Falmouth leaned over and smiled proudly. ‘Why, Hinge, of course. He knows Lavander. Besides, it’s got to be Hinge. If they think I’m running, they’ll send Gazinsky or Lavanieux after me.’
‘Why not Daniov?’
‘Because, Sailor, he’s the runner.’
10
‘Mr Howe, please.’
‘Mr Charles Gordon Howe?’ the secretary asked.
‘That’s right.’
‘I’m sorry, Mr Howe is in conference and can’t be disturbed.’
‘Tell him O’Hara’s on the phone.’
‘I have explicit instructions not to disturb him,’ the secretary said sternly.
‘Just tell him it’s me, I’m sure he’ll take this call.’
There was a momentary pause, then an annoyed: ‘Just a moment, please.’
He was on hold for hardly a breath before he heard Howe’s crusty, laced-with-Irish brogue. ‘Where are you, Lieutenant?’
‘Down in the islands, but that’s not important. I need to do a little traveling. Is your Lear jet still available?’
‘Where d’you want it and when?’ Howe asked immediately. There was excitement in his voice.
‘As soon as possible. Fort Lauderdale airport.’
‘Can I assume we have a story, then?’
‘I’ll need a couple more days before I can commit for sure.’
‘You’re a cautious one, I’ll say that.’
‘It’s your money, Mr Howe.’
‘Fair enough. I assume you’ve met this Falmouth feller already.’
‘Yes.’
There was silence on the line as if Howe were waiting for O’Hara to go on. Finally the publisher said, ‘Well?’
‘I’m not ready to talk about it just yet. I can tell you I’ve paid him a hundred and twenty-five. He gets the rest if his information is good.’
‘I assume from what you’ve just said that you feel you’re on to something.’
‘I wouldn’t have parted company with all that money if I didn’t think he had something. Putting it all together may be a problem.’
‘I have the best libel lawyers in the business, Lieutenant. I want to be accurate, not cautious.’
‘I’ll keep that in mind. Usually it’s the other way around — the publisher tells me to be cautious.’
Howe chuckled. ‘My feelin’ about you, Lieutenant, is that if we have anything, it will be big.’
‘Thanks.’
A pause.
‘Are you in any danger, Lieutenant?’
O’Hara thought for a few seconds, then said, ‘There’s an element of risk. We’re dealing with some pretty mean characters here.’
‘You know them, then?’
‘Personally or by reputation. Right now, all I got’s conjecture. Talking about it further could be counterproductive and increase the risk.’
‘I don’t think I need t’ tell you to be careful.’
‘Not at all.’
‘Good. As I said from the start, lad, I trust you. But I’ll admit, my curiosity is about to short-circuit. Besides, I got a bit of a surprise for you.’
‘What is it?’
Howe chuckled. ‘You’ll find out soon enough.’
‘1 don’t like surprises, Mr Howe.’
‘Oh, I think you’ll like this one.’
O’Hara dropped the subject — Howe was probably going to send a couple of live lobsters down in the plane. ‘I’ll be back in touch in about three days,’ he said. ‘By then I’ll be able to tell you whether I flushed your hundred and twenty-five.’
‘I’ll have the Lear at Fort Lauderdale in four hours. If you need anything else, have any trouble, call me anytime. I may not be able to get war declared, but I can damn sure come close to it and will if it’s necessary.’
‘Thanks. I’ll be in touch.’
Getting through to the Magician was not as simple. The lines were tied up when he first called. He made the second call from Fort Lauderdale, after Cap’n K.’s air charter dropped him off. The line exploded with static and when the connection was finally completed, the operator sounded as if she were talking from somewhere near the centre of the earth.
‘Le Grand Gustavsen Hotel, s’il vous plait,’ O’Hara shouted.
‘Hotel?’ she said.
‘Oui. Le Grand Gustavsen.’
‘Pardonnez-moi— did you say Heelton?’
‘Gustavsen!’ O’Hara yelled, wondering how she could have mistaken Grand Gustavsen for Hilton,
‘Ah, oui, Goostafsen. Un moment, s'il vous plait.’
More static, more noise, before someone finally answered. It was a gruff voice; obviously a guest passing by the desk had picked up the receiver.
‘Yeah?’
‘Is the Magician there?’ O’Hara said.
‘The who?’
‘The Magician. Rothschild. The man who owns the hotel.’
‘You mean the piano player?’
‘Right.’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Just give me someone connected with the hotel, please.’ There was a loud clatter on the other end, as though the man who had answered had thrown the phone across the room.
A few moments later Jolicoeur answered. ‘Allo. Que desirez-vous? May I be of service?’
‘Joli? It’s O’Hara.’
‘Ah, Francois! Comment ça va?
‘I’m doing okay, Joli. Ou est le Sorcier?
‘At the market.’
‘J’arrive ce soir. Voulez-vous me donner la pièce avec In sale de bain?
‘Volontiers! Quelle heure?’
‘Don’t know yet. Tres tard. Vers deux heures, peut-être.’
‘Bon! Ou êtes-vous?’
‘Florida. I’m waiting for the plane now. Tell him I’ll need his help.’
‘Excellent! We will put clean sheets on your bed.’
‘Damn generous there, Joli.’
‘Pour vous, mon ami, le mieux. We have a job, then?’ ‘We may. Listen, when Mike gets back, tell him I want a readout on four names. Can you hear me clearly?’
‘Oui.’
‘Very good. You have a pen?’
‘Oui. Shoot.’
‘Anthony Falmouth, spelling F-a-l-m-o-u-t-h. Formerly with M16. Hinge. H-i-n-g-e, no first name available. A mercenary.
Gregori Danilov. D-a-n-i-l-o-v. Bulgarian secret service. Avery Lavander. L-a-v-a-n-d-e-r. British subject; An oil consultant.
Oh, there is one other. All I have is a cover name Chameleon, like the lizard. Check all sources on that one. That ought to keep you busy until I get there.’
Jolicoeur repeated the names to O’Hara.
‘Perfect. See you later, pal.’
‘A bientôt, François! We will be ready when you get here.’
‘Anders Travel, Carole Jackowitz speaking.’
Her voice was a touch of Bronx mixed with Brooklyn, tempered by Manhattan chic.
‘Hi, Ms Jackowitz. My name’s O’Hara —remember me?’ ‘Oh, sure. The gentleman with a one-way ticket to Walker’s Cay, right? Was it a suicide trip? Nobody takes a one-way trip to Walker’s Cay. It isn’t much bigger than my backyard.’
‘I swam back.’
‘I see. And... uh, where would you like to swim back from this time?’
‘Honduras.’
‘Urn hm. Anyplace in particular or do you want to trust my judgment?’
‘Actually I’m interested in a cruise boat.’
She laughed. ‘No one-ways on a cruise ship. What’s its name?’
‘I don’t know.’
There was a long pause. ‘You don’t know the name of the ship you want to catch in Honduras?’
‘Right. But I’m sure it will be leaving sometime in the next day or two.’
Another pause and a chuckle. ‘I’m checking,’ she said musically. There was another pause, and then: ‘I’ll be damned. Oh, excuse me, I didn’t mean to swear, but a cruise ship did leave Port Cortez this morning. Hmm, the Gulf Star. King Line. Well, there are better lines I could recommend—’
‘Where does it go first?’
‘First port o’ call is ... Montego Bay, Jamaica. Three days. Let’s see, today’s Tuesday . . . it’ll be in early Friday morning. Want to pick it up there?’
‘I don’t want to pick it up at all, I want to send twelve dozen roses to one of its passengers.’