in the jargon. It mattered not for which side of the law he exercised his skills - law enforcement or its frustration - he was very bad news. I had hoped never to see this kind of barracuda cruising St. Mary’s Placid waters-It gave me a sick little slide in the guts to know that it had found me out again. Quickly I glanced at the other man, it wasn’t so obvious in him, the edge was blunted a little, the outline blurred by time and flesh, but it was there also - more bad news. “All this, and
“Nice going, Harry,” I told myself bitterly.
a hangover thrown in.”
Clearly now I recognized that the older man was the leader. He walked half a pace ahead, the younger taller man paying him that respect. He was a few years my senior also, probably late thirties.
There was the beginnings of a paunch over the crocodile skin belt, and pouches of flesh along the line of his jawbone, but his hair had been styled in Bond Street and he wore his Sulka silk shirt and Gucci loafers like badges of rank. As he came on down the wharf he dabbed at his chin and upper lip with a white handkerchief and I guessed the diamond on his little finger at two carats. It was set in a plain gold ring and the wrist watch was gold also, probably by Lanvin or Piaget.
“Fletcherr he asked, stopping below me on the jetty. His eyes were black and beady, like those of a ferret. A predator’s eyes, bright without warmth. I saw he was older than I had guessed, for his hair was certainly tinted to conceal the grey. The skin of his cheeks was unnaturally tight and I could see the scars of plastic surgery in the hair line. He’d had a facelift, a vain man then, and I stored the knowledge.
He was an old soldier, risen from the ranks to a position of command. He was the brain, and the man that followed him was the muscle. Somebody had sent out their first team and, with a clairvoyant flash, I realized why my original party had cancelled.
A phone call followed by a visit from this pair would put the average citizen off marlin-fishing for life. They had probably done themselves a serious injury in their rush to cancel.
“Mr. Materson? Come aboard-” One thing was certain, they had not come for the fishing, and I decided on a low and humble profile until I had figured out the percentages, so I threw in a belated ” - sir.”
The muscle man jumped down to the deck, landing softfooted like a cat and I saw the way that the folded coat over his arm swung heavily, there was something weighty in the pocket. He confronted, my crew, thrusting out his jaw and running his eyes over them swiftly.
Angelo flashed a watered-down version of the celebrated smile and touched the brim of his cap. “Welcome, sir.” And Chubby’s scowl lightened momentarily and he muttered something that sounded like a curse, but was probably a warm greeting. The man ignored them and turned to hand Materson down to the deck where he waited while his bodyguard checked out Dancer’s main saloon. Then he went in and I followed him.
Our accommodation is luxurious, at a hundred and twenty-five thousand nicker it should be. The air, conditioning had taken the bite out of the morning heat and Materson sighed with relief and dabbed again with his handkerchief as he sank into one of the padded seats.
This is Mike Guthrie.” He indicated the muscle who was moving about the cabin checking at the ports, opening doors and generally, overplaying his hand, coming on very tough and hard.
“My pleasure, Mr. Guthrie.” I grinned with all my boyish charm, and he waved airily without glancing at me.
“A drink, gentlemen? I asked, as I opened the liquor cabinet.
They took a Coke each, but I needed something medicinal for the shock and the hangover. The first swallow of cold beer from the can revitalized me.
Well, gentlemen, I think I shall be able to offer you some sport.
only yesterday I hung a very good fish, and all the signs are for a big run—2 Mike Guthrie stepped in front of me and stared into my face. His eyes were flecked with brown and pale green, like a hand-loomed tweed.
Don’t I know you? he asked.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had the pleasure.”
“You are a London boy, aren’t you?” He had picked up the accent.
“I left Blighty a long time ago, mate,” I grinned, letting it come out broad. He did not smile, and dropped into the seat opposite me, placing his hands on the table top between us, spreading his fingers palm downwards. He continued to stare at me. A very tough baby, very hard.
“I’m afraid that it is too late for today,” I babbled on cheerfully. “If we are going to fish the Mozambique, we have to clear harbour by six o’clock. However, we can make an early start tomorrow-” Materson my chatter. “Check that list out, Fletcher, and let us know what you are short.” He passed me a folded sheet of foolscap, and I glanced down the handwritten column. It was all scuba diving gear and salvage equipment.
“You gentlemen aren’t interested in big game fishing then?” Old Harry showing surprise and amazement at such an unlikely eventuality.
“We have come out to do a little exploring - that’s all.”
I shrugged. “You’re paying, we do what you want to do.”
“Have you got all that stuff?”
“Most of it.” In the offseason I run a cut-rate package deal for scuba buffs which helps pay expenses. I had a full range of diving sets and there was an air compressor built in to Dancer’s engine room for recharging. “I don’t have the air bags or all that rope. “Can you get them?”
“Sure.” Ma Eddy had a pretty good selection of ship’s stores, and Angelo’s old man was a sail-maker. He could run up the air bags in a couple of hours.
“Right then, get it.”
I nodded. “When do you want to start!”
“Tomorrow morning. There will be one other person with us.”
“Did Mr. Coker tell you it’s five hundred dollars a day and I’ll have to charge you for this extra equipment?” Materson inclined his head and made as if to rise.
“Would it be okay to see a little of that out front?” I asked softly, and they froze. I grinned ingratiatingly.
“It’s been a long lean winter, Mr. Materson, and I’ve got to buy this stuff and fill my fuel tanks.”
Materson took out his wallet and counted out three hundred pounds in fivers. As he was doing so he said in his soft purry voice, “We won’t need your crew, Fletcher. The three of us will help you handle the boat.”
I was taken aback. I had not expected that. “They’ll have to draw full wages, if you Jay them off. I can reduce my rate.”
Mike Guthrie was still sitting opposite me, and now he leaned forward. “You heard the man, Fletcher, just get your niggers off the boat,“he said softly.
Carefully I folded the bundle of five-pound notes and buttoned them into my breast pocket, then I looked at him. He was very quick, I could see him tense up ready for me and for the first time he showed expression in those cold speckled eyes. It was anticipation. He knew he had reached me, and he thought I was going to try him. He wanted that, he wanted to take me apart. He left his hands on the table, palms downwards, fingers spreadI thought how I might take the little finger of each hand and snap them at the middle joint like a pair of cheese sticks. I knew I could do it before he had a chance to move, and the knowledge gave me a great deal of pleasure, for I was very angry. I haven’t many friends, but I value the few I have.
“Did you hear me speak, boy?” Guthrie hissed at me, and I dredged up the boyish grin again and let it hang at a ridiculous angle on my face. “Yes, sir, Mr. Guthrie,” I said. “You’re paying the money, whatever you say.”
I nearly choked on the words. He leaned back in his seat, and I saw that he was disappointed. He was muscle, and he enjoyed his work.
I think I knew then that I was going to kill him, and I took enough comfort from the thought to enable me to hold the grin.
Materson was watching us with those bright little eyes. His interest was detached and clinical, like a scientist studying a pair of laboratory specimens. He saw that the confrontation had been resolved for the present, and his voice was soft and purry again.
“Very well, Fletcher.” He moved towards the deck. “Get that equipment together and be ready for us at eight tomorrow morning.$ I let them go, and I sat and finished the beer. It may have been just my hangover, but I was beginning to have a very ugly feeling about this whole charter and I realized that after all it might be best to leave Chubby and Angelo ashore. I went out to tell them.
“We’ve got a pair of freaks, I’m sorry but they have got some big secret and they are dealing you out.” I put
