Fitz swallowed. “And Candice! Is she all right?”
Van Klomp shook his head. “You’re a slow learner, Fitzy. She’s the one who put the cops onto you. Said you tried to kill him.”
Fitz gaped. “I didn’t have anything to do with it, Bobby. When I saw them towing my car away, I . . . I was so mad and miserable that I just kept walking. Next thing I realized it was early morning and I was near here. I thought I’d wait for you to come in and cadge a lift home.”
Van Klomp slapped him on the back, grinning again. “Oh, I didn’t think you’d done it, boeta. I could just see the headline: Martial arts, dangersport and fitness fanatic ties old fart wearing woman’s underwear to bed, beats him, puts plastic bag over his head and throttles him. When the cop told me about it, I said he was crazy. But face it, it looks pretty bad for you, Fitzy. You yelled that you wanted to kill him in front of a whole lot of witnesses, besides the bimbo saying that you did it.”
“Candy?”
Van Klomp nodded. “Swears it was you, looking for revenge. You locked her in the bathroom while you did the dirty deed. Did it like that to humiliate him and incriminate her. Brave girl broke her way out and called the cops.” Van Klomp tugged his beard thoughtfully. “Bet your fingerprints are all over her apartment too.”
“But . . . ! I was nowhere near there last night!”
Van Klomp shrugged. “Prove it, Fitzy. Me, I think it was probably a sex game that went wrong. She panicked. Needed a scapegoat.”
“Candy!” Fitz shook his head incredulously. “No. You must be wrong, Bobby. She’d never do anything like that. She’s . . . she’s so . . . pure. Prim. There must be another explanation.”
Van Klomp took a deep breath. “Rule my brother told me once: Never criticize a man’s mother or his girlfriend if you want to stay friends. So: Now I’m going to tell you something that I’ve avoided saying because I liked you, Fitz. I’ve known Candy Foster all her life. Her mother also had exactly one Share. Lived three apartments down from me, on Clarges Street. I bet she never told you that.”
She hadn’t. Clarges Street was just one step up from the Vat tenements. Fitz’s parents were comfortably upper-middle-class Shareholders. “No . . . but I’m sorry, Bobby. I don’t see what that’s got to do with it.”
“Nothing. Except Candy always planned to move up in the world. She didn’t have brains or business sense. She did have a pretty face and a good body. She was damned good at being just what the men who were stepping-stones on her way wanted. You wanted a pure little ice-maiden. You got one, kid. Candy’s been around. You ask any of the boys on Clarges Street what sort of ice-maiden she was.”
“I don’t believe you, Van Klomp,” said Fitz stiffly, knowing deep inside that he was making a fool of himself. “You’re making her out to be a prostitute.”
“Oh no, she’s not that. A hooker is at least fairly honest. And unclench those hands, Fitzy. I’m your mate, trying to help you, even if you don’t believe me,” the big man said gently.
Fitz took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Van Klomp. You don’t like her and you never have. Okay I admit, you were right about her seeing someone else. It’s kind of obvious now, thinking back. This Talbot engagement didn’t just spring out of nowhere. But I can’t believe she’d . . .”
The big man shrugged. “Suit yourself. Believe anything you please. But Talbot is in a coma. And you’re going to take the fall for it, unless he comes round. Even then . . . he might decide to stick to her story.” Van Klomp grinned ruefully. “I would.”
“But—surely I can explain. I’m innocent!”
“Get this straight. It’s Talbot Cartup we’re talking about. The cops want to catch someone to satisfy the Cartup family. And they want someone in a hurry. And that someone, right now, is you. You’ll be pieces of liver and lights in a nutrient bath within the next three days, if they find you. There are roadblocks all around town. I came through one on the way here.” Van Klomp grinned evilly. “One thing on your side is they’re still looking for the Aston Martin. Someone’s face is gonna be red. But it’s only a matter of time before they look here too.”