You've Got It Coming

IV

There was nothing now to do but wait, and waiting made Harry nervous. To while away the time, he had gone to a movie, but although the film was a good one, his mind was too preoccupied to take any interest in it.

He had planted the seed, but whether it would germinate or not remained to be seen. Takamori had given nothing away.

Harry had had dealings with the Japs during the war and he knew they were tricky. But he was sure that his argument had been psychologically sound. Takamori wanted the diamonds more than he wanted anything else in the world, and a guy with all his money got the things he wanted. It wasn't likely that Takamori would turn him over to the police. Harry felt confident about The real danger would be when Harry handed over the diamonds. That's when Takamori might try a double cross It was after nine when he left the movie house. It was a dark wet night, and he walked along the street towards his hotel, his hands deep in his coat pockets, his hat pulled down low over his He didn't notice a long, black Cadillac that was parked a few yards from the entrance to the hotel and as he passed it, he heard his name called softly.

He stopped abruptly and looked towards the car A chauffeur in fawn uniform with blue facings sat at the wheel. He was Japanese. He looked stolidly in from of him motionless like a little yellow image Takamori sat at the back of the car he looked through the window at Harry and waved to him.

Harry crossed the sidewalk to the car.

“If you have the time, Mr. Griffin, perhaps we could have another talk?” Takamori said. “Will you get in?”

Harry grinned. He felt sure then that he had won. Takamori would never have come like this, he told himself, without a police escort, unless he was ready to play.

As Harry sank into the luxurious seat beside Takamori, he thought with a surge of excitement that before very long he would own a car like this. A million and a half bucks! That was a lot of money. Even after buying two kites, he would still have plenty to throw around.

“I thought it would be more convenient to talk in the car, Takamori said, “than to talk in my office where we might be overheard. My chauffeur speaks only Japanese, so you need have no fear of being overheard by him.”

“That's okay,” Harry said. “Did you read the papers I left you?”

“I looked at them,” Takamori said. “I can't say I read them as aeroplanes don't interest me. I admit they are a means of transport and a sign of progress, but I am prejudiced in favour of ships. As a trader, Mr. Griffin, you can appreciate that ships are more useful to me.” He took the envelope that Harry had given him from his pocket and dropped it into Harry's lap. “As an investment, Mr. Griffin, I doubt if it would interest me. No, I'm afraid your suggestion that I should finance such a company has fallen on stony ground—that I believe is the phrase?”

Harry looked sharply at him. This was unexpected and it jarred him.

“Well, okay,” he said and slipped the envelope into his pocket.

“If you're not interested in having ten per cent, then you're not. That won't stop me going ahead. I'm sold on this idea. I know I can make a go of it if I get the capital. You're willing to put the capital up, aren't you?”

“I don't think so,” Takamori said. He played with the tassel on the hand-grip hanging near his head. “I only finance companies if I have a controlling interest in them, and this idea of yours doesn't appeal to me.”

Harry felt a hot surge of rage run through him.

“Are you telling me you don't want the diamonds?” he demanded.

“Of course I want them,” Takamori said and smiled, “but as they are my property I have no intention of paying for them.”

“Yeah?” Harry said, his face red and his eyes gleaming. “Okay, then you can whistle for them. I'll find someone else who'll take them. Stop the car and let me out.”

“I would be obliged if you would listen to me for a few moments,” Takamori said politely. “When you called on me, you had the advantage of—what was the phrase you used?—diggin into my background I believe it was. You came to me as I complete stranger, and I was forced to listen to your proposal at a considerable disadvantage. You assumed that I was a dishonest man. That, Mr. Griffin, was a grave mistake to make of anyone you don't know intimately. You suggested that I should swindle the insurance companies for one and a half million dollars. If I had agreed to do that, you would have felt in a safe position because you would then have been in the position to blackmail me if I didn't make good my promise to you concerning this air-taxi business of yours. But I have never allowed myself to be placed in a position to be blackmailed, and I would most certainly not do so late in life. But—and here you were right, Mr. Griffin—I do need the diamonds. I need them very badly.”

“Well, I'm not stopping you having them. The price is one and a half million dollars,” Harry said. “No money, no diamonds.”

