My Laugh Comes Last

Chapter Six

‘Hi, fink,’ Benny said, grinning evilly. ‘The boss wants you. Let’s move.’

‘I’ll see him tomorrow night at nine,’ I said. ‘Now, get out!’

‘You’ll see him right now, fink, or I’ll start breaking your whore’s fingers. Let’s move.’

I placed my hand on the horn button.

‘Listen to me, Benny, you touch her, and the operation is off. I’ll see Klaus tomorrow night, and not before. Get out or I’ll start the horn, and you’ll get a load of law in your lap.’

We stared at each other. There was an uneasy, frustrated rage in his eyes.

‘Get out!’ I repeated.

‘I told the boss you’d be a smart sonofabitch, but don’t kid yourself, fink, I’ll take care of you.’

At this moment, a patrolman came out of the station house. He paused, then came over to my car.

‘Evening, Mr. Lucas,’ he said. ‘You can’t park here.’

‘Hi, Tom.’ I knew most of the patrolmen. ‘I’m on my way.’ Turning to Benny, I said, ‘Then tomorrow. So long.’

Benny hesitated, then aware that the patrolman was staring at him, he slid out of the car and walked across the street.

‘Who’s he?’ the patrolman asked. ‘I haven’t seen him around.’

‘Business, Tom.’ I forced a smile. ‘They come in all shapes and sizes,’ then nodding, I drove down the street. I stopped outside a Howard Johnson restaurant and went in. I ordered a club sandwich, and while I ate it, I thought about Glenda. She was now very much on my mind. I felt that I had enough on Klaus not only to stop the break-in, but to get Glenda away from him. With the evidence I had given Maclain to guard, I was sure I had Klaus trapped. I couldn’t see how he could wriggle out of it. I knew I was taking a risk, dealing with a psychopath, but it seemed to me he would either have to accept defeat or eventually be jailed for years once Brannigan and the police came after him.

I spent a restless night, half sleeping, half dozing. I kept thinking of Glenda, and the more I thought of her, the more I realized how much she meant to me. If I could call Klaus’s bluff, stop the bank break-in, make him leave Sharnville, then my life would once again be on an even keel. Now Marsh was dead, there was nothing to stop me marrying Glenda, always providing Klaus disappeared.

I was glad I had so much office work to do the following day. The rush of work prevented me worrying about the evening when I had to face Klaus. In the afternoon, Bill Dixon phoned through to say he had landed another contract to build a small factory to produce electrical components, and they wanted office furniture. Could I see the director on Monday to discuss exactly what he wanted? I said there would be no problem, and fixed a time. As I hung up, I wondered if I would still be in Sharnville on Monday, If I couldn’t bluff Klaus, then I would be on the run.

I considered writing a letter to Bill Dixon, enclosing a copy of my statement to Brannigan in case I had to get out fast, but I decided I still had all day Friday and half Friday night to decide which way the dice would fall.

If I were forced to go on the run, I would need cash. I checked my bank statement. I had some eight thousand dollars in my account. I wrote a cheque for this amount, then telling Mary I was going to the bank and would be back right away, I left my office.

As I was waiting for the traffic lights to change, I spotted Joe, — propping up a fire hydrant. He and I looked at each other, then the lights changed and I crossed. I went into the lobby of the bank, signed my name with a computer pen, fed the cheque into the slot, and after a minute or so, the money dropped into the pay-out slot. I put the bills into my hip pocket and returned to my office block. Joe was still propping up the fire hydrant. I ignored him, pushed open the glass doors and took the elevator up to my office.

I spent the rest of the day clearing my desk. There was a mass of outstanding work still to be done, and if I had to bolt, I didn’t want Bill to be landed with too much work.

At 19.00, I told Mary to go home. When she had gone, I put the copy of my statement to Brannigan and the two tapes into my brief-case. Then picking up a small tape player, I locked up and went down to my car.

As I was unlocking the car door, Joe materialized out of the shadows.

‘You seeing the boss tonight, Mr. Lucas?’ There was an anxious note in his voice.

‘I’m seeing him, Joe,’ I said. ‘You don’t have to hang around me. I’ll be there at nine.’

‘The boss told me to keep tabs on you, Mr. Lucas. I do what I’m told.’

‘I’m going to have dinner. Come with me,’ I said, and got in my car. Leaning over, I unlocked the passenger’s door.

Joe gaped at me.

