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‘That’s what I am going to do,’ I said.

‘Right. You are suspended from work for four weeks. You will be paid as usual. Anderson can hold down your job until you return. OK?’

I shook my head.

‘I appreciate this, Colonel, but I am quitting. I am going to start a war that you won’t want to know about. I could even end up in the City’s morgue or in jail so you must not be involved in any way.’ I got to my feet, then seeing the fat Thorsen file on his desk, I went on, ‘One last favour, Colonel.’ I picked up the file. ‘I want this.’

‘You think the Thorsen case has something to do with the acid job?’

‘I am sure it has. Not all the facts are in this file. You don’t want to know about them. Thanks, Colonel. It’s been great working for you. I’m sorry it has to end this way.’

He got to his feet and thrust out his hand.

‘If you get out of this mess, Dirk, you will always have a job with me.’

As I shook his hand I said, ‘I don’t think I will get out of this mess. I’m going to hit them where it hurts.’

‘Don’t do anything foolish, Dirk.’

‘I’m going to hit them where it hurts, and sooner or later they will hit back. I’ll let you have my resignation, and I’ll tell Bill to take over the job you want fixing.’

Leaving him looking worried, I returned to my office where Bill was sitting at his desk.

We looked at each other as I sat at my desk, opposite his.

‘You have my job, Bill,’ I said. ‘The colonel will be calling you. I am quitting.’

‘That makes two of us,’ Bill said quietly.

I stared at him.

‘What do you mean?’

‘You quit — I quit. Just that simple.’

‘Why should you quit, you idiot? Look, Bill, I don’t need complications. You take over, and I quit.’

‘When a lovely girl like Suzy gets a face full of acid, and she’s my best friend’s girl,’ Bill said, his voice low, ‘I go with him. OK, Dirk, you may not want me, but you won’t get rid of me. We quit together, and together we go after these bastards.’

‘No!’

He held up his hand.

‘I know. We both could land up in the morgue, but, we will have done a lot of damage by then. Write your resignation, and let me see how it is done. Then I’ll write mine. Then we go back to your pad and plan a campaign.’

‘No, Bill! It’s terrific of you, but...’

‘For God’s sake!’ Bill shouted. ‘You heard me! We either work together or apart, and if I have to, I’ll go after these bastards on my own.’

I stared at him, feeling an emotional surge go through me. I knew I could more than do with him. I knew as a loner I would have less chance to survive.

‘Thanks,’ I said. ‘So, OK, we’re in this together.’

I pulled my typewriter towards me and thumped out my resignation, then I ripped out the paper and gave it to Bill. He then thumped out his resignation.

‘I’ll go see the colonel,’ he said.

‘Take the two resignations with you.’

Bill came around his desk and put his hand on my shoulder.

‘Between us, Dirk, we’ll fix them,’ he said.

‘You don’t know what you are walking into, Bill. Maybe we had better talk first before you see the colonel.’

‘I don’t give a damn what I’m walking into,’ Bill said and grinned. ‘I’ll be back,’ and he left the office.

While Bill was seeing the colonel, I cleared my desk. I had a hold-all in one of the closets, and I packed the stuff I wanted, plus the Thorsen file, plus the half-finished bottle of Scotch.

When Bill returned, he gave me a wide grin.

‘No problem. The colonel flipped, but he went along with my thinking. He’s rooting for us, Dirk. So OK, if we both get out of this mess, our jobs will be waiting.’

‘Want to clear your desk?’

‘Scarcely anything to clear. I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.’

‘You’re always hungry. Sit down. I want to talk to you.’

‘Dirk, when a guy is hungry as I am, he can’t concentrate. Let’s go eat and talk, huh?’

I shrugged.

‘OK. We’ll go along and say goodbye to Glenda, then we’ll go to Lucino’s.’

Although it was after 19.30, Glenda was still at her desk.

‘We want to say goodbye Glenda,’ I said, as Bill and I paused in the doorway.

‘Come in, Dirk.’ She got to her feet. ‘I want to tell you how shocked and sorry I am. I want to tell you to go after these brutes. If I were in your place, I would do what you are doing.’ She pushed two envelopes across the desk. ‘Those are your month’s salaries. Don’t argue. It’s the colonel’s wish.’

‘He’s a great guy,’ I said, and took the envelopes. ‘Well, let’s hope we’ll be seeing you again.’

‘Of course! One more thing, Dirk, if you want information, if you think we can be helpful, unofficially, call me. OK?’

‘Thanks, Glenda.’

We all shook hands, then Bill and I walked to the elevator.

I drove to Lucino’s restaurant. As soon as Lucino saw me, he came rushing from behind the bar.

‘Our special VIP table, Mr Wallace,’ he said, shaking hands.

He led us to a table, tucked into a corner away from the other tables. At this hour there were few people waiting to be served.

As we sat down Lucino looked sorrowfully at me.

‘Mr Wallace. I heard. I’m sorry. There is nothing more I can say except I grieve for you.’

I saw there were tears in his eyes. I leaned forward and patted his arm.

‘Thanks,’ I said. ‘You are a good friend.’

‘Now, Mr Wallace, I intend to prepare something very special for you. Give me the pleasure, and Mr Wallace, this is on the house. I need to express my deep-felt sympathy. Please don’t say no. Leave it to me.’

I felt a wave of emotion run through me, but I controlled it.

‘Thanks,’ I said.

Lucino rushed away to the kitchen. I could hear him shouting to his two chefs.

Bill sat back.

‘You certainly have good friends, Dirk,’ he said. ‘Man! Am I starving!’

In minutes, a waiter placed platters of stone crabs and a basket of crispy bread before us.

I knew it would be a waste of time to talk to Bill until he had taken the edge off his appetite, so we ate in silence. The waiter produced a bottle of chilled white wine and poured.

I ate little. I had too much on my mind. Food didn’t interest me. When I saw Bill had finished his crab claws, I dropped half my portion onto his plate. He looked at me, nodded and dived in.

Finally, when he had finished and sat back with a sigh of content, I said, ‘Can you concentrate now?’

‘What’s to follow?’ he asked as the waiter arrived and cleared the platters.

‘God knows!’ I said impatiently. ‘Now listen, Bill. I have been saving money, and we will need money. Neither of us will be earning anything. How are you fixed for money?’

He gave me a happy grin.

‘No problem. I’ve stashed away twenty-five big ones. What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours. OK?’

The waiter arrived with two more platters on which lay juicy steaks and half a lobster and a big bowl of french fries.

‘Oh!’ Bill exclaimed. ‘Now this is like a real meal!’

We ate. A lime pie followed, then a big jug of coffee.

I refused the pie, and with growing impatience watched Bill eat.

Finally, he sat back and patted his stomach.

‘The best,’ he said. ‘The very best!’

‘Now, will you shut up and listen?’ I said.

I told him what I had learned from Al Barney.

‘We’re going to get mixed up with the Mafia. You still have time to pull out. I must warn you this is going to be a very dangerous ride.’