Kile sat in Eve’s morning-room: a feminine room he liked, and which, up to now, had been restful to his nerves to sit in. The big windows overlooked the river, and from where he sat he could see the lights of the shipping, and on the far bank the headlights of the stream of cars heading up town.
It was a hot, close night, and the windows were wide open. Kile was sweating a little. He cradled a highball in his hand; a smouldering cigar rested in a deep ash-tray on the arm of his chair.
Eve sat on the broad window seat, her back half turned to him while she stared down at the river. She looked pale, and the scarlet evening dress she wore seemed too gay for her mood.
Neither of them had spoken since Kile had told her Baird was on his way over. Both were preoccupied with their thoughts. Kile had an uneasy feeling that Baird was going to be the right man for this fantastic job. If he was then it would mean Kile would have to go ahead with the plan. Since his first enthusiasm had waned, he had begun to wonder if anyone in his right mind would have even contemplated such a plan, let alone waste time investigating the possibilities. He had to admit he hadn’t done much himself so far. Eve had done all the necessary work. It was extraordinary how she managed to obtain her information. Admittedly, she was in a position to know many people, but how she had got together all the minute details and information with which she had presented him, defeated him.
The plan couldn’t succeed, he told himself again and again, but Eve wouldn’t admit defeat.
‘What have we got to lose?’ she had asked patiently. ‘If this man says it won’t work, then we can drop the idea, but if he has the nerve to go through with it, and if he pulls it off, it’s a half a million in your pocket.’
That was the only argument that kept Kile in the running. A half a million! But if Baird turned the plan down, Kile would be relieved. Of course he would hate to let such a sum slip through his fingers, but the danger and the risks he would be involved in if Baird went ahead frightened him.
Up to now he had managed to concentrate on the prize, but now that Baird would be here at any minute, he could think of nothing but the risks.
‘This fel a won’t do it,’ he jerked out suddenly, speaking what was in his mind before he could stop himself. ‘I’ve been considering your plan, Eve. It — it won’t work. It can’t work!’
She turned her head and looked at him. She looked tired and uneasy. She didn’t think the plan would work, either. She thought it was the craziest, the most dangerous idea Adam had yet thought of, but he had said it would work, and she knew from past experience that once Adam had made up his mind about anything, no one or nothing would stop him. If she backed out now, or even encouraged Kile to back out, she knew instinctively that she had seen the last of her brother. In her more rational moments she knew it would be the best thing that could happen to her, but she also knew she was fooling herself: life without Adam would be no life at all.
‘Let him judge,’ she said. ‘To hear you talk, Preston, I’m beginning to think you don’t want the money.’
Kile drank some of his highball.
‘The risk wil be frightful,’ he mut ered. ‘Of course I want the money, but…’
‘I don’t see what risk you run. This man Baird wil shoulder the risk.’
‘He won’t!’ Kile said excitedly. ‘He wouldn’t be such a fool!’
‘Ten thousand is a lot of money,’ Eve said listlessly. She was speaking the words Adam had put into her mouth. ‘We can but ask him.’
The front-door bell rang.
Kile started so violently he spilled some of his highball on his trousers. Swearing softly, he wiped the wet patch with his handkerchief as he stood up.
The Filipino boy who looked after Eve’s apartment came in.
‘Mr Rico is here,’ he said, and Eve could tel he didn’t approve of Rico.
‘Show him in,’ Kile said, trying to steady his voice. He moved over to the fireplace and stood facing the door, a scowl on his heavy features. The pain under his heart had sharpened.
Eve didn’t move. She felt frightened. She, too, had a feeling that once Baird was told of the plan there would be no drawing back.
Rico came in, followed by Baird, who hadn’t taken off his hat. Baird’s eyes went quickly and suspiciously around the room. He gave Eve a quick glance, then stared directly at Kile.
In his turn, Kile was looking at him. He saw at once this tall, powerfully built man in his creased brown suit, the shabby hat tilted to the back of his head, was dangerous, and he felt a little prickle run up his spine as he met Band’s ice-cold eyes.
‘This is Baird,’ Rico said, corning forward. His smile was ingratiating, and he gave Kile a little bow.
‘I told him you wanted to see him, and that you might have something you could put in his way.’
Kile nodded curtly to Baird, who continued to stare with cold, unfriendly eyes. He wasn’t impressed with Kile. A rich, well-fed sonofabitch, he decided, soft at the core and jumpy. Not anyone you’d want to trust further than you could throw him.
‘Sit down,’ Kile said, waving to two armchairs. He was aware that he hadn’t made an impression, and that irritated him. ‘Whiskies, Philip,’ he said to the Filipino boy, ‘and then get out.’
The boy put a tray containing whisky, charge water and ice on the table.
‘I’ll mix them,’ Rico said. ‘Baird?’
