Brady grimaced. 'Suppose Kendrick says he's never had the loot? I don't trust that fat fag.'
Haddon smiled grimly. 'No problem, Lu. I have enough on Kendrick to put him out of business and into jail. We'll get the money.'
Brady nodded. 'Okay. If you say so, Ed, then we get the money.'
'As soon as you've handed over the loot, you get back to your wheelchair. You stay at the hotel for another two days. There'll be a check, but the cops won't even suspect you. Your papers are foolproof. After two days, you leave. Okay?'
'Yeah. I see that. How about my money, Ed?'
'Kendrick will pay your share into your Swiss bank in a couple of months time.'
'How about Bannion's money -- fifty thousand?'
'He'll also have to wait.'
'Look, Ed,' Brady said earnestly. 'This guy really needs the money. He's got terminal cancer and an idiot child to take care of. To get a real performance from him, I want to promise him he gets his cut as soon as the job is done. Will you advance the money?'
'What's all this about? Who cares? If you feel like this, Lu, you advance him the money,' Haddon growled.
'I would if I had it, but I never seem to have any money,' Brady said. 'Now, come on, Ed. What's fifty thousand to you? Don't let us foul up this sweet job for the sake of fifty thousand. I want to promise Bannion that he gets paid off the moment the job has been done, and I want to keep that promise.'
'At my expense?'
'You're getting eight million, probably more. For the love of Mike, Ed, be human!'
Haddon brooded, then shrugged. 'Oh, for God's sake!' He grinned at Brady. 'You could sell an egg to a hen. Okay, if Bannion does a good job, if you get the Warrenton diamonds, if you get the loot from the boxes, I'll give you fifty thousand for Bannion.'
Brady smiled. 'It's a deal, Ed.' He pushed back his chair and stood up.
'Bannion will do a good job, and so will I. Thanks for a great meal. See you,' and he left the restaurant, got in his car and drove back to the Spanish Bay Hotel.
Maria and Wilbur Warrenton returned to the penthouse suite soon after 19.00. They had spent the afternoon surf-sailing and Wilbur was pleasantly relaxed. He looked forward to a quiet dinner at the hotel's restaurant, then to spending the rest of the evening watching a spaghetti western on TV.
His hopes were dashed, when Maria said, 'Please get my diamonds. I am in the mood to gamble. I feel I have a winning streak coming. We will dine at the Casino, then we will play.'
So much for the spaghetti western, Wilbur thought as he said, 'But, Maria, I thought we had agreed you shouldn't wear your diamonds away from the hotel.'
Frowning, Maria lifted her eyebrows. 'When I want to wear my diamonds, I will wear them! Why have them if I don't wear them?'
'This city is full of starving, refugee Cubans,' Wilbur said patiently. 'Your diamonds could be a big temptation. There could be a hold-up.'
'Don't be so ridiculous! I am wearing my diamonds! We will leave at eight thirty. You had better change,' and Maria went into her bedroom, slamming the door.
Wilbur thought for a long moment, then he went to the safe, twirled the combination, opened the safe door and took from it a leather jewel case. This he put on an occasional table, after relocking the safe. Then going to the telephone, he called Jean Dulac's office.
'This is Mr. Warrenton,' he said when a woman answered. 'I would like to speak to Mr. Dulac.'
'Certainly, Mr. Warrenton.' The bow in her voice pleased him. A moment later, Dulac came on the line.
'Good evening, Mr. Warrenton. Is there something I may do for you?'
'We are going to the Casino,' Wilburn said. 'Mrs. Warrenton will be wearing her diamonds.'
Dulac who had an uncanny talent for anticipating the wishes of his rich clients, said, 'I understand, Mr. Warrenton. You would like to have an efficient bodyguard to accompany you. That presents no problem. What time will you be leaving?'
'Around eight thirty,' Wilbur said, startled that Dulac should immediately understand the situation.
'Then I will have a reliable bodyguard waiting in the lobby at eight thirty. I will telephone Mr. Hendrick who runs the Casino. A bodyguard will be with you during your stay at the Casino and will accompany you back here. Is that satisfactory?'
'I'll say it is, and many thanks. Mr. Dulac, you run a great hotel,' Wilbur said, and meant it.
'It is my pleasure to serve you, Mr. Warrenton,' Dulac said smoothly. 'Have a nice night,' and he hung up.
