by Bill James
‘Near enough.’
Some biggy of the golf club in a purple sweater came in with what seemed to be a golf reporter from a paper and they sat down not far away. This great club star began telling him pretty hearable about his great dramas out on the grass, thirty yard putts, and his ball in a lake, or something like that, the whole fucking bagful, and this kid with the notebook got to write it all down, and cry ‘Really?’ and ‘Fantastic’. Maybe this gorgeous bit of golfing history owned the paper.
Leo came closer still. ‘And then we turn to the tricky one in town, Benny. Well, this is a touchy subject, we’d both agree, but it has to be faced.’
‘Captain Dreyfus?’
‘Your people, my people fight over Captain Dreyfus. Christ, that carnage. Off and on for how long is it? Three years, four?’
‘Since it opened. More like four. Yes, a lot of pain, a lot of sweat. So regrettable.’ Jesus, Captain Dreyfus was one of the reasons Leo had to go, Leo and especially Lay-waste. They made that casino a battlefield, Lay-waste turning real fiendish there. It was funny to be talking to Leo about it like this now, so reasonable and calm. That was never going to be solved, Captain Dreyfus, not until the Tacettes went their way at the silver wedding, if you could call that being solved.
Leo said: ‘Talking of pain and aggro, who did they pull out of the dock in that Metro?’
‘Search me. Some drunk?’
‘Maybe. Where was I?’
‘Dreyfus.’
‘Yes, all right, so we’re into bigger cash here, at Dreyfus, much bigger. This could be up to, what, three-fifty, three-seventy-five grand?’
‘A real peachy place. Brings in your finest big money carriers, Arabs, of course, and the Chinks, naturally, but all sorts of other wallets as well. It really pissed me off, Leo, being forced to smash up a pretty spot of such quality, the tastiest in fitments. But people like that, they had to be taught unmistakable how much they needed protection and a guiding hand here. They come in from London because they been getting a hard time from their guardians wanting bigger and bigger takes, and because they hear about development and heavy investment going this way. All right. However, they had the stupid idea they could do it here alone, no professional defenders, because they’re not in the capital no more but out among the patsies and nobodies – how they regard it. They’re looking for a saving and we’re supposed to be it. Such a basic error.
‘Well, obvious, first thing they need a bit of a revelation that this is not the home of the brothers Pushover. Or to put it otherwise, if they thought it was St Francis of Rififi or Oxfam running this place, they got to find out different. Oh, it hurts, I know, to do a demolition treatment and, like I said, it’s damn regrettable. Only way to let them know the picture, though. They’re all right again now, the insurance took care, but you’re right, the Dreyfus is still problematical.’
‘That’s what I mean, Benny, talks about talks. The Dreyfus has to go on any agenda. I don’t know it can be resolved, but that’s the heart of things.’
‘Can’t argue.’
‘Whether we can protect it together, a straight split.’
‘Is Anthony going to wear that?’
‘Anthony will do whatever’s agreed, Benny. It’s only the uncertainty of the situation, the competitiveness, that led to incidents. Once we have a working pattern, Anthony will be as good as gold, oh, yes, as good as gold. Underneath it all, that boy’s a natural conciliator, you know, Benny. He loves amity, co-operation. These outbursts, they’re deplorable and he knows it and is ashamed, believe me. It’s entirely nerves, an essentially gentle spirit put under unbearable strain.’ He had on a padre voice now.
‘Fine.’ Loxton felt strange and a bit solemn and sad – to be talking like this, so level and friendly, and calling that fucker Anthony, like a boutique, instead of Lay-waste, and knowing all the time that none of this chatter mattered because Leo and Lay-waste and Gerald and their whole operation would very soon be deeply unavailable to take from Captain Dreyfus or anywhere else. They had asked for it, especially Lay-waste, but Leo and Gerald, too, and it was coming. Until it came, Benny did not mind discussing collection arrangements and the partnerships and splits, but it seemed spooky, all the same. Never mind, he was comfortable and he felt safe. Was Leo going to try anything in front of a picture of the Queen?
‘Or maybe one of us take Dreyfus and the other get all the so-far small-timers,’ Leo suggested. ‘Nursed along, two or three of them might be into the Dreyfus class themselves in a couple of years.’
