1953 - The Things Men Do (13 page)

During that time I had looked around and summed up the geography of the place.

"You can't come in here, mate. What do you want?"

I turned. A short, thickset man in a brown overall was staring at me suspiciously.

"Sorry," I said, grinning. "I was looking for Bill Yates. I'm from across the road: Harry Collins. Maybe Bill's told you about me."

The short, thickset man's face cleared and he nodded.

"That's right. Bill often mentions you. He's not around at the moment. It's his day off."

"Of course it is! I remember now he told me last night. I'll be forgetting my own name next." I took out a packet of cigarettes and offered him one. "We painted the town red last night. Bill can still drink a dozen pints in a night."

"Always could drink beer. My name's Harris." He took the cigarette and lit it. "He said you and he were going out last night."

"I'm glad he's got promotion. He's just the man for the job."

"He is at that," Harris said. "Used to be a boxer, didn't he? You can always tell by the look of a man if he's had the gloves on."

"He was the light-heavy-weight champion of the Battalion. He might have gone far if he had taken it up professionally."

"Doesn't talk a lot about himself, but I spotted he had done some boxing. Used to do a bit myself, but I never got anything out of it except a black eye."

I laughed

"Nor me. Is that Bill's new van over there?"

"What? That old ruin? No fear, that's not Bill's bus. That's it over there; in Bay 6."

"He was telling me about it. Well, I'd better get back. Sorry to have taken up your time. I should have remembered it was Bill's day off."

"That's all right," Harris said, shaking hands. "I've heard a lot about you. Glad to have met you."

I walked back to the garage, aware that Berry must have seen what had been going on from his vantage point at the window. I looked towards the window, but someone had covered it with a piece of muslin.

Around six o'clock, Bill came in.

"Got home all right?" he asked as he walked into the office.

"Yes; did you?"

"Just about made it. I've got some kippers here. How about Ann cooking them and us having supper together?''

"All right. Take them up to her, and when you're through persuading her, come down. We might nip across the road for a beer."

"That's an idea."

He went upstairs.

I knew he would assure Ann I had spent the night with him, and I was glad he had come in. After about ten minutes he came down again.

"All under control. Let's go."

I had already closed up the garage, and together we walked over to the Four Feathers that was next door to the sorting-office.

"Two pints, Miss," Bill said to the barmaid and took the cigarette I offered him. He stared at me suddenly. "Blimey! You look a bit of wreck. What's happened to your mouth?"

"Spanner slipped and nearly knocked my teeth out. It hurt at the time, but it's all right now. By the way, I met Harris this afternoon. He showed me your van."

Bill looked surprised.

"Did he? That's against regulations."

"I forgot you weren't coming in today, and I asked for you. We got talking and I saw the van and asked him if it was yours."

"Oh. Well, it doesn't matter. Got some gadgets in it we like to keep quiet about."

"I didn't get within ten yards of it," I said, and laughed.

"Do they equip you with a siren, Bill?"

"An alarm bell; it works off the battery. If we run into trouble the first thing I have to do is to touch it off. Once it's started there's no stopping it. Good idea. It makes a hell of a racket."

I had learned all I wanted to know now, and I changed the subject to cricket. Once launched on the possibilities of Middlesex winning the championship there was no stopping Bill.

While he talked, I completed my plan of action. Granted a little luck, I didn't think it was going to be too difficult to put the alarm bell out of action. There was no question of not doing it. It was too early yet to make a false move. If I were going to beat Dix, I had to make him believe he had me cornered.

I had to work hard during supper and until it was time for Bill to go, to keep pace with the conversation and to appear at ease. I had a lot on my mind, but I knew it would be fatal to let either Ann or Bill suspect that there was something wrong.

It was with relief that I went downstairs to lock Bill out.

Lights were still on in the sorting-office, and the big doors stood open.

"You never seem to shut up for the night over there," I said as I stood on the kerb with Bill.

"We don't shut up. Vans are always coming in and out Of course the rest of the place is shut up, but the garage remains open all the time."

