Read Online JC2 The Raiders by Harold Robbins - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Harold Robbins
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ingenuous
enthusiasm. He wondered where and how Chandler and Nevada had become
friends. It had to go back long before anyone had so much as imagined
The Seven Voyages. Nevada Smith did not extend his friendship
readily. If he trusted a man, that should be a man anyone could
trust.
"There are tricks to every trade," said Chandler.
"But what deal can we make about the top floor?"
"Happy to accommodate you, Jonas," said Chandler. "The
top floor has two suites, each with a nice big living room, two
bedrooms with bath, and a kitchenette. The elevators won't take
anybody up there unless they have a key. Likewise, we keep the
stairway door locked. Ordinarily, high rollers occupy those two
suites, but from time to time we help out a man in a position like
yours."
"Nevada says you can make special telephone arrangements."
"We got a telephone hookup that switches your calls through San
Diego, which puzzles the hell out of anybody trying to trace. We've
got scramblers available. Course you have to put a descrambler on the
other end. The bottom line is, we're set up to give privacy to a man
who wants privacy."
"What's the rent?" asked Jonas.
"Look at it this way," said Chandler. "Each of those
suites rents for fifty dollars a night. That's fifteen hundred a
month. Two of them is three thousand. We got expenses in the special
telephone stuff and in keeping security guys around to make sure
nobody tries to invade you. Frankly, Jonas, I usually get nine
hundred a week or thirty-five hundred a month for those two suites,
when I rent to a man in your situation."
"I'll pay you eight thousand a month," said Jonas. "Two
months in advance, though I may not stay two months. The sixteen
thousand is yours if I move out sooner."
Morris Chandler smiled and nodded. "Jonas, you are a gentleman
and a scholar," he said.
2
Arrangements had to be made. Jonas realized he could not telephone
Monica that night. What could he tell her? What she wanted to know
was where he was and when he would come home. He hadn't promised he
would be in touch within twenty-four hours. So he didn't call.
The suites were comfortable, furnished unimaginatively like most
hotel rooms everywhere. The bar was stocked. In the living rooms,
picture windows overlooked the pool, and someone who had lived in the
suite Jonas chose for himself had equipped the place with a big
telescope on a tripod, maybe for watching the girls around the pool,
maybe for checking out who arrived in the parking lot.
Chandler had suggested he could send up a girl, but Jonas had
declined for tonight. He took a final slug of bourbon and went to
bed.
In the morning, Morris Chandler arrived not long after Jonas and
Nevada had finished breakfast. Both of them ate big breakfasts: ham
and eggs, fried potatoes, buttered toast, and coffee. Jonas poured
coffee for Chandler.
"I can help you with some things, if you want," said
Chandler. "To start with, you brought no luggage. Give me your
sizes, and I'll send up some clothes. Also shaving stuff and so on.
But something more important. Twice a week I send a plane to Mexico
City to pick up high rollers and bring them in for a couple days'
gaming. I send a man down there on each flight. He can post letters,
send telegrams, and so on."
Jonas nodded. "I'd like to send two telegrams."
The first telegram from Mexico City was to Monica: EVERYTHING IS OK
STOP WILL BE IN TOUCH AGAIN IN A FEW DAYS STOP MY LOVE TO YOU AND
JO-ANN STOP
The second was to Philip Wallace, Attorney, Washington, D.C.:
TELL LA AND NEVADA NEW YORK OFFICES TO INSTALL IMMEDIATELY ON MY
PRIVATE LINES DESCRAMBLER EQUIPMENT AS FOLLOWS STOP VERICOMM MODEL
NUMBER ONE DASH FOUR TWO FOUR STOP THESE LINES TO BE MONITORED
BUSINESS HOURS STOP SUGGEST YOU INSTALL SAME YOURSELF STOP EXPECT TO
CALL NO LATER THAN FRIDAY SO EQUIPMENT MUST BE IN PLACE STOP
A shop downstairs delivered clothes chosen by Morris Chandler, and
Jonas sent the suit he had worn from Bel Air down to the dry cleaner.