‘Yes.’
‘No need to decide anything now, Benny. Well, we can’t, can we? We both need to consult. It’s just a matter of fixing an agenda. So, Captain Dreyfus at the top, yes? Leave Black Jack and Cleo’s the way they are, giving no trouble. The minor league stuff for discussion along with Dreyfus? How does that grab you as an outline for the start of casino negotiations?’
‘Grand. Tidy.’
‘Then, outlying, you’re looking after Baize and The Pimpernel. We have The Spinning Wheel. It’s two to one, but The Spinning Wheel is bigger, we take about a hundred and seventy-five grand a year protection there. Maybe Baize and The Pimpernel together give you that much? I don’t know? A little less? This is the kind of area we could talk about in detail. And, of course, with Baize you’ve really had to do some work, give active heavy minding now and then, because of the lout gangs who get in there, no sinecure. You see, we could be very understanding about special problems. Benny, what I’m trying to say is, we would be ready to come more than half-way to get a working pattern. You’d find us very, very flexible.’
‘That’s really something.’
‘I don’t consider business can be done in any other way. Well, yes, of course, it can be done by confrontation, confrontation and more confrontation. But that’s so stupid, so self-destructive and uneconomic. That’s the behaviour of another, cruder era.’
‘We’ve thought ditto.’
‘Of course you have. So, then, that will be the first stage of negotiations. It’s not the main money for either of us, I suppose, but it’s where the most bother has come in the past. Obviously, after this, we go on to the grass and coke aspects, where there have also been troublesome misunderstandings, though not so head-on or fierce.’
Leo gave a grand, comfortable laugh, like the two of them was bigger than this crazy fighting and could easy put it all right, man to man.
The king of the golfers had finished his interview and the two of them left, the purple wool gleaming like a bruise for the Guinness Book of Records.
‘Squabbles like that spill money and blood, Benny, and they draw attention. It’s so foolish to send signals to the police.’ Leo spoke more quietly: ‘As to police, I might be building something with Iles.’
Loxton was shocked and disbelieving. ‘Iles? Christ, go careful there. You remember what happened to Cliff Jamieson, the one they called You-know-who? You-knew-who now.’
‘Iles was down the Chaff the other night, plus lady.’
‘Taking meals? Iles? Can’t be.’
‘No, of course not. That’s too primitive and low. But don’t tell me he didn’t know we’d bought Chaff. No, he had come on purpose, I’d say. This was introductory. He’ll be there again. I’d bet he’s looking for a deal, some share of the action. They get an idea of the kind of cash that’s going into the casinos and what we’re taking for protective services. Meals and drinks – he’s not interested, not going to sell his soul for a dozen oysters and a glass of stout, you’re right. But talk a few figures with noughts on, that could be different. It generally is with these boys. Not right away in this case, obviously. But in due course.’
‘Iles? You sure?’
‘Give it a while. We had quite a private conversation. At this stage, some of it has to be confidential. You’ll understand that, Benny, I know.’
God, this bastard thought he was chairman of Barclay’s Bank.
‘Well, I’d say we’ve made sensational progre
ss here today, Benny. Some ground has been cleared. A few weeks, we could have another meeting for the detailed stuff. I’ve got a silver wedding coming up, you probably heard, it’s no secret, so let me get that out of the way first.’
‘No, that right? Silver wedding! I didn’t know. But yes, I suppose it would be about that now. Well, that’s to your credit, Leo, that’s to be admired, you and Daphne still together and happy, from being kids in school. That’s not something you see every day, no, sir.’
‘Just a family thing, Benny. You’ll understand. That’s how she wants it.’
‘Best like that, more real, more enjoyable, oh, yes. Intimate. Your boys, a few other relations, who else do you need?’
‘As soon as that’s over – Look, how many people in your outfit these days?’ He sat back very relaxed in his green chair again, smiling the good friend smile, and looking like a child abuser just acquitted because the kids had too much trauma to testify. ‘Is it all right to ask that, since we’re future partners? It’s the sort of thing we need to know about each other: I mean, the split, and available manpower.’
‘That’s all right.’ Loxton did not rush to answer, though. What went on? Number, for God’s sake, names?
