So What Happens To Me?

Four

Bernie phoned around 19.00 while I was watching a soap opera on T.V. He said the meeting was set up for 21.00 at the cafe-bar.

‘I’ll pick you up at 20.30, Jack,’ he said, ‘with Pam and Harry.’

‘Kendrick coming?’

‘Yes.’

‘Fine.’

Since I had talked to him and now knew what was cooking, I had done a lot of thinking. His plan looked good, but there were a lot of details to be ironed out. Hijacking a ten million dollar plane could put me in jail for a long time and that was something I didn’t dig. This had to be foolproof and I had the idea that Bernie wasn’t the man to swing it. There was something about him that didn’t jell with me. Pam didn’t count: she was an oversexed neurotic. A lot depended on Erskine. If he had the same kind of guts Bernie had, then I’d duck out. I wanted to control the operation. The more I thought about it the more I liked it, but not with Bernie handling it.

Around 20.30, I heard a car pull up outside my cabin. I went to the door. A Buick, with Bernie at the wheel, was coming to a standstill. He waved to me and I climbed in beside him. There was a man and Pam in the back. It was too dark to get a look at Erskine. He looked big. but that’s all I could see of him.

As Bernie set the car moving, he said, ‘Jack... here’s Harry.’

‘Hi!’ I said and lifted my hand.

Erskine made no movement. After a long pause, he said, ‘Hi!’

We drove in silence and fast from the airport to the cafe-bar. Arriving, we all got out and it was still too dark for me to see him. He was bigger than I had imagined. Three inches above me and I’m no dwarf.

Bernie and I walked together. Pam and Erskine came behind us. We climbed the steps to the veranda. It was a hot night and I could hear the waves breaking on the beach in the distance.

There was no one in the cafe. A dim light lit the veranda.

As we settled ourselves at a table, the girl came out, smiling.

Bernie said, ‘What’ll we have?’

I was now looking at Erskine as he was looking at me. The dim light showed me a lean face, small eyes, a flat nose and thin lips: a young, tough, a fighter with jet black hair cut close, sitting on his head like a black cap. He had on a sweat shirt and I could see his muscles: he was built like a boxer.

Pam said she would have a whisky on the rocks. I went along with that. Erskine said an orange juice with gin. Bernie settled for a coke.

When the girl had gone, Bernie said, ‘Meet Harry, Jack.’

I nodded to Erskine who leant forward, staring at me.

‘So what’s the idea of this meeting?’ he demanded aggressively. ‘What’s eating you?’

‘Just a moment,’ Bernie said sharply. ‘I’ll handle this Jack doesn’t think much of the pay-off. I...’

‘You hold it, Bernie,’ Erskine said. ‘This guy is an aero-engineer... right?’

Bernie looked uneasily at him.

‘You know that, Harry.’

‘Yeah. So he’s not important. You and I have to fly the kite... right? So what’s he beefing about? We, use him: he gets paid and keeps his snout out of our business... right?’

‘Look, sonny,’ I said quietly, ‘don’t act tough. You and Pam are mugs to this kind of operation. Come to that, Bernie isn’t all that hot. You have a nice idea, but you’re handling it like amateurs. You have a ten million dollar kite and you’re selling for a two million pay-off. That tells me what a bunch of amateurs you are.’

Erskine braced himself. I saw his big muscles bulge. I had an idea he was going to take a swing at me.

‘So you’re a pro... right?’

‘Compared to you three.’ I said, slightly shifting my chair so I could get up if he started something. ‘Yes... I’m a pro.’

‘Harry!’ Bernie’s voice was pleading. ‘I have confidence in Jack. That’s why I brought him in. I think we should let him handle Kendrick. Let’s see what he does.’

‘No!’

This was from Pam.

Bernie looked at her.

‘What is it?’

‘This man’s dangerous.’ She waved her hands at me. ‘I know it. He could talk us into trouble.’

I laughed.

‘You’re already in trouble, baby,’ I said. ‘I could talk you out of it. But, okay, if you three feel like this, then it’s okay with me. I’ll dust, but the way you’ve been handling this, tells me I’ll be sending you all a postcard in some jail. I’m great at sending postcards.’