His new
enthusiasm. He wondered where and how Chandler and Nevada had become
friends. It had to go back long before anyone had so much as imagined
The Seven Voyages. Nevada Smith did not extend his friendship
readily. If he trusted a man, that should be a man anyone could
trust.
"There are tricks to every trade," said Chandler.
"But what deal can we make about the top floor?"
"Happy to accommodate you, Jonas," said Chandler. "The
top floor has two suites, each with a nice big living room, two
bedrooms with bath, and a kitchenette. The elevators won't take
anybody up there unless they have a key. Likewise, we keep the
stairway door locked. Ordinarily, high rollers occupy those two
suites, but from time to time we help out a man in a position like
yours."
"Nevada says you can make special telephone arrangements."
"We got a telephone hookup that switches your calls through San
Diego, which puzzles the hell out of anybody trying to trace. We've
got scramblers available. Course you have to put a descrambler on the
other end. The bottom line is, we're set up to give privacy to a man
who wants privacy."
"What's the rent?" asked Jonas.
"Look at it this way," said Chandler. "Each of those
suites rents for fifty dollars a night. That's fifteen hundred a
month. Two of them is three thousand. We got expenses in the special
telephone stuff and in keeping security guys around to make sure
nobody tries to invade you. Frankly, Jonas, I usually get nine
hundred a week or thirty-five hundred a month for those two suites,
when I rent to a man in your situation."
"I'll pay you eight thousand a month," said Jonas. "Two
months in advance, though I may not stay two months. The sixteen
thousand is yours if I move out sooner."
Morris Chandler smiled and nodded. "Jonas, you are a gentleman
and a scholar," he said.
2
Arrangements had to be made. Jonas realized he could not telephone
Monica that night. What could he tell her? What she wanted to know
was where he was and when he would come home. He hadn't promised he
would be in touch within twenty-four hours. So he didn't call.
The suites were comfortable, furnished unimaginatively like most
hotel rooms everywhere. The bar was stocked. In the living rooms,
picture windows overlooked the pool, and someone who had lived in the
suite Jonas chose for himself had equipped the place with a big
telescope on a tripod, maybe for watching the girls around the pool,
maybe for checking out who arrived in the parking lot.
Chandler had suggested he could send up a girl, but Jonas had
declined for tonight. He took a final slug of bourbon and went to
bed.
In the morning, Morris Chandler arrived not long after Jonas and
Nevada had finished breakfast. Both of them ate big breakfasts: ham
and eggs, fried potatoes, buttered toast, and coffee. Jonas poured
coffee for Chandler.
"I can help you with some things, if you want," said
Chandler. "To start with, you brought no luggage. Give me your
sizes, and I'll send up some clothes. Also shaving stuff and so on.
But something more important. Twice a week I send a plane to Mexico
City to pick up high rollers and bring them in for a couple days'
gaming. I send a man down there on each flight. He can post letters,
send telegrams, and so on."
Jonas nodded. "I'd like to send two telegrams."
The first telegram from Mexico City was to Monica: EVERYTHING IS OK
STOP WILL BE IN TOUCH AGAIN IN A FEW DAYS STOP MY LOVE TO YOU AND
JO-ANN STOP
The second was to Philip Wallace, Attorney, Washington, D.C.:
TELL LA AND NEVADA NEW YORK OFFICES TO INSTALL IMMEDIATELY ON MY
PRIVATE LINES DESCRAMBLER EQUIPMENT AS FOLLOWS STOP VERICOMM MODEL
NUMBER ONE DASH FOUR TWO FOUR STOP THESE LINES TO BE MONITORED
BUSINESS HOURS STOP SUGGEST YOU INSTALL SAME YOURSELF STOP EXPECT TO
CALL NO LATER THAN FRIDAY SO EQUIPMENT MUST BE IN PLACE STOP
A shop downstairs delivered clothes chosen by Morris Chandler, and
Jonas sent the suit he had worn from Bel Air down to the dry cleaner.
His new
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