Leo led the way. ‘You probably know my side. There’s Anthony and Gerald, of course, and then three other full-time lads, Peter Fanton, Ashley Simpson – the one they call In-off, don’t ask me why – and Greg Hales. After that, some odd-job people for now and then, heavies mostly, not pay-roll, so they don’t rate for splits: Willy Jute, High Pulse Basil, that sort. With you, Phil Macey still, yes, and Norman. Who else, Benny?’
‘Lentle – that’s Bobby Lentle, you know him? Thirty-five, fair, crew-cut, ugliest sod since Maurice Chevalier, but one of the best. Going a bit fat? He’s quite new, but he’s settling in very nice, oh yes, he’s going to be an asset.’
‘No, not a name I know.’ Leo smiled a bit bigger. ‘Justin with you these days? Justin Paynter?’
Loxton was not ready for that but smiled himself and said at once, no bother or choking on the fucking words because of the Metro: ‘Oh, Justin. No, he moved on. What’s called mutual. Some things he could handle deft enough, a real natural talent, but some things very slack. Bit naïve and forgetful? It comed to a parting, had to. No hard feelings, nothing like that. He was off to London or Wales or somewhere, reckoned he had bids. Could be. There was ability, but he just couldn’t get it working full rate, like Edward Heath. Maybe I’ll replace him. I don’t know. For now like you, we use a lot of part-timers, people looking for something quick and then you don’t see them no more. Not the best way, but it works, and no overheads. Steve Stevens, Winston Makepiece – that’s Towering Inferno – and Tommy Vit.’ He hated telling him these things, even these things that anyone could find out for theirselves easy enough if they wanted to, but soon it would not make no difference. He hated talking to him about Justin Paynter, too, and felt troubled by questions like that, nosy, pushing bastard. Soon, this would not matter either, though.
Three men and their women came a bit too quietly into this lounge and Loxton tensed up for a minute, but they seemed to be genuine golf people, not Mercedes, but maybe big Rover or Audi, and in a while they started gabbling away about tournaments and shoe studs. They knew Leo and called out to him and chatted, like he was something quite sweet-smelling and British Standard. Christ, what sort of outfit must this be? Better check if Sweeney Todd was there in the list of old captains.
‘I’ve enjoyed this,’ Leo said, standing. ‘I mean, quite apart from the business we’ve done today, it’s good to get together. Should have happened a long time ago.’
‘It mustn’t go cold again Leo – not let things slide like that.’
They walked towards the door together. Loxton had brought the small Beretta in a shoulder holster and undid one button of his jacket as they went out. Leo noticed that right away and laughed like an idiot. Immediate, he went half on to one knee playing a sniper and made the shape of a pistol with his hand, while he did bang-bang noises from his mouth, popping off at all round the clock. God knew what the people here thought of that little mad show. He must really be sure of himself to believe they would wear it. ‘A bit of suspicion still, it’s natural, bound to be, Benny,’ he chuckled. ‘We’ve lived with it too long, that’s the tragedy.’ He straightened up and blew on his two fingers, like down a hot barrel at the end of a shoot-out. ‘Yes, a long way to go yet, Benny, but we’ll get there.’
‘Of course, and my very best to Daphne. Give her fullest congrats from me and Alma on the silver wedding, won’t you?’
‘She’ll be touched.’
Macey and Norman were at the house when Loxton returned, both of them looking pretty rough, but he could not talk serious to them immediate because Alma stayed in the room for a while, sounding off about some new millions of needy down Africa way and saying how important it was to send the help and make sure of good organization, all that. Macey and Norman was nodding like they thought of nothing else, you would expect they might make notes any minute or go to Africa theirselves, taking corned beef. Well, it was important, what she said, and he was in favour of helping people having it bad like that, but Loxton wished she would piss off now.
‘Some mammoth task,’ Norman said.
‘A test for all the developed world,’ Macey added.
‘A matter of conscience,’ Norman said. He turned to Loxton. ‘We were just saying, Theodore, what a challenge this kind of situation is.’
‘The thing is, to force rich governments like our own to face up to this problem, the scale of it,’ Macey stated.
