The Savage Day - Jack Higgins [31]
They both sat there staring at me and I got to my feet. 'Anyway, you go and see your uncle when we get in and I'll have a word with Meyer. We'll sort something out, you'll see. Can I go to bed now?'
She sat there staring at me and I moved towards the aft cabin, chuckling away to myself. When I reached the door I said, 'You know it really is very funny, whichever way you look at it. I'd love to see Frank Barry's face when he checks those sub-machine-guns and the Lahtis and finds the firing pins are missing.'
Her hands tightened on the edge of the table and there was a look of incredulity on her face. 'What are you talking about?' she whispered.
'Oh, didn't I tell you?' I said. 'Meyer's got them. One of those little tricks of the trade we find useful, life being such a cruel hard business on occasion, especially in our game.'
There was a look of unholy joy on Binnie's face and he slammed a hand down hard across the table. 'By Christ, Major Vaughan, but you're the man for me. For God's sake take the oath and join us and we'll have the entire thing under wraps in six months.'
'Sorry, old lad,' I said. 'I don't take sides, not any more. Ask the good doctor, she'll tell you.'
And then Norah Murphy did the most incredible thing. She started to laugh helplessly, which was so unexpected that I closed the cabin door and actually poured myself a whiskey which I drank. Then I lay down on one of the bunks and, as is usual with the wicked and depraved of this world, was plunged at once into a deep and refreshing sleep.
7
When that man is dead and gone
We came into Stramore just after noon. It was still raining, but the mist had cleared and according to the forecast brighter weather was on the way. Stramore was little more than a village really, the sort of place which had lived off the fish for years and was now doing better out of weekend yachtsmen.
Except for the side window missing in the wheelhouse and the odd chip where a bullet had splintered the woodwork, we showed little sign of the skirmish with Barry and his men. We anchored off the main jetty and used the dinghy to go ashore.
I arranged to meet Norah Murphy and Binnie in the local pub after I'd reported to the harbourmaster, which was only an excuse for I had something much more important to do.
I found a telephone-box up a back street and dialled the number Meyer had given me. It was somehow surprising to hear the receiver picked up at the other end almost instantly, to hear the familiar voice, Al Bowlly belting out Everything I have is yours in the background.
'Randall Cottage. Mr Berger here.'
'Mr Berger?' I said. 'You asked me to contact you the moment I got in about that consignment I was handling for you.'
'Ah, yes,' he said. 'Everything all right?'
'I'm afraid not. Another carrier insisted on taking over the goods en route.'
His voice didn't even flicker. 'That is unfortunate. I think I'll have to contact my principal about this. Can you come to see me?'
'Any time you say.'
'All right. Give me a couple of hours. I'll expect you around three-thirty.'
The receiver clicked into place, cutting Al Bowlly dead and I left the phone-box and moved back towards the waterfront. I wondered if he would have the Brigadier there by the time I arrived. It should prove an interesting meeting, or so I told myself as I turned the corner and walked towards the pub where I'd arranged to meet Norah and Binnie.
They were sitting in the snug by a roaring fire, a plate of meat sandwiches between them, pickles in a jar and two glasses of cold lager.
'And what am I supposed to do? Live off my fat?' I demanded as I sat down.
Norah reached for a small handbell and rang it and a pleasant-looking, middle-aged woman appeared a moment later with another plate of sandwiches.
'Was it the lager, sir, like the others?' she asked.
'That's it,' I said.
She brought it and disappeared. Norah Murphy said, 'Satisfied?'
'For the moment.'
'And what did your friend Meyer have