Bolivar took a cab to the bank, while James took our shopping list. Angelina and I stayed in the warm security of the bar to await his return. I ordered another drink.

  “After we take Chaise to the cleaners,” I said, “I am looking forward to a good long break in the sunshine.”

  “So am I-for starters. But I am looking forward to a far longer one than that.”

  “Meaning what?”

  “Meaning I think, that at our age, we ought to lead a quieter existence.”

  “What! Leave show business?”

  “Yes. Leave show business, as well as all the monkey business that has kept us occupied down through the years. I’ll hang up my guns if you’ll hang up your lockpick.”

  I laughed-then saw that she was deadly serious. I contemplated a future in the sun in my rocking chair. Or wheelchair … “It would be, well, you might say, perhaps slightly … boring.”

  “Nonsense. We could travel, there are plenty of planets we haven’t visited, meals we haven’t eaten-“

  “Drink we haven’t drunk!”

  “Now you are getting into the spirit of things.” Her happy smile faded. “I don’t complain, Jim, you know that’s not like me. But I had plenty of time to think about the future, locked away by myself in that terrible room. It was, well, an experience I would not like to repeat.”

  “Being cuffed to that bed and left to maybe die of thirst made me feel the same way.”

  “That is exactly what I mean. We should never place ourselves in this kind of position again. You think about it.”

  “I will, I promise. Just as soon as we have taken Chaise to the cleaners.”

  “Of course. We’ll tie this one up. Then walk away without looking back.”

  James appeared in the doorway and waved. Gloriana woke up and stretched. We went to join him. Holding hands, which felt very good indeed.

  I will admit to feeling some hints of apprehension when we drew up before the warehouse. We waited outside until James had swept up all the bugs inside and put them in his insulated bag. Nor was I wildly enthusiastic when the cuffs clicked back on my wrists. Angelina was not happy either as she applied the makeup to my crunched face. Which looked even more crunched by the time she was through. She admired her handiwork, then frowned.

  “James, I’ve changed my mind about having the shopping trip now. I’ll take a cab to the hotel where you and Bolivar are staying. I’ll have a long bubble bath and a rest. Let Gloriana have a bath too-we both need one. I want you to stay close by in case anything goes wrong here. I want us to forget Chaise and the money, revenge, the whole works, if it means putting your father in any kind of danger. Do you understand?”

  “Loud and clear. I’ll be nearby with my ear glued to the output of our pickup bug, but out of sight of the warehouse. We’ll keep in touch with this.” He held up what looked like a grain of rice. “Fits inside the ear and cannot be seen. Twoway talking, state of the art.” He passed it over and I plugged it in.

  Angelina had done a wonder job with the makeup, bringing my face back to the ruined condition it had been in earlier. When they were all done James unwrapped the various bugs and listening devices that Chaise has planted. Angelina blew me a silent kiss as they left.

  Depression hit-but so did all the drinks-and I was asleep in seconds.

  After a timeless period of rather repellent dreams I awoke as a voice whispered in my ear. Where the tiny and invisible communicator was located.

  “Looks like Kaia’s car coming towards the warehouse,”

  James said.

  “What time is it?” I shaped the words with my mouth, not speaking aloud but breathing in the lightest of whispers. James could make out what I was saying.

  “Almost dawn. He sure put in a long day at the bank “

  “And we know why. Stay in contact.”

  “You bet. “

  In an emergency I could open the handcuffs; I hoped that I would not have to. If I played along, just for a short time more, our counterplot against his plot would surely work. I heard the outer door open and close. Then the footsteps approaching the door. A rattle on the knob as he opened it. I turned to look.

  “Getting thirsty, Jim?” Chaise said. His eyes were surrounded by darkened shadows. Working night and day on his crooked schemes. But he still had enough energy left for some gratuitous sadism. I didn’t answer, but tried a dry cough instead.

  “You are going to get those bearer bonds for me?”

  “Water …”

  “Of course.”

