Toward the end of the third day the germ of an idea began to form in Sidney’s mind. He spent an almost sleepless night. He awoke early. The germ had come into full bloom.
Relaxed for the first time in days, he ate a leisurely breakfast at a nearby restaurant, then stepped into a cab and ordered the driver to take him to police headquarters. He knew that he was being followed, that he was being watched. But now he didn’t care.
Now suddenly the future looked bright.
Lieutenant Marvin Kennessy of the central police force was a big man, red headed, craggy-faced, intelligent. He was a veteran of twenty years, having worked his way up from cop on the beat.
He sat now staring at the man sitting across the desk from him with an almost incredulous look on his face.
“Sidney Schliff? It’s hard to believe.”
“It’s me all right, Lieutenant,” Sidney said.
“Looks as though they gave you a pretty rough time up at Hayden.”
“They did.”
Lieutenant Kennessy wrinkled his forehead. “Well, a criminal can’t expect to be treated with gloved hands, especially one who continually seemed to be looking for trouble.” He spread his hands. “But that’s not in my department. What was it you wanted to see me about, Schliff?”
“I want to return the quarter of a million dollars I stole.”
There was a moment of silence. Lieutenant Kennessy let the match he had lighted to fire up his pipe burn until it toasted his fingers. Then he shook it out.
“So at last you admit having stolen the money?”
“I do.”
“And now, having served time for the crime, you want to give the money back. It doesn’t make sense.”
“It didn’t to me when I planned the robbery ten years ago. I thought that after I’d served my time I’d be let alone. I thought I’d... well, I thought I’d be able to enjoy the money. Ten years isn’t too long to wait for a quarter of a million dollars.”
“And now you’ve discovered it isn’t going to work out that way.” The lieutenant hesitated, lighting his pipe. “I don’t know what your angle is. You’re safe in assuming you won’t be sent back to jail again whether or not you return the money. You’ve paid the score once.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“So. Why return the money?”
Sidney sat forward in his chair. “Lieutenant, for ten years I haven’t had a moment’s privacy. I’ve been beaten and humiliated and tricked into doing things that I never intended doing. The only privacy I’d had has been during the months I’ve spent in the stinking black hole. Only a man who has served time in prison can know what a precious commodity privacy is.”
Sidney paused and the lieutenant said, “Go on.”
“Since the moment I stepped through the prison gates I’ve been followed, watched. I don’t know whether those following me were your men or if they were hoodlums. But I do know that I’ll be followed and watched and harrassed and perhaps beaten again for the rest of my days unless I return the money.”
Lieutenant Kennessy nodded. “You know right, son. You’ll be under serveillance every minute of every day and night. You’ll never be able to enjoy a nickel of that money.”
He paused, studying Sidney closely. “You were willing to sell ten years of your life for a quarter of a million dollars, and now you want to buy back what remains of your years for the same quarter of a million?”
“That’s about what it amounts to.”
“All right.” The lieutenant stood up. “You’re being smart. You’ve figured the right angle. Where’s the money?”
Sidney shook his head. “It isn’t as easy as that.”
“Oh?”
“I’ll get the money. I’ll deliver it here to you. Call off your watch dogs. Make sure I’m not followed.”
The lieutenant uttered a short laugh. “Now there’s one for the book. You want me to give you a chance to pick up the loot and then disappear from sight. Don’t be a fool.”
“I’m not being a fool. You know I couldn’t get away with a stunt like that. I’ll give you time to alert every police force in the country. You can stake out every railroad station, plane and bus terminal, steamship line and highway. You know I couldn’t get through a dragnet like that.”
Kennessy took a turn around the room, came back and stood looking down at Sidney.
“You must have a reason for not wanting us to pick up the money. What is it?”
“I don’t believe you’d understand. Lieutenant.” Sidney hesitated. “I’d like to see the money again, count it, handle it. After all, it’s the end of a dream for me.”
“And you think you could resist a possible urge to take off for parts unknown?”
“Be reasonable, Lieutenant. If I did that I’d be hounded worse than I am now.”
Kennessy uttered his short, barking laugh. “Brother, this is one I can tell my grandchildren. Suppose I don’t go along with the gag?”
Sidney shrugged. “Then the money stays where it is.” His eyes narrowed: “Be quite a feather in your cap if you could return the quarter of a million to the bank, wouldn’t it, Lieutenant.”
“And all you want is to be left alone for the rest of your life? You’ll pay a quarter of a million dollars for the privilege?”
“Yes. When I return the money here I want you to notify every news service in the city. I want pictures published of me returning the loot. I want the public to know that there’s no longer a reason for anyone to dog my footsteps from now on.”
“Thought it all out, eh?”
“I tried to.”
The lieutenant took a deep breath. He started to speak, checked himself, then stood up. “All right. I don’t seem to have any alternative. You can stay here for the next three days while I pass the word. We’ll rig up some kind of disguise for you. On the morning of the fourth day we’ll turn you loose. On the fifth day I’ll expect you back here with the money. And I warn you — you’d better show.”
“I’ll show,” Sidney said. “You can count on it.” He sighed. “It’ll be worth it to live like a free man, even though I’m broke.”
Three months later, on board the jet liner that was taking him to Europe on the first leg of a luxury world tour, Sidney struck up a speaking acquaintance with his seat companion. The man, whose name was Michael Reaser, was head of an internationally known textile company and was presently on his way to join his wife in the south of France for a short vacation.
“And what’s your line, Mr. Schliff?” he asked with only mild curiosity.
“Stocks,” Sidney answered promptly.
Mr. Reaser’s interest picked up. “Stocks. Ah, yes.” He looked at Sidney fully. “You’ve done pretty well, I presume?”
Sidney shrugged indifferently.
“I guess you could say that.” They made some small talk about business in general and the state of the stock market. Then Mr. Reaser cleared his throat.
“By the way, Mr. Schliff, I happen to have a few thousand dollars lying idle at the moment. I wonder if you could suggest a good buy in the market?”
“As a matter of fact,” said Sidney, smiling, “I can. Ten years ago I took a flier by buying up a quarter of a million dollars worth of stock in Brown Electronics. They were young then, but growing. I investigated them thoroughly before making the purchase. I could see no reason why my investment wasn’t a good one. Well, sir, the gamble paid off. Apparently my money gave the company the shot in the arm it needed. Recently I had to sell part of my holdings to pay a rather large debt to my bank.” Sidney’s smile broadened. “My original investment had increased to more than two million dollars.”