by Mark Timlin
‘I don’t know. I told you, I haven’t seen anyone this morning.’
‘Except a pair of crooks.’
‘Except a pair of crooks,’ I agreed,
‘Get out now, will you?’ she said. ‘I have to think.’
I couldn’t blame her for being miffed, so I went.
22
I sat in my own apartment like a naughty boy being sent to bed early. I didn’t like it, believe me. I sulked and smoked a cigarette and drank a beer from the ice box. An hour later the internal telephone rang. It was David Pike. He’d obviously been tracked down wherever he’d been and dragged home. He sounded well pissed off. ‘Will you come to the morning room?’ he asked.
‘Of course,’ I said and hung up. I put on a jacket and went downstairs. David and Elizabeth were waiting for me. The atmosphere in the room was so thick you almost needed a blow torch to get in. Elizabeth looked as raw as a bitten nail. David was as dapper as ever. He was standing by the window, done up to the nines in a charcoal grey double-breasted suit that fitted so well I suspected the hand of divinity in the tailoring. The look he gave me made me feel about as welcome as broken glass in baby food.
‘What’s all this nonsense I’ve been hearing?’ he snapped as soon as I had closed the door behind me.
‘I don’t know,’ I replied. ‘What particular nonsense are you referring to?’
‘You know very well,’ he said. ‘My sister, where is she?’
‘Your guess is as good as mine. She’s not here, is she?’ He was beginning to get right up my nose and I wasn’t about to be helpful.
‘Stop it, both of you,’ interrupted Elizabeth with a voice that was only a hair’s breadth away from cracking up. ‘It’s Catherine you’re talking about. She’s been kidnapped and all you’re interested in is scoring points off each other.’ She was more on top of the situation than I’d thought she’d be, and perfectly correct.
‘Okay,’ I said and told David what Vincent had told me, and the kidnappers’ demands. He looked at me all the time I was speaking, then went to the telephone and summoned Vincent. The chauffeur came into the room looking like he’d lost a tenner and found something nasty. He told his story too. And while he was talking, I smoked a cigarette and watched the smoke hover in the corners of the room like the ghosts of good intentions.
When Vincent had finished, David dismissed him perfunctorily and got back to me and Elizabeth. ‘Who are these people?’ he asked.
Elizabeth looked at me, then down to the floor and finally straight at David. ‘They’re people Catherine knows.’
‘People she knows?’
‘People from her past.’
‘Christ,’ he said. ‘But why kidnap her?’
‘Money. That’s what it always is with us, money.’
He didn’t argue. ‘She brought them here.’
‘They followed her.’
‘Why?’
‘They say she owes them money.’
‘What for?’
‘Blackmail.’
‘Over what?’
‘I can’t tell you.’
‘Then I can’t pay.’
‘Tell him,’ I said.
So she did. The whole story again and I smoked another cigarette as she did so.
At the conclusion of the story David slammed a clenched fist into an open palm and Elizabeth jumped, and so did I a bit.
‘I’m going to the police,’ he said.
‘No,’ said Elizabeth. ‘Get the money and pay.’
‘Are you serious? I don’t have access to that sort of cash.’
‘Get access then. She’s your sister.’
For a moment I thought he was going to refuse. They stared at each other until I thought the air would crack with the vehemence in their gaze. Finally David dropped his eyes. ‘And if I can?’
‘Then Mr Sharman waits for those men to contact him and he takes the money to them and gets Catherine back.’
‘You mean you intend to let him walk out of here with a suitcase containing one million pounds in cash. The man’s no better than a crook himself.’ He didn’t look at me as he spoke.
I didn’t say anything.
‘He’s perfect, then,’ said Elizabeth. ‘At least he’s got a chance of getting her back.’
‘I don’t believe I’m hearing this, Elizabeth,’ he went on as if she hadn’t spoken. ‘Since Catherine came into this family’s life there’s been nothing but trouble.’
