1967 - Have This One on Me (13 page)

‘I’ve told him,’ she said.

Worthington flinched. The money was terribly important to him. How could she have told a complete stranger that they had so much money?

‘I don’t understand ... I ...’

‘We’ll go into details later.’ Girland said crisply. ‘What’s happened to the money?’

Worthington hesitated and looked for guidance from Mala.

Just how much, he wondered, had she told this man?

‘He knows about the money.’ Mala said impatiently.

Again Worthington hesitated, then said sullenly, ‘I have it in my suitcase.’

Girland drew in a long, slow breath.

‘That’s something ... now, let’s get out of here. You know the district. Where do we go?’

Mala hesitated.

‘If we had a car ... we could go to a friend of mine, Jan Braun. He has a farm.’

‘What’s so difficult about a car? We’ll borrow one. Okay, let’s go to your friend. Come on ... is there a back way out?’

‘Yes ...’ Mala was still hesitating.

‘Snap it up, baby. The fuse is burning.’

‘But I just can’t walk out ...’

Girland caught hold of her arm.

‘Let’s go!’

Worthington, listening to all this, looking helplessly first at Girland and then at Mala, said, ‘He’s right. They could come here, looking for you.’

‘Today’s understatement,’ Girland said and bustled Mala out into the passage. ‘Lift your pretty feet. Where do we go?’

Galvanised by the hard urgency in his voice, she pulled away from him and ran down the passage to a door. She opened it and stepped out into a dark yard that opened out on to a small parking lot where a number of cars, owned by tourists, stood in a line.

Girland, followed by Worthington, carrying his suitcase, joined her. Girland looked at the line of cars.

‘Wait here,’ he said and moved quickly to the cars. He checked five of them before he found a Mercedes with the key in the ignition lock. He slid into the driving seat and turned on the parking lights, then he waved to Mala and Worthington to join him. They came across the parking lot at a run. Worthington got into the back seat and Mala scrambled in beside Girland who let in the clutch and drove out of the parking lot.

As he drove down the main street, he saw two police cars pull up outside the entrance to the arcade leading to the night club.

‘Nicely timed,’ he said and smiled at Mala. ‘Now where do we go?’

Mala directed him out of the City. She kept looking at him as he drove at a steady speed, taking no risks. His calm expression, the sardonic look in his eyes and his smile of relaxation gave her tremendous confidence.

As they crossed the Zvikov Bridge Worthington said, ‘We can’t hope to get away. They’ll trace the car. We ...’

‘Relax,’ Girland said. ‘The show isn’t over for another eighty minutes. This is a tourist’s car. It won’t be missed until the show is over, then the owner will have to report to the police Imagine the flap he’ll be in, trying to make himself understood. We have at least two hours’ start.’ He turned to Mala. She was really quite a doll, he thought. He began to warm to her ‘Tell me about Jan Braun.’

Steadying her voice. Mala told him about Braun. ‘His farm is only thirty kilometres from here. He’ll help us ... I am sure he will.’

‘That’s comforting. We need help, baby. We need a lot of help.’ They were climbing a steep hill out of the city. Girland went on, ‘So you got tired of Dorey?’ He was now speaking to Worthington. ‘I don’t blame you. I got tired of him months ago.’

Reacting to the understanding note in Girland’s voice, Worthington leaned forward.

‘It was when I heard that Malik had arrived,’ he said. ‘I knew ...’

‘Malik?’ Girland’s voice shot up. ‘Did you say Malik?’

‘Yes.’

‘Is he in Prague?’

‘Yes ... he is hunting for me.’

‘Phew!’ Girland grimaced. Watching him. Mala felt a stab of fear. For a brief moment, Girland looked startled and less confident He went on, ‘Malik and I are old pals. We love each other the way a mongoose loves a snake. Are you sure Malik is in Prague?’

‘Yes, I am sure.’

Girland slightly increased the speed of the car while he thought. He now realised the three of them were in deadly danger. He knew Malik. Where Malik was Smernoff was, and Smernoff was the Soviets’ top hunter of men. His long silence, while he thought, terrified both Mala and Worthington.

‘Tell me about Braun,’ Girland said finally. ‘Have you been seen with him? I know Malik. He will check on everyone who is in your circle. If he finds out you know a farmer he will check him right away.’