Josh Prescott had just finished a dinner of steak and fried onions in the staff restaurant when a bell boy rushed up to him, telling him the Boss wanted him pronto. Cursing under his breath, Prescott hurried to Dulac's office. The time now was 19.30.
'You are to act as bodyguard to Mr. and Mrs. Warrenton,' Dulac told him. 'They are going to the Casino, and Mrs. Warrenton will be wearing her diamonds. I have arranged with the Casino management to have a man take over from you. When you have safely conveyed Mr. and Mrs. Warrenton to the Casino, you will return here and resume your duties.'
'Yes, sir,' Prescott said woodenly, thinking: These bloody rich bitches, showing off their goddam diamonds!
'They will be leaving at eight thirty,' Dulac went on. 'Wait for them in the lobby. Be there at eight o'clock. They must not be kept waiting.'
Prescott remembered he was planning to talk to Anita Certes when she arrived for work. By having to sit in the lobby at 20.00, he would miss her.
'Sir,' he said. 'You should know we have a part time cleaner working on Mr. Warrenton's suite. She is a Cuban, and her husband is being held by the police for murder.'
Dulac flinched. One of his staff the wife of a murderer!
'We can't have a woman like that working here,' he said. 'What is her name?'
'Anita Certes, sir.'
'Very well, Prescott. Leave this to me.'
When Prescott left the office, Dulac telephoned his staff manager who moaned when Dulac told him to dismiss Anita Certes immediately.
'Not tonight, sir,' he pleaded. 'I have no extra staff to replace her. She does a good job. May I suggest I see her in the morning when I will be able to replace her?'
'Very well,' Dulac said, 'but we must get rid of her.'
While this conversation was taking place, and while Prescott was checking his revolver in his office before settling in the lobby to await the Warrentons, Anita arrived. She was early, hoping that the police weren't already at the hotel. No one saw her as she unlocked the staff door, closed and relocked it. She walked silently and swiftly to the women's rest room and locked herself in a toilet.
Sitting on the lid of the toilet seat, she prepared herself for a long wait. She had no intention of going up to the penthouse suite. It was just possible a cop or Prescott would be waiting up there. She would wait until twelve thirty when she would unlock the staff door and then take Manuel and Fuentes up to the penthouse. Thinking about this, she decided the cops would wait in Prescott's office until she had finished her work. She was well aware that the Spanish Bay Hotel would not tolerate cops roaming around to scare the rich and the spoilt.
Sitting in the semi-darkness, she thought of her beloved Pedro. How good it would be when they were on the boat together, heading back to his home! She longed to put her arms around him and comfort him. She felt sure once he was with her, she could nurse him back to health. She would slave in the sugar cane fields, earning money . . . He could lie in bed at his father's house until he was well enough to work by her side.
She slid off the toilet seat and onto her knees. She began to pray that in a few days Pedro and she would be united. While she prayed, Pedro Certes moved from pain ridden life into peaceful death.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Brady, Maggie and Bannion sat in the chalet checking on last minute details for the night's operation. Brady had told Bannion he had talked to the big Boss.
'When we get the loot, Mike,' he said, you and I get fifty thousand dollars. You may have a couple of days to wait, but no longer.'
Bannion hunched his massive shoulders. 'That's great news,' he said.
Maggie patted his hand. 'I love it for you, Mike.' She spoke from her sentimental heart. 'I do hope all will go well for your little daughter. I really mean it.'
Bannion had taken three pain killing pills. Although he now felt no pain, he was worried. He wasn't moving as easily as usual. He found his feet dragged, and there was no spring in him. He suspected he was now dying faster than he thought he would die.
'You have a tuxedo with you, Mike?' Brady asked.
'I have it.'
'I'll fix your face so no one will know you,' Brady went on. 'We both go to the hotel around two o'clock. No one will pay any attention to us. If anyone gets in our way, you will fix them with the dart. Remember the shot must be in the flesh: hand, face or neck. The Warrentons could be in the penthouse by the time we get there. You will dart them. The job shouldn't take more than forty minutes. We return here, hand the loot over to the Boss's man, and then we stay put for two more days. You get your money, and we say goodbye. Okay with you?'
Bannion nodded. 'You can rely on me.'
'I know I can. I know what this job means to you.'
Brady turned to Maggie. 'Now, honey, I don't have to tell you again what you have to do. You keep the hotel dick out of our hair. Now, another thing, and this will make your day. Go to the restaurant and tell the maitre d' I am unwell and won't be eating.'
