by Eric Ambler
Captain Lukey had not been deceived by the evasion. He had grinned infuriatingly. “Good show, Colonel. I’ll tell my masters I’m getting full co-operation and all proper respect.”
“You can also tell them that if there’s any hanky-panky here you’ll be out on your ear, and pretty damn quick.”
It had been a feeble threat and Captain Lukey had known it. He had still been grinning when he left.
Colonel Soames had not forgotten the humiliation. He looked up sharply at Inspector Chow. “Why Lukey?”
“He doesn’t seem to have much money to spend, sir. I should think he could just about manage this deal though. Another thing. He’s been trying to buy three-o-three ammunition. They must have rifles of that calibre already. It would make sense to buy more. Most of the stuff going about at present is three-o-o.”
“I see.” The Colonel was thoughtful for a moment, then he nodded. “Put a man on to Tan Yam Heng. See if he tries to contact Lukey. Keep me posted.”
“Very good, sir.”
“What did you say that American’s name was ? Nilsen?”
“Yes, sir. Do you want me to … ?”
“No. I think I may look into that myself.”
II
Greg and Dorothy were enjoying Singapore. They had made two tours of the island and also crossed the causeway into Johore; and, although they had had to admit to themselves that there was not really all that much to see, they were so glad to be on their own again that it did not seem to matter. In any case, they were having fun arranging side trips. There was a Garuda Indonesian Airways flight that could take them down to Bali, and they had made provisional reservations for early the following week. The only snag was that they would have to have Indonesian tourist visas, and those took several days to get. Until those came through they would not know for certain what their plans were. So they had applied for the visas and decided that, if they did not come through in time, they would console themselves with a trip up to Penang. The man in Thos. Cook’s had shown them some pictures of the island that made it look almost as enchanting as Bali.
The only area of dissension between them was that surrounding the Tans arms deal.
When Greg had, finally, explained it to her in detail, Dorothy had stared at him almost incredulously.
“But, darling, it sounds to me completely crooked.”
“What’s crooked about it? It’s just a question of helping Mr. Tan to avoid a technicality in the Philippine law. Nothing more.”
“Well, that’s something, isn’t it? It’s their law.”
“It wasn’t made to cover this sort of eventuality.”
“What sort is that?”
“Well, I think the idea of selling Communist arms to the anti-Communists is a pretty good idea.”
“Maybe. But how do you know they are Communist arms ? Who told you they were ? How do you know he’s telling the truth?”
It had been a long, inconclusive and uncomfortable discussion. One passage of it had stayed in his mind to trouble him later.
“Supposing someone back home had come to you with a proposition like this,” she had said.
“How could they?”
“But supposing they did. You know what? I think you’d call the police or the FBI.”
“Well, this isn’t America, and the circumstances and the people are all entirely different.”
She had nodded calmly. “That’s just my point.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Maybe we don’t know how different they are.”
Their first encounter with Mr. Tan Yam Heng in Singapore had not improved the situation. They had found his appearance unprepossessing and his manner furtive. Indeed, when he had contacted them on the boat, Greg had at first mistaken him for some sort of tout. Then he had tried to hustle them through the immigration and customs before they had had a chance to say good-bye to anyone on the ship. Greg had had to be very firm.
Later, at the hotel, Tan had produced an airmail letter from Manila confirming that Greg would act as sole selling agent for Mr. Tan Tack Chee, and revising their financial arrangements accordingly. That had been all right; but although the letter had been addressed to Greg personally, Tan Yam Heng had already opened it and read the contents. When he had gone, Dorothy had raised her eyebrows.
“Not much like his brother, is he?”
“No.”
“Do you think opening other people’s letters is an old Chinese custom?”
“Well, I don’t suppose it matters. By the way, Mr. Tan sends you and Arlene his best wishes.”
The meeting at the Customs House the following morning had been no more propitious. After Greg had signed the appropriate papers, they had gone outside.
“The next thing, Mr. Nilsen,” Tan Yam Heng had said briskly, “is for me to arrange meetings with buyers.”
Greg had smiled and shaken his head. “No, Mr. Tan. The next thing is for you to give me a cheque for one thousand and fifty dollars.”
“But that is not until you sign the papers transferring ownership of the goods. That is the arrangement.”
“That was the arrangement. You read your brother’s letter. The arrangement is changed. The first five per cent is to be paid over on signature of the customs documents. The second five per cent will be paid when ownership is transferred to the actual buyer.”
It had been at that moment that Greg had understood why Mr. Tan in Manila had been so anxious for him to act as his agent. Under the earlier arrangement, there would have been nothing to stop Mr. Tan in Singapore from completing the blank transfer of ownership in his own favour. Under the new arrangement, ownership would only be transferred to the buyer. The explanation was simple. Mr. Tan in Manila did not trust Mr. Tan in Singapore; and probably for very good reasons.
Tan Yam Heng had scowled almost threateningly. “Between associates in business enterprise,” he had said, “there must be trust and personal dignity in all negotiations.”