Kendrick’s Cadillac pulled up outside the cafe-bar.

‘Here he comes,’ I said, pushing back my chair. I looked at Bernie. ‘Either I handle him or I quit. What’s it to be?’

He didn’t look at the other two.

‘You handle him.’

Before the others could react, Kendrick came puffing and blowing up the steps to join us.

‘My darlings! What a dreadful place to meet!’ He waddled to the table and Bernie stood up and pushed a chair towards him. ‘How quite, quite frightful!’ He dropped his bulk onto the chair. ‘Don’t offer me a drink. I’m sure germs are festering on every glass.’ He lifted his orange wig and bowed to Pam. ‘Dear Pam... lovely as ever.’ He slapped the wig back on his head. ‘Do tell me. What is all this about? I thought we had it all beautifully arranged.’

‘Jack wants to talk to you,’ Bernie said.

‘Jack?’ Kendrick’s little eyes swivelled to me. ‘What is it, cheri? Aren’t you happy?’

‘Let’s cut the grease. Kendrick,’ I said. ‘First, we talk about money... then the operation.’

Kendrick released a theatrical sigh.

‘A moment, cheri. Are you talking for these three lovely people? Am I to understand that Bernie is no longer leading this operation.’

‘He doesn’t talk for me.’ Erskine said.

‘Nor me,’ Pam said.

I looked at Bernie then got to my feet.

‘Okay: so I duck out. The majority is overwhelming.’

‘Wait!’ Bernie looked at Kendrick. ‘I brought Jack into this because he has the know-how. From now on, he talks for me. I’m running this operation and what I say goes.’

I looked at Pam, then at Erskine.

‘You heard the man. Now’s the time for you two to get up and walk.’

Neither of them moved.

I sat down. Kendrick rubbed the end of his nose with a fat finger.

‘Well... so what’s the trouble Jack?’

I rested my arms on the table and leaned on them, looking directly at him.

‘We’re stealing a ten million dollar aircraft,’ I said. ‘That’s called hijacking. We four stand to get life sentences if we foul it up and it could get fouled. But we five are in this together — note the five. I’m including you. We want to know how much your client is paying you.’

Kendrick smiled.

‘So you’re worried about the money, cheri?’

‘I said cut the grease. How much are you getting?’

‘That is my business!’ There was a sudden edge to his voice. ‘Bernie and I made a deal. I pay two million... Bernie has accepted this... haven’t you, Bernie?’ and he looked at Olson.

‘Just a moment,’ I broke in, ‘Let’s take a look at it. The kite’s worth ten: it’s brand new. If you’re not blind stupid, and I’m sure you’re not, you will get at least six for it. That gives you four million profit after expenses for sitting on your fat but and letting us take the risk: do you call that a deal?’

‘Six!’ He threw up his fat hands, ‘Cheri! I’ll be lucky if I get a million for myself and I’m handling the expenses. Come, come! You mustn’t be greedy.’

‘We want three and a half,’ I said, ‘or the deal’s off.’

‘Hey! Just a moment,’ Erskine broke in. ‘You...’

‘Keep out of this!’ I snarled at him. ‘You hear me, Kendrick? Three and a half or the deals off!’

‘Suppose we hear what the others say.’ Kendrick’s eyes were now like glass beads.

‘No! I’m handling this.’ I said. ‘So suppose they go along with your offer? I’m not going along with it. So they drop me, but I now know the plan.’ I smiled at him. ‘The kite’s insured. The kite vanishes. Someone talking on the telephone to the insurance people could start a lot of trouble for you. We want three and a half, Kendrick.’

He stared at me for a long moment, then nodded.

‘You’re quite a business man, cheri. Suppose we settle this sordid haggling for three million? I’ll be robbing myself, but I will settle for three.’

I looked at Bernie.

‘We don’t want to rob him, do we? So shall we settle for three?’

Bernie, looking dazed, nodded.

I looked at the other two. Erskine was gaping at me, his eyes goggling. Pam didn’t look at me.

In less than ten minutes, I had made us all an extra million.

‘Okay... three,’ I said.

Kendrick grimaced.

‘Then that’s all settled. If that’s all, I must be running away.’

