Have a Change of Scene

Six

Soon after 11.00, I pulled up outside the Morgans’ bungalow. The front door stood open, but otherwise there was no sign of life.

Leaving the car, I walked across the rough grass and paused to look into the sitting room.

Rhea was sitting at the table, a newspaper spread out before her. She looked up, her green eyes quizzing.

The sight of her brought back this tormenting lust I had for her. God! I thought, this is a woman! The most exciting, the most devilish, the most desirable woman in the world! She had on the same cheap cotton dress and the same cheap blue beads and she looked the symbol of decadent lust.

‘You?’ She leaned back in the chair. ‘What do you want, Cheapie?’

This insane rage I couldn’t control surged up in me. I took three quick steps forward and slapped her face, sending her jerking back.

‘Don’t call me that!’ I shouted at her, and braced myself, expecting her to jump to her feet and fly at me, but she didn’t. She sat still, her hands against her face, her eyes wide with surprise.

‘Nice work, buster,’ Fel said as he lounged into the room. ‘That’s the way to treat the bitch. I guessed we’d be seeing you before long. Make yourself at home.’

I ignored him, my eyes on Rhea.

‘You ever touch me again and you’ll be sorry,’ she said, but there was no conviction in her voice.

As my rage began to die down, I had a sudden idea that I had been handling her wrongly with my pleading and grovelling. I remembered how her brother had slapped her around. Maybe she respected a man who got tough with her.

‘You call me Cheapie again and you’ll get slapped again,’ I said, pushing by Fel, I sat down in the ruined armchair. ‘I’ve come to talk to you two. Maybe if you have enough guts, we three could steal some diamonds.’

Rhea stared at me as if she thought I was crazy, but Fel burst into a loud laugh.

‘You see? I told you he had spunk, you stupid cow,’ he said to Rhea, ‘and you wouldn’t believe me. I told you he was okay. I know. I can spot ‘em a mile off.’

‘Shut up!’ Rhea snapped at him, still staring at me. ‘Just what do you mean by that?’

‘Although I have some money,’ I said, ‘I haven’t enough... who has? You two want money, so why not team up with me and make some?’

Her eyes glittering, her face set, she leaned forward.

‘How?’

‘You took the trouble to find out who I am,’ I said, ‘so I have taken the trouble to find out who you are. I know you have been in two crappy little holdups and you drew four and four. Small-time stuff. If you and your brother can think big enough and have the nerve, there’s a half a million in it for you.’

Fel drew in his breath with a sharp, hissing sound, while Rhea stiffened, her hands turning into fists.

‘You mean that? Half a million?’ Fel asked, his voice a croak.

‘I’m not here to waste time. I mean it. Half a million to you two: half a million to me.’

‘You don’t con me,’ Rhea said harshly. ‘Just what’s behind this crap? You don’t imagine you can kid me with this baloney, do you? I wasn’t born yesterday! Half a million! Phooey!’

‘Aw, rest your goddamn mouth!’ Fel shouted at her. ‘It’s you who’s a bag of baloney! I tell you this guy’s okay! He’s dealing it off the top deck!’ He turned to me. ‘Tell me more, mister... don’t bother with her. She’s always had a tiny mind. What’s this about half a million? Jesus! Could I use bread like that!’

‘It’s there for the taking,’ I said. ‘All you have to do is to walk in, pick it up and walk out again.’

‘You mean walk into that store of yours and clean it out?’ Fel said, puzzled.

‘Don’t talk like an idiot! If you tried that you’d be in jail so fast you wouldn’t know what had hit you. No... this job is easy, safe and simple.’

‘And what do you do?’ Rhea broke in, her eyes suspicious and cold. ‘Stand on the sidelines while we do the work and if the job turns sour, you duck out of sight?’

‘Nothing can go wrong. It’s simple,’ I said. ‘I organise the job and sell the diamonds. Without me, there’s no money. But if you haven’t the guts to do it, say so now and I’ll find someone else to do it.’

‘Man! Hasn’t this guy changed since last he was here!’ There was a note of awe in Fel’s voice. ‘What’s got into you, mister?’

‘You two have got into me,’ I said. ‘You started me thinking.’ I looked at Rhea. ‘I’ve decided not to wait to become old, fat and stupid. I’ve decided to become rich now.’