"Who looks after it?"

"Harris has night duty this week. He's about the biggest milker we've got. He sleeps most of the night in his office. I've been in after midnight and I could have pinched a couple of vans under his very nose if I wanted to.

"Who wants to steal a mail van?"

"If it's empty they don't," Bill said, grinning. "That's what Harris is always saying. He says he'd wake up if anyone started one of the engines. I suppose he's right. Takes a little manoeuvring to get a van out of its bay. Well, I'm off home. So long, Harry."

"See you tomorrow."

"Not tomorrow. I've got another early morning rehearsal, worse luck. Look you up on Sunday."

I watched him walk down the street towards the bus stop, then I shut the garage door and shot the bolts.

Joe came out of the partitioned room.

"How are you making out, pally?"

"All right," I said curtly, and walked past him.

He reached out and grabbed hold of my arm, pulling me round. The feel of his hand on me sent a vicious spurt of rage through me. I very nearly swung at him, but checked myself in time.

"Ed will be in tomorrow afternoon. He expects some news from you," Joe said, his small eyes watchful.

"He'll have some," I said, jerked free, and continued to the office.

They were so sure they had me where they wanted me.

All right, let them think that. Only let them make one slip, and then they'd soon find out I wasn't the sucker they imagined I was.

Dix came in on Friday afternoon. I saw him swing the big Cadillac into the garage as I sat at my desk. I got up and went down the garage to meet him. He remained in the car.

"Hop in, pally," he said. "Well go for a little run in the park."

"Shan't be long, Tim," I said, opened the car door and got in.

Dix drove swiftly down Regent Street, along Cockspur Street and through the Admiralty Arch into the park. He drove brilliantly, keeping on the move all the time, tie seemed to have an uncanny knack of beating the traffic lights, and his judgment of distances as he cut in through the traffic was hair raising.

Neither of us said anything until we were rolling towards Buckingham Palace.

"Got a plan yet, pally?"

"Yes. When do I do it?"

He shot a quick look at me. I saw surprise in his eyes.

"Tonight. What's the plan?"

"The sorting-office remains open all night. The man in charge sleeps most of the time. The van is at the far end of the garage away from his office. If he spots me I'll tell him I'm working late, made myself some tea and thought he would like a cup. I'll take tea with me in a vacuum flask. Then I'll clear out and try again. If he's asleep, I'll go straight to the van. I think I can get to the van without him seeing me. The alarm bell works from the car battery. It shouldn't be difficult to disconnect one of the leads."

"Suppose they check the leads? That's not good enough. How about muffling the bell?"

"Even if they check the leads they won't spot what I've done unless they test the bell itself. If they do that, muffling won't help either."

"Okay. I'll leave it to you so long as you make a good job of it. I don't threaten twice. You know what'll happen to you if you play your cards wrong."

"I know."

"Now listen, pally, looks like the job is fixed for Sunday morning. I've had a tip the stuff will arrive at King's Cross about one o'clock Sunday morning. I'm telling you this so you'll be ready to handle the cops when they come, and they'll come to you, make no mistake about that. As soon as we've pulled the job, the heat's going to be tuned on good. The cops will take the town to pieces. Sooner or later, they'll come to you to find out if you've seen anything. Well, keep your trap shut. You're in this as much as I am now."

"Tim Greensleeves might tell them you three have been in and out of the garage."

"That's up to you. You've got to keep the cops away from him If he talks, those art pictures are going to be put in the post."

"I'll take care of him."

"That's the idea, pally. Handle this right and by Monday morning, you'll have seen the last of us. Talk out of turn, slip up somewhere, and I'll fix you so you won't forget me in a hurry."

"I won't slip up."

He slowed down.

"Okay. This is as far as you go. So long, pally. It's been nice and profitable meeting you. I don't reckon to see you again. For your sake I hope I don't."

I walked slowly up Eagle Street, my mind busy.

Somehow I had to get Bill out of the way. If the hold-up was to take place on Sunday morning I had to make certain Bill wasn't on the van. Whatever happened to me, I didn't intend he should run into any danger. I had no idea who would take his place, and I didn't care, but I had made up my mind he wasn't going to run into Dix and his mob.