‘I haven’t seen Jan now for more than a year,’ Mala told him. ‘I’ve never mentioned him to any of my friends. I am sure he will help us because my father helped his father.’

‘Have you been to his farm?’

‘Once, about three years ago.’

‘What sort of place is it?’

‘It’s run down and lonely ... really lonely.’

‘Is he on his own?’

‘He lives with his wife ... Blanca.’

‘Can you trust her?’

‘Oh, yes. She is a wonderful woman.’

‘He has the usual outhouses?’

‘There are two big barns.’

Girland thought, then shrugged.

‘Okay, we’ll have to take a chance. I don’t see what else we can do. We might still need this car for a quick getaway. We could hide it in one of the barns.’ He increased speed.

Worthington listening to all this, resented and feared Girland This man was doing what he knew he should be doing.

Worthington was also worried about the money in his suitcase.

There was something about Girland that warned him Girland would take the money if he had the chance, and yet Worthington realised bitterly that if anyone could save him, it would be Girland.

Girland was sensitive to a hostile atmosphere. He had already realised that Worthington could become a nuisance. He also realised that this weak, tall man was desperately in love with Mala. This also might complicate the situation. He began to tell Worthington about Dorey’s plan to use him as a smokescreen, about Harry Moss, the money and why he had come to Prague.

‘Dorey was too smart. He planted on me a T.S. document by mistake,’ Girland concluded. ‘Now I’m landed with it. If I don’t get it back to him he’s through. I happen to have a soft spot for the old goat. He’s the salt in my stew.’ He laughed. ‘Life would be damn dull without him, so I’m going to get it back to him, but the operation will be tricky.’

‘Couldn’t you give it to the Ambassador?’ Mala asked. ‘He would get it back to Mr. Dorey.’

‘If I gave it to the Ambassador, he would read it. He would see that it was Dorey’s personal copy and he would want to know why it was in Prague. No, if I am to save Dorey’s hide, I have to get it back to him myself.’

‘You have it on you?’ Worthington asked, stiff with resentment.

Girland looked briefly at the thin, weak face he could see in the driving mirror.

‘I have it. I was going to swap it with Bruckman for the money. It would have been safe with him ... he was Dorey’s man, but now Bruckman is dead, so it falls into my lap.’

There was a pause, then Worthington said, ‘This money belongs to me. Mala and I need it to get out of the country. You’re not having it. That must be understood.’

Here it comes, Girland thought, then said quietly, ‘Nothing should be understood until you get out. Just how do you plan to get out?’

‘That is my business!’ Worthington said. ‘I’m telling you this money is for Mala and me, and you’re not having it!’

Girland slowed the car, then brought it to a standstill. As he swung around in his seat, he found himself confronted by Worthington’s automatic Worthington, white faced, his eyes wild, threatened Girland with the gun.

‘Give me that document!’ Worthington said, his voice shrill and out of control. ‘We don’t want you with us! Give it to me!’

Girland stared at him then swinging around, he shoved his foot down on the accelerator.

‘Drop dead,’ he said as the car took off and began to roar down the long, dark road.

‘Stop or I’ll ... I’ll ...’ Worthington began helplessly as the car flew down the road at over 120 kilometres an hour.

‘Go ahead and shoot,’ Girland said calmly. ‘It’ll be a lovely smash.’

Listening to all this Mala lost patience.

‘Stop it. Alec! Can’t you see he is the only one who can save us! Stop behaving so stupidly!’

Worthington wilted. The cold contempt in her voice told him as nothing else could just how useless she thought him.

He returned his gun to its holster and huddled down in his seat.

Girland said, ‘Relax, pal. We all get worked up from time to time. There’ll be lots of time to arrange who gets what and who gets who.’

‘You’re not having the money!’ Worthington said weakly. ‘You may ...’

‘I told you to stop it!’ Mala cried, swinging around in her seat and waving her hands at Worthington who subsided into sullen silence.

The car sped on along the narrow, deserted road. The moon lit the distant hills and the forests on either side of the road. They drove for some twenty minutes, then Mala said, ‘It is quite close now.’

Girland slowed the car.

‘Just here. There’s a turning to the left,’ Mala said, sitting forward.

Girland brought the car to a stop as he swung left into a narrow lane.

