'What's this — a party?' he asked, his washed-out blue eyes flickering around the room.
'That's it,' Mish said happily. 'A party.'
Chandler turned. His handsome face showed irritation.
'Do you know anything about this deal?'
'Not much.'
'Who is this guy Ludovick?'
'Yeah . . . I know about him.' Mish shook his head in awe. 'Sure, I can tell you about him. For one thing, that's not his name. Hisname is Serge Maisky. I met him in Roxburgh jail. He had a job there . . . dispenser.'
'What the hell's that . . . a dispenser?' Perry demanded.
'He was in charge of the pill and drug joint in the prison,' Mish explained. 'The croaker ordered you a pill and Maisky supplied it. He worked there for ten years . . . a real, bright boy. He and I got pretty pally. I'm a great one for pills. Before he retired, he told me he had an idea for the biggest take of all takes. He told me when he had set it up he would send for me and he wanted three others. I picked you three. You can thank me later.' Mish's rubbery face creased into a broad grin. 'I'll tell you this, fellas. This little guy looks harmless, but, boy, he's as harmless as a rattlesnake, and brains . . . ! He's the original H. bomb! I'll tell you this: when he says the take is big, I'm sold. That's why I'm here. I don't know what the job is, but . . .'
'That's why I am here . . . to tell you,' Maisky said gently from the door.
Perry stiffened. His hand moved for a brief moment towards his hidden gun. Chandler gave a start that slopped his drink. Wash stepped quickly away from the door. Mish was the only calm one: he continued to grin.
Maisky shut the door. He shook his head at Jos as the negro reached for a glass, then he regarded the four men steadily, slowly in turn.
'Gentlemen,' he said in his quiet, clear voice, 'I am very happy to meet you. I hope none of you had any trouble getting here.' The grey eyes probed. 'Did you?'
The four men shook their heads.
'Excellent. Then let us eat. I am sure you must be hungry. Then, and not until then, we will discuss business.'
An hour later, Mish pushed back his chair and released a soft belch.
'Fine meal,' he said. 'Pretty different to the slop we got at Roxie, huh, doc?'
Maisky smiled.
'Let us forget those painful memories.' He lit a cigarette, offered his pack to Wash who shook his head, then seeing Perry was lighting a cigar and Mish and Chandler were already smoking, he returned the pack to his pocket.
During the meal, Maisky had dominated the four men. His quiet, gentle manner baffled them, except Mish who knew him and beamed on him like a proud mother displaying her brilliant child. Maisky talked of politics, travel and women. Words flowed from him, but every now and then, he would ask an abrupt, probing question of one of the men, listen carefully to the answer, then continue his monologue. He ate very little, but during the hour, he succeeded in some miraculous manner to reduce tension, to get the four men at ease with one another. Even Wash was now relaxed.
When the deaf-mute had cleared the table and set two bottles of whisky, ice and glasses within reach and had gone, Maisky cupped his pointed chin in his clawlike hands and said, 'Well now, gentlemen, let us talk business. I have a proposition to make to you. Mish may have told you that for three years he and I were in contact. I have yet to meet a man who can swallow so many pills as Mish. During the time we were together, I formed the opinion that he is a very clever technician, and I learned he knew other technicians. This is why I asked him to contact you gentlemen. As for Wash . . . he is not quite like us. He isn't a criminal.' The gentle smile broadened, 'but he is necessary to my plan and he needs money and he has a grudge.'
The other men looked at Wash who eyed them uneasily.
Chandler crushed out his cigarette impatiently.
'Who cares?' he said. 'Let's hear the proposition. What's all this crap about the biggest take?'
Maisky's expression was benign, but reproving.
'Please . . . I know you have had many successes, my friend, but try to be patient with me. This is a team . . . we must understand each other, and we must work closely together or we will fail.'
'What's the proposition?' Chandler repeated.
'We are here to take two million dollars from the Casino,' Maisky said.
There was a long pause of absolute silence. Even Mish suddenly lost his smile of confidence. The four men stared at Maisky with startled, unbelieving eyes.
'Two million dollars?' Chandler said, the first to recover. 'Look, I have things to do. What the hell is this pipe dream . . . two million dollars?'
Maisky waved his hand to the whisky.
'Please, help yourselves, gentlemen. Unhappily, I can't . . . doctor's orders.' He turned to Perry. 'You heard what I said. Jess, I can see, doesn't believe me . . . do you?'
Perry blew a thin cloud of cigar smoke towards the ceiling. 'Keep talking,' he said. 'Don't worry about buddy boy. He's a natural worrier. You keep talking. I'm listening.'
Chandler swung around and stared at Perry who stared back. His washed-out blue eyes sent a prickle of fear up Chandler's spine. He wasn't a man of violence and the look Perry gave him chilled him. With a forced, indifferent shrug, he reached for the whisky bottle.
'Okay . . . then talk,' he said.
Maisky settled back in his chair.
'For years I have dreamed of finding the big take,' he said. 'With a few well-chosen men, who know their job, I have finally decided the big take is right here. We can take two million dollars out of the Casino, but only if you all have the necessary nerve, and if you will do exactly what I tell you. If you can't conform to these two simple
