Read Online 1966 - You Have Yourself a Deal by James Hadley Chase - Free Book Online
Authors: James Hadley Chase
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pulled a wry face.
“I wouldn’t go that far, but he’s good. The trouble with him is he always thinks of himself first.”
“As far as he is concerned, it’s a good philosophy.”
Dorey laughed.
“Get going, Jack. Let’s have some action.”
Ten minutes later, as Dorey was locking up his files, preparing to go home the door jerked open and O’Halloran came in. His red, fleshy face was dark with suppressed rage.
“Hello, Tim,” Dorey said mildly, recognising the danger signals. “What brings you here?”
“This punk Girland has put one of my best men in hospital!”
O’Halloran grated, coming to rest before the big executive desk.
“Now, look, sir . . .”
“All right, all right, calm down. What is all this?”
O’Halloran drew in a deep breath, took off his peak cap and sat down.
“One of my best men . . . he’s now in hospital with a broken collar bone and four fractured ribs.”
“Who’s that?”
“Mike O’Brien.”
Dorey looked startled.
“O’Brien? You surprise me. I thought he was your toughest boy. What do you mean? In hospital?”
“Girland threw him down a flight of stairs,” O’Halloran said, his face darkening.
“What in God’s name made him do that?”
“Well, I guess O’Brien and Bruckman acted a little rough. After all, Girland isn’t much, is he? My boys didn’t have to treat him like a V.I.P.”
Dorey smiled.
“Doesn’t sound as if Girland treated O’Brien as a V.I.P. either.”
“But O’Brien will be out of action for a couple of months!” O’Halloran exploded. “I want you to do something about this, sir! I’m not having one of my men treated this way!”
“I know O’Brien,” Dorey said quietly. “He is a fighting Mick. I must admit, Tim, this is good news to me. I was worrying that with Girland’s layoff, he had turned soft, but if he can take a toughie like O’Brien and put him in hospital, I think it is more than obvious I have picked the right man.”
O’Halloran cleared his throat, then suddenly grinned.
“Well, he certainly took the starch out of that Irish bastard,” he said, “but I must put it on record, sir, that I am objecting.”
“I’ll make a note of it,” Dorey said gravely: “Girland is quite a character. Of course he needs watching, and I think he is thoroughly untrustworthy, but in certain circumstances, he is the best man we have. I have put Kerman on his tail. Kerman may need help. I have told him to call on you if he does. Was there anything else?”
O’Halloran rubbed his jaw, then shrugged. He had made his complaint. There was no point in taking it further. He said, “We have been checking on this woman. We have a report from Pekin that Kung’s mistress has been missing since June 23rd. A lone woman, matching Erica Olsen’s description, travelled by train from Pekin to the Hong Kong border. Two days later, she took a plane to Istanbul and stayed two days at the Hilton Hotel. She travelled under the name of Naomi Hill. She arrived in Paris eight days ago. One of the clerks at Orly has seen her photograph and confirms it is the woman. We lost her at Orly and picked her up two days later when she was found unconscious. I’m trying to find out where she stayed in Paris during these two days, but so far I’ve had no luck. When she was found she had no luggage nor a handbag. Hong Kong says when she arrived from Pekin, she had two heavy suitcases with her. So they must be somewhere. I can’t get a lead from Orly about her luggage. I’m having all the left luggage lockers checked. We could still come up with her suitcases, and this could be important.”
Dorey nodded. His thin face was puzzled.
“She might have stayed with a friend. Seems odd no hotel has reported her missing or finding her luggage.”
“Yeah. Well, I’ll keep at it.” O’Halloran got to his feet. “You are moving her from the hospital?”
“She’s being moved right at this moment. I am expecting a call from Kerman to tell me
“I wouldn’t go that far, but he’s good. The trouble with him is he always thinks of himself first.”
“As far as he is concerned, it’s a good philosophy.”
Dorey laughed.
“Get going, Jack. Let’s have some action.”
Ten minutes later, as Dorey was locking up his files, preparing to go home the door jerked open and O’Halloran came in. His red, fleshy face was dark with suppressed rage.
“Hello, Tim,” Dorey said mildly, recognising the danger signals. “What brings you here?”
“This punk Girland has put one of my best men in hospital!”
O’Halloran grated, coming to rest before the big executive desk.
“Now, look, sir . . .”
“All right, all right, calm down. What is all this?”
O’Halloran drew in a deep breath, took off his peak cap and sat down.
“One of my best men . . . he’s now in hospital with a broken collar bone and four fractured ribs.”
“Who’s that?”
“Mike O’Brien.”
Dorey looked startled.
“O’Brien? You surprise me. I thought he was your toughest boy. What do you mean? In hospital?”
“Girland threw him down a flight of stairs,” O’Halloran said, his face darkening.
“What in God’s name made him do that?”
“Well, I guess O’Brien and Bruckman acted a little rough. After all, Girland isn’t much, is he? My boys didn’t have to treat him like a V.I.P.”
Dorey smiled.
“Doesn’t sound as if Girland treated O’Brien as a V.I.P. either.”
“But O’Brien will be out of action for a couple of months!” O’Halloran exploded. “I want you to do something about this, sir! I’m not having one of my men treated this way!”
“I know O’Brien,” Dorey said quietly. “He is a fighting Mick. I must admit, Tim, this is good news to me. I was worrying that with Girland’s layoff, he had turned soft, but if he can take a toughie like O’Brien and put him in hospital, I think it is more than obvious I have picked the right man.”
O’Halloran cleared his throat, then suddenly grinned.
“Well, he certainly took the starch out of that Irish bastard,” he said, “but I must put it on record, sir, that I am objecting.”
“I’ll make a note of it,” Dorey said gravely: “Girland is quite a character. Of course he needs watching, and I think he is thoroughly untrustworthy, but in certain circumstances, he is the best man we have. I have put Kerman on his tail. Kerman may need help. I have told him to call on you if he does. Was there anything else?”
O’Halloran rubbed his jaw, then shrugged. He had made his complaint. There was no point in taking it further. He said, “We have been checking on this woman. We have a report from Pekin that Kung’s mistress has been missing since June 23rd. A lone woman, matching Erica Olsen’s description, travelled by train from Pekin to the Hong Kong border. Two days later, she took a plane to Istanbul and stayed two days at the Hilton Hotel. She travelled under the name of Naomi Hill. She arrived in Paris eight days ago. One of the clerks at Orly has seen her photograph and confirms it is the woman. We lost her at Orly and picked her up two days later when she was found unconscious. I’m trying to find out where she stayed in Paris during these two days, but so far I’ve had no luck. When she was found she had no luggage nor a handbag. Hong Kong says when she arrived from Pekin, she had two heavy suitcases with her. So they must be somewhere. I can’t get a lead from Orly about her luggage. I’m having all the left luggage lockers checked. We could still come up with her suitcases, and this could be important.”
Dorey nodded. His thin face was puzzled.
“She might have stayed with a friend. Seems odd no hotel has reported her missing or finding her luggage.”
“Yeah. Well, I’ll keep at it.” O’Halloran got to his feet. “You are moving her from the hospital?”
“She’s being moved right at this moment. I am expecting a call from Kerman to tell me
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