‘I can’t eat with you.’

‘Oh, skip it, Joe. I know a place. You may as well eat if you have to keep tabs on me.’

He hesitated, then got in beside me.

I drove to a small restaurant that employed black staff. The restaurant was noted for its steaks, and I often ate there.

Joe seemed to relax as he settled himself at a corner table. There were more blacks than whites at the tables, and the black waiter gave him a friendly smile.

‘Two steaks, rare,’ I said, ‘and beers.’

I took out a pack of cigarettes and offered it to Joe who shook his head.

‘I don’t smoke, Mr. Lucas.’

As I lit up, I said, ‘Time’s running out, Joe. Are you still going ahead with it?’

He moved uneasily.

‘Like you, Mr. Lucas, I’ve got to do what I’m told.’

‘You don’t. You can get on a bus and disappear.’

He stared at me.

‘Why should I do that?’

‘Better to disappear than get a bullet through your head.’

He flinched.

‘You said Harry, you and me would watch Benny.’

‘I’ve talked to Harry. He’s worrying about himself. He’s not worrying about you, Joe. I can understand that. I’m worrying about myself.’

The steaks arrived with the beer. I began to eat my steak, but Joe sat still, staring down at his plate, his face creased in a worried frown.

‘Come on, Joe, eat up,’ I said. ‘I could be wrong about Benny, but if I were black, I would get the hell out of Sharnville. I would rather have my life than risk Benny.’

‘I’ve no place to go,’ he muttered. ‘I’ve got no money.’

While his mind was occupied with his troubles, I shot out,

‘How’s Miss Glenda, Joe?’

Off guard, he looked up.

‘She’s having it rough, Mr. Lucas. That Benny...’ Then he stopped short.

I stiffened.

‘What’s Benny doing to her Joe?’

He began to toy with his steak.

‘You see, Mr. Lucas, I don’t hang around the place nor does Harry, but Benny stays there all the time. He’s the boss’s bodyguard. He’s got nothing to do but to pester Miss Glenda, and he sure does.’

‘You realize your boss has kidnapped her, Joe?’

He chewed on his steak while he thought about this, then he shook his head.

‘That ain’t right, Mr. Lucas. She works for him.’

‘She has been forced to work for him, and she is being held prisoner. In law, Joe, that makes your boss, you, Harry and Benny kidnappers. You get a much longer stretch for kidnapping than for breaking into a bank.’

His eyes shifted.

‘I know nothing about the law,’ he mumbled. ‘I do what I’m told... like you, I’ve got to.’

‘Would you help me free her, Joe?’

His eyes grew round.

‘The boss wouldn’t dig that, Mr. Lucas.’

‘Never mind about him, think of yourself. If you helped me to get her free, you wouldn’t go to jail as a kidnapper.’

‘How would I help you?’ he asked, and cut another piece of steak.

‘Is Harry out there tonight?’

‘He’s gone to Frisco about the truck.’

‘So there’s only Benny, your boss and Miss Glenda there?’

He nodded.

‘Do you know where she is, Joe?’

‘Sure. She’s in a room at the back of the house.’

‘Is the door locked?’

‘Not locked, it’s bolted on the outside.’

I pushed aside my plate. Then taking out the bills I had drawn from the bank, keeping them out of sight under the table, I peeled off five one-thousand dollar bills. The rest of the money I put back in my pocket.

‘The bank operation is off, Joe,’ I said. ‘Don’t ask questions: take it from me it is off. Here’s your chance to get away. I’ll give you five thousand dollars if you’ll get Miss Glenda out of that house.’

His eyes bugged out.

‘Five thousand bucks?’ He put down his knife and fork and stared at me. ‘You’ll give me five thousand bucks?’

There was no one sitting at the table near us, so I showed him the bills. He gaped at them.

‘Now, listen, Joe. It’s easy. This is what you do. I’ll drive you out to, the house and leave you at the end of the lane. While I’m talking to Klaus, you get in, go to Miss Glenda’s room, get her out and put her in my car. Drive her to the Sherwood Hotel and leave her there. Tell her I’ll join her later. That’s all you have to do. Then drive back, leave my car by the gate, then beat it. At the highway, you can get a bus. With five thousand dollars you can get lost. You won’t have to worry about a kidnapping rap nor being arrested for trying to break into the bank. What do you say?’

