1977 - My Laugh Comes Last (11 page)

'We?' I shook my head. 'I don't imagine you will participate. You will be sitting here in safety while your people take the risks.'

Klaus glared at me.

'What risks?'

'The unexpected. If the unexpected happens, your people will go away for twenty years.'

I saw Harry shift uneasily.

Leaning forward, his face a snarling mask, Klaus said, 'And you and your woman will be dead as Marsh and Thomson are dead!'

Looking at him, I now was sure he was mentally unbalanced: he was a psychopath, and I felt a chill crawl up my spine.

'Then let us hope the unexpected doesn't happen,' I said, trying to keep my voice steady. I reached down and picked up my briefcase I had brought with me.

Moving with the quickness of a lizard, Harry was by my side. He snatched the briefcase from me, put it on the desk, flicked up the catches and opened it. A brief glance at its contents satisfied him. He nodded to Klaus, then returned to his chair.

I guessed he might have thought I had brought a gun with me or it might have been a show of efficiency to impress Klaus. Whatever it was, by his lightning movement, I was warned that this man must not be underestimated.

From the briefcase, I took the gimmick I had made and two photoelectric neutralizes and the blue print of the bank.

I spread the blueprint on the desk.

'Here is the entrance to the bank. Double doors are operated by a photoelectric cell. It is a unique cell with a neutralizer only held by Manson, the head teller and myself. There is no security risk. If someone got hold of the neutralizer, he would only be able to enter 'he lobby of the bank. He couldn't get into the vault nor get up to the second floor where the staff is. This neutralizer will get your men into the lobby. Getting in has to be timed right when the guard is patrolling. The doors slide back, your men rush in and the doors will automatically close. It shouldn't take them more than thirty seconds. They will have to bring with them a small oxyacetylene cutter to get into the deposit boxes. There will be no problem burning out the locks. It'll take time, but a cutter will do it. The problem, of course, is getting into the vault.' I pointed to the blueprint. 'Here is Manson's office. There are three scanners covering the lobby. Each is activated to take photographs if a beam is broken. Here is the beam,' and I drew a pencil line across the lobby. 'By crawling on hands and knees, your men can reach the elevator without activating the scanner. Using this second neutralize they can operate the elevator and get into Manson's office on the second floor.' I picked up the gimmick I had made. 'On Manson's desk is a red telephone. The lead wires must be cut and stripped, then joined with these two wires here,' and I showed him the two loose wires on the gimmick. 'Then using the dial on the red telephone, four numbers must be dialled. The numbers are 2-4-6-8. These numbers will release three of the vault's locks. Then using the cassette of Manson's voice, the other three locks will be released and the vault door opens. The cassette is in a spring-opening panel behind Manson's desk. It is up to your people how fast they break into the deposit boxes. Assuming they enter the bank around 02.00 on Saturday morning, they should have cleared the boxes by the evening.' I paused and looked at Klaus. 'Any questions so far?'

Klaus looked at Harry who shook his head.

‘You and Harry will work out the details later,' Klaus said. 'Now tell me how to get the money out.'

'At first, this seemed to me a major problem, but I've got it fixed. There are some four hundred deposit boxes in the vault. Not all of them are in use, but to make sure, your people will have to open them all. Those that are in use will contain money, jewellery, bonds and documents. You must have cartons in which to move the loot. It takes the guard around three minutes to patrol the bank before returning to his sentry-box by the bank's entrance. So your people will have to rush in, not only with the cutter, but a number of collapsible cartons. The change of guards takes place on Sunday morning at 08.00. This is when the loot must be moved. It is an acceptable risk because there are few people on the street, and the guards will be chatting each other up in front of the bank. At exactly 07.55, a security truck will arrive at the back of the bank. Every Monday morning, a security truck arrives around 08.00, delivering bank reserves, money for wages and so on. Everyone in Sharnville has seen this truck at one time or the other. You can say it is a familiar landmark.' I pointed my pencil to the blueprint 'The truck arrives at the bank, here, and drives down this ramp into a cellar. Once in, the doors, leading into the cellar, automatically shut. The truck driver has a neutralizer that opens the door of the cellar. Once in the cellar, he waits, until one of the staff opens a steel door with direct access into the vault. This staff member will not open the steel door until the truck driver has identified himself. I can open the doors to the cellar and the steel door into the bank, but only from inside the vault. You will have to supply an identical truck and two men wearing security guards' uniform. You put the cartons in the truck and drive away. Unless your men slip up, there will be no alert until the bank opens on Monday morning so your men should get well away.'