But my first job was to fix the alarm bell. Ann, of course, was the major snag in an otherwise fairly easy job. I couldn't tackle the bell until after midnight, and she would wonder what I was up to.

As luck would have it a Vanguard had come in while I was out to have its brakes adjusted.

I told Ann the Vanguard had carburettor trouble, and I might have to work late.

"The chap's going away tomorrow on holiday, and I promised to fix it for him," I said as she served up supper. "I don't know how long it'll take me, but it may be some time."

After supper I went down to the garage and took off the carburettor. I got a length of copper tubing and began to bore a hole through it. I was still fiddling about with the tubing when Ann came down about ten forty-five to see how I was getting on.

"I'll be a couple of hours yet. The whole set-up's gone haywire. You go to bed, darling. I'll be up as soon as I've finished."

"Would you like me to make you some tea?"

"Not now. I might make some myself later. You go on to bed. The longer we stay nattering the longer I'm going to be."

"All right, Harry. I'll have my bath and come down again."

"Don't do that. I'd rather work without interruption. This damn thing's tricky."

"All right. I don't suppose I'll be asleep when you come up."

A few minutes past midnight I went quietly upstairs and put the kettle on. The light in the bedroom was cut, and I decided thankfully that Ann was asleep. I made some tea and filled a vacuum flask, then I went downstairs again. I put a screwdriver and a pair of pliers in pocket, and taking the vacuum flask with me, I unbolted he garage door and looked across the street at the lighted doorway leading to the sorting-office.

Joe suddenly appeared in the doorway of tip, partitioned room.

"He must be asleep," he said. "I haven't seen a sign of him for the past hour."

I grunted, and moved out on to the pavement.

Eagle Street was deserted.

Moving quietly I crossed the street, my rubber-soled shoes making no sound. I walked into the sorting-office.

One powerful light lit up the front entrance, but the rest of the place was in dark shadows.

My past experience of jungle fighting came in handy now. I had been in far tighter spots than this. Time and again I had had to lead a patrol into dense jungle to winkle out Jap snipers who were as dangerous as rattlesnakes. This job was a romp after jungle fighting.

My heart was beating normally, my feet made no sound as I walked straight down the length of the dimly lit shed, making no attempt to conceal myself.

If Harris was watching me, he would have no suspicion that I was up to no good. I was behaving like a man who had legitimate business in the place.

When I was within ten yards of Bill's van, I stopped and looked around as if wondering where Harris was.

To my right I spotted a small glass:-partitioned room lit by a blue electric lamp. I could just see Harris. He was slumped forward in a chair, his head resting in his hands, his elbows on the desk.

He didn't move.

I had no idea if he was asleep or not, but at least he hadn't seen me.

I moved a yard or so towards the van, still watching him.

Still he didn't move. I took four quick steps sideways that took me into the darkest shadows where he couldn't see me even if he did look up.

The rest was easy. I opened the van door and slid in, pulling the door shut.

I took out a small electric torch and examined the dashboard, shielding the light with my fingers. Close to the driver's seat was a small knob painted red and marked 'Alarm'.

I worked quickly, tracing the wires down to the floorboards. I cut one wire where it entered the floorboards, stripped back the insulating cover, cut the wire away, inserted a match into the cover and slid the other end of the match into the other end of the cover, joining them neatly. Even a careful examination of the wire wouldn't show where it had been cut.

The whole job took less than a minute.

I slipped the pliers and screwdriver into my pocket, then I took out my handkerchief and wiped everything I had touched in case I had left any fingerprints. As I opened the van door I heard a car engine, and a moment later a mail van swept in, fighting up the inside of the shed with its headlights.

I ducked down out of sight, squirmed over the gear lever and opened the off-side door. I kept it ajar and waited.

The van pulled into an empty bay about ten yards from where I was crouching.

"I bet you've been asleep, you lazy devil," I heard the driver say.