He screwed up his eyes while he thought. I waited, my hands clammy, my heart thumping. Finally, he shook his head.

‘There’s three million in that bank. Five grand is peanuts.’

‘Don’t be a fool, Joe! I’ve told you there’s not going to be a break-in.’ I picked up my brief-case, standing on the floor by my side, took out my statement to Brannigan and handed it to him.

‘Read that.’

It took him nearly ten minutes to read the statement. He traced each word with a thick finger, frowning, and holding the two sheets of paper close to his face as if he were short-sighted. Finally, he finished, then stared at me.

‘The boss will kill you, Mr. Lucas.’

‘No, he won’t. A copy is already in the hands of the police. They read it on Monday morning and they will go into action. They have the forged bonds with Klaus’s prints on them. By this time tomorrow, Joe, he’ll be miles away, and he won’t be worrying about you.’

‘You mention me in this,’ Joe said, tapping the statement.

‘But no description, Joe. If you free Miss Glenda, with this money, you haven’t a care in the world.’

Again he screwed up his eyes while he thought.

‘You sure played it smart, Mr. Lucas. Yeah. I’ve thought about what you said the other night. I can’t imagine Benny letting me walk away with a big lump of money even if we did get into the bank. Yeah, I guess I’d be smart to play along with you.’

I drew in a long, deep breath.

All my nights of thinking had paid off!

‘So you’ll get her out, Joe, and take her to the Sherwood Hotel?’

‘Yeah. That’s what I’ll do. Then I’ll bring your car back and get me out of Sharnville pronto.’

I studied his black, sweating face. I felt I could trust him.

‘Don’t worry about Benny. I’ll get him in the room with Klaus. Give me exactly ten minutes from the time I enter the house. Have you a watch?’

‘Sure, Mr. Lucas.’

‘I’ll make sure the front door is unlocked. Give me ten minutes, then get Miss Glenda out. Understand?’

‘Sure... ten minutes, and I get her out.’

‘Right.’ I looked at my watch. I had twenty minutes now to get to Klaus’s place by 21.00. I called for the cheque, paid, then picking up my brief-case, I went out to my car, closely followed by Joe. We got in the car, and I headed out of town.

Joe said, ‘When do I get the money, Mr. Lucas?’

‘I’ll explain that.’

We said nothing until we reached the dirt road leading to Klaus’s place. Half-way up the dirt road, I stopped the car.

‘Now about the money.’ I took the bills from my pocket, folded them in half, then carefully tore them apart.

‘Hey, Mr. Lucas! What’s that you are doing?’ Joe’s voice shot up.

I handed him the torn half of the five bills and put the other half in my pocket.

‘The moment I know Miss Glenda is at the Sherwood Hotel Joe, I will deliver the other half to you... no problem. I just want to make sure you don’t chicken out. Okay?’

‘You’ll bring them to my pad?’

‘That’s it. When I’m through with your boss, I’ll drive to the Sherwood Hotel, see Miss Glenda, then come on to you, You stick the bills together and get lost.’

He nodded.

‘Okay, Mr. Lucas.’

We got out of the car and walked up the road. It was now dark. I could see the lights were on in the house.

‘Well, see you at your pad, Joe,’ I said. ‘I’ll take care of Benny. You have nothing to worry about. You get Miss Glenda to the Sherwood Hotel.’ I caught hold of his damp hand and shook it. ‘Give me ten minutes from now.’

‘Sure, Mr. Lucas.’

I walked quickly up to the gate, pushed it open and walked to the front door. My heart was hammering and my mouth was dry. As I rang on the doorbell, my hand pulled out the gun Joe had given me.

Benny opened the door.

‘Come on in, fink,’ he said.

As I stepped into the lighted lobby, I lifted the gun and shoved it hard against his fat belly.

‘Don’t take chances, Benny,’ I said quietly. ‘I’m longing to put a bullet in your guts. Take me to Klaus.’

Benny stared down at the gun, his brutal face expressionless. Then moving carefully, he walked ahead of me and into the living-room.

Klaus was sitting at his desk. His ice-grey eyes regarded me as I closed the door.

‘The fink’s got a gun,’ Benny said.

Klaus’s expression didn’t change.

‘Get over there, against the far wall,’ I said to Benny, ‘and stay there.’

Benny grinned.

‘Anything you say, fink,’ and he crossed the room so he was behind Klaus, and he rested his heavy shoulders against the wall.

