Grogan didn’t say anything. He took out his soiled handkerchief and mopped his brow.
“Thirty seconds,” said Harry. “Thirty seconds to decide either way.”
Grogan’s tic leaped madly.
“Ten seconds left. Five.”
“I’ll stay.”
“Off the sauce?”
“Yes.”
“But you had better know one thing, Grogan. If you blow this, I’ll kill you. Understood?”
“Yes, Harry.”
“Then you and the kid get on with your business.”
“Sure, Harry.”
We went over to the air-conditioning place Grogan had located. Grogan represented himself as the engineer for a twelve-story condominium that was to be built out at Coral Ridge. He talked thermostatic tensions and hydraulic pressures until we were all hanging on the ropes. The owner was only too glad to leave us alone while we inspected the machinery.
“Take off that inspection plate, Clay.”
I removed the four screws that were exactly similar to those I had checked on the roof of the casino. Grogan timed me while I did it. The screws came out in less than a minute. Inside was a lot of internal plumbing that meant nothing to me.
“This valve and nozzle are the only ones you have to remember, Clay. Close off this valve and screw on the hose leading from the gas cylinder. Open the valve and in she goes. When you have exhausted the cylinder, close off the valve and then repeat the process with the second cylinder. Any questions?”
“No.”
“Good lad.” He was beginning to recover some of his poise. Or maybe the hangover was wearing off.
The owner returned and Grogan thanked him and said we would be in touch. We took a cab back to Grogan’s hotel, and he had me try on the air-conditioning repairman’s jumper. It was a gray coverall, a little small but a close enough fit. ACME AIR-CONDITIONING REPAIR was stenciled on the back.
“What about tools?” I said.
He produced a neat little canvas bag containing a flashlight, screwdriver, hammer, chisel, hacksaw blade, and adjustable wrench.
“Will that do?” he asked.
“If we can’t get the plate off with that we might as well forget it.”
“Right.”
“Do you think it will be tonight?”
“I think so.”
“Then I’d better get back to the boat.”
“How does Charity seem today? Was she upset by what happened last night?”
“She seems fine.”
“What a lovely child,” said Grogan.
I took the tools and the jumper back to the boat. Harry and Miss Wong and Charity were flaked out in their respective sacks. How could they remain so calm? Just thinking about what was coming up in a few hours made my palms sweat and my heart race.
Harry woke up and said, “Wong!”
She opened one beautiful almond-shaped eye. “Yes, Harry?”
“Let’s dye this goddamn beard.”
She produced a bottle of Clairol dye and wrapped a towel around his neck and began to dye his hair and beard. It was a black dye and as soon as it went on it seemed to change his whole personality. The red hair made him look as though he was about to explode. As soon as the black went on he looked just like any other man with a black beard.
“What about it, Number Three? Make a difference?”
“I would never know you.”
“Good.”
“Something has occurred to me, Harry.”
“What’s that, sonny boy?” He was obviously in a good mood. I think the prospect of action pleased him.
“What happens if somebody in there wakes up while all this is going on? I mean it’s just possible that not everybody will be equally sensitive to the gas.”
“True enough.”
“So what do you do then? Go around bopping them on the head? What if they all begin to wake up at the same time?”
“For one thing I show them this.” He reached inside the companionway hatch and produced a big black pistol. Miss Wong scowled. “Where did you get that?”
“Burger. It’s the one he tried to plug me with.”
“You told me there wouldn’t be any guns.”
“There won’t.” He spun the cylinder to show us that all the chambers were empty. “I won’t have to shoot anybody, just show it to them.”
“Well, even so I don’t approve,” she said.
“How do you expect to carry a thing like that inside a Nehru jacket?” I said.
“I don’t. You’ll carry it.”
“Me?”
“You’ll take it over in that bag of tools. When you’re up on the roof you’ll lower it down on a piece of string to just outside the men’s room window. When I want it I’ll reach out and take it.”
“Suppose somebody else happens to notice it before you do?”
“They won’t. It’s a louvred window with frosted glass, and it’s kept closed because of the air conditioning.”
