‘Solomon said there was a snatch threat,’ Frost said. ‘Right?’
‘That’s the reason for this operation.’ Marvin took a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket and offered it. They lit up. ‘I’ll put you in the photo. Grandi — he’s the boss — has lots of dollars. Just to give you an idea, if he lost five million, it would be the same as you losing twenty cents, and I’m not kidding. Five months ago, when he was in Rome, an attempt was made to kidnap his daughter. Let me tell you about her. She’s young, something to look at, spoilt, a bit of a hellion, and until this kidnap attempt, had the run of Rome. Grandi is besotted with her. The kidnap attempt scared the crap out of him. It ended with four thugs getting killed and two cops died later. Grandi decided to get his daughter out of Italy. He rented this place, fixed the security and the daughter now lives here.’ Marvin grimaced. ‘I’m sorry for her. She is virtually a prisoner. She never leaves the island. She has swimming in the pool, two new movies a week, and TV, but that is a hell of a bore after living wild in Rome. Grandi visits her every six weeks. Old Creepy makes sure she remains on the island, and makes sure you and I do our job.’ He looked at Frost. ‘Got the photo?’
Frost waved to the TV monitors and the panel.
‘So all I have to do is sit tight here and watch? Suppose the red comes up?’
Marvin pointed to a door.
‘That leads into the living quarters of the villa. You don’t use it unless the red goes up. If it does, you grab an automatic rifle and go to the bottom of the stairs, leading to the sleeping quarters. You stay right there so no one gets up to Gina’s room — that’s the daughter. When the red light goes up, the cophouse is alerted, and within a couple of minutes, the cops arrive.’
‘And the dogs tear them apart.’
‘The dogs are well trained. If they haven’t already fixed any intruder, then another red light goes up. There is an electronically controlled whistle that only the dogs can hear, and when they hear it, they go back to their compound and the gate automatically shuts. Give or take, five minutes, you’ll have the cops in your lap, and I’ll be around too.’
‘Sounds as if I’m going to earn my bread the easy way.’
‘Sounds like it, doesn’t it? The trick is always to be alert so Old Creepy doesn’t stick a knife into you, and don’t kid yourself it’s easy to stay alert through a long, dull night.’
Frost shrugged.
‘I’ve had worse jobs. Talking about jobs, did Joe Solomon fix you here?’
Marvin shook his head.
‘I don’t give ten percent of what I earn to a smart shyster. I was a State trooper for fifteen years. My wife and I fell out.’ He took a drink and grimaced. ‘I guess we got married too young. On my own, I found it was no fun being a cop in a rented bungalow. I got talking to Tom Lepski, a good friend of mine. He’s a first grade detective at the cophouse. He told me about Grandi needing a bodyguard. I sold myself to Old Creepy and got the job, and I fixed Joe Davis, a buddy of mine, to be second guard. I earn eight hundred a week. I have a cabin to live in with a Jap to take care of me. All meals — and good ones — are provided.’ He grinned. ‘As long as it lasts, it’s the best.’
Frost mentally noted that Marvin didn’t belong to the ‘fast buck’ people. They finished their beers, then Marvin got to his feet.
‘I’ll show you your cabin.’
Frost followed him around the back of the villa, past a vast swimming pool, equipped with lounging chairs and a bar where a small Japanese, in a white coat, was rinsing glasses. He eyed Frost, then bowed to him.
‘That’s Suka. He looks after us,’ Marvin said, without stopping. He went down a narrow path. They hadn’t gone far before they heard the savage, spine-chilling sound of barking dogs.
Around a bend in the lane, they came upon a wired-in compound where four enormous Doberman Pinschers stood in a threatening row, barking and snarling.
‘Wrap up!’ Marvin shouted at them, and the dogs immediately became silent, their eyes on Frost.
‘Keep clear of them,’ Marvin said. ‘They are killers.’
Frost believed him.
Passing the compound, they came on two wooden cabins.
‘This is yours. The one next is mine.’
Marvin pushed open a door, and they entered a big living room, comfortably furnished, plus a TV set and a stereo radio, then through to a big bedroom, a well-equipped bathroom and kitchenette.
‘Nice, huh?’
Frost looked around. It was more than nice: it was luxe.
‘Just one thing to remember,’ Marvin said, his expression serious. ‘No women here, even if you could smuggle a woman in which you can’t.’
Frost nodded, thinking what a hell of a waste of a luxe cabin.
‘I hear you,’ he said.
‘When you are on day shift, which will be next week, you clock off at 20.00, then your time’s your own, but you must be back here by 02.00, that’s danger time, but be back before, in case Old Creepy checks.’
‘How about transport?’
‘There’s a T.R.7 in the garage. We share it.’
‘So I drive back late and get chewed up by the dogs.’
Marvin grinned.
‘No problem. You keep the car windows closed and drive straight into the garage. The door is electronically controlled. Maybe the dogs will bark around the car, but they have been trained not to enter the garage. When the door shuts, you get out, and there’s a door from the garage into your cabin.’
‘Quite a setup.’
‘I guess.’ Marvin shoved his hat to the back of his head. ‘Well, Mike, you’d better get your uniform, and then go to the cophouse for your pistol permit. Harris on Trueman Avenue will fit you out. He knows what you’ll want. Get back here around 19.00. We’ll have dinner together in the guardroom. You won’t complain about the food. You take what comes, but it’s always good. I guess that’s it. I’ll get back on the job. See you,’ and nodding, he left.
Frost drove the VW to the outfitters and came away with three sets of uniform and an Australian style hat. Then he went to the policehouse and picked up his pistol permit, then he drove to the Sea Motel, settled his check, got a taxi and was driven back to the Grandi estate.
He felt relaxed and happy. He thought of Marcia. She had done him a good turn. At six hundred a week and all found, on the face of it, the job appeared to be a beautiful steal.
Long may it last, he thought as the taxi took him towards Paradise Largo. Man! Am I on the gravy train!
Gravy train?
He was to find out later how wrong he could be.
Tough as he was, money conscious as he was, if he could have looked into a crystal ball and seen what was coming, he would have got the hell out of Paradise City on the first available plane.
Two
Frost looked at his strap watch. The time was 01.15. He yawned, rubbed his eyes, and yawned again. He should have gone to bed early the previous night, he told himself, instead of lying on the beach until midnight. He had another seven hours before Marvin relieved him. It had been a mistake to have eaten that excellent, but heavy meal of beef fillet cut in fine slices and done in some rich sauce. Maybe he shouldn’t have drunk three bottles of beer.
The four colour TV monitors had a soporific effect. The pictures kept changing, showing various parts of the island, mostly dense foliage. A couple of times, he caught sight of a dog, but the rest was green and trees. He felt his head fall forward and he jerked himself upright.
If you want to keep this job, don’t go to sleep.
Well, he had been warned. Making an effort, he got to his feet and began to walk around the room. He told himself he had better not sit down again, but grimaced at the thought of pacing up and down for the next seven hours.