Klaus said, ‘A gun, Mr. Lucas? So you have decided to be tricky. That is regrettable. Now, you are going to tell me the operation is off.’

‘Correct.’ I put the brief-case and the tape player on his desk. Using my left hand, still pointing the gun between Klaus and Benny, I opened the brief-case, took out my statement to Brannigan and slid it across the desk. ‘Read that.’

Klaus picked up the statement and read it. Then he looked up.

‘A masterpiece of brevity, Mr. Lucas.’

I had expected a violent reaction, and this relaxed remark made me uneasy.

‘The bonds you sent me are forgeries,’ I said. ‘Here are two tapes I want you to listen to. They will convince you the break-in is off.’

I put the tape on the player and turned the player on. For two or three minutes, Klaus listened to his own voice. When my voice said, Did you have to murder Sheriff Thomson? and his replied, Let that be an example to you. When anyone obstructs me or is likely to obstruct me, I get rid of him, he leaned forward and pressed the stop button.

‘I’ll take the rest as read,’ he said, and sat back.

‘Copies of the statement and the tapes are with the police,’ I said, and glanced at my watch. I had been in the room for fifteen minutes. By now, Glenda would be driving with Joe to the Sherwood Hotel. ‘I have arranged for the statement and the tapes to be delivered by the police to Brannigan on Monday morning. If anything happens to me, Brannigan will have enough to nail you, Klaus. That’s why I am telling you the bank break-in is off.’

‘Why should anything happen to you, Mr. Lucas?’ Klaus lifted his eyebrows. ‘If anything is going to happen, then it will happen to your woman. You are far too important to me to harm.’

‘By now, Klaus, Glenda is out of your reach.’

He gave a little chuckle that sent a chill up my spine.

‘First, let me congratulate you, Mr. Lucas. You made an excellent try.’ He waved to the statement and the tape player. ‘All very efficient, and well thought out, but unhappily for you, you are an amateur dealing with a professional. At three o’clock on Saturday morning, you will supervise the bank break-in. Make no mistake about that!’

I stared at him, feeling a gradual and deadly loss of confidence.

‘You are wrong. You now know the situation. Your sick idea isn’t going to work. Take my advice: get out of Sharnville before Brannigan puts you in jail.’

‘So you imagine Glenda is out of my reach?’ He shook his head. ‘She is locked in her room. I think you are romancing, Mr. Lucas.’

It was twenty-five minutes since I had been in the house. By now, Glenda would be safe in the Sherwood Hotel.

Then I heard a sound that froze me: the mournful spiritual, played on a harmonica.

‘There’s Joe,’ Klaus said, and chuckled. ‘Mr. Lucas, don’t wave that gun about. You don’t imagine I would let Joe give you a loaded gun? You see, the trouble with an amateur is that he doesn’t check like a professional does. The amateur is given a gun, and he jumps to the wrong conclusion that it is loaded. Shoot at me to convince yourself.’

Grinning evilly, Benny started across the room towards me. I lifted the gun, but I couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger. I knew that I had been outwitted.

‘I owe you this, fink,’ Benny snarled, and his enormous fist smashed against the side of my face. A bright light exploded inside my head as I crashed to the floor. For some moments, I swam in darkness, then very faintly I heard Klaus say, ‘You shouldn’t have done that, Benny. There’s no need for violence.’

Then I became aware of hands digging into my jacket pocket. I made a feeble effort to push the hands away as I struggled back to consciousness. There was a long pause. My head began to clear, and my face began to ache. I rolled over, then dragged myself to my knees. The room swam into focus. I saw Joe standing by the desk.

I heard him say, ‘The sucker gave me five grand, boss. He tore the bills in half. I’ve got the other half now. Can I keep the money?’

‘Of course, Joe. I would say you earned it.’

I heard Joe giggle. The sound told me that all my work on him had been wasted. Glenda was still a prisoner!

Slowly, I got to my feet, and moved to a chair and sat down.

‘Give Mr. Lucas a drink,’ Klaus said. ‘He looks as if he could do with it.’

A glass of whisky was thrust into my hand.

‘I apologize, Mr. Lucas,’ Klaus said. ‘Benny gets carried away.’

I turned and threw the whisky in Benny’s sneering face. He yelled, his hands going to his eyes and he staggered back. Then wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, he started towards me, his brutal face a mask of snarling rage.