Baird shook his head. He dug out a crumpled pack of cigarettes, fished one out, stuck it on his lower lip and sat down in an armchair. He glanced across at Eve, who was still looking out of the window, her back turned to him. He allowed his eyes to run over her figure, paused for a moment or so on her neatly turned ankles, and then struck a match with his thumb nail and lit the cigarette.
As soon as the Filipino boy had left the room, Kile said, ‘Miss Gil is is interested in this proposition I want to talk to you about.’ He hadn’t missed the searching look Baird had given Eve. ‘Eve, won’t you come over here and join us?’
She turned and looked at Baird. What she saw in the brooding eyes chilled her. She left the window seat and came over to stand near Kile.
Rico bowed elaborately.
‘I haven’t seen you at the club for several nights, Miss Gil is,’ he said. ‘I hope you won’t neglect us.’
‘Suppose we get down to business,’ Baird broke in in his cold, soft voice. ‘I’ve got a date in half an hour.’
Kile looked at him sharply. The soft voice had startled him. He sat down, pulled at his cigar and said,
‘I want you to understand there is nothing definite yet arranged. I am sounding the ground, as you might say. It is probable that nothing will come of it.’
Rico winced as he poured himself a whisky.
‘But, Mr Kile…’ he began.
‘Shut up!’ Baird growled. He leaned forward to stare at Kile. ‘Rico told me you wanted a job done that paid ten grand. What’s the job?’
Kile flushed, and his bloodshot eyes watered. For a moment he looked as if he were going to fly into a rage, but the cold eyes that stared at him warned him that bluster wouldn’t get him anywhere.
‘A certain man is in a certain prison. I want this man out.’
He felt, rather than saw, Rico stiffen, but Baird showed no surprise.
‘Go on,’ he said, ‘what’s the rest of it?’
Kile licked his dry lips.
‘I wil pay ten thousand to anyone who can get this man out of prison and bring him to me,’ he went on. ‘That’s the proposition. It won’t be easy, and I don’t want to know how it is to be done. When the man is brought to me, I will pay the ten thousand in cash.’
Baird flicked ash on to the floor. He didn’t show his surprise, but he was surprised. This was something he hadn’t expected, and his shrewd brain looked for snags.
‘That’s a lot of dough,’ he said, studying Kile. ‘You could get the job done for a lot less than that.
What’s the idea?’
Kile touched his sweating temples with his handkerchief.
‘It’s very probable,’ he said, his voice thickening, ‘this man won’t want to leave jail, and that makes it doubly difficult. Apart from that, the prison is extremely well guarded, and the territory is bad.’
Rico was listening now, dumbfounded. He had been expecting Kile to propose a big jewel robbery.
This business about getting a man out of prison made him uneasy.
‘What you’re trying to say is you want this man kidnapped from prison?’ Baird said.
‘Call it what you like,’ Kile said sul enly. ‘He may resist. Whatever happens he must not be hurt in any way.’
Baird blew smoke to the ceiling.
‘Why do you want this man?’
‘That’s my business!’ Kile said sharply. ‘Your job is to get hold of him, not to question my motives.’
Baird’s eyes shifted to Eve. She was watching him intently. She was pale, and her breasts rose and fell quickly under the scarlet chiffon of her gown.
‘It isn’t easy,’ Kile went on, seeing Baird’s apparent hesitation. ‘In fact, it may be impossible. But if you produce this man it’l be worth ten thousand to you. If you can convince me you have made a good attempt, but have failed, I’l pay you half the money.’
‘Where is he?’ Baird asked.
‘Bellmore State Prison Farm. It is situated about three miles from Red River Falls, and is in the swamps.’
‘Who’s the man?’
‘That I’l tell you when you’ve decided if you’l do the job, and when you’ve convinced me you have a workable plan,’ Kile said. ‘I can supply you with maps, the man’s photograph and his prison number.
At present he’s working with other convicts on dredging operations at Red River basin, a mile outside the prison. The convicts arrive at the basin in trucks at eight o’clock in the morning and return to the prison at six. While they are at work there are four guards…’
‘Five,’ Eve put in quickly.
Kile frowned.
‘Four or five,’ he said. ‘There are dogs, too.’
Baird shifted lower in his chair. He looked down at his scuffed shoes, his face expressionless.
‘I’ll have to take a look at the territory,’ he said. ‘But it sounds as if it could be done.’
He saw Eve give a little start and nervously clench her hands. Kile hurriedly put down his glass and sat forward.
‘Don’t forget this man may resist,’ he said, his voice unsteady.
Baird looked up sharply.
‘So what? Don’t you want the job done?’
‘I wouldn’t be offering you ten thousand unless I did,’ Kile snapped, flushing. ‘But it’s only fair to you to know what you’re up against.’