“I felt you might take that attitude,” Takamori said mildly. “Tell me, Mr. Griffin, if you had the choice between that sum of money and death, which would you choose?”

“Look,” Harry said, twisting around in his seat to glare at the little man, “let's cut this out. Do you want the diamonds or don't you?”

“Certainly I do. My question is do you wish to go on living?”

Harry stiffened.

“What the hell do you mean?”

“What I say. Let me continue, Mr. Griffin, and then you will understand your position as it is now and not as it was this morning. You had the advantage of making enquiries about my background. Since this morning, I have had enquiries made about yours. I have learned that you were employed by the Californian Air Transport Corporation four weeks ago. That made interesting news. I hear you were to fly the aircraft that carried the diamonds had you not been discharged for drunkenness and for molesting one of the air hostesses. You knew about the consignment The man who planned the robbery called himself Harry Green He was a larger man than you, older, with a scar, and he was going bald. Anyone clever enough could disguise himself to look older and larger, and it would be simple to fake a scar. Harry Green knew where he could land the aircraft safely in the desert and that suggests to me he had flown over the route a number of times and had familiarized himself with the terrain as you must have done, Mr. Griffin. It seems to me that Harry Green and Harry Griffin are one and the same, and I believe that Harry Green is wanted for murder.” He paused, then went on, “That’s why I asked you if you wished to go on living. As far as I can see your chances of survival are slight. What do you think?”

Listening to the soft voice, Harry felt a cold knot of fear tightening inside him. His hand slid inside his coat and his fingers closed around the butt of his gun.

“You're crazy!” he said huskily. “I told you! I found those diamonds! I had nothing to do with the robbery.”

“I see.” Takamori lifted his shoulders. “Well, I admit I could be mistaken, but it is easy enough to prove. The police have Harry Green's fingerprints if one is to believe the newspapers. Shall we drive to police headquarters and let the police compare your prints with those of Green's?”

“Listen, you yellow snake,” Harry snarled, jerking out his gun and ramming it into Takamori's side, “you don't scare me. If you give me away to the police, you'll never see the diamonds. I promise you that.”

Takamori looked down at the gun.

“There's no need for violence, Mr. Griffin,” he said. “Please put that gun away. Reckless as you are, I can't imagine you should shoot me in a crowded street like this.”

Harry hesitated, then shoved the gun back into its holster.

He realized the jam he was in. The gamble had failed to come off. He was out in the open. He had thrown away the cover Glorie had given him. He had only one card to play now. He had the diamonds.

“Well, okay,” he said, “I admit you've got the edge of the bargain. I'll cut my price. Give me five hundred thousand and you can have the diamonds.”

Takamori shook his head.

“I told you, Mr. Griffin, I never pay for something that belongs to me. I will exchange your life for the diamonds. That is to say if you hand over the diamonds, I won't tell the police what I have found out about you.”

Harry glared at him. His dream of owning a million and a half dollars was fading so rapidly that the disappointment and the frustration turned him sick.

“Do you think I'd be crazy enough to trust you?” he said furiously. “If I gave you the diamonds you could still give me way to the police. I don't trust you.”

“And yet you have no reason not to,” Takamori said quietly.

'I am not interested in you nor in helping your police. This isn't my country and I have no duties as a citizen. All I am interested in is getting the diamonds back. This is what you must do. Pack the diamonds and send them to me by mail so that they reach me without fail the day after tomorrow. If they do not arrive by that time I shall tell the police what I have found out about you. It won't take them long to pick you up. If, however, the diamonds arrive by first post the day after tomorrow, then I give you my word to say nothing to anyone about you. That is the only deal I will make with you. I don't expect you to decide now. Think it over.” He leaned forward and tapped on the glass partition. His chauffeur touched his cap, slowed down and pulled up by the kerb. Takamori opened the car door.

“I must ask you to get out, Mr. Griffin,” he said. “Think about what I have said. I am sure you will see on reflection that my suggestion is the only one open to you.”

Harry got out of the car. He was stunned by the way the talk had gone.

“Good night, Mr. Griffin,” Takamori said, and as the big Cadillac pulled away, he raised his hand in a courteous salute.