‘Benny.’ Klaus didn’t raise his voice. ‘Go and see Glenda.’

Benny paused in his rush, stopped, looked at me, then grinned.

‘Yeah.’

He started to the door.

I forced myself to my feet and staggered after him. My head was raging with pain and the floor seemed tilted. Joe moved swiftly, caught hold of my arm, swung me around and slapped me hard across my mouth, then he flung me back into the chair.

Dazed, I again tried to stand up. Again Joe slammed me back. Then I heard a long, piercing scream somewhere at the back of the house: a woman’s scream, and I knew it was Glenda.

‘You’d better stop him, Joe,’ Klaus said mildly. ‘He doesn’t know his own strength.’

Grinning, Joe slipped out of the room.

‘It’s all right, Mr. Lucas,’ Klaus said. ‘She won’t be hurt again unless, of course, you don’t co-operate.’

I remembered what Glenda had said about her husband: all his guts, and he had lots of guts, drained out of him. They took Alex’s guts from him like a surgeon takes out an appendix.

Hearing that piercing scream took all the guts I had ever had from me.

‘I’ll co-operate,’ I said in a harsh whisper.

Joe and Benny came into the room. Benny was grinning, Joe was sweating and shaking his head.

‘Well now, Mr. Lucas,’ Klaus said. ‘Tomorrow morning you will get this statement of yours and the tapes back from the police. Is that understood?’

I nodded,

‘Good. You will bring them here. Is that understood?’

Again I nodded.

He leaned forward, his face a snarling mask, his eyes blazing.

‘If you try any further trickery, your woman will be tortured to death! I know all about your futile attempts to undermine Harry and Joe. There are three million dollars in that vault, and they want them! From now on you cooperate! Understand?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then tomorrow morning here!’ He slammed his fist on the desk and screamed at me in a mad, high-pitched voice, ‘No one, least of all you, will stop me breaking into that bank! Now get out!’

Joe came over to me and caught hold of my arm.

‘Come on, man,’ he said giggling. ‘Didn’t I take you for a ride!’

Joe burst out laughing, slapping his great black hands on his thighs.

‘Man! You sure do flap with your mouth.’

I walked out of the house to where my car was parked. As I got under the steering wheel, I remembered what Glenda had said: He’s a devil.

I felt utterly defeated and crushed. The trap had been sprung, and there was no way out. I heard again Glenda’s scream, and I shivered. I was not only dealing with a devil, but also a madman.

I drove back to Sharnville in despair.

At 08.30, I walked into the police station house.

This day was Friday: a hot, sticky morning with high humidity, but with clear sky and a bright sun.

I had spent a bad night, tossing and turning, with Glenda constantly on my mind. My face, where Benny had hit me, had been bruised, but Jebson’s ointment had cleared the bruise during the night. I shrank from facing Klaus again, — but I had to get the parcel from Maclain and deliver it.

Deputy sheriff Tim Bentley sat at his desk. He was a good cop, but young. He would have made a much better sheriff than Maclain. He was tall, rangy with fiery red hair and freckles. He grinned at me as I came in.

‘Hi, Mr. Lucas. Anything I can do?’

‘Maclain in yet, Tim?’

‘He had to go to L.A. last night, Mr. Lucas. I don’t expect him back until Monday.’

I stiffened.

‘I gave him a parcel on Wednesday evening to be delivered to Mr. Brannigan,’ I said. ‘He put it in the safe.’

Bentley nodded.

‘Sure. I know about that. The Sheriff took it with him.’

I had sudden difficulty in breathing, and my sticky sweat turned cold.

‘I’ve got to get that parcel back!’ My voice was harsh, and seeing Bentley’s startled expression, I fought to control my rising panic. ‘The arrangement was, Tim, that Maclain should deliver the parcel on Monday, and not before.’

‘Sure, Mr. Lucas. He knows that, but as he had urgent business in L.A. last night, and planned to stay over the weekend, he took the parcel with him. It’s okay. He’ll deliver it on Monday.’

‘The parcel, Tim, contains plans for a new bank. I’ve just found that a lot of the costing is wrong. I’ve got to get it back right now!’

‘I’ll call L.A. and find out where Maclain is.’

I kept thinking of Klaus’s vicious, snarling face. If I didn’t deliver the parcel to him by this morning, he would take it out on Glenda.

After talking, Bentley put down the telephone receiver.

