The Loo Sanction

Jonathan said that was a thoughtful gesture.

'All right,' Strange began, flicking an imaginary bit of lint from his sleeve. 'As you know, I intend to turn the Marini Horse into liquid money. The other evening, when I broached that possibility to you, you said that the five million pounds I was expecting to get would cause some comment in art circles.'

'More like a riot, I'd say.'

'Even if the figure were arrived at in public auction at Sotheby's?'

'Particularly then. Marini is still alive; his work lacks the fiscal kudos of his death. And after all, the man is a Modern.'

'Yes, I am aware of your reactionary preferences in art. I've read a couple of your books by way of trying to understand your personality. But the abstract artistic value of the casting is not to the point here. What I am interested in is getting the price I want without undue public notice. More specifically, Dr. Hemlock, I want forty- eight hours from the time of the sale before there is any official reaction. Can you arrange that?'

'At a price.'

'That's my kind of man!' Grace interjected.

'What price?' Strange asked.

'Well, naturally, I would like to get whatever the market will bear. But I'm afraid my native greed will have to give way to a very real interest in survival. I told you that I have to hire a man to put that CII official away before he fingers me again. I estimate that that will cost me about fifty thousand dollars.'

'So much?'

'He's a deep man, hard to get at.'

'Very well, fifty thousand then.'

'A little more, I'm afraid. To pull this off, I shall need baksheesh to spread around among the local critics and newspaper people—mostly indirect baksheesh, of course.'

'Give me a total,' Strange said curtly.

'Thirty thousand pounds.'

Strange and Grace exchanged glances. 'Your services are dear,' Strange said.

'Oh, please. If you're pulling in five million, then—'

'Yes. All right. Thirty thousand then. But let me impress on you, as a gesture of friendship, how foolish it would be for you to try to double-cross me on this.'

'You would sic the dummy there on me, right?'

'Indeed I would. And I have a feeling that Leonard is none too fond of you as it is, after the dental damage you inflicted on his mate.'

'If you're through flexing your muscles, there are some things I have to know if I'm to do this business for you.'

'Such as?'

'Is the Marini legally yours?'

'Oh yes. Bill of sale and all.'

'I assume you will deliver it to Sotheby's for the auction?'

'The morning of that day, yes.'

'Where is it now?'

Strange turned to him slowly, like a casemate gun swinging onto a target. 'That is none of your business. It is perfectly safe, and it can be produced quite quickly, at my volition. Anything more?'

'One thing. How much time do I have to prepare the way?'

'The auction is Wednesday morning.'

'Four days? I only have four days?'

'That will have to be enough. Grace and I cannot afford to linger about. And, anyway, my affection for the British is not without limits. I shall be glad to see the last of this narrow little island.'

Grace stood and stretched, her fingers stiff and reflexed in the air, her abbreviated peignoir rising above the taut buttocks, her splayed toes gripping the carpet. 'I think I'll go into the Aquarium for a nightcap. Maybe a look at the customers will turn me on.' She smiled and left the room, the purling of her tense body under its gossamer gown arresting conversation until she had disappeared.

'Nice little bonbon there,' Jonathan commented.

'Oh, yes. I enjoy bringing her pleasure. I arrange complicated little events for her. She's so daring and inventive, it's great fun to plan for her.'

'You're a selfless man.'

Strange laughed. 'My dear man! I never indulge in sexual activity myself.'

'Never?'

'Not since I was a boy. I passed my youth in establishments of this kind. As you may know, it is the practice of candy manufacturers to allow their workers to eat to their heart's content when first they are employed. Within a few months, the workers become so cloyed that they make no further inroads on the merchandise.'

'And you never—'

'Never. Too draining. Too hard on the body. But I have my own vice. Unfortunately, it's the most expensive vice in the world.'

Jonathan pictured Amazing Grace's body. 'Wasteful,' he couldn't help commenting.

'I have other uses for Grace. A devoted ally, and a decoration without equal. I delight in the effect we create together. She, petite, proud, beautiful, sensuous. And I...' He paused and shrugged. 'And I am graceful and classically handsome. There is not a jaw that does not tighten with envy when we make an entrance.'

He had admitted being handsome so matter-of-factly as to make it almost acceptable. And indeed, he was classically handsome, the most handsome man Jonathan had ever seen outside Greek sculpture.

But he was not attractive. His features were so regular, so smooth, so anticipated that the eye slipped over them, finding nothing to engage it. The face lacked the arresting traction of biographic imprint: there were no creases of concern, no grooves of concentration, no crinkles of laughter. Even the pallid, round eyes kept clear and sparkling with tinted eyedrops were devoid of narrative. The fall of light and shadow over his smoothly tanned features had the uninspired, geometric quality of the novice artist's solution to a problem of chiaroscuro—very accurate, very dull.

'Shall we join Grace for a nightcap?' Jonathan asked, eager to end this evening while he was still ahead.

'By all means. Oh, there is one more thing, come to think of it. How did you get on to Grace and the Cellar d'Or establishment?'

For the first time, Jonathan was taken off balance by Strange's technique of the sudden question dropped non sequitur.

Strange laughed. 'Miss Dyke must be very fond of you indeed to impart such delicate information.'

'I put a little pressure on her,' Jonathan said simply. Since they already knew, he confessed offhandedly to glean what advantage seeming honesty had. He was glad she was off with her writer friend with the cats and red wine.

Strange nodded. 'It's comforting to know where your loyalties lie.'

'With myself, as always.'

'The trademark of the successful man.' Strange rose. 'Do let's join Grace.'

When they arrived in the Aquarium, Grace was curled up in the deep leather chair, sipping at a tumbler of Everclear. 'May I offer you some?'

'No,' Jonathan said quickly. He crossed over and looked out into the salon, as Strange took up a perch on the arm of Grace's chair and, with an absentminded proprietorial gesture, began to roll the nipple of one breast between thumb and forefinger.

'Is everything settled?' she asked.

'I think so. Dr. Hemlock and I share qualities of selfishness and greed that augur well for a profitable cooperation.'

In the salon outside, a handful of rather spent clients sat about. Two portly old gentlemen in caps and bells descended the wide Art Deco stairs, looking drained and fragile. They collected their waiting mates and left. Only two hostesses were still on duty, and one of these was leaning against the aluminum wall, her face lax and puffy.