Read Online Sun of the Sleepless by Patrick Horne - Free Book Online
Authors: Patrick Horne
Tags: Suspense & Thrillers
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had been through it all before.
'Frans, this may spiral out of hand, we have to be ready for all eventualities.'
Frans nudged his coffee cup in its saucer, edging the handle around and hooking his finger through the loop, 'This doesn't need to be complicated. You said that to me earlier. You said that you had some ideas about how to handle this. Are you having second thoughts?'
The implicit challenge and accusation caused Rey to sit back sharply, pausing before tapping his cigarillo against the ash tray rather too harshly for it to be relaxed, 'Just be ready to accept that we may have to contain events. As you said earlier, we'll do it my way.'
He looked out of the window across the street and squinted, his narrowed eyes a clear expression of focussed thoughtfulness.
'You go in first and take the soft approach, your Dutch may smooth things over. I'll come in a couple of minutes later and, if we need to, we can expedite things. If it has to go down then you make to leave and lock the door and we'll deal with it together. If it all goes well then I'll stay in the background, you never know, I may find something interesting to read.'
A rasp of amusement blurted from Frans. He paused for a second as a questioning furrow appeared in his brow, 'Why don't you lock the door after you come in, that will stop any other customers from entering? We would have the place to ourselves then!'
'Because, Frans, if a customer tries to come in when you're innocently chatting with the dealer then they will see us and rattle the door or knock on it. Janssens will know that the door is locked and may become suspicious, we'll have extra hassle. If we only lock it when, or I should say if, we need to take him to one side then we keep our options open. We have to play it by ear, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Besides, look what happened this morning, that didn't exactly go to plan!'
Frans emitted a murmur of acceptance and turned slightly in his chair to get a better view of the shop. After a moment he jerked his head forward at an old gentleman with a mane of white hair lifting a box of books from the small wooden table standing against the front window of the store. The old man heaved the box up and then scuttled back inside with his burden.
Frans grinned widely as he swivelled back to the table, 'You'd better drink up my friend, it looks like we are on. That's Janssens; he's started to pack up.'
Leaving Rey to pay the bill, Frans calmly stood and slipped his jacket on before wandering outside and across the road, eventually disappearing into the book store after nodding to the dealer and exchanging a few pleasantries.
After collecting his change and thanking the café proprietor, Rey slowly walked out and stood for a moment on the pavement, unobtrusively scanning the whole street as he adjusted his coat, an effort to garner at least a modicum of intelligence before following Frans into the store. He was satisfied that it was all clear.
Taking his time to follow Frans into the shop, Rey could see that their oblivious informant had remained in the premises, holding the fort, perhaps anticipating a profitable sale with which to finish off the day.
He felt sorry for the old book dealer, not wanting this day to end in misfortune for Janssens, but, as the old gambler's adage reminded him, knowing that they both had to play the hand they had been dealt.
It was, perhaps, ironic that their white-haired opponent was playing blind considering his stake, but ultimately, it was his own actions that would dictate the consequences that befell him.
Rey opened the door to the store a few full minutes behind Frans and made his entry just as any another last minute browsing tourist might, half truth that it was. He was announced by the tinkling jangle of a miniature clapper rattling against the brass bell that bounced freely from the end of a springy shaft of metal above the door.
He quickly examined his surroundings; the store was a
'Frans, this may spiral out of hand, we have to be ready for all eventualities.'
Frans nudged his coffee cup in its saucer, edging the handle around and hooking his finger through the loop, 'This doesn't need to be complicated. You said that to me earlier. You said that you had some ideas about how to handle this. Are you having second thoughts?'
The implicit challenge and accusation caused Rey to sit back sharply, pausing before tapping his cigarillo against the ash tray rather too harshly for it to be relaxed, 'Just be ready to accept that we may have to contain events. As you said earlier, we'll do it my way.'
He looked out of the window across the street and squinted, his narrowed eyes a clear expression of focussed thoughtfulness.
'You go in first and take the soft approach, your Dutch may smooth things over. I'll come in a couple of minutes later and, if we need to, we can expedite things. If it has to go down then you make to leave and lock the door and we'll deal with it together. If it all goes well then I'll stay in the background, you never know, I may find something interesting to read.'
A rasp of amusement blurted from Frans. He paused for a second as a questioning furrow appeared in his brow, 'Why don't you lock the door after you come in, that will stop any other customers from entering? We would have the place to ourselves then!'
'Because, Frans, if a customer tries to come in when you're innocently chatting with the dealer then they will see us and rattle the door or knock on it. Janssens will know that the door is locked and may become suspicious, we'll have extra hassle. If we only lock it when, or I should say if, we need to take him to one side then we keep our options open. We have to play it by ear, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Besides, look what happened this morning, that didn't exactly go to plan!'
Frans emitted a murmur of acceptance and turned slightly in his chair to get a better view of the shop. After a moment he jerked his head forward at an old gentleman with a mane of white hair lifting a box of books from the small wooden table standing against the front window of the store. The old man heaved the box up and then scuttled back inside with his burden.
Frans grinned widely as he swivelled back to the table, 'You'd better drink up my friend, it looks like we are on. That's Janssens; he's started to pack up.'
Leaving Rey to pay the bill, Frans calmly stood and slipped his jacket on before wandering outside and across the road, eventually disappearing into the book store after nodding to the dealer and exchanging a few pleasantries.
After collecting his change and thanking the café proprietor, Rey slowly walked out and stood for a moment on the pavement, unobtrusively scanning the whole street as he adjusted his coat, an effort to garner at least a modicum of intelligence before following Frans into the store. He was satisfied that it was all clear.
Taking his time to follow Frans into the shop, Rey could see that their oblivious informant had remained in the premises, holding the fort, perhaps anticipating a profitable sale with which to finish off the day.
He felt sorry for the old book dealer, not wanting this day to end in misfortune for Janssens, but, as the old gambler's adage reminded him, knowing that they both had to play the hand they had been dealt.
It was, perhaps, ironic that their white-haired opponent was playing blind considering his stake, but ultimately, it was his own actions that would dictate the consequences that befell him.
Rey opened the door to the store a few full minutes behind Frans and made his entry just as any another last minute browsing tourist might, half truth that it was. He was announced by the tinkling jangle of a miniature clapper rattling against the brass bell that bounced freely from the end of a springy shaft of metal above the door.
He quickly examined his surroundings; the store was a
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