Maggie's eyes widened in alarm. 'Oh, hon! Are you unwell?'
'You are to tell him that!' Brady snapped. 'I'm fine! When the cops start checking, I want them to know I was in bed, unwell. Get it?'
Maggie gaped for a long moment, then smiled. 'That's smart. For a dreadful moment, I thought --'
'Never mind. You shouldn't think, Maggie. It doesn't do your brain any good. When you go to the restaurant check to see if the Warrentons are eating. See if you can find out if they are off some place for the night.'
'Yes, hon.' Maggie looked anxiously at Brady. 'Can I eat at the restaurant?'
'You can stuff yourself blind,' Brady said. 'Have the lot.'
Maggie gave a squeal of delight.
While they were talking, Bannion was thinking of his daughter, Chrissy. He had telephoned the home twice since he had been in Paradise City. The nurse in charge had been kind and reassuring. Chrissy, she told him, was happy, but she missed him, and kept asking when she would see him. Bannion, remembering those weekends when he was always with Chrissy, felt a pull at his heart. He told the nurse it wouldn't be long. She promised to tell Chrissy.
Half an hour later, Maggie, wearing her best party dress and looking like an escapee from the Crazy Horse revue in Paris, walked into the hotel lobby. She saw Josh Prescott sitting glumly in a chair away from the chattering mob. She moved by him, rolled her hips and gave him her sexiest smile, then she entered the restaurant.
The maitre d' advanced towards her while the elderly men, already eating, paused and regarded her, wishing they were twenty years younger.
'Good evening, madam,' the maitre d' said. 'Mr. Vance is not with you?'
'The poor old dear is not well,' Maggie said, her big eyes sorrowful. 'He has these turns. He insisted I have dinner. He is so kind.'
'Can I send him a tray, madam?' The maitre d' asked, escorting Maggie to the corner table.
Maggie paused. She saw the Warrentons walk into the lobby. She saw Prescott get hastily to his feet and join them. She saw the diamonds. Then the Warrentons and Prescott moved out of sight.
'Can I send a tray to Mr. Vance? Something very light?' the maitre d' asked again.
'No, thank you. Mr. Vance is sleeping. I have given him a sedative.' She sat down at the table. 'Wasn't that Mr. and Mrs. Warrenton just leaving?'
'Yes, Madam. They are spending the evening at the Casino,' the maitre d' replied and unfolded the spacious menu. 'Perhaps I can make some suggestions.' He thought this nurse was the most glamorous, sexy woman ever to come to the hotel.
Maggie suppressed a squeal of excitement. She gave him her wide-eyed, helpless look. 'Would you?' she said. 'I'm hungry.'
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
At the Casino restaurant, Maria Warrenton made a sensational entrance, as, accompanied by Wilbur, the maitre d' leading the way, she walked down the red-carpeted aisle, bordered by tables, to the best table in the room. The rich were already eating. Dinner was served early at the Casino. The main interest was the roulette tables. There was always a rush to get the meal over, and get to the business of the evening.
This was the first time many of the rich had seen the fabulous Warrenton diamonds. The men eyed Maria first, then the diamonds and envied Wilbur. The women had eyes only for the glittering collar, the earrings and the bracelets.
Maria was at her most difficult when choosing her dinner. There were times when Wilbur, who was always happy with a good steak, found it difficult to restrain his impatience as Maria insisted always to have every item on the menu explained to her by servile maitre d's. Now, aware every woman in the room was watching her, she behaved with the petulant arrogance of a spoilt movie star.
Wilbur thought, 'Oh well, it's her honeymoon! Let her enjoy herself. I hope to God she doesn't act this way when we get home!'
Josh Prescott, having spoken to the Casino's detective and had his assurance that he would remain close to the Warrentons and would convey them back to the hotel, decided his duty was done. He took a taxi back to the hotel and turned his thoughts to Maggie. He checked his watch. The time was now 21.00. He had this date with Maggie at 02.15. He had more than five hours to wait! Maggie had really turned him on. His mind was so preoccupied with her that he forgot about Anita Certes. Even when he began his patrol of the hotel corridors, he still forgot about her. His eyes continually checked the slow movement of the hour hand of his watch. He could only think of the moment when he and Maggie would be lying on the soft lawn, hidden by flowering shrubs.