  He returned with a mug of water. Held it out to me-then poured it onto the floor. I was all method acting now, gasping and mewling. He liked that.

  “The bonds?”

  “I’ll … get them…” Cracking and husking of course.

  A half a cup of tepid water was my reward. Just enough to keep me alive if I really had gone without. He looked at me coldly.

  “I don’t believe you,” he said. “Jim diGriz does not give in that easily. I am going to be busy the next few days. So I think that we will wait for next week’s delivery to pick up the bonds.” I fell back and gasped dryly, which made him smile.

  “Maybe a little water now and then-but no food. I want you weak but I don’t want you to die on me. I think another week will bring you around to my side. If not-why then another week. Then perhaps I can supply some interesting interviews with your wife.” I writhed realistically at that. “Even you will break, Jim, I guarantee that.”

  “Rot-in hell,” I managed to gasp out as he left. Oh how much he must be enjoying my sadistic theatricals. I dug out the handful of eavesdropping bugs and sealed them once again in their soundproof bag. Then took them out again and spread them out on the bed. He would get suspicious if they stopped broadcasting for any length of time.

  “Come and get me, James,” I breathed into earphone. “I think that the stage is now set for the last act!”

  James opened the hotel-room door as quietly as he could, but Angelina was already awake. Sitting on the couch, very fetching in a man’s bathrobe, looking out at the pollution-tinted dawn.

  “There is fresh coffee there on the table.”

  “Wonderful!” I poured two cups, passed one over to James. “Chaise has come and gone. He is sadistically going to leave me locked in there to stew in my own juices. Before he gets around to thinking about me again-he is going to discover that he has a lot more to think about than he ever realized.” I rubbed at my fake scar, which was beginning to come loose. “I’m going to wash off the makeup, and maybe this scar as well, if enough palisade cells on the skin of my face have sloughed off. Will someone kindly call down for lots of breakfast?”

  Gloriana, washed and blow-dried, was snoring away happily in her basket. She did not wake up as I cleansed my wounds and put on a matching bathrobe. I emerged to stare at the table laden with food. I am afraid that after that I talked with my mouth full.

  “Mrungle …”

  “Swallow first, talk later,” Angelina wisely advised. I finally came up for air and sighed with satisfaction.

  “The only thing missing is a cigar.”

  “I know all of your filthy habits,” James said as he passed over a pocket humidor.

  “We’ve raised them right,” Angelina said.

  We certainly had. Raised them, or dragged them up, right. Sons to be proud of. Not to say daughters-in-law.

  “Is the game afoot?”

  “Fleet of foot and galloping towards the finish line. The bottom dropped out of the Fetorr Credit when the market and the exchange opened this morning. Everyone is panicking other than our lot and Chaise. By the time everything closes tonight he will be the richest man on the planet.”

  “He thinks,” Angelina said. “What happens then?”

  “Bolivar is setting it up now.” He looked at his watch. “We have some hours yet before the curtain comes down. Shall I pick you up here?”

  “Please do.” I scratched at a last remaining shard of scar. “I’ll need some clothes.”

  “I’ll take care of that,” Angelina said, standing up. “Remember that the police are still looking for the face you are wearing now. I’ll shop for you as well as myself. James, are you coming with me?”

  “Sorry, but as much as I would like to help you spend money, I have more pressing business. Computer problems at the bank. But I’ve opened a no-limit account for you at Sharrods departmental store.”

  “That should be enough.” She looked sharply at me. “Don’t smoke and drink too much while I’m out.”

  “Never! A single cigar, a sip of wine. The sweet liquor of success is what we will all quaff together.”

  “That’s more like it,” James said and left.

  I was grateful for the solitude. I was tired and sore in a number of places. But inordinately happy. An emotion that I was sure I shared with Angelina; shopping, shopping to her heart’s content. The boys too, happy in their skilled work. Extracting vast amounts of money from reluctant crooked capitalists. And gently slipping the noose around Kaia’s unsuspecting neck. I turned on some soulsoothing music, then found some even more soulsoothing bottles in the bar.