It was Elizabeth’s turn to ignore his remark. ‘The money goes with Mr Sharman,’ she said.
‘And we don’t tell the police?’ said David.
‘That’s what the kidnappers want.’
‘I’m sure they do.’ He almost choked.
‘If it’s any consolation,’ I said, ‘I told Miss Pike not to pay, but she wouldn’t listen.’
‘I just bet you did,’ said David. ‘How do we know you’re not involved in all this? Why do they only communicate through you?’
‘I’m not a thief, Mr Pike, or a kidnapper. It’s not my game,’ I said. ‘And I resent the implications of that remark.’ Blimey, I was starting to sound like a brief. ‘I don’t know why they communicate only through me.’ Although I had a shrewd idea that they were doing it because they thought I was as bent as David Pike thought I was, and in so bad with the law that I wouldn’t share anything with them. ‘I’m happy to leave the whole thing to you. I don’t think you should pay because once you’ve paid, you may pay again and again. I think you should go to the police with what we have and let them take over. They have the resources.’
‘No,’ interrupted Elizabeth. ‘The police will screw it up and Catherine may die.’
‘She may die anyway,’ I said.
David went back to the telephone. He tapped out a number and waited while the connection was made. ‘David Pike,’ he said into the mouthpiece. ‘I want a million pounds by close of business today. I want it in used fifty-pound notes, no consecutive numbers. I want it packed into a suitcase and I want it delivered here under armed guard. I want the guard to stay with it until further notice.’ He paused. ‘I don’t know for how long. Get the security firm to lay on shifts of men.’ He paused again. ‘Don’t bother me with details,’ he barked. ‘Just do it.’ And he slammed down the phone so hard I half expected the plastic to split. He looked at Elizabeth. ‘I hope you’re satisfied,’ he said and walked out of the room.
23
I looked at Elizabeth and she looked at me. ‘You’re in business,’ I said.
‘The money’s not here yet.’
‘It will be. And now I’m going upstairs. I need some time to think. See you later.’
I walked out of the morning room and took the lift. The house was quiet apart from the constant hum of the traffic from outside. I closed and locked my door behind me, lit a cigarette and went and sat next to the telephone. I called Endesleigh. He was at his desk. ‘Fancy a drink?’ I asked.
‘I’m busy.’
‘You’ll be busier.’
‘Why?’
‘Something heavy is about to go down.’
‘When?’
‘Soon, maybe tonight.’
‘Where?’
‘Here, where else?’
He hesitated. ‘Can you give me an hour? I’m tied up now. How about lunch?’
‘An hour’s okay. Where?’
‘You can get a decent steak and kidney pudding at The Sun in Dover Street.’
‘This weather?’
‘Any weather.’
‘I’ll stick to the seafood salad,’ I said.
‘Seafood’s for wimps.’
‘So they tell me. What time?’
‘Twelve thirty. Then we can be sure of a seat.’
‘See you then,’ I said and broke the connection.
He was waiting in the basement bar next to the restaurant when I arrived. The newshounds had indeed gone from Curzon Street. If they had known what I knew they would have been round in droves.
En
desleigh ordered me a beer. I had draught because at least I knew it would be cold. ‘I’ve got a table,’ he said and took me through to the restaurant. We were put in a corner where it was quiet. I studied the menu. ‘Christ, what am I doing?’
‘What’s up?’
‘Catherine Pike has been kidnapped and I’m debating between prawn and scampi.’
Endesleigh looked sharply at me. ‘Come again?’
‘Catherine Pike was snatched this morning from the back of that big Rolls limo. The kidnappers want a million quid. They’ve chosen me as their liaison in the house.’
‘If you’re kidding me …’
‘No jokes,’ I said.
‘When did this happen?’
‘Nine, or thereabouts.’
‘Who took her?’
‘The Aussies who visited me the night before last.’
‘Terrific,’ he said. After a moment he continued, ‘Have you found out anything about these mysterious Australians? Like the other two’s names, for instance?’