I couldn’t think of any more objections. I didn’t like the idea of his playing around with guns anymore than did Miss Wong, but there was nothing I could say. We let it go at that.
The remainder of the day was spent in trying to keep our cool. Miss Wong showed no emotion. She played with Ho and napped and read. Harry fiddled around with a self-steering windvane for the boat. It was made of plywood set up on a drum and attached to the wheel by lines running through pulleys. He fooled with it for several hours during which time he hardly spoke. Charity and I took our face masks and cruised around over the coral, looking down at the little tropical fish that scurried away at our approach. I was very glad to be in the water because that way nobody could see how nervous I was. It had been agreed beforehand that both Grogan and Burger would stay away from the Jezebel so as not to attract attention to themselves or us.
Miss Wong had prepared a fancy dinner but I could not eat. The food stuck in my throat. I kept thinking about what would happen if for any reason I could not free the screws in the inspection plate or if somebody were to see me lowering that damn gun from the roof or if any one of five hundred other things were to go wrong. I tried hard to put it all out of my mind, but had no luck.
The hours dragged by. The sun seemed stuck in the sky, but at last it dropped down behind the bridge and the air grew cooler. Harry turned in for a nap. I could not understand how he could sleep at a time like that but he seemed to have no trouble.
At ten o’clock we got up and began to dress. Harry took a quick dip over the side and then put on his Nehru jacket and black silk trousers. The black beard and the high collar gave him the look of a Russian. Miss Wong was gorgeous in the gold lamé sheath. She wore nothing at all under the dress and everything showed. I rowed them ashore and then went back for my tools, tanks, and uniform. I put the pistol into the bag and zipped it up.
Charity said, “Good luck, Clay.”
I couldn’t answer. My mouth was too dry.
She said, “Would you like a puff or two of grass before you go?”
I shook my head.
She put her arm around me and pressed her cheek to mine. I stepped into the raft and she handed the stuff down to me.
“Cheers,” she said.
“Cheers.”
I rowed away from the boat. Each stroke seemed to be taking me closer to eternity. She waved at me and I nodded my head.
It was very dark on the water. I stayed away from the lights of the bridge and made for a little wooded point just north of Hurricane Hole. The raft grounded on the sand and I got out and pulled it well up onto the beach. It was ten-fifteen by Burger’s watch. We had agreed that I would be on the roof at eleven sharp. I slung the tools over my shoulder and hefted the tanks. The load staggered me, but I had made up my mind not to take two trips if it could be avoided. The less exposure I had around the casino the better.
The parking lot was already full of cars and I made a wide detour to avoid meeting anyone. I kept off the road and it was heavy going
on the soft footing among the pines. Rivers of sweat seemed to be pouring off me and I could feel the jumper sticking to my back. Too bad I hadn’t accepted Charity’s offer of a little grass. It would have calmed me. Maybe too much though. This was hardly the time to be stoned.
No one saw me. Or if they did, they paid no attention. My back was breaking. The cylinders felt as though they had been filled with lead instead of gas. I staggered on. Made it to the corner of the building and collapsed. Dropped the load with a crash and lay there gasping. Looked at the time. Fifteen minutes to go. Panicked. Began dragging the stuff up the stairway regardless of noise and concealment. Got it all up and hauled across the rooftop. Crouched behind the retaining wall and saw Burger’s Whaler at the pier. Harry helping Miss Wong and Carole Burger ashore. Burger making fast. Harry glancing in my direction. Where was Grogan? Not my problem.
Ran back and prepared to tackle the inspection plate. The first screw went easily enough. So did the second and third. But the fourth was frozen. Oh God there had to be one! It couldn’t have gone all that easily. Banged and twisted. Easy now before you chew up the head altogether. Oh and the damn gun. Almost forgot. Wrenched it out of the bag and tied the cord and ran over to the edge of the roof. Hardly mattered now if anyone saw me. No time to worry about it. Plunge ahead. Harry and the others are inside now waiting. Christ, there are two sets of louvered windows below. Which the men’s room? What if I get the ladies’ room instead? Why the hell didn’t Harry think of that? Damn and blast. Something moving down there. The window slot turning slightly. Or is it my imagination? Flicked on the penlight flash. Tiny beam of light directed down. Sure enough. One of the windows opened a crack and then turned inwards. Music from the hotel. Cars streaming in along the path. Gleam of headlights flicking by. That has got to be Harry moving the window to signal me. All right then to hell with it, take a chance. Let the cord take the heavy dead weight of the pistol and lowered it down until it was on a level with the slightly opened pane. Saw a hand reach out and drag it in. Scurried back to the air conditioner.