Klaus looked at Harry.

'Can you get a truck and the uniforms?'

'Sure. I'll need to get a photo of the truck and the uniforms. I know a guy who can fix it. No problem.'

Turning to me, Klaus said, ‘You think this plan of yours will succeed?'

'If it doesn't, no other plan will.' I pointed to the gimmick and to the blueprint. 'I've made it as foolproof as possible. It is now up to your people.'

"No, Mr. Lucas, it will be up to you. You will be with them.' He leaned forward to stare at me, his eyes glittering.

'If anything goes wrong, you will be shot. Benny killed Marsh, and he killed Thomson. He has orders to shoot you if this operation fails or if he thinks you are being tricky. Remember that.' His face set in a snarling mask. 'And there is another thing for you to remember. I will personally shoot your woman, Mr. Lucas! This operation must succeed!'

'I hear you,' I said.

Klaus looked at Harry.

'Get it moving, Harry: the truck, the uniforms, the cutter and the cartons. I want the operation to begin Saturday at 3 a.m. You will discuss with Mr. Lucas all the necessary details tomorrow night. Where will you meet him?'

Harry scratched his beard as he thought.

‘Nine, tomorrow night, at the Golden Rose motel on the Frisco highway.' He looked at me. ‘Do you know it?'

'I'll find it.'

'Ask for cabin six.' He gave a sly, cocky grin. 'They know me there.'

Getting up, he left the room.

'Are you satisfied?' I asked Klaus.

'If Harry finds no problems, I will pay you as agreed.' He took from a drawer a bulky envelope. Opening the envelope, he produced bearer bonds. 'Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, Mr. Lucas. Look at them.' He pushed the bonds across the desk. 'They should give you an incentive.'

I picked up the bonds. They were each of the value of $25,000. Ten of them: they looked as if they had passed through many hands. I put them back on the desk, and Klaus scooped them up.

'These bonds will be delivered to you at your office next week if I am satisfied Harry thinks there are no problems.'

I picked up my briefcase and got to my feet.

'No money. . . no operation,' I said.

'If there are no problems, you will get the money. From what you have told me, I don't anticipate problems. When . you get the bonds, be careful. If you decide to sacrifice your woman's life, and bolt, don't do it.' Once again his face turned into a snarling mask. 'From now on, you will be watched. I have an organization: not just three men. If you try to bolt, you won't get far, and your end will be un-pleasant.' The slate-grey eyes lit up. 'They will cut off your hands, blind you and cut off your tongue. You will be left to bleed to death. So don't try anything tricky, Mr. Lucas.'

Then I knew he was utterly mad.

'I hear you,' I said, and leaving him, I walked into the lobby.

Benny, standing by the front door, sneered at me.

'Be seeing you, fink,' he said.

I went out to where Joe, playing his harmonica, sat in the Chevy.

As I slid into the passenger's seat, I thought thankfully that Klaus wasn't as smart as Joe said he was. I had taken a risk. Neither Klaus, Harry nor Joe had an idea that I had a tape recorder built into the lid of my briefcase, and I now had a tape recording of every word they had said, Joe sat silent as he drove down to the highway. I glanced at him, seeing his black sweating face dimly lit by the dashboard lights. He looked, as I hoped he would look, like a man with a load on his mind. When we reached the highway, and were heading towards Sharnville, I said, Your boss, Joe is happy. We break into the bank at three o'clock Saturday morning.'

He grunted, the worried frown on his face deepened, but he still said nothing.

It wasn't until we were nearing my apartment block that I said, 'Come on in, and have a drink with me, Joe, or have you a date?'

He stared at me for a brief moment. I could see the whites of his eyes.

‘You asking me to drink with you, Mr. Lucas?' There was surprise in his voice.

'Look, Joe, we are all in this. With luck, we're all going to be rich.' I underlined the word luck. 'Cut out this crap, don't call me mister... call me Larry.'

He pulled up outside my apartment block.

'Harry has never asked me to drink with him,' he muttered.