‘It’s not all.’ I turned to Bernie. ‘How is the money to be paid?’

Bernie stiffened.

‘Well... Claude is going to arrange for it to be paid into the Florida Bank here in my name and I share it out.’

It was now my turn to gape at him.

‘For God’s sake! Three million suddenly paid into a local bank when we are all supposed to be dead?’

Sweat beads appeared on Bernie’s face.

‘I... I hadn’t thought of that.’ He looked helplessly at me. ‘What do you suggest?’

I turned to Kendrick who was watching me, his little eyes granite hard.

‘You pay half the money: one million and a half into the National Bank of Mexico under Olson’s name: you pay that before we take off. Then you pay the rest to the bank when we deliver.’

He shifted around on his chair, took out his handkerchief and then fanned his face.

‘That could be arranged.’

‘It has to be arranged. We don’t fly the kite out until Bernie gets a bank receipt for half the money.’

He lifted his fat shoulders. I could see in spite of his fixed smile he was hating me.

‘All right, cheri. I’ll arrange that.’

A pause, then I said. ‘Now there’s another thing. We want to inspect the runway where we land the kite.’

That really threw him. He stiffened, his face flushed and his beady eyes turned to stone.

‘The runway... what do you mean?’

‘The runway.’ I made my voice offensively patient. ‘We want to inspect it.’

‘There’s no need. I’ve discussed this with Bernie.’

‘So, now, discuss it with me. Where’s the runway?’

‘A few miles from Merida.’

‘Who built it?’

‘My client.’

‘What’s he know about making a runway?’

Kendrick shifted his orange wig, then put it on straight.

‘There’s no problem. He knows what he is doing. He’s spent a lot of money constructing the runway. If he’s satisfied, so should you.’

‘You think so? Do you imagine we’re going to risk a ten million dollar kite on a runway built by a gang of Mexicans? Do you think we’re crazy?’ I leaned forward and glared at him. ‘What do you know about building a runway? We could crash the kite.’ I turned to Bernie. ‘Do you remember the foul up we had when the Viets built a runway for us? It sagged and we crashed. Remember?’

This was a lie, but Bernie caught on quickly.

‘That’s right.’

I turned back to Kendrick.

‘These three are tied up, working for Essex. I’m foot loose. I’ll check the runway... you fix it.’

Kendrick licked his lips.

‘I’ll talk to my client. He may not agree.’

‘Then that’s too bad. We don’t fly the kite in until I’ve checked the runway.’

‘I’ll see what can be arranged.’ A pause, his eyes dwelling on me. ‘Is there any other little problem that’s bothering you, cheri?’

I grinned at him.

‘No: my problems are your problems now.’

He got to his feet.

‘Then I’ll run away.’ He lifted his wig and bowed to Pam. ‘Bye dears,’ and he moved around the table, then paused, looking at Bernie. ‘You’ve found a smart boy, Bernie... watch him, he could get too smart,’ and then be waddled away down the steps to his yellow and black Cadillac and was driven away.

I lit a cigarette and looked at Bernie.

‘So what have we got?’ I said. ‘We now have an extra million to cut up between us. We’re now going to find out who is buying the kite. When I go out there, I’ll find him. I’ve fixed at least half the money comes to us even if Fatso gyps us out of the other half and he could. How do you like it, Bernie?’

Olson smiled crookedly.

‘Why else do you imagine I picked on you?’

But I could tell by his eyes that I had taken the lead out of his hands: I could see he now knew who was the better man.

I then looked at the other two.

‘How do you like it?’

Erskine stared for a long moment at me, then he said, ‘I apologise Jack for being hostile. The way you handled it was marvellous. From now on, I cooperate. What you say goes with me. Hell! I never thought of any of this stuff you fed to him. You’re right. We’re just goddamn amateurs.’

‘Fine.’ I shifted my eyes to Pam. ‘And you? You happy?’

She didn’t even look at me. She just shrugged.

‘Baby! I’m talking to you... are you happy?’

‘Let’s leave her out of it,’ Bernie said sharply.

‘Oh, no!’ I leaned forward. ‘She’s part of the team. I want to hear her angle.’