‘Captain Perrell saw Maclain last night, Mr. Lucas, and concluded the business. He doesn’t know where Maclain is right now.’ Bentley shrugged. ‘He could be returning here or having himself a weekend ball. You know what he’s like.’ He shrugged. ‘He did tell me not to expect him back until Monday evening.’

I really flipped my lid. Crashing my fist down on the desk, I shouted, ‘I’ve got to get that parcel back! I was out of my mind to have entrusted it to that drunken sot! You’ve got to help me, Tim!’

He regarded me with startled eyes.

‘Hey, Mr. Lucas! Take it easy. I...’

‘Do you mean you can’t find him! What the hell are the police for? You’ve got to find him! If I let Brannigan see those figures, my firm will lose a contract! It’s as important as that, and goddamn it, I’ll hold Maclain and you responsible!’

‘Well, if it’s that important.’ He hesitated, then picked up the telephone receiver. He called L.A. again, and said it was urgent for them to find Maclain. He hung up.

‘They’ll find him, Mr. Lucas, but it could take time. Suppose I call you at your office.’

‘How long will it be?’

‘Depends if Maclain is sober or not. I guess a couple of hours.’

‘And if he’s drunk?’

He shrugged.

‘Your guess is as good as mine.’

‘Call L.A. again. Tell them what I’ve told you. I’ll drive out there right away. Let me use your phone.’

‘Go ahead, Mr. Lucas.’

I called my office, and told Mary I had to go to Los Angeles, but I would be back some time this afternoon.

‘But, Mr. Lucas, you have three appointments.’

‘Cancel them,’ I said, and hung up. ‘I’m on my way, Tim. Thanks for what you’re doing,’ and I went back to my car.

By now it was 09.00. It would take me around two hours of fast driving to reach Los Angeles. There could be a delay getting the parcel. I didn’t think I could get to Klaus before 15:00.

I walked fast to the post office, then realized I hadn’t Klaus’s telephone number. I looked him up in the book, but he was unlisted. Sweat was pouring off me. I dialled Directory Enquiries. I got a helpful operator.

‘This is an emergency,’ I said. ‘I must contact Mr. Edwin Klaus. He lives at The Farmhouse, Shannon Road. Please connect me.’

‘Hold a moment, sir.’ There was a delay, then she came back to me. ‘I’m sorry, sir, this is an unlisted number.’

‘I know that. His son has been badly injured in a car accident. I’ve got to alert his father. This is Doctor Lewis talking.’

A long hesitation.

‘Okay, doctor, I’ll connect you.’

I wiped the sweat off my face as I waited, then Benny’s harsh voice came over the line.

‘What is it?’

‘Give me Klaus,’ I half shouted. ‘This is Lucas.’

‘What makes you think he wants to talk to you, fink? Get stuffed!’

‘Get him, you ape!’ I yelled.

There was a pause, then I heard talking, then Klaus came on the line.

‘Yes, Mr. Lucas?’

‘The police have taken the parcel to Los Angeles. I’m going there right now, but I can’t get back to you before four o’clock.’

‘At exactly four o’clock, Mr. Lucas, unless you have arrived, Benny will be allowed free access to your woman,’ and he hung up.

It wasn’t until just after 11.00 that I reached the Los Angeles station house.

Captain Perrell, a short, heavily built man, knew I played golf with Brannigan, so I got the V.I.P. treatment.

‘I’ve got your problem solved for you, Mr. Lucas,’ he said. ‘Although we haven’t found Maclain, we found his deputy who is already on his way back to Sharnville. He tells me Maclain is spending the weekend with some woman, but Maclain told him to deliver this parcel you’re worried about to the bank. He did this at 09.30 this morning and got a receipt.’ He handed me a slip of paper.

With my heart thumping, I looked at the paper.

I knew Lois Shelton well.

‘Thanks, Captain, I’ll get over to the bank.’

As I returned to my car, I asked myself if Brannigan had already opened the parcel and had read my statement. Entering the bank, I asked to speak to Miss Shelton. The receptionist smiled at me.

‘Go ahead, Mr. Lucas. I guess, by now, you know your way.’

I took the elevator to the top floor and walked into Lois Shelton’s office.

She was tall, dark, slim and nice looking without being pretty.

‘Why, Larry, what brings you here?’ she asked, pushing back her desk chair.

‘You signed for a parcel for F.B.,’ I said. ‘Has he got it?’

