Fast Buck (7 page)

‘Glad to,’ Dal as said, sure now this blond man was Eve Gil is’s brother. The likeness was remarkable. He had the same blue eyes, the same shaped face.

‘Before you go, I wonder if I could possibly ask a favour of you,’ Gil is said, smiling. ‘If you hadn’t been a member of the club I wouldn’t dream of mentioning this, but I’ve stupidly forgot en my wal et, and until my friends arrive I’m stuck for money. I suppose you couldn’t lend me ten dol ars for an hour or so?’

‘Why, sure,’ Dal as said, concealing his surprise. ‘I’d be glad to.’ He took out his wal et, extracted two fives and handed them to Gillis. ‘I’m in no hurry. Let me have it the next time we meet.’

Gillis slipped the bills into his pocket.

‘I can’t thank you enough. As soon as my friends arrive I’l pay you back. Thanks a lot. It’s real y very kind of you.’

‘Forget it,’ Dal as said, moving towards the door. ‘I’ve forgotten my wallet myself before now. It’s no joke to be stuck for money.’

They walked back to the bar.

‘Don’t let me take you away from Zoe,’ Gil is said as they entered the bar. ‘I’l buy myself a drink and wait for my friends.’

Dallas spotted Eve Gillis standing with Kile at the bar. She was wearing a sea-green backless evening gown, cut so low in front that he could see the deep furrow between her breasts.

He nudged Gillis.

‘Some girl,’ he said under his breath. ‘Some dress she’s nearly got on.’

Gillis looked at Eve, who glanced at him and then looked away. Neither of them gave any sign of recognition.

‘The club is noted for its beautiful women,’ Gil is said indifferently. ‘But you should remember, in the dark, one woman is very much the same as another.’ He gave Dal as’s arm a friendly pat and walked over to the bar, where he climbed up on a stool within a few feet of Eve and Kile.

Dallas returned to where Zoe was waiting for him, and sat down.

‘Sorry to have been so long,’ he said, smiling at Zoe, ‘but I got caught up with the blond profile. He has quite a way with him, hasn’t he?’

Zoe’s pert lit le face hardened.

‘That cheap chisel er?’ she said scornful y. ‘Al he’s got are his looks, and they won’t last him much longer from the way they’re wearing. Did he try to bite your ear?’

‘He did more than that; he succeeded to the tune of ten dol ars. At the moment he’s buying a double whisky with the proceeds. How do you like that?’

Zoe stared at him.

‘Wel , you don’t look a sucker,’ she said. ‘For heaven’s sake, why did you give it to him?’

‘Oh, I felt sorry for the guy. He was in a bad way for a drink, and I hadn’t the heart to refuse him,’

Dallas said, shrugging. ‘Besides, he said some nice things about you.’

‘Did he?’ Zoe said scornfully. ‘He once gypped me out of fifty bucks: the lit le rat!’

Dallas was eyeing Eve as she stood at the bar.

‘That’s a nice shape that girl’s wearing, or maybe you wouldn’t have noticed.’

Zoe looked Eve over critically.

‘She’s good,’ she said grudgingly. ‘At least she doesn’t have to wear falsies. In case you don’t know, she’s his sister, and it’s my bet they’re two of a kind. She was in the Fol ies for some time until she decided she could get along just as well in a bed.’

‘His sister?’ Dal as said, pretending to be surprised. ‘They don’t act that way.’

‘Maybe she doesn’t want to introduce him to Kile,’ Zoe said indifferently. ‘She’s Kile’s mistress, and she’s welcome to him. How about another bot le of champagne? I’ve a thirst that’d slay a camel.’

‘Sure,’ Dallas said, wondering what Purvis was going to say when he put in his expense sheet at the end of the week. ‘Everything I have is yours, honey.’

Zoe gave him a suspicious glance.

‘That sounds as if you haven’t so much,’ she said, signalling to the barman. ‘How about buying me a dinner, if you’re going to be al that generous?’

‘Just a figure of speech,’ Dal as said hastily. ‘Maybe I’l buy you dinner tomorrow night, but I’l run to a sandwich if you’re that hungry.’

Zoe sighed.

‘I’ll settle for a sandwich.’ She looked at him and smiled. ‘Are you working up to come home with me tonight?’

Dallas wrestled with the temptation, decided reluctantly not to spend any more of Purvis’s money, and shook his head.

‘That’s something I’l look forward to at a later date. I’l need to break into my kid sister’s money-box before I can go home with you.’

Zoe giggled.

‘You know, I like you,’ she said, and pressed her knee against his. ‘You leave your kid sister’s money-box alone. You won’t need it.’