She looked at me, her eyes snapping.

‘You did very well. You are the miracle boy. Is that what you want to hear?’

I swung around and looked at Bernie.

‘Do we need her?’

Olson rubbed the back of his hand across his mouth. ‘Pam and I are together and we go together.’

‘Fine. So... you take care of her. From where I’m sitting I have you and Harry. You take care of her... right?’

Pam got to her feet.

‘I’m going, Bernie. I can’t stomach this... this...’ She stopped as Erskine grabbed her wrist and jerked her down on her chair again Bernie half started up as Erskine said quietly to her. ‘Cut it out, Pam!’

She looked at him and I knew he had screwed her as I had screwed her and looking at Bernie’s white, drawn face, I knew he knew it too.

She stared at Erskine, then lifted her hands helplessly.

‘I’m sorry.’

There was a long pause, then I said, ‘No more drama for the moment?’

No one said anything.

‘So... here’s another thing. While we’re talking we may as well talk this out.’

‘Sure,’ Erskine said. ‘Let’s have another drink.’ He snapped his fingers and the girl appeared. He ordered another round of drinks. It was a good idea. The atmosphere grew cooler while we waited.

‘You got something else on your mind Jack?’ Erskine asked after the girl had delivered the drinks and had gone away.

‘The idea is that when we have radio silence, we have accepted the fact that we are dead people. We have all gone into the sea,’ I said. ‘Have you thought what that means? I go along with the idea. We can’t take the risk of coming back to the U.S. of A. We have to stay in Mexico, but the thing is we have to act as dead people.’

‘I told you that,’ Bernie said impatiently. ‘Life in Mexico could work out for all of us, but if it didn’t, with all this money, we could get lost in South America or even Europe.’

‘You’re not catching, Bernie,’ I said. ‘Kendrick and his client will also know we have to be dead people to get away with this. Have a think about it.’

Bernie stared at me, his eyes puzzled. He looked at Erskine who was also staring at me.

‘Still doesn’t jell?’ I said. ‘You still don’t catch!’

‘Just what are you talking about?’ Erskine demanded, his voice angry.

‘Oh, you babes in the wood! Hasn’t it entered your innocent minds that when we land the kite, how convenient it would be for Kendrick and his client for us to be met by a bunch of Mexican thugs who would slit our throats, bury us in the jungle, and Kendrick and his client pick up a ten million dollar kite without paying us for our services?’

Erskine shoved back his chair, his expression startled.

‘I never thought of that!’

‘Kendrick would never do a thing like that,’ Bernie said feebly, but he looked sick.

‘No? Anyone smart and Fatso is smart, wouldn’t bother about four lives if he could net six million dollars.’ I said. ‘We could be walking into a trap. I’m not saying we will, but we could.’

‘You’re right,’ Erskine said. ‘Goddamn it! It could happen!’

‘You’re a trusting bunch, aren’t you?’ I said. ‘If ever you say your prayers, thank the Lord you picked on me to handle this.’

‘So what do we do?’ Erskine asked.

‘We use our brains. We have two months to get this operation fixed. I’ll go out there and find out who is handling the deal, then we all concentrate on the important thing... how we remain dead and yet still keep alive.’

I was just dropping off to sleep when I heard a tapping on my cabin door. I snapped on the bedside lamp and swung myself out of bed, looking at my strap watch. The time was 00.15.

Again the tap came on the door.

I crossed the living room and opened up. Harry Erskine came in and I shut the door.

‘I want to talk to you,’ he said.

The only light came from my bedroom. He loomed before me: big, broad, like the shadow of a tree.

‘I was just going to sleep.’

‘Never mind about sleep.’ He moved further into the cabin and dropped into a chair. ‘Listen, Jack, I’m sorry I got off on the wrong foot with you. I thought you were a phoney, blown up by Bernie, but when I saw you handle that greaseball, I knew you were my man. I want to talk to you about Bernie.’

I sat down near him and reached for a pack of cigarettes. I lit one and tossed the pack to him. He lit up and we regarded each other.

‘So talk about Bernie,’ I said.

