Read Online Operation Fireball by Dan J. Marlowe - Free Book Online
Authors: Dan J. Marlowe
Ads: Link
decent is available. The cash will be at the ranch when I get back there, and I’ll wire it to you.”
“Not wire it,” I said. “Bundle it up and send it registered mail. I don’t want to be standing with people looking over my shoulder while that kind of cash is counted over a counter.”
“I should have thought of that myself.” A short pause. “That takes care of tomorrow. I do have some free time tonight.”
I was tempted, but resisted. If Erikson was having me watched, I didn’t want to lead the watcher to Hazel. “Let’s save it for the land of the pomegranate trees.”
“Can I call you to let you know how things are going?”
“If you stay away from specifics.”
“I’ll be on the first plane in the morning. Bye, now.”
“Bye, now,” I echoed, and listened to the phone hum emptily at the other end of the line.
I went into the bar and had a drink.
I should have been feeling all pepped up now that the project was actually on wheels.
That’s the trouble with experience: it sharpens the apprehension while it dulls the enthusiasm.
CHAPTER FIVE
HAZEL CALLED
me two nights later.
“I’m flying back tomorrow or the day after,” she announced. “Everything’s all set. I found a place on Margaret Street within whistling distance of the shrimp boat fleet. That’s the clientele at this time of the year. It’s a tourist shop later in the season. I insisted on a paint job inside before I signed the lease.”
“It sounds good.”
“You’ll like it,” she said confidently. “I’m having the air conditioning beefed up, too. You wouldn’t believe how hot it is down here.”
“You sound as if you’re planning to stay for fifty years. You should be able to stand a little heat for the length of time we’ll be there.”
“Heat like this I can’t stand for fifteen minutes without some relief. You won’t be able to, either. I feel like a sponge just standing in this phone booth.”
I let it go. “How many rooms?”
“Six. There were two permanents, clerks at nearby motels, but I rousted them.”
“Fine. Having the place painted will give you an excuse to keep it empty until we get there. After you come back to the ranch, how long will it take you to wind things up and get back to Key West?”
“A week. Maybe less. Does that fit the schedule?”
“It does. We’ll begin arriving the second week.”
“Will you be a stranger? Act like one, I mean?”
“Only in public.”
I could hear her snicker. “It sounds like a better deal all the time. Except”—she hesitated—“you really don’t have to stick your head in the lion’s mouth, you know. The living is good without the heroic exploit complex.”
“There’s no heroic exploit complex.”
“You could just—”
“We’ve been through that,” I cut her off.
“Yes, we have,” she sighed. “Well, shouldn’t you arrive in Key West first, since I won’t know the others?”
“I’m planning on it.”
“I’ve already given the orders for the redecoration of one room,” she said complacently.
“Painting, air conditioning, redecorating. You’re supposed to be leasing the place, remember?”
“I can’t stand having things cruddy. Even if I’m only here a month. I guess that’s all I have to say for now. Unless there’s a last-minute hitch in the morning, I’ll drive my rental car back to Miami and catch a plane to Vegas.”
“Good night, big stuff.”
“Good night. See you soonest.”
“Hey! I almost forgot. What’s the name of the place?”
“The Castaways,” she said. My silence must have echoed along 3,500 miles of telephone line. “You’re not superstitious about the name?”
“We could always change it.”
“Except that it has about two thousand dollars’ worth of neon out in front spelling it out. Does it really bother you?”
“If it does when I get there, I’ll shoot out the neon some dark night,” I promised. “Take care, now.”
The Castaways, I thought as I hung up the
“Not wire it,” I said. “Bundle it up and send it registered mail. I don’t want to be standing with people looking over my shoulder while that kind of cash is counted over a counter.”
“I should have thought of that myself.” A short pause. “That takes care of tomorrow. I do have some free time tonight.”
I was tempted, but resisted. If Erikson was having me watched, I didn’t want to lead the watcher to Hazel. “Let’s save it for the land of the pomegranate trees.”
“Can I call you to let you know how things are going?”
“If you stay away from specifics.”
“I’ll be on the first plane in the morning. Bye, now.”
“Bye, now,” I echoed, and listened to the phone hum emptily at the other end of the line.
I went into the bar and had a drink.
I should have been feeling all pepped up now that the project was actually on wheels.
That’s the trouble with experience: it sharpens the apprehension while it dulls the enthusiasm.
CHAPTER FIVE
HAZEL CALLED
me two nights later.
“I’m flying back tomorrow or the day after,” she announced. “Everything’s all set. I found a place on Margaret Street within whistling distance of the shrimp boat fleet. That’s the clientele at this time of the year. It’s a tourist shop later in the season. I insisted on a paint job inside before I signed the lease.”
“It sounds good.”
“You’ll like it,” she said confidently. “I’m having the air conditioning beefed up, too. You wouldn’t believe how hot it is down here.”
“You sound as if you’re planning to stay for fifty years. You should be able to stand a little heat for the length of time we’ll be there.”
“Heat like this I can’t stand for fifteen minutes without some relief. You won’t be able to, either. I feel like a sponge just standing in this phone booth.”
I let it go. “How many rooms?”
“Six. There were two permanents, clerks at nearby motels, but I rousted them.”
“Fine. Having the place painted will give you an excuse to keep it empty until we get there. After you come back to the ranch, how long will it take you to wind things up and get back to Key West?”
“A week. Maybe less. Does that fit the schedule?”
“It does. We’ll begin arriving the second week.”
“Will you be a stranger? Act like one, I mean?”
“Only in public.”
I could hear her snicker. “It sounds like a better deal all the time. Except”—she hesitated—“you really don’t have to stick your head in the lion’s mouth, you know. The living is good without the heroic exploit complex.”
“There’s no heroic exploit complex.”
“You could just—”
“We’ve been through that,” I cut her off.
“Yes, we have,” she sighed. “Well, shouldn’t you arrive in Key West first, since I won’t know the others?”
“I’m planning on it.”
“I’ve already given the orders for the redecoration of one room,” she said complacently.
“Painting, air conditioning, redecorating. You’re supposed to be leasing the place, remember?”
“I can’t stand having things cruddy. Even if I’m only here a month. I guess that’s all I have to say for now. Unless there’s a last-minute hitch in the morning, I’ll drive my rental car back to Miami and catch a plane to Vegas.”
“Good night, big stuff.”
“Good night. See you soonest.”
“Hey! I almost forgot. What’s the name of the place?”
“The Castaways,” she said. My silence must have echoed along 3,500 miles of telephone line. “You’re not superstitious about the name?”
“We could always change it.”
“Except that it has about two thousand dollars’ worth of neon out in front spelling it out. Does it really bother you?”
“If it does when I get there, I’ll shoot out the neon some dark night,” I promised. “Take care, now.”
The Castaways, I thought as I hung up the
Similar Books