‘Go to the farm,’ he said. ‘Tell your friend you have company. We must be sure of a welcome. If he doesn’t want us, we’ll have to think where else to go.’

‘I’m sure it’s all right to drive up. I know he will want to help us,’ Mala said.

Girland smiled at her.

‘I’m not. and I’m in charge of the operation. Go on, baby, walk.’

Mala got out of the car, hesitated, then started up the lane.

Worthington said angrily, ‘You can’t order her about like that! Who do you think you are?’

Girland turned, his eyes bleak.

‘I’m getting bored with you. You haven’t a hope in hell of getting this girl nor yourself out of the country. If anyone can do it, I can, so shut up!’

Worthington made a move to draw his gun. His reflexes were so slow that Girland had his own gun in his hand before Worthington could touch his gun butt.

‘Get out of the car!’ Girland said. ‘Quick ... before I knock you off!’

Flinching from the threat of the gun, Worthington stumbled out of the car. Girland joined him in the narrow lane, keeping him covered.

‘I’ve had more than enough from you,’ he said. ‘Turn around and drop your gun!’

Worthington hurriedly obeyed. The gun dropped on to the grass verge.

‘Walk forward!’

As Worthington moved a few steps, Girland picked up his gun. He unloaded it and dropped the cartridges into his pocket.

‘Here,’ he said, and as Worthington turned, Girland tossed the gun to him. ‘It’s safer for both of us unloaded.’

Worthington put the gun back into its holster. His face was pale and his eyes showed his humiliation.

‘Now behave,’ Girland went on. ‘I’m handling this operation. You’re just part of the scenery ... get it?’

Worthington muttered something and turned away.

In silence the two men waited by the Mercedes for Mala to return.

* * *

Suk could scarcely conceal his satisfaction that so important a man as Malik had let Mala Reid slip through his fingers.

He sat by the desk watching Malik who was poring over a large-scale map of the district. Malik’s eyebrows were drawn down in an ominous frown. It was impossible, he kept assuring himself, that this woman could get out of the country. When they did catch her, he would make her sorry. This was something he would attend to personally.

There came a tap on the door and Smernoff came in ‘Girland with her,’ he announced as he closed the door.

‘There is a second man ... from the description I have it must be Worthington.’

Malik sat back.

‘Girland ... are you sure?’

‘A waiter at the night club took a man to a private booth. From his description, there is no doubt that it is Girland. He sent Reid a card saying he was interested in buying her angel. Some minutes later, a tall Englishman joined them. The waiter saw them all leave by the back way which leads to a car park. A Mercedes car is missing.’ Smernoff rattled off his report, his flat, black eyes watching Malik’s reaction. ‘There is a wooden angel in Reid’s apartment.’

‘You have the number of the Mercedes?’

‘I have it here.’ Smernoff put a slip of paper on the desk.

Malik gestured to Suk.

‘Trace this car!’

Taking the slip of paper, Suk rushed out of the room.

There was a pause, then Malik said, ‘Have you searched her apartment?’

‘Of course.’ Smernoff pulled up a chair and sat astride it, resting his thick arms on the chair’s back. ‘Worthington has been hiding there. We found his fingerprints and some of his clothes. Bruckman’s prints are on this wooden angel. The head comes off and there is a hollow space in the body. Something was obviously hidden there ... probably, the brown paper parcel.’

Malik thought for a long moment, then he said, ‘They have a fast car. They will have left the city. It is possible they will make for the frontier. The German border is the nearest, but they could make for the Austrian border ... the crossing there is much easier.’

Smernoff shrugged.

‘I am having Reid’s dossier checked. It is unlikely they will try to cross the frontier immediately. It’s my guess they will go into hiding, and when they think the search has slackened, then they will make their attempt. We must find their hiding place. I’ll see what her dossier has to tell us.’

Malik nodded, and as Smernoff moved to the door, Malik said, ‘We have to find them. I don’t have to tell you what it will mean if they escape.’

Smernoff grinned evilly.

‘What makes you think they can escape?’

He went out, shutting the door.

Ten minutes later as Malik was again examining the map, Suk came in.

‘The car was seen crossing Zvikov Bridge,’ he reported.

‘There is no further news of it. There were three people in the car: a man driving, a woman by his side and another man at the back.’

Malik looked up, his eyes menacing.