‘He’s going downhill so fast he could be on a toboggan. This goddamn bitch has fixed him.’ He flicked ash on the floor. ‘He has her continually on his mind. I don’t have to tell you, she screws around and this is poison to him, but he can’t part with her. It’s affecting his mind.’ He leaned forward. ‘At the speed he’s failing, he can’t last more than three or four months as a pilot. I know. I work with him. He’s so goddamn absent minded, he’ll start to take the kite of the floor before going through the flight routine. Three times recently I’ve stopped him and he has given me an odd blank look and then started the routine. He’s got this bug in his mind that he must have money to start an air taxi service in Mexico. The way he’s sliding he couldn’t handle one taxi, let alone a fleet. Now look Jack, don’t think I’ve got anything against Bernie. We’ve worked together for nine months. At first, I admired him. He was a fine pilot, but this woman has really fixed him. If you knew the number of times I’ve averted a certain crash you wouldn’t believe it. His mind just isn’t on flying.’

I listened to this with growing dismay.

‘Well, for God’s sake!’

‘Yeah... and what’s he going to do with the new kite? We’re both going up to the Condor’s works at the end of the month for a course of instruction. As he is now, the test pilots will murder him. Essex will get a report that will give Bernie the gate in seconds.’

‘I can’t believe this! Bernie can handle anything with wings! He’s the finest pilot I’ve ever worked for!’

‘He was... that I grant you, but not now. He just doesn’t concentrate and you know a pilot damn well has to concentrate.’ He crushed his cigarette, then went on, ‘Suppose you talk to him? Suppose you try to persuade him to get rid of Pam? I can’t think of any other solution. Get rid of her and he might settle down again. What do you think?’

I shied away from this suggestion. I couldn’t imagine talking to Bernie about his woman.

‘Why don’t you talk to him?’

Erskine shook his head.

‘He might start thinking I was after his job. You could do it. I can’t.’

I thought for a long moment, then asked, ‘if he got the heave, would you get his job?’

‘No I’m too young. Essex would find an older man... no problem. Look, Jack, if we’re going to swing this operation, you either talk to Bernie and make him see sense or the operation is a non-starter.’

‘You’re sure Pam is the trouble?’

‘I know it.’

Again I paused to think. The idea of losing three million dollars because a woman had hot pants stuck in my maw.

‘Maybe it would be better if I talked to her.’

Erskine grimaced.

‘She’s tricky.’

‘That’s right.’ I sat back, my mind racing. ‘Look, I’ll think about it. Okay. Harry, thanks for wising me up.’ I didn’t want to talk anymore this night. I now had enough to think about as it was ‘I’ll see what I can do.’

‘You think this operation will jell?’

‘I don’t know. All I know is if you want to pick up three million dollars, you have to expect a lot of headaches.’ I stood up.

‘You really believe these Mexicans could knock us of when we land the kite?’ he asked as he climbed to his feet.

‘Ask yourself. We haven’t landed yet: let’s take one problem at a time.’

‘Yeah.’ He brushed his hand over his close cut hair. ‘Well, I’m leaving it up to you. I’m in cabin 15 if you want me.’

‘Where’s Pam’s cabin?’

‘№ 23: the last in the row.’

I let him out, then moved around the living room, turning over in my mind what he had told me, then I went into my bedroom, slid out of my pyjamas, put on a shirt and slacks, shoved my feet into sandals and left my cabin.

I walked silently down the row of cabins to the last one. I checked that it was No. 23, then rapped on the door.

A light was showing around the curtains. After a pause, Pam said ‘Who is it?’

‘Your boyfriend.’

She opened the door and I pushed by her, closing the door behind me.

She had on a flimsy wrap and her feet were bare.

‘You! What do you want?’ Her voice was shrill.

‘A talk about Bernie.’ I moved to a lounging chair and sat down.

‘I’m not talking to you about Bernie! Get out!’

‘Take it easy... this is business. We four stand to pick up three million dollars, but it could come unstuck because of you.’

She glared at me.

‘Because of me? What do you mean?’

‘If you don’t know, you are dumber than I think you are, but I’ll spell it out to you. Because you are screwing around with anything in trousers, Bernie is flipping his lid. He’s not concentrating and I’ll tell you, baby, just in case you don’t know a pilot has to concentrate. Because you sleep around and imagine Bernie goes along with it, you have demoralised him.’