Fought with that infernal screw. Could not budge it. Wanted to weep. Five minutes left. Nothing for it now but to cut the damn head off. Whipped out the hacksaw blade and began sawing away. Cannot make an impression. Is the damn thing stainless steel? There she goes. First cut. A spray can of oil somewhere in the bag. Ripped it out and doused the whole thing. Blade goes easier now. Blood from my fingers. To hell with it. Only a thread left now. Whacked it off. Shoved the screwdriver blade under the edge of the plate and lifted. Sticking to some kind of gasket underneath. Ripped it off. Two minutes left. Closed the valve and opened the nozzle. Screwed on the tank fitting as Grogan had told me. A minute and a half to go. Time to breathe.
Peeked over the wall. Good God, Miss Wong right below me. Not twenty feet away. Chatting with the guard per instructions. Fanning herself. One shoulder strap down. Dress about to fall off. Swear I can see one nipple. Guard sees it too. Hypnotized. We could carry off the whole building and he would not know it.
Thirty seconds to go. Jumper as wet as if I had been swimming. But not so nervous now. The worst of my part is over. Shove in the gas and wait to see what happens. From now on it’s up to someone else.
The second hand seemed to stick. Stood still. Moved an eighth of an inch. The longest seconds in the world. Now!
Cracked the valve. Opened it slowly. Watched the pressure hand. Seventy-two pounds. Heard the hissing of the tank. Five minutes now. I tried to visualize the gas making its way through the pipes. The machine was making an awful racket. Had it been that noisy before? Wouldn’t this be a great time for the whole silly bag of tricks to break down? I tried to picture Harry and Grogan sitting in their pews in the crapper wearing gas masks. Waiting for the gas that never came. Plunging out gun in hand expecting to find them all flat. It was a funny picture. I began to laugh nervously and it very nearly got away from me. Another minute and I would be roaring. I shoved my fist hard up against my mouth to stop it.
Band still playing. All peaceful. Regular country club dance. Pressed my ear to the roof to see if I could hear anything below. Nothing but the rumble of the air conditioner. Checked the valve. Tank running low. I did not wait for it to run out but quickly screwed in the next one.
Found my mind wandering. Thinking of Mary Ann Mobley and drive-ins and summer nights. Ought to send her a postcard with an X marking the roof of the casino.
Having lovely time. Wish you were here. Or better yet my long black darling Elvira McGee. What if she were up here on the roof with me now? We could while away these endless minutes. Would she do it here on this sun-warmed concrete? Crazy sexual fantasies began spinning through my head like carts on a roller coaster. Miss McGee in this position or that one. Her soft warm lips enveloping me. Now Miss Wong—the feel of her naked breast against my arm. Now both. Hips, thighs, bottoms. I was confronted by a gigantic hard-on. Ought to do something about it. What a place, what a time. One hand for the ship and one for yourself. Have to check the damn tank. Almost gone. Christ! I lugged the third one into position. There ought to be enough gas in that room now to lay out a regiment. Was that laughter I heard? Were they all bombed out of their minds down there? Nitrous oxide was laughing gas. Were five hundred people laughing their heads off while Harry went around robbing them? This could be the most laughable hold up in history. Maybe I had gotten a whiff or two myself. I felt silly enough. Possibly there was a leak around the valve. I checked the fitting and found it tight.
Peeked over the rim. Miss Wong nowhere in sight. Nor the guard. Were they off in the bushes somewhere? I felt a twinge of jealousy. She didn’t have to take her work that seriously.