“I couldn’t agree more. And I think the best way of keeping that trust and personal dignity, Mr. Tan, is for everyone to do just what they’ve agreed to do right along the line. No more, no less.”
Mr. Tan Yam Heng had had the cheque, drawn on the Manila office of an American bank, ready in his pocket, and had handed it over in the end; but with a bad grace. He had left saying that he would telephone when he had arranged the meetings.
Since then, two days had elapsed and Greg had heard nothing. He had not told Dorothy about the argument over the cheque; nor had he thought it necessary to discuss with her his other misgivings. He was on the point of cabling to Mr. Tan in Manila to remind him of the time limit they had agreed, when Tan Yam Heng called.
“Mr. Nilsen,” he said, “I have an interested buyer.”
“Oh.”
“He would like to meet with you and discuss the proposition.”
“Who is he?”
“A British Army captain, now acting for a group in Indonesia.”
“What sort of group?”
“I think it is religious.”
“What do you mean, religious?”
“Does it matter? We wish to sell, he wishes to buy.”
“It matters a great deal. Anyway, what’s the man’s name? How do I meet him?”
“His name is Captain Lukey, and, if convenient, I will bring him to your hotel this afternoon at five.”
“Okay.”
“And the price is agreed?”
“We ask seventy-five thousand, accept anything over sixty.”
“Yes. This is very confidential.”
“I’ll see you at five.”
He told Dorothy.
“What’s a religious group want with rifles and machine-guns?” she asked.
“How should I know? I don’t think Tan knew what he was talking about. Anyway, there’s a British officer acting for them, so they must be fairly respectable.”
“I suppose you’ll have to see him alone.”
“You can stay in
the bedroom and listen through the door, if you want.”
Tan Yam Heng arrived ten minutes early, and looking more furtive than ever.
“I wished,” he explained, “to find the best route from the courtyard entrance to your suite. As soon as he arrives I will bring him straight here without telephoning from the reception desk first, if you agree.”
“It’s all right with me.”
“The fewer people who see us together the better.”
“Why all the cloak and dagger stuff?”
“In such negotiations it is important to be secret. If some spy of the Indonesian Government got to know of this it would be dangerous.”
Greg avoided looking at Dorothy. “I see.”
“Captain Lukey may wish to search the suite before discussions begin.”
“Well, he can’t. My wife’s going to be in the bedroom.”
“These are serious matters. I am sure Mrs. Nilsen understands.”
“Look, there’s not going to be any searching, and if the gallant Captain doesn’t like it, he can do the other thing. How well do you know him?”
“I have talked to him.”
“Did he say he wanted to search the place?”
“No, but …”
“Then supposing we let him speak for himself. He’ll be here in a minute. Now why don’t you just go down and wait for him, Mr. Tan?”
Tan Yam Heng went, sullenly. Twenty minutes later he returned with Captain Lukey.
The Captain was a tall man in the late forties with a slight paunch, a florid complexion, greying brown hair, and a large handlebar moustache stained on one side by nicotine. He wore the Singapore business uniform—white duck slacks, white long-sleeved shirt with breast pockets, and a regimental tie. He had a reverberating voice and a hearty manner. He came into the room with hand outstretched.
“How do you do, Mr. Nilsen? Sorry I’m late. Got held up in a spot of traffic.”
“Glad to know you, Captain,” said Greg. “Won’t you sit down?”
Captain Lukey seemed not to have heard the invitation.
He smiled broadly, put his hands on his hips and looked round the room. “Well now,” he said; “the last time I was in this suite, General Blacklock had it. That was before he became C. in C. of course. I was his A.D.C. for a time. Rum bird, old Blackie.”
“Can I get you a drink?” Greg asked.
“Very handsome of you. I’ll have a stengah if you don’t mind.”
“That’s scotch and soda, isn’t it?”
“Little scotch, lot of soda. Got to keep the old waterworks going in this climate.”
“Oh yes, I see.” Greg was having trouble placing Captain Lukey’s accent. Behind the stage British there was another intonation that he could not identify. Colonel Soames could have told him that it came from Liverpool.
“You know,” said Captain Lukey, “lots of people say business before pleasure.” He sat down heavily. “Never been able to understand it myself. But then people say all sorts of things they’ve never thought about. They’ve got rule of thumb minds. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“Is the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle a straight line?”
“It is.”
“And the sum of the lengths of the other two sides is greater?”
“Yes.”
Captain Lukey gave him a cunning leer. “Yet the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. How do you account for that?”
“Euclid accounted for it quite satisfactorily.” Greg put some more soda in the Captain’s drink. He was wondering if the man were as sober as he had at first appeared to be.
“Euclid!” The Captain laughed shortly, as if Greg had mentioned some long-discredited mutual acquaintance, and glanced over his shoulder at Tan Yam Heng. “You never bothered your head about that sort of thing, eh, Tan?”
“I do not understand.” Tan Yam Heng had stationed himself in front of the door like a character in a trench-coat melodrama.
The Captain eyed him sourly. “I’ll bet you don’t. Shortest distances, maybe. Straight lines? Don’t make me laugh.”
“Are you meaning to insult me, Captain?”
