Read Online Big Mango (9786167611037) by Jake Needham - Free Book Online Page B

I’m not
your usual clientele, am I?”
    “I see,” Eddie said, but of course he didn’t
see anything.
    “That’s why I selected Rupert as my surname
for this meeting. I thought it might amuse you.”
    “I’m amused all to hell. What about the
Marinus part?’
    “That was my mother’s maiden name.”
    “Really?”
    “No, of course not.”
    The man smiled again, an automatic-looking
flicker of the corners of his mouth, and then briskly changed the
subject.
    “I know quite a lot about you, Mr. Dare.”
    “Well, I don’t know anything about you.”
    “And you won’t. Not unless I want you to. Not
a thing.”
    Eddie looked at the man and waited for him to
continue, but he seemed in no hurry. He just sat and flicked his
smile on and off a few times.
    Finally Eddie leaned back in his chair,
folded his arms across his chest, propped his feet on the desk, and
crossed his legs at the ankle.
    “Okay, buddy, I give up. You’ve got the
floor.”
    Rupert nodded as if he were satisfied and
rose from his chair. He walked to a window and stood there quietly
looking down at Grant Street, his back to the room.
    “I need your help to collect some money,
Eddie. I may call you Eddie, may I not?”
    Eddie said nothing.
    “Good.” The man spoke again without turning
from the window. “It’s quite a lot of money actually.”
    Eddie wondered for a moment if the man was
looking at anything in particular or if he was only letting his
eyes drift generally over the throng of people down below surging
along Grant. It was a crush that always made Eddie think of Hong
Kong: a vast swarm of mostly elderly Chinese, pushing and shoving,
filling the sidewalks and eventually the street, overwhelming with
sheer numbers those motor vehicles foolish enough to challenge
them.
    “Do you ever miss the old days at Wren &
Simon, Eddie?”
    The question felt like a slap and Eddie
immediately realized that was exactly how it had been intended.
    “That’s none of your business.”
    “When you tried those two big money
laundering cases back in…’87 was it?”
    “1988.”
    “It looked like you were really going places
then.”
    “I did go places.”
    “So you did,” Rupert chuckled, looking
around. “So you did, Eddie.”
    Briskly turning away from the window, he
returned to the chair where he had been before. He settled himself
again, taking his time about it, and then began to tap his right
forefinger slowly against his cheek. It was a stagy gesture of a
man who wanted to look like he was thinking and Eddie thought it
appeared ridiculous.
    “They should never have kicked you out of the
firm, you know.”
    “Why are we talking about this?”
    “You were doing the best you could to keep a
very greedy and quite stupid banker out of jail. As I recall he
worked for…who was it?”
    Eddie stayed silent. He knew the man didn’t
expect him to answer.
    “It doesn’t really matter. Anyway, you did
what good lawyers always do, didn’t you, Eddie? Good lawyers always
represent their clients to the best of their ability. Everyone
understands that. It’s just that sometimes they have to get their
hands a little dirty to do it, don’t they?”
    “My hands didn’t get dirty.”
    “Some of your partners thought they did.”
    “They were wrong.”
    Eddie abruptly swung his feet back onto the
floor and leaned toward the man, his forearms resting on the
desk.
    “That’s all I’m saying about that. You can
change the subject or get the hell out of here. I don’t really care
which.”
    Rupert raised both hands in mock surrender.
“Easy, Eddie. No offense. I’m on your side here.”
    “Then that makes two of us. Tell me what you
want or take off.”
    “Whatever you say,” Rupert nodded pleasantly.
“I’m here to become one of your clients.”
    “I’m not sure I want you for a client.”
    “Oh, I think you do. I’m really a very
interesting guy when you get to know me.”
    Eddie searched the man’s eyes for some clue
as to where