Still her eyes were suspicious.

‘So what’s the job?’ she asked, frowning at me, but I knew I had caught heir interest. ‘Don’t talk in circles. What’s it all about?’

I had come prepared. I took from my wallet a photograph of Mrs. P.’s necklace and laid it on the table in front of her.

‘That’s what it’s all about: one million, eight hundred thousand dollars’ worth of diamonds.’

Fel came to lean over his sister’s shoulder. I watched them, and by the sudden greed on their faces I knew I had hooked them as I had hooked Sydney.

Then Rhea looked up at me.

‘We could go away for twenty years if this one turned sour.’

‘Hell!’ Fel exploded. ‘Can’t you stop griping? Must you always try to throw a goddamn spanner in the works? Why don’t you shut up?’

‘I’ve been in jail... you haven’t,’ she said. ‘You talk like the moron you are.’

‘There won’t be any jail,’ I put in. ‘Let me explain.’

I then told them about Mrs. P.’s necklace, showed them the newspaper cuttings and the press photos of her wearing the necklace. I told them how she was in the hole for thousands because of her gambling and how she had to sell the necklace secretly. How my boss had bought it at a knockdown price and how he and I were going to make the diamonds into a collar and sell it at a big profit.

‘The mean sonofabitch is only offering me two percent of the take,’ I concluded, ‘so I’m going to take the necklace. In my position I can sell the stones safely for a million. I’ll split fifty-fifty with you two,’ and using Sydney’s pet phrase, I went on, ‘I can’t be fairer than that, can I?’

Rhea studied me.

‘You’re damned generous, aren’t you?’ Her cold suspicious eyes searched my face. ‘What’s the idea? You know we’d have done it for a tenth of that price. What’s the idea?’

I realised then that I had overplayed my hand. She was right, of course. If I had offered them fifty thousand, they would still have jumped at it, but it was too late now to back track. I had made a slip and now I had to lull her suspicions. Keeping my face expressionless, I met her steady stare with one as steady.

‘The way I see it,’ I said, ‘as you two do the dangerous part of the job and I pay you half, you won’t be dissatisfied and you’ll keep your mouths shut. The last thing I want is for you to try to blackmail me for more money when the job’s done. To take care of that and to safeguard myself, I’m splitting the take down the middle.’

‘This guy thinks ahead... he uses his nut,’ Fel said excitedly. ‘You’re right, mister. With half a million you won’t ever hear from us again!’

‘The dangerous part of the job?’ Rhea was quick to pounce on yet another slip. ‘You said it was simple and easy. So where’s the danger come in?’

‘I should have said the active part of the job, not dangerous, but there’s bound to be tension.’ I was telling myself I had to be more careful with her. Whereas her brother was a gullible fool, she was as tricky as a sack full of rattlesnakes.

She continued to stare at me for a long moment, then finally, she asked, ‘So what do we do?’

‘First, make yourselves look respectable: a brother and sister on vacation. Buy some respectable looking clothes with the money you stole from me. Then you come to Paradise City and put up at the Pyramid Motel: register as John and Mary Hall.’ I took out my gold pencil and wrote my telephone number on the margin of the newspaper lying on the table. ‘Call me Tuesday night after midnight and give me the number of your cabin. I don’t want to ask for you at the reception desk. On Wednesday night I’ll come to your cabin at ten o’clock with all the details you’ll need. You could do the job next Friday, but I’ll let you know for certain when we meet on Wednesday.’

‘You still haven’t told us how we do the job,’ Rhea said, watching me. ‘I want to know.’

‘My boss and I will be working on the design for the collar at his penthouse, and the necklace will be on his desk. We need it for the new design. All you have to do is to walk in, tie us up so we can’t raise the alarm, pick up the necklace and walk out. It’s as easy and as simple as that.’

‘Well, for Pete’s sake!’ Fel exclaimed. ‘You mean it really will be as easy as that? No fuzz to worry about? We just walk in and take the goddamn thing?’

‘That’s it.’ I got to my feet. ‘Any further questions?’

‘We’ve got to have guns?’ Fel asked.

‘Of course, but not loaded. There’ll be no opposition. Just use them as a threat... you understand? Not loaded.’