“Me? Perish the thought.”
Greg finished mixing the drinks and crossed over to them.
“Shall we talk business?” he said. There was a touch of impatience in his voice that he could not quite conceal.
Captain Lukey chuckled. “That’s what I like,” he said; “American hustle. Okay, brother, where do we go from here? You name it.”
He was speaking now with what he evidently imagined to be an American accent.
Greg smiled. “All right. I understand you’re in the market for small arms and ammunition. Did Mr. Tan show you a list of the stuff I have in bond here?”
“Yup,” said Captain Lukey sportively.
“He’s told you the price?”
“Yup.”
“And I gather you’re interested.”
“Nope.”
Greg stared at him coldly. “Then, why are you here?”
“Because I just might become interested.” He had abandoned his American accent.
“In what circumstances?”
“Well, if the stuff were really new and not reconditioned, for instance.”
“You can inspect it.”
“And if you cut your asking price by fifty per cent, so that I could make a reasonable offer at something like the current market price.”
“There is no current market price.”
“Mr. Nilsen, I’m just a simple soldier, but even I know better than that. I can buy rifles at twenty dollars apiece.”
“Then you should.”
“I’m not all that interested in rifles. Now, if you were to put a fair price on the machine pistols, we might talk. As it is …” He broke off, swallowed the rest of his drink and got to his feet. “Tell you what. You think it over and we’ll be in touch tomorrow. What do you say?”
“I might come down a little, but the price’ll still be in the same range.”
Captain Lukey nodded, almost appreciatively. “Well,” he said, “there’s no taste in nothing.”
Greg found the statement obscure, but he, too, nodded. The Captain wrung his hand and went, exuding goodwill.
The moment the door had shut Tan Yam Heng went to it, listened and then flung it open suddenly.
The corridor outside was empty. Tan shut the door again and turned to Greg.
“Of course, he is bluffing,” he said.
“How far? You did check the going prices thoroughly, I suppose?”
“Oh yes. If he does not come back to us it will only be because he does not have the money to pay.”
“What happens in that case ?”
Tan looked shifty. “There is another buyer, but he is away in Macao at present.”
“When’s he coming back?”
“Next week, perhaps.”
“Well, he won’t find me here. All right, Mr. Tan, we’ll check in the morning.”
When he had gone Dorothy came out of the bedroom.
“What a curious man,” she said. “Do you think he really is a British officer?”
“Why not? I’ve met some pretty curious American officers in my time. Why shouldn’t the British Army have some dogs, too ?”
The telephone rang. Greg answered it.
“Mr. Nilsen?” It was Captain Lukey.
“Yes.”
“I’m speaking from downstairs. I wonder if I could slip up and see you again for a tick.”
“Very well.”
“Be up in a brace of shakes.”
Greg looked at Dorothy. “Lukey again.”
“I’ll go back into the bedroom.”
“No, you stay here.”
Captain Lukey returned looking bland and businesslike. When he saw Dorothy, however, he became stickily gallant.
“Well, this is a del
ightful surprise. I’d no idea.”
Dorothy said: “How do you do, Captain?”
The Captain did not miss the lack of warmth in her tone. “Terribly sorry to butt in like this, Mrs. Nilsen. Frightfully bad form, but I did want another word with your good husband. Ghastly shop talk, I’m afraid.”
Dorothy sat down. “That’s quite all right, Captain.”
“I’m afraid Tan’s not here,” said Greg.
“I know. Saw him go.” The Captain smiled boyishly. “As a matter of fact I waited downstairs until he did.”
“Oh?”
“Mind if I sit down?”
“Do.”
“You see, it was a bit awkward.”
“What was?”
The Captain smoothed his moustache. “Well, it’s a funny sort of game, this. I didn’t know quite what to expect here. No offence meant, of course. As soon as I met you I knew that you were a good type.” He hesitated.
“But… ?” said Greg encouragingly.
“Well, as I say, it’s awkward.” Captain Lukey gave the impression of a simple man wrestling with an unfamiliar problem in ethics. “I’m no saint myself, and if you tell me to run along and mind my own confounded business, I’ll understand, but I do think white men ought to stick together a bit. Nothing against Asians, mind you, but, well sometimes …” He broke off, his pale, anxious eye searching Greg’s face for understanding.
“Captain, if you’ll just tell me what you’re talking about.”
The Captain turned apologetically to Dorothy. “So sorry about all this, Mrs. Nilsen.”
Dorothy smiled sweetly. “Oh, I’m just as interested as my husband.”
The Captain did not seem reassured. He went on with knitted brow. “Well, it’s awkward, you see,” he said again; and then appeared to make up his mind. “Look, Nilsen, man to man, how long have you known this fellow Tan?”
“Three days. Why?”
“I see. Thought it might be like that.”
“Like what?”
“Nilsen, I’m not asking you how you came to meet him or who put him in touch with you or who recommended him as a contact man.” He paused and then added somewhat unexpectedly: “Ask no questions and you’ll be told no lies, I always say.”
Greg shrugged. “I may not answer your questions, Captain, but I’m certainly not going to lie to you.”
