Read Online The So Blue Marble by Dorothy B. Hughes - Free Book Online
Authors: Dorothy B. Hughes
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“Yes.”
“I haven’t told anyone. I haven’t seen anyone. I only came here tonight to tell you about it. I didn’t want to come. I didn’t want to see any of you again. Murder-“
He laughed gently. “You still think we killed him.”
Then they were at the table, seated again.
Ann laughed, not too kindly. She had been waiting for the moment: “Griselda, why did you pretend you didn’t know the boys? You surely have had more than the one meeting with them.”
If Ann had been wise, she would have noticed how Danny, how Missy, how David, how Griselda all looked quickly at her. Maybe she did notice. Maybe even dull Arthur did. Her laugh was less real.
“Griselda told us about you joining her the other evening. Such a priceless thing!”
“Wasn’t it?” Danny laughed. He looked at Griselda without any expression.
She was afraid. She wanted to make it definite what she had repeated. Her laugh was nervous. “Yes, I was telling about it at dinner last night.”
Arthur came in from his fog. “What about this marble you were talking about? What was all that about?”
Nobody said anything. It was only for a moment but it was stark. Griselda shivered when David spoke, spoke so easily, so sweetly.
“You mean the very blue marble?” He leaned slightly across Griselda to Arthur and she could see his pulse beating in his throat.
Arthur was hearty. “I suppose it was a blue one. I don’t remember. Griselda seemed to think it was important. Sounds silly to me.”
Missy had lighted a cigarette, one with a small gold M. She said, “It is important.” Her mouth was something harsh and her eyes frightening, like the twins’, without expression. “If Griselda would but give us the marble we would go away.”
Danny said under his breath, “Quiet,” and David, “Too late!”
But Danny added aloud, “What Missy says is true.”
Ann was troubled; she wasn’t that stupid. Arthur, always the host, laughed, “Then I hope she won’t give it to you. We’d hate to have you leave just when you’ve arrived. Wouldn’t we, Ann?” But he broke off, uncertain, seeing Ann’s face, looking now at the others.
Ann whispered, “Why don’t you give it to them?”
Griselda spoke to Danny’s face, “I don’t have it. And if I did I wouldn’t give it to you. You know why.” Then she remembered; she was safe, in the Persian Room, ordinary surroundings. She could be normal, herself. “What makes you think I have it? What makes you think I know anything about it?”
David said, “It was in Con Satterlee’s hands. He’s had it-how long we do not know. But we have definitely traced it to him. We came at once but he was gone.”
Griselda told him. It was as if no one else was at the table. “I was Con’s wife for three years. I have been divorced from him for four years. I haven’t seen him in four years. Why don’t you get it from Con?”
David answered, “He doesn’t have it now. It isn’t with him on the border.”
“How do you know?”
“He has been searched.”
She was cold. She spoke absurdly, eagerly, “Maybe he left it some place on the way.”
“He didn’t stop on the way. He flew out.”
“Maybe he gave it to the pilot-to someone…”
“It is too important to give away.” His head bowed just a little as he spoke.
Arthur was impatient. “Why is it so important? Marbles aren’t so important. What’s there about this particular one?”
Danny and David and Missy looked at each other. Griselda watched them. Danny was spokesman. He was angling for words, words that would not say much.
“The blue marble belongs to us. It was stolen from us five years ago. It isn’t really a marble, you see; it looks like one. It contains something important to
“I haven’t told anyone. I haven’t seen anyone. I only came here tonight to tell you about it. I didn’t want to come. I didn’t want to see any of you again. Murder-“
He laughed gently. “You still think we killed him.”
Then they were at the table, seated again.
Ann laughed, not too kindly. She had been waiting for the moment: “Griselda, why did you pretend you didn’t know the boys? You surely have had more than the one meeting with them.”
If Ann had been wise, she would have noticed how Danny, how Missy, how David, how Griselda all looked quickly at her. Maybe she did notice. Maybe even dull Arthur did. Her laugh was less real.
“Griselda told us about you joining her the other evening. Such a priceless thing!”
“Wasn’t it?” Danny laughed. He looked at Griselda without any expression.
She was afraid. She wanted to make it definite what she had repeated. Her laugh was nervous. “Yes, I was telling about it at dinner last night.”
Arthur came in from his fog. “What about this marble you were talking about? What was all that about?”
Nobody said anything. It was only for a moment but it was stark. Griselda shivered when David spoke, spoke so easily, so sweetly.
“You mean the very blue marble?” He leaned slightly across Griselda to Arthur and she could see his pulse beating in his throat.
Arthur was hearty. “I suppose it was a blue one. I don’t remember. Griselda seemed to think it was important. Sounds silly to me.”
Missy had lighted a cigarette, one with a small gold M. She said, “It is important.” Her mouth was something harsh and her eyes frightening, like the twins’, without expression. “If Griselda would but give us the marble we would go away.”
Danny said under his breath, “Quiet,” and David, “Too late!”
But Danny added aloud, “What Missy says is true.”
Ann was troubled; she wasn’t that stupid. Arthur, always the host, laughed, “Then I hope she won’t give it to you. We’d hate to have you leave just when you’ve arrived. Wouldn’t we, Ann?” But he broke off, uncertain, seeing Ann’s face, looking now at the others.
Ann whispered, “Why don’t you give it to them?”
Griselda spoke to Danny’s face, “I don’t have it. And if I did I wouldn’t give it to you. You know why.” Then she remembered; she was safe, in the Persian Room, ordinary surroundings. She could be normal, herself. “What makes you think I have it? What makes you think I know anything about it?”
David said, “It was in Con Satterlee’s hands. He’s had it-how long we do not know. But we have definitely traced it to him. We came at once but he was gone.”
Griselda told him. It was as if no one else was at the table. “I was Con’s wife for three years. I have been divorced from him for four years. I haven’t seen him in four years. Why don’t you get it from Con?”
David answered, “He doesn’t have it now. It isn’t with him on the border.”
“How do you know?”
“He has been searched.”
She was cold. She spoke absurdly, eagerly, “Maybe he left it some place on the way.”
“He didn’t stop on the way. He flew out.”
“Maybe he gave it to the pilot-to someone…”
“It is too important to give away.” His head bowed just a little as he spoke.
Arthur was impatient. “Why is it so important? Marbles aren’t so important. What’s there about this particular one?”
Danny and David and Missy looked at each other. Griselda watched them. Danny was spokesman. He was angling for words, words that would not say much.
“The blue marble belongs to us. It was stolen from us five years ago. It isn’t really a marble, you see; it looks like one. It contains something important to
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