‘Sure. I can get hold of a couple of rods okay.’

‘We’ll go into details next Wednesday. Leave the organising to me. All you have to do is to get yourselves decent-looking outfits, look respectable and don’t attract attention.’ I looked at Rhea. ‘Have you any questions?’

She studied me, frowning.

‘What’s the catch?’ she asked. ‘That’s my question. This job stinks to me: half a million bucks; simple, dead easy and no fuzz. It stinks! What’s your game?’

I turned to Fel.

‘Do you think you can find someone to work with you? I’m getting sick of her. After all two men are better than a man and a suspicious bitch.’

He grinned.

‘Pay no attention to her. She always runs at the mouth. We’ll be at the motel Tuesday night, mister.’

‘If I don’t hear from you by midnight Tuesday, I’ll know you haven’t the guts to do the job and I’ll look elsewhere.’

I made that my exit line.

During the five years I had worked for Sydney I had been to his penthouse scores of times. The nightman, Bert Lawson, knew me and always had a cheery salute for me when he let me in.

At 22.00 the glass door to the entrance lobby was locked. Once the door was locked, Lawson retired to his little office and spent the rest of the night watching TV. He only appeared to let in the occasional visitor and to answer the telephone which rarely disturbed him.

The four rich occupants, including Sydney, had their keys to the entrance door and let themselves in after 22.00. Apart from Sydney, the other three were elderly and seldom if ever went out at night. This made it easy for me. The lock on the entrance door was a Yale. Lawson pressed down the catch at locking up time and then the door could only be opened by a key. I didn’t anticipate any trouble when coming to see Sydney after 22.00. Lawson would let me in. I would take the elevator to the top floor, then walk down to the lobby. By that time, Lawson would be back in his office, watching TV. All I had to do would be to sneak across the lobby, put up the catch, then walk up the stairs to Sydney’s penthouse.

Sydney also had a Yale lock on his front door. As he was always forgetting his keys, he seldom kept his front door locked, knowing the entrance door to the apartment block was ways guarded during the day and locked at night. If, on the night of the raid, he did happen to lock his door when I was with him, I could find an excuse to unlock it. I could leave my briefcase in the lobby, come out to fetch it while he was working at his desk, slip the catch, unlocking the door. It was essential that Rhea and Fel should rush into the penthouse and take Sydney by surprise. I was sure he would collapse with fright. At the sight of a gun, he would shrivel. I was sure I would have no trouble from him, but to keep suspicion off me, I would have to act brave. I would have to be pistol whipped by Fel. I didn’t like this idea, but it was essential to keep me clear of any suspicion. I had already suffered concussion from the air crash. He mustn’t hit me over the head, I told myself, but across the face.

All these thoughts were going through my head as I drove back to Paradise City. I felt reasonably convinced that both Rhea and Fel were hooked in spite of Rhea’s suspicions. But if they imagined I would let them walk off with one million, eight hundred thousand dollars’ worth of diamonds they were in for another think.

The trick in my plan was to let them steal the glass necklace. During the flight back to Paradise City in the air taxi, I had begun to realise I was getting misgivings about Rhea. Now, driving back in the Buick I asked myself if I really wanted to have an association with her. I lusted for her, but discovered I was lusting for a million dollars more than her. If I could have laid her like the whore she was, I would have done it, but seeing her this time warned me she was hard, tough and ruthless, without a spark of feeling in her. As I drove mile after mile, I began to come around to the idea of using her and her brother as my cat’s paws. Unlike her moron of a brother, she was suspicious of me. I would now have to be very careful how I handled her on Wednesday night.

It would be a complete letdown if, like some wild cat, sniffing at a concealed trap and knowing instinctively that it was a trap, she wouldn’t do the job. Without her and Fel the plan was abortive. I had no other connections with the underworld. I couldn’t ask around for two men to pull a jewel robbery.

So everything depended on how I handled her on Wednesday night. I was sure she would come to the motel, but by then, she would have had time to think and to search for snags and to try to find out why I had stupidly offered half a million. From the expression in her cold, green eyes, I was sure she hadn’t been convinced by my explanation.

