Read Online 1958 - The World in My Pocket by James Hadley Chase - Free Book Online

don’t like this job. I tried to talk Frank out of it. It would be safer and easier to stickup that service station at Dukas, but he won’t have it. With this cafe job, someone might turn brave. If that happens you have a shooting on your hands. If someone gets shot tonight, the heat’ll be on so bad the big one could come unstuck.’
    She let smoke drift down her nostrils as she stared at him.
    ‘Then we must take care no one does turn brave.’
    ‘Easier said than done.’
    She lifted her eyebrows.
    ‘Is it? If you show a vicious dog you’re not scared of it, it’ll behave. It’s the same with brave people.’
    Bleck frowned.
    ‘I can’t make you out. Have you worked for a mob before?’
    Her eyes became cloudy.
    ‘Then don’t make me out,’ she said curtly.
    Bleck shrugged.
    ‘Okay, if you want to play it mysterious, go ahead. But remember this: you have the toughest end of the job tonight. You have to collect the wallets. Some guy might make a grab at you. So watch it.’
    Because he was so uneasy about the job himself, he hoped she too would become uneasy, but there was no change in her expression as she said, ‘No one will make a grab at me.’
    The door opened and Kitson and Gypo came in.
    Kitson paused abruptly when he saw Ginny and Bleck alone together and his face flushed, his eyes becoming angry.
    ‘Here comes the bridegroom,’ Bleck said, and he began to sing Mendelssohn’s Wedding March in a raucous voice.
    Gypo chuckled, his small black eyes dancing with merriment.
    He thought the joke harmless and a good one.
    Kitson turned white.
    ‘Shut up!’ His voice shook. ‘Cut it out!’
    Bleck stopped singing and leaned back in his chair, a jeering grin on his face.
    ‘So what? You and she? He waved towards Ginny who sat motionless, her eyes on Kitson. ‘You two are the newlyweds, aren’t you? Frank said you and she were renting the caravan for your honeymoon.’
    ‘I said cut it out!’ Kitson said.
    ‘What’s biting you, stupe? Don’t you want to have a honeymoon with her?’ Bleck said. ‘You have the soft end of this job. What could be nicer than to have a baby like her all alone in a caravan: that is if you know what to do when you’ve got her alone.’
    Kitson took two quick steps that brought him to the table. His fist flashed up and slammed against Bleck’s jaw. Bleck went over backwards, taking the chair with him and landed on the floor with a crash that shook the room. He sprawled there, staring up at Kitson, his eyes dazed.
    ‘Get up, you louse!’ Kitson said, ‘and I’ll shove your teeth through the back of your head!’
    ‘Hey, kid!’ Gypo cried, horrified.
    He grabbed hold of Kitson’s arm, but Kitson gave him a shove that sent him reeling across the room.
    Bleck shook his head. His eyes became full of hate as he stared up at Kitson.
    ‘I’ve always wanted to take you, you punch-drunk bum,’ he said. ‘Now I’ll show you what fighting really means.’
    As he got to his feet, Morgan came into the room.
    Gypo said breathlessly, ‘Stop them, Frank! They’re going to fight!’
    Morgan took four quick sliding steps forward so he was between the two men, his back to Kitson while he faced Bleck.
    ‘Gone out of your head?’ Morgan asked with artificial politeness, his snake’s eyes glittering.
    Bleck hesitated, then he shrugged, pulled his coat into shape, ran his fingers through his hair, jerked out a chair and sat down.
    He stared down at the table, rubbing his aching jaw.
    Morgan turned and looked at Kitson.
    ‘You start trouble in this mob,’ he said, ‘and you’ll be in plenty of trouble yourself. I’m not telling you a second time. Sit down!’
    Kitson slouched to a chair away from Ginny and Bleck and sat down.
    Still nervous, Gypo came over to the table and hesitated beside Ginny.
    ‘Mind if I sit here?’
    She shook her head.
    ‘Why should I?’
    Smirking with embarrassment, Gypo sat down.
    Morgan began to prowl around the room, a cigarette hanging