  And thought about our holiday to come. I was looking forward to some lazy months in the sun. And the minimum amount of exercise every day, just enough to work up an appetite for dinner.

  But how much of that could I take before I got bored to tears? I was not really one who enjoyed just sitting around. Of course we could go the theater more often, even the opera. Maybe not; I shuddered at the thought of one shrill soprano too many. Would I start getting twitchy for some action? Maybe start sneaking out at night with a lockpick to open a safe or two? I must have dozed off at this point because loud snores woke me up. My own. I refreshed my drink and decided not to think any more about the future at this point. Wait, Jim, wait until the job is done.

  Angelina was back by midday, leading a squadron of carrybots. The purchases were piled high, the carrybots dismissed, and very soon discarded wrapping littered the room while she displayed her purchases. Not only clothes for herself, but some cheery sports outfits for me.

  We were dressed, eager and waiting when the door opened. James was back at last.

  “How is everything going?” I called out.

  “Everything is going according to plan,” Chaise said, coming through the door, large gun steady and pointed.

  CHAPTER 27

  This sort of thing has happened so often to me that my reflexes are completely trained to take action, even while my conscious brain was still taking in the new and thoroughly unhappy situation. These well-conditioned reflexes keyed in the commands jump for the sofa, dive out of the room, tackle the gun, throw the floor lamp at him, shout “LOOK BEHIND YOU!” The usual thing in this kind of situation. But, even as my muscles tensed for action, my conscious brain intervened and put all action on hold. I spasmed into the air, then dropped back into the chair.

  Because he was not pointing the gun at me at all. Oh, yes, he was looking at me with that chill smile of his-but at the same time he was pointing the gun at Angelina. He had killed before and would have not a moment’s hesitation to kill again.

  “Very smart,” he said. “It would be a dreadful waste, but I would certainly shoot her if you make any dubious moves. Fire first in order to scar her beauty, then shoot to kill, if you continue to persist in your folly. Now if you both will stand slowly and walk to the couch. That’s it. Seat yourselves, good.”

  Angelina sat stiffly, her hands folded on her purse. I slumped, hands in my pockets, scratching about for anything to fight with. The trousers were brand new. All I came up with was a slip of paper labeled PACKED BY MOSHI LAINI.

  Chaise stepped forward and closed the door behind him. Eyes and gun never wavering. He circled us, felt for the armchair, then seated himself carefully into it.

  “What have you done with Igor? He has failed to contact me.”

  So he didn’t know everything. I had to play for time. The longer I kept him talking the longer I had to find a way out of this impasse.

  “We never touched him. He must still be in Sunkistby-the-Sea as far as I know.” Truthful enough. But he didn’t like it.

  “No games, diGriz. He went there because she was causing a disturbance of some kind. He hasn’t reported back. I can maim as well as kill.” The gun made a muffled phutt and the cushion next to Angelina burst out its stuffing through a large hole. “That is the last warning. Speak!” I spoke, quickly. “I was there and I saw him leave the house. You will remember I was still wearing my Iba disguise. He saw me and reacted badly, even wrecked the truck. Possibly because he had something to do with the disappearance of the real Iba.” Chaise remained impassive and did not rise to the bait. “My sudden appearance was a bit of a shock. So much so that he had a massive heart attack.”

  “You killed him!” He raised the gun.

  “No! He is alive. He has been operated on, a quadruple bypass, and is doing well in intensive care. Call the hospital if you don’t believe me.”

  He didn’t believe me. But he did after he made the call. Which was most interesting.

  “Yes, admitted today. Doing well. Good. Me? I’m his brother. Give him the best treatment and send the bills to me.”

  “Brother?” I asked when he hung up.

  “Yes. Our mother was an X-ray technician. Got her genes well zapped on the job. Radiation leakage. Some of the genes made for genius. Others for Igor.”