But I was certain of one thing: it would never occur to her that the necklace was a fake. I felt, since I was willing to let them take the necklace, her suspicions would be lulled. Letting them take the necklace was the bait in the trap and I was confident such a bait wouldn’t occur to her. Surely she would feel she had the whip hand with the necklace in her possession. She would be sure that I couldn’t double-cross her.

When I arrived at the shop on Tuesday morning, Jane Bowman, my secretary, told me that Sydney wouldn’t be in. He was feeling unwell. I guessed he was struggling with the design of the collar and it was proving difficult. I wondered if I should telephone him, but with Terry watching me, I decided I would call him during my lunchtime.

Business was brisk that morning. I sold a diamond clip, a bracelet and an engagement ring before I went to lunch.

Using a call booth, I spoke to Sydney. He sounded depressed.

‘Larry, precious, this isn’t going to be easy. I’ve tried and tried over the weekend and I’m getting just a wee bit desperate.’

This was unlike Sydney, but I knew his task would be difficult.

‘Two million dollars are never easy to make, Sydney,’ I said. ‘Have you anything to show me tonight?’

‘Show you?’ His voice went up into a squeak. ‘Hundreds and hundreds of designs I’m sick of looking at them.’

‘Don’t worry. I’ll be around at nine and we’ll sort them out... okay?’

‘You do sound so confident! Yes I’ll get Claude to cook a beautiful dinner... come earlier. Come at eight.’

‘Sorry, I’m tied up. I’ll see you at nine,’ and I hung up.

I wanted our meetings during the time we were working on the collar to be late. This was essential to my plan.

Claude, Sydney’s Man Friday, was a fat, kindly queer who once had been an under chef at Maxim’s of Paris. His working hours were from 08.00 to 22.00. He arrived promptly and left promptly. His cooking was superlative and he kept Sydney’s luxury home immaculate with the help of two coloured women to do the rough work.

That evening, a few minutes after 21.00, he opened the door to my ring and beamed at me. I was one of his rare favourites.

‘Good evening, Mr. Larry. May I say how glad I am that you are better?’ His greeting was genuine. ‘Do go in. Mr. Sydney is expecting you.’ Lowering his voice, he went on, ‘Dinner is nearly ready so please don’t linger too long over the cocktails.’

I said I would take care of that and then went into the vast living room where I found Sydney at his desk, a treble dry martini at his side.

‘Larry! How glad I am to see you... this is utter hell! Come and look!’

I went over to the big cocktail shaker and poured myself a large martini, then dropped into one of the big lounging chairs.

‘Not now, Sydney. Let’s eat first. We have the night before us.’

‘My head is simply buzzing.’ Sydney carried his glass to another chair near mine and sat down. ‘I’m beginning to wonder if this is going to work. God! I couldn’t sleep last night! I kept thinking I’ve given that dreadful woman three-quarters of a million! I must be out of my tiny mind! I am beginning to wonder if I’ll ever get my money back!’

‘Relax... you’ll get it back plus. Now don’t get in a tizz, Sydney. We’ll sort it out after dinner.’ Although I could see he wasn’t interested, I went on to tell him of the happenings in the shop, what I had sold, who had bought and how a lot of people had asked for him.

Talking in this way, I finished my martini as Claude announced dinner was served. It was an exceptionally excellent meal: stuffed gulls’ eggs, followed by noisette d’agneau Edward VII, one of Maxim’s great specialities.

After dinner, we returned to the living room. I heard Claude let himself out and the front door clicked to. I wondered if he had left the catch down.

‘I’m just going to visit the small room,’ I said, ‘then let’s get at it.’

As Sydney sat at his desk, I went into the lobby, saw the catch was up and the door unlocked, then I went into the toilet, lifted the flush plug and returned to the living room.

We spent the next half-hour going through Sydney’s designs. This was to me a waste of time knowing there would be no collar, but I had to act out the play. Among the many designs, I selected three which I said were getting very near the idea.

‘Do you really think so, Larry? You’re not just being kind?’ Sydney looked anxiously at me.

‘Are you working with the necklace at your side?’

‘Why, no.’ His eyes popped open. ‘I keep it in the safe.’

‘That’s it!’ I snapped my fingers. ‘That’s why you’re having this trouble. Get the necklace and put it on your desk. You’ll get inspiration from it.’