'Oh, come on, Joe.' I got out of the car. 'Don't act like an Uncle Tom.'

I walked across the sidewalk, willing him to follow me. As I was pushing open the glass doors to the lobby, he joined me. We rode up in the elevator. I unlocked my front door and moved aside to let him pass. He stood uneasily while I shut and locked the door.

'Whisky and Coke, okay?' I said, going over to the liquor cabinet.

‘Yeah, man.' He looked around the room, wiping sweat of his face with the back of his hand. 'I don't catch this. What do you want to give me a drink for?'

'Quit being servile, Joe,' I said impatiently. ‘You're a man like I am, and we're going to work together. Sit down, for Christ's sake!'

Muttering to himself, he sat down in an armchair, resting his elbows on his knees.

I fixed him a drink that could have knocked over a mule.

Keeping my back turned, I poured myself a Coke and left out the whisky. I gave him his drink and sat down, opposite him. .

Speaking casually, I told him how we would break into the bank, all about the gimmicks and the neutralizes, how Harry was fixing the getaway truck. I gave him all the details, and he sat forward, his black face intent, listening, while he kept sipping his drink.

'So that's it, Joe,' I concluded, noticing by now his glass was nearly empty. 'With luck, by next Monday morning, you will be rich.'

His eyes narrowed.

‘Didn't I tell you, man, I'm never lucky? I've been thinking about what you said. I'm not even sure of Harry now.'

'Oh, come on, Joe. You said you could trust Harry.'

‘Yeah.' He finished his drink and grimaced. 'Harry and me shared a cell for three years. That's a mighty long time. We got along fine together. He fixed me up with the boss.'

'What was he in for, Joe?'

'Harry? His old man was the finest forger of bonds ever. Harry handled them. Harry told me his old man got careless, and they caught him and Harry. Harry drew six years.'

The finest forger of bonds!

The nickel dropped.

I realized why Klaus had agreed to pay me in bonds. I was now sure the bonds he had shown me had been forged by Harry's father!

Looking at Joe, I could see the drink was hitting him.

There was now a dazed look in his eyes, and he kept rubbing his mouth aimlessly with the back of his hand.

'Harry seems okay with me,' I said, 'but Benny scares me, I get a feeling once the money is in die truck, he's going to kill me. He could kill you and Harry too.'

Joe shook his head as if trying to clear it. He stared at me, ‘Yeah, man. I don't dig Benny.'

'Have you a gun, Joe?'

'Sure, I've got a gun.’

'I wish to God I had one. Together - you and I - could take care of Benny if he started something.’

Joe gaped at me, ‘What's that mean, man?'

'Neither of us need worry about Benny if I had a gun. I could watch him when you're doing the work, and you could watch him while I was doing the work.'

He screwed up his eyes while he thought.

'But Harry would be watching him.'

'I'm going to talk to Harry, Joe. With the three of us watching Benny, he won't stand a chance of double-crossing us.'

He thought some more, then nodded.

‘Yeah, that's right.' He reached in his hip pocket and produced a .38 police special. ‘You have this, man. I've got another in my pad. Yeah, between the three of us, we can handle Benny.'

I took the gun, not quite believing it would be as easy as this.

'Another thing, Joe: don't entirely trust Harry. That's a lot of money. Harry could knock Benny off. He could also knock both of us off.'

Joe again screwed up his eyes, then shook his head, 'I don't dig that . . . not Harry.'

'It's a lot of money,'

He thought some more, then nodded.

‘Yeah, it sure is.'

‘Look, Joe, it's up to you to take care of yourself. Three million dollars! You've got to be sure you get your share. I have no worry. As I told you, I'm getting my cut in advance, but you have to worry about Benny and Harry. I'll watch you, and you watch me. Don't say anything to Harry. You just never know.'

‘Yeah.' He shook his head. ‘Who the hell knows? You know something, man? I've drunk too much.' He got unsteadily to his feet. 'I'm going back to my pad.'

‘Do you want me to drive you, Joe?'

He lurched to the door, paused and looked at me.

'Would you?'

‘We're working together, Joe. I don't want some smart cop picking you up. I'll drive you home.'

'Thanks, man. I guess that drink…’

I steered him to the elevator and down to the Chevy.