Read Online 1975 - The Joker in the Pack by James Hadley Chase - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: James Hadley Chase
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felt at this moment.
“He has?” she said quietly. “How bit? Couldn’t you stop this yakking, Mr. Jackson and tell me what it will cost to get this letter back?”
Just for a moment, Jackson looked uneasy, then the confident grin returned.
“Yeah, I do run on. Well, for me, I want ten thousand dollars by tomorrow, not later than midday. I want it in cash. That will take care of my expenses which will be fine with me. Leave the money in an envelope with the hall porter.” He looked at her. “Okay?”
Helga inclined her head.
“Now the fink, this is more tricky. As I’ve explained, Mrs. Rolfe, I hadn’t an idea how his mind would work. Anyway, he has talked around and he’s learned what a big shot you have married. He knows now that your husband is loaded. He won’t part with the letter for less than five hundred thousand. Could anything be more crazy? I tried to talk sense into him, but he won’t listen. I’m sorry, Mrs. Rolfe, but that’s the way it is. If you want the letter, it’ll cost you five hundred thousand, plus my ten thousand.”
Helga kept her face expressionless, but the shock was severe.
After a pause, she said, “I find it hard to believe a colored servant should think in such big terms.”
Jackson nodded.
“That makes two of us, Mrs. Rolfe. I was knocked for a loop, but that’s how the cookie crumbles.”
“And this colored boy gets all this money? Aren’t you being very modest, Mr. Jackson?”
He laughed.
“Yeah: you could say that, but I only want my expenses. I like my job. I’m not ambitious. Frankly, I’m sorry I’ve got snarled up with this fink. Between us we could have settled this thing for ten thousand. If you had agreed last night instead of getting on your high horse, I wouldn’t have told him to search your room.”
Helga regarded him.
“Aren’t you talking too much, Mr. Jackson? You are letting your tongue run away. It was while we were talking on the beach that this fink, as you call him, was searching my room. That tells me you and he were working together and I am quite sure you and he will share whatever I pay.”
Again the confident smile slipped. He looked away from her, thought for a long moment, then the smile switched on again.
“As I’ve already said, Mrs. Rolfe, you have brains. Okay, I’ll put it on the line. It was the fink’s idea. I wouldn’t have thought of it, but when he said you would pay, I did think about it. With all this money coming to you when your husband kicks off, I saw the fink had an idea. He couldn’t handle you. I saw that, so after thinking, I told him I would set up the deal and he and I would go fifty-fifty. So, Mrs. Rolfe, if you want the letter you give us ten thousand tomorrow and five hundred thousand in bearer bonds in ten days’ time.”
“And I get the letter?”
“Sure . . . no fooling. You get the letter.”
Helga drew in a deep breath.
She had him now! If she had to lose Herman’s money, at least this snake would land in jail!
“All right. The money will be with the hall porter by twelve o’clock tomorrow.” She got to her feet.
“So it’s a deal?” Jackson asked her, smiling at her.
“It’s a deal.”
As she reached for her handbag, he beat her to it. His big hand dropped on the bag as he continued to smile at her.
“No, Mrs. Rolfe. Not as easy as that,” he said. “You are way out of your league. You caused a lot of uproar in the the hotel when you asked for a sensitive recorder. The fink telephoned me.”
He took the recorder from her handbag, slipped out the tape, put the recorder back into her bag and the tape into his pocket.
Then he leaned forward, his handsome face a sudden snarling mask that chilled her.
“You are dealing with a professional, you stupid bitch!” he said softly. “Don’t ever try tricks with me. Ten thousand tomorrow or you’ll be out in the cold.” As he got to his feet, he suddenly grinned, his friendly grin. “Good night, baby, sleep alone
“He has?” she said quietly. “How bit? Couldn’t you stop this yakking, Mr. Jackson and tell me what it will cost to get this letter back?”
Just for a moment, Jackson looked uneasy, then the confident grin returned.
“Yeah, I do run on. Well, for me, I want ten thousand dollars by tomorrow, not later than midday. I want it in cash. That will take care of my expenses which will be fine with me. Leave the money in an envelope with the hall porter.” He looked at her. “Okay?”
Helga inclined her head.
“Now the fink, this is more tricky. As I’ve explained, Mrs. Rolfe, I hadn’t an idea how his mind would work. Anyway, he has talked around and he’s learned what a big shot you have married. He knows now that your husband is loaded. He won’t part with the letter for less than five hundred thousand. Could anything be more crazy? I tried to talk sense into him, but he won’t listen. I’m sorry, Mrs. Rolfe, but that’s the way it is. If you want the letter, it’ll cost you five hundred thousand, plus my ten thousand.”
Helga kept her face expressionless, but the shock was severe.
After a pause, she said, “I find it hard to believe a colored servant should think in such big terms.”
Jackson nodded.
“That makes two of us, Mrs. Rolfe. I was knocked for a loop, but that’s how the cookie crumbles.”
“And this colored boy gets all this money? Aren’t you being very modest, Mr. Jackson?”
He laughed.
“Yeah: you could say that, but I only want my expenses. I like my job. I’m not ambitious. Frankly, I’m sorry I’ve got snarled up with this fink. Between us we could have settled this thing for ten thousand. If you had agreed last night instead of getting on your high horse, I wouldn’t have told him to search your room.”
Helga regarded him.
“Aren’t you talking too much, Mr. Jackson? You are letting your tongue run away. It was while we were talking on the beach that this fink, as you call him, was searching my room. That tells me you and he were working together and I am quite sure you and he will share whatever I pay.”
Again the confident smile slipped. He looked away from her, thought for a long moment, then the smile switched on again.
“As I’ve already said, Mrs. Rolfe, you have brains. Okay, I’ll put it on the line. It was the fink’s idea. I wouldn’t have thought of it, but when he said you would pay, I did think about it. With all this money coming to you when your husband kicks off, I saw the fink had an idea. He couldn’t handle you. I saw that, so after thinking, I told him I would set up the deal and he and I would go fifty-fifty. So, Mrs. Rolfe, if you want the letter you give us ten thousand tomorrow and five hundred thousand in bearer bonds in ten days’ time.”
“And I get the letter?”
“Sure . . . no fooling. You get the letter.”
Helga drew in a deep breath.
She had him now! If she had to lose Herman’s money, at least this snake would land in jail!
“All right. The money will be with the hall porter by twelve o’clock tomorrow.” She got to her feet.
“So it’s a deal?” Jackson asked her, smiling at her.
“It’s a deal.”
As she reached for her handbag, he beat her to it. His big hand dropped on the bag as he continued to smile at her.
“No, Mrs. Rolfe. Not as easy as that,” he said. “You are way out of your league. You caused a lot of uproar in the the hotel when you asked for a sensitive recorder. The fink telephoned me.”
He took the recorder from her handbag, slipped out the tape, put the recorder back into her bag and the tape into his pocket.
Then he leaned forward, his handsome face a sudden snarling mask that chilled her.
“You are dealing with a professional, you stupid bitch!” he said softly. “Don’t ever try tricks with me. Ten thousand tomorrow or you’ll be out in the cold.” As he got to his feet, he suddenly grinned, his friendly grin. “Good night, baby, sleep alone
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