He stared at me, then a happy smile lit up his face.

‘You know I never thought of that! Clever you? You could be so right!’ He went through the performance of removing the Picasso and opening the safe. Even though I knew he trusted me utterly, he kept his body between me and the safe so I couldn’t see how he opened it. He had spent a lot of money on the safe and how it was opened was his secret and for no one else.

He put the necklace on the desk. I shifted his desk light so the light fell directly on the glass imitations. They certainly looked good.

He sat down and stared at the necklace for some minutes, then he picked up the best of his designs and examined it.

‘You’re right, Larry, precious. I’ve got the wrong gradation here. Silly me! Yes, I think I can do better than this.’ He began to sketch feverishly while I smoked, watching him. In half an hour, after three unsuccessful attempts, he produced a rough that was so impressive I felt that if I didn’t curb his enthusiasm a second meeting wouldn’t be necessary and there had to be a second meeting.

‘This is it! I feel it!’ he exclaimed excitedly. ‘Look!’

It was of course exactly right.

‘It’s good,’ I said but made my voice sound flat.

‘It’s right! You see how I’ve placed the big stone? Why didn’t I think of that before?’

‘It’s excellent.’ I frowned, then shook my head.

‘Don’t you think it’s right?’ he asked anxiously.

‘Nearly right. I could sell this for a million and a half, but we want two million.’

‘I’m not buying any more stones.’ Sydney’s voice turned petulant, ‘if that’s what you’re thinking.’

‘No... no, of course not. The arrangement is perfect. I’m not sure about the setting. Maybe it’s too classical. We mustn’t rush this Sydney. Let me think about it. I’ll come here on Friday night. By then I’m sure we’ll have come up with the solution.’

‘Friday night?’ He opened his engagement diary and consulted it. ‘Not Friday. I have a dreary dinner date I just can’t break. Thursday would be all right.’

‘Fine.’ I got to my feet. I was telling myself I had all day Wednesday and all Thursday until 22.00 to tie up any loose ends... it should be enough time. ‘I’ll be here just after ten o’clock. Then the next move is Hong Kong.’

‘Come earlier, Larry. Claude will prepare something special for you.’

‘I’m sorry. I can’t come earlier. I’m having dinner with the Johnsons (a lie). God help me! She’s interested in a diamond clip. When I know more or less what she wants, I’ll ask you to get some designs out for her.’

‘That dreadful old biddy!’ Sydney sighed. ‘Always the old and the fat.’

‘They have the money.’

I put his design in my wallet.

‘How are you feeling, Larry? You still look peaky,’ Sydney asked as he accompanied me to the front door.

‘All right. I get tired. When we’ve sold this collar, I think it might be an idea to go on a cruise... if it would be all right with you.’

‘You sell this collar, precious, and you can go to the moon if you want to and I’ll pick up the tab.’

When he had shut the front door, I paused to listen. He didn’t slip the catch.

Things seemed to be going my way.

I returned to my apartment at 23.20. Mixing myself a whisky and soda, I sat down and took stock.

Assuming Rhea and Fel were hooked and would do the job, I felt confident they could get into the apartment block and into Sydney’s penthouse without trouble.

I remembered Rhea had a record. She must wear gloves. If she left one fingerprint, my plan would blow up in my face for I felt certain if they were caught, they would give me away.

But would the police come into it?

Sydney’s position was tricky. If he called the police, then Plessington would learn his wife had sold the necklace. Sydney might not care about that, but he certainly would care if his partner, Tom Luce, got to hear about it. This might cause an irreparable rift between them for Sydney knew, as I knew, he was behaving unethically. Luce was tough and he wouldn’t easily forgive Sydney and this, I knew, Sydney would want to avoid at all costs. Tom was even more important to him than my expertise.

But would Sydney be prepared to kiss three-quarters of a million goodbye without doing anything about it? Although I knew he was immensely rich, to lose a sum that big would be crippling. After some thought I decided he might do just that rather than face Tom Luce’s wrath and also the damage Mrs. P. could do, going around to all his wealthy clients, saying he wasn’t to be trusted. If he didn’t think of this, then I would point it out to him.

