’ t wait for a response. “ I have solid information that a man named Calvin Watters is going to murder Doug Grant in his private office in the next few minutes. You need to get patrol cars over there right away. ”
He gave Hartford the address even though he knew he didn ’ t need to.
“ Watters entered the building three minutes ago. He made an appointment with Grant for nine thirty this morning under false pretenses. He ’ s using the alias Winston Coburn III and he ’ ll have a phony business card to show the guards at the front desk. He ’ s wearing a Panama hat, black sunglasses and a long tan coat. By now, he m ay already be on the elevator. If you don ’ t get officers there in time to stop Grant ’ s murder, I ’ ll let it be known anonymously that you received this call and because of your delay, you ’ re to blame for Grant ’ s death. ”
“ Okay. But you have to tell me your— ”
Ace hung up. Then he drove away, smiling.
Grant ’ s suite was the only one on the penthouse floor. When Calvin strode out of the elevator, he approached the double front doors and knocked .
N o one answered .
He tried the doorknob and found the door unlocked.
Hmmm… I guess Grant really did step out .
He pushed the doors open and walked in. “ Hello? Grant? ”
Silence.
Since Grant had left the doors unlocked, Calvin could only surmise the man had planned to return soon. Besides, Pitt always had good information as to where the target would be.
Maybe Grant left the money for me to pick up, to avoid meeting me.
He passed through a secretary ’ s room, which connected to a larger carpeted office with a b athroom off to one side. Grant ’ s office. The aroma of expensive leather and the scent of pipe tobacco filled the air.
This was the first time that Calvin ’ s boss had ever been wrong about where a prospect would be. Also, from what he had seen, Grant hadn ’ t left the money in a package to be picked up. He would have put it near the front door or somewhere else where Calvin could easily spot it.
He jumped w hen the phone rang, then ignored it as he made a beeline toward the mahogany desk . He studied the papers on top—memos, documents, bills, the usual stuff . There was also a framed picture of Grant and his wife from their wedding day. Nothing with Calvin ’ s or Pitt ’ s name.
He searched around again and saw no indication of the money. The last thing he wanted was to be caught snooping around in Grant ’ s office.
The phone continued to ring.
Obviously , no one is here. Hang up already.
No Grant , n o money. This last job was getting more suspicious by the minute . And Calvin ’ s finely tuned sense of danger from his y ears on the streets was buzzing .
Something ’ s off here.
Ri f fl ing through the papers on Grant ’ s desk, he heard police sirens in the distance . He jerked upright . They wer e getting closer.
The phone finally stopped ringing but t he sirens grew louder.
Proper procedure he ’ d been taught was to call immediately when a job failed and await instructions. As badly as he wanted to get out of there , he still had the reputation he ’ d built .
“ Calm down, Calvin, ” he told himself. “ This is your last job. Do it right and you ’ re done. ”
Using Grant ’ s desk phone, he dialed an outside line. “ Grant ’ s not here and neither is the money. ”
“ What do you mean he ’ s not there? ” Pit t sounded worried .
“ I ’ ll tell you again. Grant ’ s not in his office. You were wrong. ”
“ H e has to be there! ”
“ Nope. I ’ m leaving. And I ’ ve just finished my last job. You ’ re going to have to get someone else to try to collect. I ’ m coming back to give you this stupid disguise and pick up a few things. ”
“ No , w ait! ” There was a slight pause. “ Grant may show up any— ”
Calvin hung up . S irens shrilled outside as though they were maybe a block away. He peered out the window. Sure enough,
He gave Hartford the address even though he knew he didn ’ t need to.
“ Watters entered the building three minutes ago. He made an appointment with Grant for nine thirty this morning under false pretenses. He ’ s using the alias Winston Coburn III and he ’ ll have a phony business card to show the guards at the front desk. He ’ s wearing a Panama hat, black sunglasses and a long tan coat. By now, he m ay already be on the elevator. If you don ’ t get officers there in time to stop Grant ’ s murder, I ’ ll let it be known anonymously that you received this call and because of your delay, you ’ re to blame for Grant ’ s death. ”
“ Okay. But you have to tell me your— ”
Ace hung up. Then he drove away, smiling.
Grant ’ s suite was the only one on the penthouse floor. When Calvin strode out of the elevator, he approached the double front doors and knocked .
N o one answered .
He tried the doorknob and found the door unlocked.
Hmmm… I guess Grant really did step out .
He pushed the doors open and walked in. “ Hello? Grant? ”
Silence.
Since Grant had left the doors unlocked, Calvin could only surmise the man had planned to return soon. Besides, Pitt always had good information as to where the target would be.
Maybe Grant left the money for me to pick up, to avoid meeting me.
He passed through a secretary ’ s room, which connected to a larger carpeted office with a b athroom off to one side. Grant ’ s office. The aroma of expensive leather and the scent of pipe tobacco filled the air.
This was the first time that Calvin ’ s boss had ever been wrong about where a prospect would be. Also, from what he had seen, Grant hadn ’ t left the money in a package to be picked up. He would have put it near the front door or somewhere else where Calvin could easily spot it.
He jumped w hen the phone rang, then ignored it as he made a beeline toward the mahogany desk . He studied the papers on top—memos, documents, bills, the usual stuff . There was also a framed picture of Grant and his wife from their wedding day. Nothing with Calvin ’ s or Pitt ’ s name.
He searched around again and saw no indication of the money. The last thing he wanted was to be caught snooping around in Grant ’ s office.
The phone continued to ring.
Obviously , no one is here. Hang up already.
No Grant , n o money. This last job was getting more suspicious by the minute . And Calvin ’ s finely tuned sense of danger from his y ears on the streets was buzzing .
Something ’ s off here.
Ri f fl ing through the papers on Grant ’ s desk, he heard police sirens in the distance . He jerked upright . They wer e getting closer.
The phone finally stopped ringing but t he sirens grew louder.
Proper procedure he ’ d been taught was to call immediately when a job failed and await instructions. As badly as he wanted to get out of there , he still had the reputation he ’ d built .
“ Calm down, Calvin, ” he told himself. “ This is your last job. Do it right and you ’ re done. ”
Using Grant ’ s desk phone, he dialed an outside line. “ Grant ’ s not here and neither is the money. ”
“ What do you mean he ’ s not there? ” Pit t sounded worried .
“ I ’ ll tell you again. Grant ’ s not in his office. You were wrong. ”
“ H e has to be there! ”
“ Nope. I ’ m leaving. And I ’ ve just finished my last job. You ’ re going to have to get someone else to try to collect. I ’ m coming back to give you this stupid disguise and pick up a few things. ”
“ No , w ait! ” There was a slight pause. “ Grant may show up any— ”
Calvin hung up . S irens shrilled outside as though they were maybe a block away. He peered out the window. Sure enough,
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