Baird stood up.
‘You don’t have to worry about me,’ he said. ‘I can do that better than anyone. This time next week I’l tel you if I’l do it or not. I’l want a hundred to cover expenses, and I’l want it now.’
Rico put in smoothly as he saw Kile hesitate.
‘As I know Baird, and you don’t, Mr Kile, perhaps you would let me take care of his expenses, and if he proves satisfactory, you could settle with me direct.’
Kile nodded.
‘Very well,’ he said, getting to his feet, ‘we’l leave it like that. If you’re in no hurry, Rico, perhaps you’l remain behind. I know our friend here is anxious to get away.’
Baird smiled jeeringly.
‘If I do the job,’ he said, looking at Kile, ‘I’l expect proof that the money’s there to pay me.’
‘That’s okay,’ Rico said quickly. ‘Mr Kile and me have worked together before. You don’t have to worry about your end, Baird.’
‘Al the same I’m going to worry about it until I get it,’ Baird said. He nodded to Kile, glanced over at Eve and gave her an insolent little smile. She turned away and went back to the window. ‘Be seeing you in a week’s time,’ he went on to Kile, walked across the room, opened the door and went out.
There was a long pause while Kile freshened his drink, and Rico stood staring uneasily at his feet.
‘Your friend’s quite a character,’ Kile said at last as he came back to his chair. ‘I can’t say I like his manner.’
Rico laughed uneasily.
‘Baird’s a hard man,’ he said apologetical y, ‘but he’s a man who gets things done. If the job can be done, he’l do it.’ He fidgeted uneasily while he studied Kile. ‘Where exactly do I fit in in this, Mr Kile.
If you remember, you said…’
‘Once Baird agrees to do the job I’m dropping out of the picture,’ Kile said. ‘I intend to leave the whole thing in your hands. I don’t wish to know how you are going to get this man out of prison or any of the details. I don’t even wish to be consulted. You and Baird must handle the whole thing independently of me. If you think you’l need more help, that’s up to you to arrange and pay for. Do the job and hand the man over to me, and you will receive fifteen and Baird ten thousand. Now do you see where you fit in?’
Rico nodded. He also saw how he could run into a fifteen to twenty years’ sentence. He didn’t like the proposition, but the money drew him like a magnet.
‘This man’s important to you, Mr Kile?’
Kile gave him a hostile look.
‘I’d scarcely pay out twenty-five thousand unless he was,’ he said curtly. ‘I can understand you are wondering why I want him, but I have no intentions of telling you, so don’t ask.’
‘That’s all right,’ Rico said hurriedly. ‘But to kidnap a man from prison! It was something I wasn’t expecting.’
Kile didn’t seem to think that cal ed for a remark. He sipped his highbal and looked away.
After an awkward pause, Rico said, ‘It depends on Baird, then. If he says he’l do the job, I take it you’re satisfied for him to try?’
Kile glanced across at Eve, who nodded silently.
‘Yes,’ he said, ‘but I don’t think I need meet him again. Frankly, I don’t like him. The less I have to do with him the better. If, after he has looked over the ground, he thinks he can succeed, then let him give you his plan, and you can pass it on to me. If I’m satisfied the plan wil succeed, I wil tell you to go ahead, and until the man is brought to me, I don’t want to hear anything more of what you are doing.
Have I made myself quite clear on that point?’
Rico nodded.
‘Before he makes the at empt, Mr Kile, I expect he’l want an advance of some kind: say three or four thousand?’ Rico smiled apologetical y. ‘That could be arranged?’
‘Yes,’ Kile said impatiently. ‘The best thing to do would be for me to give you five thousand, and for you to keep what you think for yourself, and the rest can go to Baird. Then if the job is successful, I’ll pay the balance.’
Rico relaxed.
‘That’s fine, Mr Kile. That’d suit me wel . In the meantime I will finance Baird and keep an account.’
Kile got to his feet.
‘Then this time next week?’
‘Yes,’ Rico said, bowing.
When he had gone, Kile joined Eve at the window. He stood near her, his hand resting on the sill. For some time they stood silent, looking down at the lights of the shipping, then abruptly Kile said, ‘Wel , I hope to God you’re satisfied.’
Eve didn’t say anything. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her shiver slightly.
Kile had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, and the pain under his heart nagged at his frayed nerves. He had a feeling that he was being dragged down into a nightmare situation like a swimmer helplessly caught in a whirlpool.
He felt he must get back to the quiet of his own home, where he could rest and try to forget that in a week’s time this crazy plan might materialise.
‘I’m going home now, Eve,’ he said. ‘I’m feeling tired. There’s nothing more we can do until this fella reports back. Do you think he’l do it?’
Without turning her head, she said in a quiet, flat voice, ‘Yes, he’l do it. A man like that would do anything.’