If he didn’t call the police, then I was in the clear. I would sell the necklace stone by stone, stash the money away in Switzerland, continue to work for Sydney for three or four months, then plead ill-health and resign. I would then go to Europe and settle down somewhere, probably in the Swiss Alps with my million dollars.

Then I remembered Rhea and Fel. How would they react when they discovered they had stolen glass and not diamonds? Those two could be as dangerous and as vicious as Spooky. Being involved in the robbery, they wouldn’t dare inform on me, but they could come after me.

I brooded about this. Then I remembered I would have to be pistol whipped by Fel to keep suspicion from me. I would take advantage of this. I could make out that my nerves had been shot to hell and I had to get away at once. By the way I would fix it, it would take Rhea and Fel some ten days before they found out they had stolen an imitation. By that time I would be in Europe and far away from their avenging hands. Then I would write to Sydney, telling him I was quitting for good.

I sat there, nursing my drink, my mind busy when at three minutes past midnight, the telephone bell rang.

My hand wasn’t too steady as I lifted the receiver.

‘Carr here.’

Fel said, ‘Cabin 35.’

I drew in a deep breath.

‘She there?’

Fel chuckled.

‘You bet.’

‘Tomorrow night at ten,’ I said and hung up.

The following day dragged interminably. Fortunately, we were not busy in the shop and I could do some thinking.

Terry had been watching me. Finally, he became curious and he sauntered over to my desk.

‘Have you something on your mind, Larry?’ he asked, staring at me with his mean little eyes. ‘You seem awfully thoughtful.’

‘A headache,’ I said briefly, jumping at the chance to make out I was still far from well.

‘So sorry.’ He looked as sorry as a man who finds a ten dollar bill in the street. ‘You returned too soon. I can’t understand why Sydney wanted you back so badly. There are times when he is so inconsiderate. I was quite capable of handling your work as well as mine. Why don’t you go home and nurse your poor head? Miss Barlow and I can manage beautifully.’

I was on the point of telling him to go to hell when I realised as part of my act, I’d better make out I was feeling pretty bad.

‘I think I will.’ I got to my feet. ‘If you really think you can manage.’

I could see by the surprised expression in his eyes, he hadn’t expected this. With Sydney still away and now me going, he certainly would have to pick up his feet.

But this was a challenge he gladly accepted. As I walked to the parking lot I wondered how Sydney was getting on with the design of the setting. I felt I had to tell him I was going to take it easy at home. I spoke to him from a call booth.

‘Sydney, I have a hell of a headache. Terry says he can manage so I’m going home.’

‘You poor thing! Do that.’ He began to buzz. ‘I’ll get down there right away... can’t possibly leave Terry in charge. I’ve got four lovely designs. You’ll be so pleased! You wouldn’t like to come around tonight?’

‘I’d rather not. I’ll take it easy for today if you don’t mind.’

‘You do that.’

I didn’t immediately return to my apartment. I went to my bank and got $3,000 in Traveller’s cheques. Then I went to my travel agent and inquired about planes to San Francisco. There was one leaving Friday morning at 05.00. I made a note and asked if reservations were necessary. My travel agent said the flight, at that time, would be half empty and I could walk on: no problem.

I returned to my apartment, sat down and really got down to planning the steal. I sent out for sandwiches at lunch time and by 15.00, I was satisfied I had taken care of all the details.

Sydney called at 16.00 to inquire how I felt. I said the headache had gone away, but I still felt a bit shaky.

He inquired anxiously if I thought I’d be all right for Thursday night and I said I would and I’d be at my desk tomorrow at the usual time.

At 20.00, I went around the corner to a little restaurant and had a light meal, then I returned to my apartment and tried to watch TV until 21.45. Taking the sling bag containing the Beade wig, the silver glasses, the red jacket with the black patched pockets, but leaving the toy gun, I went down to the garage and drove out to the Pyramid Motel. I had chosen this motel for the Morgans to stay at because it had separate cabins and was used by young people travelling through to Miami. If Rhea and Fel had bought the right clothes they would be just two in a crowd.

I parked the car outside the motel and walked in. I had no trouble in finding cabin 35. Each cabin carried a big illuminated sign, showing its number.

The night air was strident with the sound of transistors and squawking voices from TVs. There was no one to see me knock on the door of cabin 35, which opened immediately as if Fel had been waiting impatiently. I entered the room and Fel shut the door.