  “Shouldn’t you be in your bank making money?” Angelina said. “Instead of here playing the hoodlum.”

  “If you think I am not aware of your machinations at the Banco Cuerpo Especial-you are wrong. If you have done anything, you have succeeded in helping me. You will be quite safe as long as you obey my orders.”

  “If we obey your orders you will certainly kill us,” Angelina said. He nodded.

  “Yes, that is possible. But as long as you are still alive you will hope that that possibility will never arise. Now let me think now about the best way to do this. You are a loving couple. But you, Angelina, are of the female persuasion and surely more emotional. You will follow your emotions. Therefore you will keep hoping that you will emerge alive from this dilemma. You will call your son James and give him my instructions. You will use this phone because it cannot be traced.” He took it from his pocket and threw it onto the couch. She ignored it.

  “Why should I do what you say?”

  The shot was her answer. Searing pain tore through my upper arm. I clapped my hand over the wound, watched the blood ooze from between my fingers.

  “The phone,” he said.

  She placed the call, never taking her eyes off me. She was calm and composed although quite pale.

  “James diGriz. Yes, I know that he is in a meeting. Tell him that it is his mother calling and it is an emergency. Of course you can interrupt him. What do you mean it is as much as your job is worth? Young lady, if you don’t call him now I will personally come down there and tear your eyes out.”

  She waited. Cold and silent. She had never talked like this to anyone before. Although she was icy calm outside, I knew that she was screaming inside.

  “Yes, James, most important…”

  “Tell him to be ready to make the following transfer of funds to my bank.”

  “I have some instructions for you. Chaise is here with a rather large gun and, for reasons I can’t go into now, I know that he will use it. He wants you transfer some funds…”

  It all happened at once. A single loud explosion and there was suddenly a great hole blown in the hall door. Chaise jumped, the gun muzzle wavered.

  I was diving towards him as Angelina threw the phone and her purse at him, at the gun.

  He fired just once before I had him by the wrist with my blood-soaked hand. The gun went off, again and again, plaster rained down from the ceiling. Then he screamed in pain as Angelina’s sharp shoeheels ground down on his arm. Wakened by the noise Gloriana came hurtling into the room and began chewing on his ankle.

  The scream was muffled by James’s arm around his neck, pulling him backwards. While his hand twisted the gun from Kaia’s limp fingers.

  In scant seconds the scene had changed completely. James had launched himself in through the ruined door. He now held the gun and twisted his foot on the back of the neck of the writhing figure on the floor. Gloriana had had enough chewing, he must have tasted fairly repulsive, and was wiping her snout on the rug. Angelina pulled me gently back onto the sofa and dug her thumb hard into the pressure point on my arm to stop the flow of blood that was dripping from my fingertips. She had the telephone in her other hand and was talking with great calmness. “Everything is fine, Bolivar. James is here and took care of the intruder. We’ll call you back in a few minutes.”

  “How did you know?” I asked James.

  “That transceiver in your ear. It’s still working fine. I came here the second I heard his voice. I didn’t alert you. I thought that surprise was the best option in this emergency.”

  “It was,” Angelina said. “After you hush that thing you are standing on, would you be so kind as to get me a sheet from the bed?”

  The single cry of pain gurgled away into silence.

  “Yeah team,” I said. It came out rather feebly. Angelina touched my face delicately with her free hand.

  “Don’t worry, darling. Everything is going to be all right now.”

  Surprisingly enough she was right. James tore the sheet into strips and Angelina made a tourniquet to stop the flow of blood.

  “I’ll help you into the bedroom,” he said. “It is going to be busy around here pretty soon.”

  “Don’t need any help,” I said as I leaned on his strong arm, walked slowly out of the room. Gloriana trotted in after us. The bed was soft. Angelina bandaged the wound which was now beginning to throb and ache. “You need some antibiotic and a painkiller.”

  “There’s a bottle of painkiller in the bar outside, which will do until the real stuff comes around.”