‘No,’ I said. ‘How about you?’
‘Not a thing. As you said, they didn’t leave a trail.’ He sipped his drink. ‘Why has no one informed us about Catherine Pike’s kidnap?’
‘I believe I just did.’
‘Formally, not over fucking lunch, Sharman.’
‘You’re not going to be told formally. Elizabeth Pike is taking care of it. The money is being gathered together now.’
‘I didn’t think she had that sort of cash.’
‘She doesn’t. David Pike organised it. He’s going to pay.’
‘Like hell he is.’
‘That’s the way they want it.’
‘It’s not the way I want it.’
‘And I work for them. If they knew that I was talking to you, I’d be out on my ear. Then you’d have no one on the inside. Calm down and listen. If we work this right, we can both get what we want.’
‘Which is?’
‘I want Catherine Pike back safe and sound. You’ll get the kidnappers and the people who killed Leee the other night.’
‘Tell me more.’
‘I will, give me time. But first I want to be sure you don’t go charging in this afternoon with all guns blazing. They’ve got someone in the house who passes on all the news.’
‘Who?’
‘I’m not sure.’
‘Terrific. When do you do the swap?’
I shrugged. ‘Don’t know yet. They’re calling me tonight to check the cash has arrived. They’ll tell me then.’
‘I could put a trace on the line.’
‘And that’ll blow everything and Catherine will be further up shit street than she is now. Besides, they’ll probably use a portable. These boys aren’t exactly green.’
‘Christ,’ he said. ‘This could be more than my job’s worth, you know that. And if it all goes wrong, you still come up smelling of roses.’
Roses always made me think of bad things but I didn’t mention it. ‘Hardly,’ I said. ‘It’s not something I contemplate being easy to live with.’
‘My heart bleeds,’ he said sarcastically.
‘But I am sure that if you go dancing into that house, Catherine Pike will die,’ I said. And my blood went colder than the ice where the seafood was nestling, waiting to be laid out like the little corpses they were on a plate of salad. ‘It’s up to you, Inspector,’ I said. ‘It’s her life in your hands.’
‘So what do you suggest?’
‘I suggest we wait until the contact is made. No one knows that I’m collaborating with you. Exactly the opposite in fact. I fix up the meet with the Australians and you wait with your blue-bereted friends. When I turn up, we close the net on this little firm once and for all.’
‘I hope you’re right,’ he said.
‘Not as much as I do.’
We ordered lunch, although I wasn’t hungry, and went round the track a few more times and finally Endesleigh agreed against his better judgement to go along with my idea. There was only one condition. When the kidnappers phoned, I had to speak to Catherine before I agreed to anything. If she wasn’t with them, they had to phone back when she was. Endesleigh insisted. If I had any doubts that she was alive, he was going to go into Curzon Street mob-handed whether I liked it or not.
I left the pub about three. I was sober but dying for a drink and my stomach was jumping like the prawns I’d eaten had been resurrected in my gullet and were doing a quickstep in my guts.
24
I went straight back to the house. Miranda let me in and seemed pleased to see me. I was pleased to see her too. ‘Is Miss Elizabeth in?’ I asked.
‘In her apartment, with Mr David,’ she replied.
I took the lift again and went and knocked on Elizabeth’s door. She opened it. She was dressed all in blue. ‘Can I come in?’ I asked.
‘Of course.’ She stepped away from the door into the room, and I went in after her and closed the door behind me. David was pacing the floor like an expectant father on slimming pills. ‘Where have you been?’ Elizabeth asked.
‘Around and about.’
‘What would have happened if those men had phoned?’
‘They’re phoning tonight. I told you that. Have you got the money?’
‘By close of business, no. But most of it will be here this evening. That’s the best I can do,’ said David.
‘What do you mean, most of it?’
‘Do you know how difficult it is to raise that sort of cash at short notice?’
‘No,’ I replied. I often find it difficult enough to raise the cash for a round of drinks at my local, but I wasn’t about to tell him that.