For a moment I didn’t recognise Rhea as she stood by the table, looking at me with her cold, green eyes. She had on a blood-red trouser suit with white collar and cuffs. Her red hair was piled to the top of her head instead of hanging to her shoulders, and it had been washed. The sight of her again sent a stab of lust through me and I knew she knew it by her sneering little smile. I turned to look at Fel. Even he had managed to make himself look respectable. He had had his hair cut and was wearing a brown sports jacket and a pair of bottle green slacks. A white polo collar sweater completed his outfit.

‘You two look fine,’ I said, putting the sling bag on the table. ‘Have you got another change of clothes?’

‘Yeah. We reckoned this gear would be easy to describe to the cops,’ Fell said, grinning. ‘We go hippy after the job.’

Well, at least they were using their heads, I thought.

I went around the table and sat down.

‘Since you’re both here, I take it the operation is on... right?’

‘We’re here to listen,’ Rhea said woodenly. ‘Tell us the whole operation, then we’ll make up our minds.’

I was expecting this and shrugged.

‘The operation is on tomorrow night.’

‘Tomorrow night?’ Fel’s voice shot up. ‘That’s rushing it, isn’t it?’

‘What does it matter if it’s tomorrow night or next week? I have it all organised. The sooner it is done, the faster we get the money.’

Fel looked over at Rhea.

‘Let him talk,’ she said and sat down, away from me and lit a cigarette.

‘Tomorrow night at exactly 10.30, you arrive at Wellington Court, Roosevelt Boulevard.’ I took from my wallet a sheet of folded paper and put it on the table. ‘I’ve written it all down for you with directions how to get there. Tomorrow morning, take a look at the place: just drive past so you’re sure of finding it. Time your run from here to Wellington Court so you will know when to leave here tomorrow night. At that time of night there will be vacant parking bays close by. Leave your car, walk casually to the front entrance. You will find the door unlocked. Go quickly up the stairs. Don’t use the elevator. The nightman will be in his office watching TV but the elevator just might cause interference on the screen, so use the stairs. When you reach the top floor, turn right and you will see Fremlin’s front door, No. 4. The door will be unlocked. Open it silently and go in. You will find yourselves in a small lobby, facing the door, leading into the sitting room. Listen outside the door. You will hear Fremlin and me talking. Then rush in. Come in really fast, guns in hand and yell at us to stay, still. You don’t have to worry about Fremlin. He’ll just sit there, goggling at you, terrified. Now, here is the trickiest part of the operation.’ I turned to look at Fel who was sitting with his elbows on his knees, his face in his hands, listening with intense concentration. ‘I have to act brave. This should shift any suspicion from me that I’m connected with the steal, and this is essential if I’m to sell the diamonds. I will jump to my feet and come at you. You will sideswipe me across the face with your gun.’

Fel gaped at me.

‘A bang across the face with a gun can hurt,’ he said.

‘I know that, but it’s got to be done and done convincingly. I’m not going to moan if I lose a tooth. A million is a lot of money.’

‘You really mean you want me to bash you with the gun?’

‘Across the face: not the head. I want to get that clear. Not the head: across the face. Do you understand?’

‘Why not save your looks, mister and take a rap on the nut?’ Fel asked, frowning.

‘I’ve had concussion. It would be dangerous to hit me over the head.’

‘Yeah.’ Again he looked at Rhea, but she sat still, her face expressionless, her eyes watchful.

‘I fall down,’ I went on. ‘You two take care of Sydney. Bring with you a roll of two-inch tape. Bind and gag him. Do the same to me. You will find the necklace on the desk. Take it and get out.’ I paused, then went on, ‘That the operation. It’s straightforward. There will be no opposition, no police and if you’ve taped us well enough, we will have to wait until Fremlin’s manservant arrives at eight in the morning to release us.’ I lit a cigarette, then asked, ‘Any questions so far?’

‘You want to ask him anything?’ Fel asked Rhea. ‘It’s fine with me.’

‘Not yet.’ She flicked ash on the carpet. ‘Keep talking,’ she said to me.