‘That’s a lie!’ She clenched her fists. ‘Bernie told me...’

‘Oh, wrap up! Bernie’s soft about you. To hold onto you, he’d tell you anything. Now, listen to me. We’re in this thing for three million dollars. I’m not going along with a bitch like you who thinks she has to have it and by having it, ruins a great pilot. Hear me?’ I wasn’t shouting; I was talking quietly. ‘So tomorrow you see him and you tell him that from now on you stay with him and there’s going to be no more screwing and you’ll convince him.’

‘Who the hell do you think you are, talking this way to me?’ she yelled at me. ‘Bernie and I...’

‘Wrap up! This is an ultimatum, baby. You either keep your legs crossed from now on until this operation is over or you get out of here. You convince him or you’re out?’

‘Yes? And who’s going to put me out?’

I smiled at her.

‘Baby, I have you over a barrel. It’d be too easy. I have only to tell Mrs. Essex that you are acting like a whore for you to get tossed of the airport. I don’t want to do it. but I will if you don’t convince Bernie that from now on, you’re going to behave.’

‘You bastard!’

I got to my feet.

‘That’s the deal. You convince him or you’re out.’

I left her.

Back in my bed, I thought about it all. I couldn’t see how I could have improved on what I had said: it either worked or three million dollars went up in smoke.

Eventually, I fell asleep to be awakened by the sound of the telephone bell. I looked at my watch. The time was 10.24. The sun was coming through the drawn curtains. I had slept better than I had expected.

I went into the living room and picked up the receiver.

‘Jack, cheri.’

I knew who was calling.

‘That’s me.’

‘I’ve talked to my client. You can inspect the runway. He tells me it isn’t necessary, but if you’re nervous about it you can inspect it.’

‘I’m nervous about it.’

‘Yes. Well, go to the Continental hotel at Merida. I have arranged for you to be picked up around 12.30 on the morning of the 4th. That will give you three days to get organised. Will that suit you?’

‘Fine.’

‘Bye now, cheri,’ and he hung up.

I showered and shaved, then taking the Alfa, I drove into Paradise City. I spent the whole day there, taking in the sights, the sun and thinking about this operation. I had three good opportunities to pick up a dolly, but I resisted that. There was too much to think about without getting into complications with one of these little pushovers.

I returned to the airport just after 19.00 and went to cabin 15. With a cordless shaver in his band. Erskine opened the door.

‘Hi!’ He grinned at me. ‘You’re a goddamn miracle worker!’ He stood aside so I could move in and then shut the door. ‘Did you swing something! Bernie’s a different man!’

I felt suddenly relaxed.

‘You think it worked?’

‘It’s worked. Look, Jack, I have a heavy date and I’m late already. Go, talk to Bernie. He’s in his cabin: No. 19. See for yourself.’

‘I’ll do that,’ and leaving him I went along to No. 19.

Erskine was right. As soon as Bernie opened the door, I could see the change in him. It was as if the cloud that had been obscuring him had lifted. He stood upright and there was that grin again.

‘Hi! Jack! Come on in. Have a drink?’

As I started into the cabin. I paused, seeing Pam sitting there.

‘I don’t want to barge in.’

I looked at her and she looked at me, then she smiled.

‘Come on in: you don’t have to be shy.’ She leaned back. ‘We have got it all straightened out... haven’t we, Bernie?’

‘Yes.’ Bernie started to mix drinks. ‘Pam told me about last night. You were right Jack. She needed to be told.’

‘Okay... so let’s forget it. Let’s talk business.’

‘Just a moment.’ Bernie gave me a whisky on the rocks. ‘I want to say thank you and so does Pam.’

I couldn’t believe any of this, but again looking at Pam, I saw she was smiling and completely relaxed.

‘Let’s skip it. It’s all water under a bridge. Man! What dialogue!’ I waved my drink at her. ‘Here’s to you and I mean it.’

We all drank. There was a pause, then she said. ‘You came at the right time Jack.’

I sat down.