When Alma went upstairs to change, Macey said: ‘Benny, maybe they got an identification on Justin from that sodding Metro they pulled out of the dock yesterday. We found out they had a load of heavy police down there, like Iles and Harpur. So, how the hell they find out the car was there and so important? This is one hell of a question.’
‘How do you know – Iles and Harpur? And who says an identification? Who told you?’ Loxton replied.
‘It’s right, about Iles and Harpur. We got a rumour and Norm made some calls and done some checking.’
‘Checking?’ Loxton said.
‘It’s all right, Benny,’ Norman said. ‘I was very careful. No invitations to look our way.’
‘He got no clothes on, right?’ Loxton asked. ‘No jewellery, tattoos, scars, missing bits? He’s got no record, so they can’t do it from fingerprints. Nothing in the car? How would they get an identification so fast? No, it can’t be. You did take the coat off him?’
‘Of course,’ Macey said.
‘And it’s gone? Blood traces, God knows what.’
‘Yes, it’s burned.’ Macey kept on at what was troubling him. It troubled Loxton, too. ‘So, how did they know he was there?’ Macey asked again. ‘We got a leak? Why Iles and Harpur down there? Far as they knew, this was just some dead in the dock, happens every day. But all the brass on the spot.’
‘Who said Iles, Harpur?’ Loxton asked.
‘We think so,’ Norman said. ‘I haven’t talked to any police, obviously, but docks people around there say one man was grey-haired, in a hell of a good suit and driving a Granada on his own. That has to be Iles. And then a fair, big bloke looking like a boxer, bit scruffy, talking to the divers. Harpur?’
Macey kept on. ‘Why they there, Benny? This a leak?’
‘How could there be? What you saying, Phil? Who you looking at, for Christ’s sake? Who’s going to leak? It could put us all in trouble. Talk sense. Only us three knew about him being there. Who else?’
‘Yes, only us three,’ Macey replied. ‘Them people at the Monty –’
Loxton was growing tired of him. ‘The Monty don’t come into it. Whatever they saw there, they didn’t see the car go into the dock, did they?’
Alma Loxton came back into the room wearing a topcoat and said she was going to drive to the shops. ‘Yes, Norman’s right, a challenge to all our governments, and t
o all of us, personally. Some approach to our MP, immediately, I think, Theodore.’
‘That’s the kind of thing we been discussing while you were out of the room,’ Macey replied. ‘As a matter of fact, Theodore said the MP.’
‘It would be a worthwhile start,’ Norman added.
‘Perhaps I’ll call into his committee rooms while I’m down there this afternoon,’ she said.
‘Good notion, Alma,’ Loxton told her.
‘While the iron’s hot,’ Macey added.
When she had left again, Loxton said: ‘None of this makes no difference. They got no identification, that’s obvious, or we would have heard on the radio, in the paper. That Metro’s not going to tell them a thing, it was taken miles away, a nowhere car. Even if they did get an i.d. eventual, they might not even know Justin worked for us. He been here no time at all, really.’
‘They’d know,’ Macey said. ‘He’ll be on the collator.’
‘So?’ Loxton asked. ‘Suppose he is. Would we kill one of our own people, for God’s sake? What kind of sense is that? They’d think Leo’s crew – Lay-waste, in one of his little spasms, probably. The fights around the Dreyfus, all that. That’s how it would look to them. But, this stage, it don’t come into it. They don’t know who they got in that car, so relax. What I hear, they’re keeping an eye on Leo. Iles been down the Chaff, acting friendly, but that one don’t know what friendly is. He been taking a look, that’s obvious.’
‘I don’t like all this – Iles here, Iles there. His wife can tie us to Justin, don’t forget,’ Macey said. ‘We been seen in that club.’
‘For Christ’s sake, Phil, they don’t know it’s Justin,’ Loxton said. ‘And she’s not going to talk, anyway. We already decided that, how long ago? Less so now. She going to tell her husband she’s into a mucky killing, for God’s sake?’
‘Yes, well, all right, Benny, but we just got to find that Aston,’ Macey said. ‘He can sell us, too, and still maybe fuck up the silver wedding arrangements, That jerk Ralph – I still reckon he warned him to get clear. We should of seen him off proper, not just a beating.’
