to have moved since he reached the meadow. He sat hunched in his overcoat and he still wore his hat pulled low to shield his face. A mixture of pity and revulsion washed over Mallory. Then he looked toward Graef. He felt a sudden surge of hatred.
    Mallory said tartly, “If you want a fire, those ashes will have to be cleaned out.”
    “It’ll be done,” Graef said. “You tend to your own chores.”
    Mallory turned away. He located the grub box and set it up. He dropped the top