‘You have to have an alibi,’ I went on. ‘Your story is you left Luceville on Monday afternoon for a trip to Frisco. Rhea thought she might get a job there and you drove her up. This will account for your bungalow being shut up for two days and on the night of the robbery. Rhea will catch the 05.00 flight on Friday morning to Frisco. You, Fel, will drive flat out back to Luceville the moment the robbery is over. You should get there Friday night. Tell anyone interested that Rhea has gone to Frisco after a job. The chances are you won’t need an alibi, but you have to have one just in case.’

‘Yeah.’ Fel nodded. ‘That makes sense.’

I took from my billfold the Traveller’s cheques and tossed them into Rhea’s lap.

‘This will take care of your expenses. There’s no trouble getting an air ticket to Frisco; give a phoney name and address. At that hour you walk on. Stay at a modest hotel and look for work. This is important in case the police check. Then after ten days, come back to Luceville... not sooner... you understand?.. ten days.’

She now asked her first question.

‘So what happens to the necklace? Do we stuff it in your pocket before we scram so you can sell it?’

‘If you think that’s a hot idea with Sydney watching, you need your head examined,’ I said, now very alert. ‘You take the necklace with you. Either you take it or Fel takes it and hides it in the bungalow. That’s up to you.’

She stared at me, her eyes narrowing.

‘You’re pretty trustful, aren’t you? Suppose we take off with the necklace. You’d look dumb, wouldn’t you?’

‘Suppose you did that?’ I smiled at her. ‘Do you imagine you could sell it? It will have to be broken up. Okay, so you break it up. We are in this for a million. You would have an impossible job to find any fence to handle it and if he did he’d rob you blind. That’s why I can afford to trust you. I know dealers who will pay me the highest prices for these stones and no questions asked... you don’t. It’s as simple as that.’

She considered this, then for the first time she began to relax.

‘So okay,’ she said, ‘but what happens when you sell the stones? You take the necklace. So suppose you run off with it and leave us looking dumb?’

She was following the pattern of my past thinking. I had anticipated she would ask this and I was ready for her.

‘Fel goes back to the bungalow to keep up appearances,’ I said, ‘but you come along as my secretary. You’ll be in on all the deals. You’ll know what I’m getting paid for each individual stone. I’ll be paid in cash. As each stone is paid for I’ll give you half of what I get. Does that assure you you won’t be double-crossed?’

She sat back, staring at me. I had cut the ground from under her feet. She couldn’t think of any other objections.

‘Just so long as you don’t walk out on me when I’m not looking.’

Again I smiled at her.

‘I won’t have the chance even if I wanted to. The idea is we stick close together,’ I paused, then went on, looking directly at her, ‘we even sleep together... that’s part of the bargain.’

Fel gave a guffaw of laughter.

‘This guy’s my man! Brother! You deserve what you get!’

Rhea suddenly smiled: a hard, cold smile, but still a smile.

‘You have yourself a deal,’ she said. ‘Okay, we’ll do the job.’

I drew a long deep breath.

‘Right. Now let’s settle the remaining details and then I’ll get home. First, you both wear gloves. This is vitally important. If you leave just one fingerprint in Fremlin’s penthouse there won’t be any million.’ I waved to the sling bag. ‘I’ve brought along an outfit for Fel. Take a look.’

Fel opened the bag and took out the wig, the glasses and the jacket. Grinning he put on the wig and the glasses and surveyed himself in the mirror.

‘Man! This is super! I don’t even recognise myself!’

I looked at Rhea.

‘Hide your hair under a scarf. Get yourself a pair of those glasses to hide your green eyes. As soon as the job’s over, change out of the things you’re now wearing. Get a cheap suitcase, put your things in it and dump it somewhere safe. Fel will have to do that... understand?’

She nodded. She was much less hostile now and I knew I had her hooked.

I tapped the paper on the table.

‘It’s all written down here,’ I said. ‘Everything I’ve told you. Go over it and over it until you know every move by heart, then destroy it.’ I got to my feet. ‘I guess that’s all. Tomorrow night at ten-thirty.’ I again looked at Fel. ‘Remember, my face and not my head. Hit me hard enough to look convincing.’

He grimaced.

‘Rather you than me.’

I paused at the door to look at them.

‘Rather me than a million dollars,’ I said and left them.