Sweat was running down my face, and my voice was a croak.

‘Is anything wrong?’ She looked alarmed as she got to her feet.

‘Has he got it?’

‘It’s on his desk right now. He’s away for the weekend. Is it something important?’

I sucked in a deep breath.

‘He’s away?’

‘Yes... he left last night. He said he was taking a golfing weekend.’

‘I’ve just found out my calculator is on the blink. The figures in that parcel are all haywire. If F.B. sees them, he’ll throw the book at me.’

She laughed.

‘Don’t look so worried. It happens. I’ll get it for you.’

While I was waiting, an idea jumped into my mind. I had already made a copy of my statement and the tapes which Klaus now held. Why not make a third copy? I looked at my watch. It was just after 12.00. If I worked fast, I could still return to Sharnville by 16.00.

Lois came in with the parcel.

‘Lois — a favour. Can you let me have the use of two tape recorders and a photocopy machine?’

‘Of course. Come with me.’

She took me into a small office.

‘There you are: two tape recorders and a photocopy machine. Anything else?’

‘No... fine. I won’t be long.’

Hearing her desk telephone bell begin to ring, she gave me a little wave and left me.

It took a little over an hour to copy the two tapes and take a copy of my statement. I also made a photocopy of the bonds. I repacked the parcel, then put the photocopies of my statement and the bonds and the duplicate tapes into a big envelope I found in a desk drawer, sealed the envelope and wrote on it:

Today was June 29th. This would give me time to manoeuvre. If Klaus completely outwitted me and I was killed, Brannigan would still have enough evidence to go after him, but if I had luck, and I survived the break-in, I could get the parcel back from Lois,

I went into her office and put the envelope on her desk.

‘I want you to give this to F.B., Lois, on July 5th, and not before. It contains ideas for a new system of security. I’m still working on it. If you don’t hear from me by July 4th, give it to him the following morning. I could have a change of mind, then I’ll call you, and come over and collect it. It sounds a bit like James Bond, but it is important to me. Okay?’

Looking puzzled, Lois nodded.

‘I’ll lock it in my safe. No problem.’

‘Thanks. I’ve got to get back to Sharnville,’ and blowing her a kiss, I took the elevator down to the ground floor, holding on to the parcel, got into my car and headed back to Sharnville.

I drove up the dirt road leading to Klaus’s house as the hands of my watch moved to 15.15.

Benny opened the front door as I walked up the steps.

‘So you made it, fink,’ he said. ‘My bad luck. I was looking forward to giving your whore a workout.’

I walked into the living-room where Klaus was sitting at his desk and I put the parcel in front of him.

‘Open it, Mr. Lucas.’

I ripped off the string and brown paper, opened the brief-case and let him see the original statement, the two tapes and the forged bonds.

He nodded.

‘You have done what you have been told to do. That is sensible, Mr. Lucas.’ He stared at me, and there was a look in those icy-grey eyes that frightened me. After a long pause, he went on, ‘Now if I had been an amateur as you are an amateur, before parting with the contents of this brief-case, I would have made two further copies of the tapes and have photocopied the statement and the bonds if I had been an amateur like you, Mr. Lucas. I would have left them with the bank with instructions to give them to Mr. Brannigan on his return from his golfing weekend. Did you do that, Mr. Lucas?’

He’s a devil! I heard Glenda’s despairing voice.

Somehow, I kept my face expressionless. Somehow I forced my eye to meet his probing glare.

‘I wish to God I had thought of that,’ I said, huskily.

His smile sent a chill through me.

‘I propose to call Miss Shelton, and you will ask her if the package you left with her is safe.’

Benny came into the room, and stood against the wall, grinning.

‘I have an extension, Mr. Lucas, so I will hear what she says.’

He began to dial.

He is a devil!

My bluff called, and feeling utterly defeated, I said, ‘She has copies.’

He replaced the receiver and stared at me with that maniacal glare, then he looked at Benny.

‘I leave this stupid amateur to you. Try not to make too much of a mess,’ and getting to his feet, he walked by me, and out of the room.

Grinning evilly, Benny moved away from the wall.

‘Fink, this is going to be a pleasure,’ he said. ‘When a fink gets beaten by me, he knows he’s been beaten.’

Moving swiftly, he brushed my jaw with his left, and then, as I threw up my hands, he slammed a right that felt like a chunk of concrete into my stomach.

