The Light of the Day - Eric Ambler [90]
I was out of the smoke now and I could just see the door of the Volkswagen van. The arm shoved me towards it. I almost fell inside. Fischer was already there, hawking and coughing. More grenades were exploding on the bridge above as Miller scrambled in after me. Then there was a sound of running feet and the men in the respirators piled in. Someone pressed the starter. A moment later the van was on the move. I was crouched on the floor against one of the empty packing cases and somebody was treading on my feet. The stink of tear gas was everywhere. I heard Harper’s voice from the front passenger seat.
“Everything okay, Leo?”
Miller was coughing and chuckling at the same time. “The dogs have fed and clothed themselves,” he wheezed.
11
There were five men besides Harper in the respirators, but my eyes were still so painful that I didn’t see any of their faces well enough to be able to identify them. One of them was named Franz and he spoke German as well as Turkish. I know, because I heard him use both languages—the German to Fischer. The other four only spoke Turkish, I think. I can’t be certain, because I was only with them a few minutes, and I was coughing most of the time.
The van must have gone about three miles when it slowed down, made a wide U turn, and stopped.
Harper opened the door from the outside.
Miller was nearest the door and he got out first. I followed, with Fischer behind me. The other men just moved enough to make way for us. Then Harper shut the door again and the van was driven off.
“This way,” Harper said.
We were opposite one of the big woodyards by an unloading pier and some beached caïques. He led the way along the pier. I was beginning to see well enough again now to recognize Giulio standing up in the Bulut’s outboard dinghy. We climbed down into it. I heard Giulio asking who I was and being told that he would find out later. Then the motor started, and we shot away from the pier.
The Bulut was anchored a quarter of a mile away, and a man on deck, Enrico presumably, was at the small gangway waiting to help us on board. I followed the others to the saloon.
By the time I reached the bottom of the narrow companionway that led down to it, Harper was already untying the drawstring of Miller’s velvet bag, while the others crowded round to look. I saw the glitter of dozens of green and red stones and I heard Giulio draw in his breath. The stones didn’t look all that large to me; but, of course, I am no judge of such things.
Harper was grinning his head off. “Nothing but the best, Leo,” he said. “You’re a great man.”
“How much?” said Fischer.
“Better than a million and a half,” Harper replied. “Let’s be on our way as soon as we can, Giulio.”
“Pronto.”
Giulio brushed past me and went up the companionway. There were sandwiches and drinks set out at the other end of the table. While they drooled over the stones, I poured myself a large whisky.
Harper looked across at me. “Aren’t you interested in the loot, Arthur?”
I had a sudden desire to hit him. I shrugged indifferently. “I’m not interested in counting chickens,” I said. “I’ll settle for two thousand dollars, cash on the barrel.”
They all stared at me in silence for a moment. The deck began to vibrate as the boat’s diesels started up.
Harper glanced at Miller. “I take it Arthur behaved himself this evening.”
“He was a damned nuisance,” Fischer said spitefully.
Harper ignored him. “Well, Leo?”
“He was afraid,” Miller answered; “but what he did was enough. Under the circumstances I think he did