‘But suppose I haven’t been able to get the book before you phone? You won’t know when I’ve got it.’
‘That’s right.’ Elliot reached for a cigarette while he considered this, then he snapped his fingers. ‘A walkie-talkie! Joey get one: small and powerful. Cindy has one in her bag. I’ll be waiting here with the other.’ He looked at Cindy. ‘All you have to do when you’ve got the book is to open your bag and say into it “Okay.” I’ll then call Larrimore.’
‘That’s fixed it,’ Vin said, getting to his feet. ‘Come on, Joey, I’ll drive you down town.’
When they had gone, Elliot said, ‘If you get the drawer number, Cindy, don’t tell Vin. If we tell him, we’ll have no hold on him. He could sneak out of here, get the stamps, do a deal with Larrimore’s daughter and leave us high and dry.’
‘But he must be told if he is to get the stamps.’
‘I’m going with him,’ Elliot said. ‘It’s the only way. When we get into the stamp room, I’ll take the stamps and I’ll do the selling. Do you know where he keeps his gun?’
Cindy’s eyes popped wide open.
‘No.’
‘Must be in his room.’ Elliot got up and went into Vin’s small bedroom. He found the gun after a search and he unloaded it. A further search produced a box of cartridges. ‘I’ll dump these,’ he said to Cindy who was standing in the doorway, watching him. ‘Something tells me Vin would use the gun if he was under pressure.’
‘Don... I wish you wouldn’t go with him. Suppose something goes wrong? Suppose you got caught?’
‘There’s no other way.’ Elliot grinned. ‘Know something? This is the first real fun I’ve ever had in my life.’
The following morning as the hands of the clock on the over-mantel moved to 11.00, the three men sat around the table in the living room of the bungalow. The telephone was in front of Elliot and the walkie-talkie, switched on, by the telephone.
Early in the morning, Cindy had walked to Larrimore’s house and had tested the two-way radio which worked well. She had timed the walk and found it took her seventeen minutes from the bungalow without hurrying. Satisfied with the test, she returned to the bungalow.
Orson who was catching the early morning stint picked up Cindy’s voice and Elliot’s answering voice on his transceiver. As Cindy had only said ‘Okay’ and Elliot had only replied ‘Hear you,’ then had switched off, Orson was puzzled.
‘They’re cooking up something,’ he said to Fay who was heating coffee. ‘I’d better alert the old man.’
‘At this time, he should love that,’ Fay said.
But Orson went to the telephone that Lessing had had laid on and called Lessing at his home. He explained what he had seen and heard.
‘Looks like they’re going to make a try tonight,’ Lessing said. ‘They wouldn’t start anything until Larrimore has gone to bed. He goes late. I’ll get the boys down there around 22.00. If they do start something, we’ll catch them as they come out.’
Now, it was approaching D-hour. Joey was pale and sweating. Vin, uneasy, couldn’t keep his eyes off the clock. Elliot seemed completely relaxed.
As the hands of the clock moved to eleven, he said, ‘She’s arrived.’
‘Suppose the punk won’t see her?’ Vin said. That would really sink us.’
‘I know Larrimore. He’ll see her. I told her not to part with the stamp album to a servant.’ Elliot looked at Joey. ‘What’s worrying you? You haven’t lost confidence in her, have you?’
Joey shook his head. ‘She’ll get the book if it’s on him, but it’s finding the drawer number...’ He mopped his sweating face. ‘Suppose he spots her? What would he do?’
‘He’d kick her out,’ Elliot said. ‘He wouldn’t send for the police if that’s what’s worrying you. That I’m sure of.’
That was all that was worrying Joey. The thought of his beloved Cindy being taken away by a cop made him feel ill, but Elliot’s reassuring voice helped him a lot.
The minutes crept by.
At 11.15, Vin muttered an expletive.
‘She isn’t going to get it! Now what the hell are we going to do?’
‘Shut up!’ Elliot snapped. He also found himself growing tense. ‘You don’t expect her to get it the moment she meets him, do you?’
Vin growled and lit another cigarette.
At 11.40, even Elliot was beginning to sweat. Joey was in such a state, he had to hold his handkerchief to his face while Vin was now pacing up and down the small room.
Suddenly he stopped pacing. His eyes vicious with rage, he exclaimed, ‘She’s loused it up! I never did think she would do it! She hadn’t the guts to go through with it!’
‘Shut your big mouth,’ Elliot snapped, ‘or do you want me to shut it for you?’
Vin glared at him.
‘You and who else... tin foot?’
As Elliot made to stand up, Joey put a restraining hand on his arm.
‘Don... please... this isn’t the time...’
Then clearly and distinctly, Cindy’s voice, coming from the receiver set, said, ‘Okay.’
The three men stared at each other, not quite sure if they had heard aright.
‘Did you hear that?’ Elliot demanded.
‘It was Cindy,’ Joey said.
‘Yeah.’ Vin came to the table. ‘She’s done it!’
With a slightly unsteady hand, Elliot picked up the telephone receiver and dialled Larrimore’s number. There was a delay, then a man’s voice said, ‘Mr. Larrimore’s residence.’
‘This is Don Elliot calling Mr. Larrimore.’
‘Mr. Larrimore is engaged at the moment, sir. Shall I ask him to call you back?’
‘I want to speak to him right away. Tell him I’d be obliged if he would come to the phone.’
There was more delay, then Larrimore came on the line. Elliot recognized his voice as he said, ‘Is that you, Elliot?’
‘Hello there. I’m sorry to interrupt something. Your man said you were tied up.’
‘Yes... I am rather occupied. How are you, Elliot? I haven’t seen or heard from you for months.’
At least, Elliot thought, Larrimore sounded cordial.
‘I’ve been recouping. You heard about the accident?’
‘Of course. I’m very sorry.’
‘One of those things, but I’ve now got on top of my tin foot. How about a game on Tuesday? I’ve shortened my swing and reduced my pivot and I’m playing better than ever. You might try that, Larrimore. A short swing gives you much more control.’
‘That’s an idea. Yes, let’s have a game. I’m so glad you are playing again. My congratulations. Then Tuesday at three o’clock?’
‘That’s a date.’ Elliot chitchatted about the stock market prices, determined to give Cindy all the time she needed, then finally, he hung up. He drew in a deep breath. ‘She must have got the number by now.’
It wasn’t until 12.45 that the three waiting men saw Cindy come up the garden path and they jumped to their feet and rushed to her, Elliot slightly in the lead.
She looked pale and he could see she was a little shaky, but she smiled at him as he asked, ‘Did you get it?’
‘Yes.’
‘Come on in... let’s hear about it,’ Elliot said, putting his arm around her. ‘Well done! I was sure you would succeed!’
‘What’s the drawer number?’ Vin demanded, crowding up behind them as they entered the sitting room.
‘She’s not telling you that, Vin,’ Elliot said and he pushed Cindy gently away from him so he faced Vin.
Joey, standing in the doorway, stared first at Cindy and then at Elliot, his eyes growing round.
‘Who says?’ Vin snarled. ‘I’ve as much right to know as you have! Get out of my way! I’ll talk to her!’
‘Relax,’ Elliot said. ‘When you give me the name of the buyer, I’ll give you the number of the drawer. Do you think we three are dopes? None of us trust you, Vin. Your double cross isn’t going to jell.’