Dallas was only half listening. He had seen Rico come into the bar.

Rico crossed over to where Kile and Eve were standing and said something to Kile in a low voice.

Kile’s face was flushed as if he had been drinking heavily. He turned to speak to Eve, who nodded.

Then he went out of the bar with Rico, leaving Eve alone.

Dallas saw Gillis raise his eyebrows at Eve and jerk his head to the door.

‘I’ve got to run away,’ Dal as said quickly. He took out a twenty-dollar bill and dropped it in Zoe’s lap. ‘Just remembered a pressing appointment. See you tomorrow night. Okay?’

‘You leaving me flat?’ Zoe asked, startled.

‘Got to,’ Dal as said, get ing to his feet. ‘Business. I’l dream of you tonight, sugar. So long for now.’

He walked quickly out of the bar as Eve finished her drink. He went into the gentlemen’s retiring room.

A moment or so later Eve came into the lobby. She collected her wrap and went out into the street.

Dallas reappeared and sauntered after her. He saw her get into the LaSalle parked in the big parking lot at the side of the club. He concealed himself behind another car and waited.

Five minutes dragged by. He saw Eve light a cigarette. The flame of her lighter lit up her face for a brief moment. Dallas decided she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

‘And where does that get you, Dallas?’ he said to himself. ‘She’s way out of your class. If you’re going to get those sort of ideas, you’d bet er stick to Zoe.’

Then he spotted Gillis coming into the parking lot. He saw him look to right and left, then walk quickly over to the LaSalle, open the door and get in beside Eve.

Moving silently, Dallas left his hiding-place and crept towards the LaSalle.

VII

For the first time in two years, Preston Kile felt confident and excited about his immediate future. Eve had convinced him that the plan she had thought of to find the Rajah’s jewels might work. He hadn’t been hard to convince because, once explained, it was obvious that it was the only possible way. It was daring and brilliant, and he felt drawn to it in spite of knowing that it could end in disaster if he made a false move. It was the kind of plan he would have given his whole-hearted support to ten years ago: a gamble against enormous odds, but with a tremendous prize if it succeeded.

What an extraordinary girl this Eve was! She had lain in his arms, her face against his, while she had outlined the plan. He couldn’t think why he hadn’t arrived at the solution himself. The more she talked the more he had realised that the Rajah’s offer of half a million was not now entirely out of reach. With such a sum to play with, he was positive he could win back his old position in the Stock Market, and wouldn’t he make them suffer for what they had done to him!

The plan depended on organisation and nerve and the right man to do the job. He had agreed with Eve that Rico should be consulted. He might know of someone who would handle the dangerous part of the job. Rico might also be useful in the organisation of the plan: it was too big and complicated for Kile to handle alone. It wasn’t going to be easy to bring Rico into this, and at the same time keep from him the amount involved. He would have to be paid well, and the Rajah would have to foot the bill. Rico’s money wasn’t going to come out of the half a mil ion. Kile intended to keep every nickel of that for himself.

He watched Rico make two highballs. When Rico came over to the desk and put one of the highballs near Kile, Kile said, ‘That’s a nasty bruise you’ve got there. How did you get it?’

Rico sat down.

‘I had an accident. It’s nothing. It looks worse than it feels. I hoped you’d be in tonight, Mr Kile. I’ve something I wanted you to see. Unfortunately it’s as hot as a stove at the moment, but in a year or two it’l fetch three or four grand; probably more.’

Kile pursed his lips.

‘I don’t think I’d be interested,’ he said, ‘but let me see it.’

Rico walked over to the office door and turned the key. Then he went to the wall safe, opened it and took out the bracelet. He put it on the desk in front of Kile.

Kile studied it without touching it. He glanced up at Rico’s anxious face.

‘How hot is it?’

‘The woman who owned it was murdered,’ Rico said in a hushed voice.

Kile made a wry grimace.

‘Jean Bruce?’

Rico nodded.

‘I’m surprised you touched this,’ Kile said. ‘How did you get hold of it?’

‘By accident,’ Rico lied glibly. ‘It wasn’t until I saw tonight’s paper I knew it belonged to the Bruce woman.’

‘Think the police would believe you?’

‘I said it was hot,’ Rico pointed out. ‘I wouldn’t give you a wrong impression, Mr Kile. I thought one of your rich friends might have it. It’d have to be re-set, of course, but it’s a beautiful piece.’

Kile picked up the bracelet and studied it closely.

‘Yes; it’s nice. What do you want for it?’

‘Twenty-five hundred,’ Rico said promptly. ‘It’s worth at least six grand.’