‘It’s bloody difficult,’ he went on. ‘I’ve had to borrow most of it at a very high rate of interest until I can liquidate some assets.’
‘It is family,’ I said.
‘Bugger the family. As if it wasn’t inconvenient enough that Father died when he did.’
‘It must be a real drag. How much are you short?’
‘Right now, about two hundred K. The balance is coming in from a foreign subsidiary overnight. It should be here by six tomorrow morning, no later. If this gets out, our shares are going to suffer. Christ knows what the City would think.’
Dear, dear, I thought. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another affecting the prices of his bloody shares. ‘It certainly is a sobering thought.’
‘Shut up for God’s sake, Sharman, you’re not helping.’
‘I could care less, but it would be difficult,’ I said. ‘So I tell these jokers when they phone that I can deliver in full tomorrow, after six.’
He nodded.
‘Right,’ I said. ‘I’m going to my room to wait for the call. I’ll talk to you all later.’
Back in my room I kicked off my shoes, sat down and waited for the telephone to ring. I had a long wait. There was only one interruption. David came up at about seven and told me that the bulk of the money had arrived and had been stored in the safe in the study under armed guard.
It was after nine and I’d sent down for some food before the call came. ‘Sharman,’ said the distinctive voice of the ginger-haired Australian. ‘Got the cash?’
‘Not all of it.’
‘If you’re fucking us around …’
‘Take it easy,’ I interrupted. ‘Eight hundred thousand came in earlier this evening. The balance will arrive in the morning.’
‘What time?’
‘Before six.’
‘You’d better be right. I’ll phone you tomorrow at six. I’ll give you your instructions then.’
‘I need to speak to Catherine.’
‘No.’
‘Then no deal. I don’t bring you any money until I know she’s all right. I want to speak to her now and when you call tomorrow.’
I heard the silence grow long down the phone. ‘Okay,’ he said finally. ‘But make it quick.’
There was another longer silence punctuated only by some muffled noises like doors op
ening and footsteps. Then I heard Catherine’s voice, cracked and trembling, but unmistakably her.
‘Nick, help me,’ she said.
‘I will,’ I replied. ‘How are you?’
‘All right. Dry, they gagged me … ’ And she was gone.
‘Satisfied?’ asked the ginger man.
‘You fucker,’ I said and the phone went dead in my hand.
I found Elizabeth and told her the news. ‘Thank God,’ was all she said.
I went back to my apartment and called Endesleigh at his office. ‘It’s on,’ I told him. ‘All the cash will be here tomorrow by six am. The Aussies are going to call me then with instructions.’
‘Catherine Pike?’ he asked.
‘I spoke to her.’
‘And?’
‘She’s alive. She doesn’t sound too bad under the circumstances. She’s shocked and scared and they’ve got her gagged, so I suppose she’s trussed up too. I just hope she can get through the night okay.’
‘Me too. I’m getting everything arranged at this end. I’ll sleep at the station. Get back to me the minute they phone. And whatever the arrangements are, whether it’s a meet a hundred miles away or in Shepherd Market, I’ll have to have time to get my men organised. You’ll have to use delaying tactics without being too obvious. I’m going to assume they’ll lead you a bit of a dance. It depends how paranoid they are and how much TV they watch. They might not even tell you the full arrangements on the first call. It’s possible they’ll send you to a public phone. One thing, I can’t see them coming close to where you are, it’s too risky. They’ll have to consider the chance that you’ve blown the whistle, but there’s enough of the sods to keep you running around all morning and keep an eye on you to make sure you’re alone. Anyway, whatever happens, if it’s humanly possible I want my blokes in front of you, not following. I’ll have a couple of car loads up here out of the way. You say the money will be ready by six. I’ll have my men here at four. Now listen, Sharman, no blind drops. You have to meet them face to face and hand over the money in exchange for Catherine, or no deal, right?’
‘Right,’ I said.
‘And make sure you speak to her in the morning.’