The minutes dragged by and there was still not a sound to indicate that anything was going on. The last tank was half gone. I felt completely isolated and I began to wonder if I hadn’t dreamt the whole thing. Maybe for one reason or another they had decided to call if off. Left me here alone. I broke out into a fresh sweat at the thought. How long would it be before somebody came rushing up to the roof to find out what was going on? I would plead temporary insanity. Tell them I was stoned. Protest against the war? Black power? Anti-vivisection?
I had an almost overpowering urge to dash down the stairs and make a run for it. There was still time to get away. Ran back to the wall and peeked over. Charity running along the road. Hair down. Dress torn. Face bone-white. What in the name of all of Harry’s bloody blue sea gods was she doing here?
And as if in answer the door below me opened at that moment and out came Harry still wearing his mask and waving his gun. He was carrying a canvas bag which, I supposed, held the loot. And right behind him, also masked, came Grogan. Far away as I was and black as it was I could almost see the little man tremble.
Things began to happen very fast after that. The first thing, Charity screamed. I saw her mouth open and then I heard the sound, a sort of shrill awful yelp. Harry swung around with the gun in his hand and glared at her. And at that moment the guard popped out of the bushes with Miss Wong right behind him. Dazed as he was by Miss Wong, it didn’t take him long to react to the sight of Harry standing there in a mask with a gun in his hand. He didn’t wait ten seconds to find out what was going on. I heard the bang and whistle and whine as a bullet bounced off the parapet just below my head. Was he a plain lousy shot or was he shooting at me? Harry didn’t wait to find out. He ripped off the mask and went down the road like a scalded cat. Charity screamed again but he ignored her. And the gun in the guard’s hand whanged and walloped. And Harry kept on going. And Charity, who had been between Harry and the guard, was on the ground.
I am not sure exactly what happened after that. I mean I was watching it and I was part of it but I felt numb and not exactly responsible for my own actions. I just left all the junk where it was and went down the steps three at a time. When I reached the bottom I still had enough sense to try to get rid of the jumper. I unzipped it, ripped it off, rolled it into a ball, and tossed it into the bushes. T
hen I took off, crashing like a bear through the undergrowth beside the road. That was when I realized for the first time that Charity had been shot.
At first I figured she had just dropped to the ground the way any sensible person would under those conditions. But there was more to it than that, something kind of loose and unnatural in the way she was lying. It brought me up short. I mean I didn’t owe her anything and for that matter I hardly knew her, but I couldn’t just leave her lying there. We had probably saved her life when we took her aboard and isn’t it the Indians or the Polynesians or somebody who say that when you save a person’s life you are responsible for them? On the other hand if she hadn’t come to the casino when she wasn’t supposed to and if she hadn’t screamed when it was about the last thing anybody wanted, the whole thing might have gone off without any shooting.
I hesitated long enough to miss the boat. I mean that just the way it sounds because the way it turned out Harry took off without ever once looking back. Not at me or Grogan or Charity or Miss Wong. Actually I think it was Grogan who saved Harry’s bacon. Poor little Grogan, the born loser. He must have turned back about the same time I did, or maybe sooner, when he saw Charity fall. And in all the excitement he was still wearing his mask. When I peered through the bushes I saw him bending over her holding her head in his arms. There was no sign at all of Miss Wong.
About that time people began running in from all directions. Out of cars and from the gardens and the hotel. The band was still playing as if nothing had happened but more and more people seemed to be getting the word. Not out of the casino though. That place was still like a tomb and I wondered if they were all dead.
There was nothing I could do for Grogan or Charity. So I ran on down toward the dock where Burger had tied the Whaler. Just in time to see him go roaring up the channel with all lights blazing. He had no way of knowing that anything had gone wrong and was operating on schedule. The guard who had shot Charity was down there too with the gun still in his hand, and I think he may have fired off a slug or two in Burger’s direction. At least it sounded that way, although I couldn’t be sure what with all the general uproar. Anyway, Burger kept going at like forty miles an hour. If Harry was there on the shore he was well hidden.
Harry & the Bikini Bandits Page 10