‘It’s worth five,’ Kile said. ‘At the moment it isn’t worth a dime. I’d have to keep it for some time: maybe a year. It’s a dangerous thing to keep. I might give you a thousand for it, but not a dollar more.’

‘Make it two, and you can have it,’ Rico said hopeful y, then as Kile pushed the bracelet back to him, he went on hastily, ‘Wel , okay. I’m losing money, but I want it out of my place. I’l take a grand.’

Kile nodded.

‘You’l have to wait for the money, Rico. I’l let you have it in a week or two.’

‘That’s okay,’ Rico said, sit ing down. ‘I trust you, Mr Kile. Two weeks is okay with me.’

Kile nodded again and put the bracelet in his inside pocket.

‘There’s something I want to talk to you about, Rico,’ he said, paused to take a long drink from his glass, stared across at Rico, trying to make up his mind how much to tell him. He decided to say as little as possible. ‘There may be a big job coming along in the near future,’ he went on. ‘If it comes off you could make yourself fifteen thousand. It’s in the air at the moment, but I’m trying to get two or three good men together. Would you be interested?’

Fifteen thousand! Rico’s eyes gleamed. This was big-time stuff!

‘Why, sure,’ he said, leaning across the desk. ‘You know I want to work with you, Mr Kile. What would you want me to do?’

‘I don’t know yet,’ Kile said. ‘I haven’t even started to organise the job, and it’l need a lot of organising. I wanted to be sure I could rely on you.’

Rico felt a twinge of uneasiness. He was too cautious to commit himself without knowing something of what Kile was planning.

‘But can’t you give me some idea, Mr Kile? For instance: is it dangerous?’

‘Could be,’ Kile said mildly, thinking how horribly dangerous the whole idea was, ‘but you wouldn’t be in on that end of it. You could get yourself a ten to fifteen year stretch if it turned sour. You see, you’re not the only one who doesn’t want to give a wrong impression.’

Rico showed his teeth in a mirthless smile. Ten to fifteen years! He wasn’t going to walk into that without knowing where he was going!

‘What are the chances?’ he asked. ‘I don’t take unnecessary risks, Mr Kile. I’m not saying the pay isn’t good – it is, but ten to fifteen years!’

‘I can tell you about the risks better later on,’ Kile said. ‘It’l depend largely on the man who does the outside work. If he’s a good man, has plenty of nerve and plays his cards right, there won’t be any risk.

But if he slips up, loses his head, then we’re al sunk.’

Rico nodded.

‘Who’s the man, Mr Kile? Anyone I know?’

‘I haven’t found him yet,’ Kile said, taking out his cigar-case. He made motions of offering it to Rico, who shook his head. ‘It occurred to me you might know someone. He must have nerve. This isn’t an easy job, Rico: it’s damn near impossible, but I think the right man could pull it off. He’d have to be reliable, quick-witted, and a killer.’ He noticed Rico winced when he mentioned kil ing. He didn’t blame Rico for that. ‘Don’t misunderstand me,’ he went on. ‘I dislike killing as much as you do, but we’ve got to face facts. If this man is to be of any use to me, he’s got to have the qualities of a killer. That doesn’t mean to say he has to kill anyone.’

Rico looked relieved.

‘I know the man,’ he said. ‘His name’s Verne Baird. He’s only been in town a couple of months. He and I’ve done jobs together. He’s reliable, and he’s got al the qualifications you mentioned.’ He lowered his voice as he said, ‘It’s my bet he’s responsible for the Bruce killing. I don’t know for sure, but I think he is.’

Kile rubbed his fleshy jaw.

‘He’s got to be right, Rico. I’ve already warned you. If he isn’t, you and I wil go to jail.’

‘I’d rather have him than anyone else I know,’ Rico said. ‘What has he to do?’

‘That’s something we’l talk about later,’ Kile said. ‘I want to see him first. Can you get him here tomorrow night?’

Rico shook his head.

‘I’m afraid not. The police are looking for him. I think he’s left town.’

‘Any idea where he is?’

‘I haven’t, but he’l let me know in a day or so. He said he would. As soon as I hear I’l make arrangements for him to meet you. Will that be all right?’

‘It’l have to be,’ Kile said, frowning. He stood up. ‘You’re sure this man’s al right?’

‘I’m positive,’ Rico said. ‘There isn’t anyone else to touch him.’

‘Al right. I’l go ahead with my part of the job. There’s a lot to do yet. But the sooner I meet Baird the better.’

‘I’ll fix it,’ Rico said eagerly. ‘You leave it to me.’ He hesitated, went on, ‘He’d want to know what the job is worth. Could I give him some idea?’