‘As I said, let’s skip it.’ I turned to Bernie. ‘Kendrick has given me the green light to inspect the runway. I leave on the third.’

‘You’re certainly handling this,’ he said. ‘You know I would never have thought of checking the runway.’

‘I’m sure it’s okay, but it just might give me the chance of finding out who Kendrick’s client is.’

‘Is that so important?’

‘Could be. I don’t like Kendrick. He could gyp us. If we know who his client is, we would be in the position to gyp him.’

‘Kendrick won’t gyp us.’

‘Let’s hope not, but I’ll be happier if I know who his client is.’

‘Well, all right. How are you for money Jack?’

‘I could do with three hundred dollars. I won’t be away more than a couple of days, and there’s the flight fare to Merida to take care of.’

He went to a drawer and gave me five hundred dollars.

As I put the money in my pocket, I said, ‘There’s another thing: have you a gun, Bernie?’

He looked startled.

‘You don’t need a gun Jack. What do you mean?’

‘We’re playing with dynamite. Kendrick now hates me like smallpox. I could just run into an accident when inspecting the runway. With me out of the way, his life would become a lot easier.’

‘You’re not serious?’

‘If you have a gun, I want it.’

He hesitated, then went into his bedroom and returned with a .38 automatic and a box of shells. Silently, he handed them to me.

‘Thanks,’ I said.

There was an awkward pause, then he said, ‘Tomorrow I’m flying Essex to L.A. Harry and I won’t be back until Saturday night.’

My eyes shifted to Pam and then away from her.

‘So suppose we four meet at the cafe-bar on Sunday at 18.00?’ I said. ‘I’ll be back from Merida and could have some information.’

He nodded.

‘I’ll tell Harry.’

‘We’ll leave Kendrick out this time.’

Again he nodded.

‘One more thing Bernie. If I don’t show up on Sunday, forget this operation. Don’t go through with it: it won’t be safe.’

While he was staring uneasily at me, I left the cabin.

After a shower and a shave, I found the time was only 20.22. I could hear the sound of T.V. coming from Tim’s cabin. I knocked on his door.

‘Want to spend some of Mr. Essex’s money tonight, Tim?’ I asked when he opened the door.

‘Sure. Where do we go?’

‘On the town.’

It was while I was driving the Alfa towards Paradise City that I said casually, ‘How’s the runway shaping?’

‘Fine,’ O’Brien said. ‘No problem. It’ll be ready in three weeks: going like a bomb.’

‘I hear there’s a similar runway being built outside Merida. You wouldn’t know about that?’

‘Merida? Sure.’ O’Brien chuckled. ‘Now that was a real sonofabitch to build, but it’s finished now. My sidekick Bill O’Cassidy is putting the finishing touches to it. I was talking to him on the phone only last night. I wanted his advice about a rock problem I’ve run into. Bill is about the best man in this game. He told me he can’t wait to get out of Yucatan. He’s had a bellyful.’

‘But the runway is finished?’

‘Oh, sure.’

‘O’Cassidy? I knew a Frank O’Cassidy. Would that be a relation?’

‘Could be. I know Bill had a brother serving in Vietnam. His name was Sean. He was killed out there in the 6th battalion, parachute. He won the Silver Star.’

‘Not the same man.’

I pulled up outside the Casino.

‘Let’s eat.’

Later, after a top class meal, I said casually, ‘Your pal O’Cassidy. Would he be staying at the Continental hotel?’

O’Brien had had a lot to drink and thought I was just making conversation.

‘He’s at the Chalco.’

Just then two dolly birds moved up to us and asked if we would like some fun.

I said some other time and they smiled and went away, waving their hips at us. I signalled to the waiter, signed for the meal and pushed back my chair.

‘How about bed. Tim? You have a hard day’s work tomorrow.’

‘Damn fine meal.’ Tim got to his feet. ‘Man! Did you strike it good!’

My mind was pretty active on the way back to the airport. I decided I would leave for Merida the following morning. After I had left Tim at his cabin, I called the Florida Airlines and booked a flight to Merida, leaving Paradise City at 10.27.

I would be a day’s jump ahead of Kendrick and I had a feeling any jump ahead of that fat queer was a move in my favour.