Slowly, I drifted back to consciousness. Far away, as if in a dream, I heard Glenda’s voice saying, ‘Oh, my darling, what have they done to you?’

I moved, and pain like the snapping of a wolf’s teeth gripped me so violently I cried out.

‘Don’t move.’

My eyelids felt leaden, but I forced them up. Dimly, and out of focus, I saw Glenda’s red hair, then her face.

‘Don’t say anything. Wait, Larry. Don’t move. Just wait.’

My eyelids were too heavy to support, and I drifted away into unconsciousness.

The next time I became aware of her, her face was in focus: a white, drawn face, but Glenda’s face, and it was close to mine. I felt her lips brush against my cheek. I groped for her hand and held it.

‘Don’t try to move, darling,’ she said. ‘It’ll wear off... be patient.’

‘What have they been doing to you?’ I managed to ask.

Her hand tightened on mine.

‘Never mind about me. Please listen, Larry. You must get them into the bank. I told you he’s a devil. You wouldn’t listen. Oh, darling, why did you have to act smart? Look at what they have done to you. If you only knew what they have done to me.’

I lay still, riding the pain of my bruised body. I felt as if something had broken inside me. I thought of Alex Marsh who had sat crying while they had beaten Glenda. He had lost his guts. The scientific beating Benny had given me had reduced me to utter terror that he would do it again, and yet deep in my subconscious, there began to grow a burning desire to kill him, to kill Klaus, to kill Harry and to kill Joe. But I knew this desire to kill them was way out of reach, but it was there, and growing.

‘Don’t worry. I’ll get them in.’

‘Oh, darling! I can’t stand being locked up here with that thug any longer.’

I then became aware I was lying on a bed, and looking around, I saw we were in a small room with the window boarded up. Opposite, was a half-open door, leading to a bathroom.

‘Is this where they keep you?’

‘Yes. Benny brought you in here and told me to take care of you. I think Klaus and he have gone somewhere.’

‘You mean we are alone?’

‘I think so.’

I made a tremendous effort and sat up. My body raged with pain. She tried to stop me, but I pushed her hands away.

‘This is our chance! We’ve got to break out!’ Sweat broke out on my face as I swung my feet to the floor. ‘Help me up, Glenda.’

‘You can’t get out! Don’t you think I’ve tried and tried?’

‘Help me up!’

Supporting me, as I dragged myself upright, she said, ‘It’s no good, Larry. You’ll only hurt yourself.’

I staggered over to the door and put my hands on the panel. The door was as solid as a brick wall. Even with an axe, I would have had trouble to break it down. Turning to the window, I found the boards were of oak, screwed in. There was no hope of getting out through the door nor the window.

The pain raging through me made me feel faint, and I slumped down on the bed.

Glenda ran into the bathroom and returned with a glass of water. I poured the water over my head, and the dizziness went away. As I handed her the glass, I looked at my watch. For a moment, I couldn’t believe it. I had been unconscious for more than four hours.

‘We might break through the ceiling,’ I said.

‘It’s too high. There’s nothing to stand on. Nothing to use! Oh, Larry, darling, we must do what he tells us!’

Then we heard a sound outside, and Glenda clutched hold of me. A moment later, the door jerked open, and Klaus walked in.

Behind him, pausing in the open doorway, were Benny and Joe.

‘By now, Mr. Lucas, you will realize it is most unwise to play tricks with me.’ Klaus turned to Glenda. ‘A glass of water.’

Picking up the glass, she almost ran into the bathroom. It sickened me to see how terrified she was of him.

‘Here are some pills, Mr. Lucas. Take them! I want you to be fit and ready for die operation.’

Benny, followed by Joe, lounged into the room.

There was nothing I could do. The thought of Benny’s massive fists smashing into my aching body made me cringe. I took the three pills, then the glass of water which Glenda put shakily into my hand.

‘Take them!’ Klaus snarled.

I swallowed the pills and drank the water, ‘I’m sure you won’t object to sharing your woman’s bed,’ Klaus said. ‘Good night to you both,’ and he left the room.

‘I’ll be right outside, fink, if you want anything during the night,’ Benny said. He lifted his great fists. ‘You have only to ask.’

Joe let out a bellow of laughter, then they backed out of the room, and I heard the bolt slam shut.

As I reached for Glenda’s hand, the pills hit me and I went out like an extinguished light.