By Pete McKinley
Brown paused to light a cancer carrier before going on. He told the Mexican authorities that the heroin he had discovered on the ship totaled some hundred pounds of the purest stuff and that it was to be transferred to an American freighter making periodic runs between Mexico and the United States carrying a bulk cargo. So - if he knows what hes talking about it almost has to be the Crescent Moon since were the only one making a regular run; although he didnt name us.
The tie-in seems pretty strong, Cole admitted. One more question; you said the custom officials searched the crew and the passengers. Do you always carry passengers on this ship?
Well, yes, we normally do have passengers on board. But these passengers are made up of clients, people who purchase our products. The area in Mexico where our clay comes from is also noted for its fishing and hunting. Our sales department takes advantage of this to entertain their customers with an ocean voyage. He paused as a waiter came down the steps carrying a tray of drinks. I hope you like the sherry, I know very little about wine; Margaret is the connoisseur.
Cole tasted the sherry and expressed his approval. The transfer from ship to shore has to be their biggest problem, Cole mused.
I think we need a new approach, Brown said. Someone from outside with a completely fresh viewpoint. I dont want anyone from Customs or the Narcotics Bureau, but someone who could make a trip on the Crescent Moon as a normal guest without being obvious as to his purpose. I hoped that if you were willing to do this, you might see some unusual or even commonplace thing that would give us a clue as to how this thing is being done - if it is being done.
Let me think about it, Mr. Brown. If I believe I can be helpful, Ill call you in the morning.
a book by pete mckinley
Chapter I
About when Pilar Jones was invited by Myron Brown, President of McWhorter Brown, to a dinner celebrating the completion of the Browns new home down the peninsula. Pilar first asked Larry Carver to take her, but Larry had an appointment in Sacramento that couldnt be cancelled, so with some diffidence she asked Cole Rain. It wasnt that she didnt like Cole, but she felt it would be an imposition on his time to ask him to devote an evening to her away from whatever he did with his evenings. Actually, Cole was happy to be with her. Except for business, and this mostly in the company of two or three other people, Cole had had very little contact with Pilar since Bob Jones death. He had wanted to know her better, but found their business association a hindrance to promoting a social relationship.
The home was situated in the Coast Range rising a thousand feet above the Santa Clara Valley. Cole parked the car on a middle level between the knoll where the house was, and a pool shimmering below. They sat for a moment taking it all in, the valley orchards in bloom and the bay beyond.
I think were early. Could we walk down by the pool? Pilar asked. Id like you to see some of the special tile that Rain, Carver, Shu-li and Jones designed for the area.
They walked down the broad steps to a deck where the tile had been slightly roughened to prevent bare feet from slipping. Each one had been placed within a larger pattern, and the colors reminded Cole of fall leaves in New England; burnt orange, yellow, green and a tinge of red. The pieces lining the pool shaded from a blue-white bottom to an intense blue just under the coping at the water line.
The setting blended into the landscape so subtly and he was so completely engrossed that he didnt notice Myron Browns approach.
Im glad you arrived in time to see the colors in the sunlight. Pilar, its nice to see you. Youre the only girl I know who can compete with the beauty youve created here.
Pilars smile revealed teeth almost too white in a golden tan face and her green eyes filled with delight. Im happy you like the work and most of all I appreciate the free hand you gave me in spending your money. Oh, this is Cole Rain.
Mr. Rain, Ive been wanting to meet you, Myron Brown said as they shook hands. Pilar tells me youre the author of The Criminal Mind Versus the People. Cole admitted that he was.
Studying crime, especially organized crime, has been my avocation for years, whenever I can spare time away from the ceramic business. Brown paused and then seemed to come to a decision. Ive got something Id like to discuss with you before the evening is over, if you dont mind.
Fine, Cole said. We seem to be a little early, perhaps now would be as good a time as any. A tall slender woman was approaching down the steps.
Pilar brought Mr. Cole Rain, dear. This is my wife, Margaret, Mr. Rain.
Im so glad you could come, Mr. Rain, she said extending her hand in welcome. Would you two be terribly upset if I took Pilar with me? I need her opinion on something I just bought.
Well excuse you if you dont keep her away too long, and Margaret, would you ask Roy to bring our drinks here? What would you like, Cole? Im having scotch and water but Roy can concoct almost anything.
If you have it, Id like a glass of sherry.
We have a cellar full of wine that Myron never touches, Mrs. Brown said. Ill select one for you and have Roy bring it down.
As the two left, Brown turned to Cole. Women never cease to amaze me their preoccupation with whatever it is theyre always buying and the need for approval from another woman. A mans opinion doesnt amount to a damn. Pausing only momentarily he went on, But that isnt what I wanted to talk about. Lets sit over here. They went to a marble bench and sat down, and Brown continued, We have an embarrassing not to say a serious problem at McWhorter Brown. I dont know how much you know about our company, Cole, but briefly, we produce a wide range of clay products - conduit tile to roof tile, including what you see here, and he swept his hand in a half circle. For this kind of production, we use a lot of clay and for years weve been importing it from Mexico. We have our own ship making continuous runs between Mexico and the United States, picking up clay in Mazatlan and bringing it to our plant in San Francisco. For some time now Ive had reason to suspect that our ship is being used to smuggle illicit drugs. Brown looked at Cole and Cole looked interested. The ship itself has been searched half a dozen times from top to bottom with no results. The custom officials are positive nothing has left the ship either through the cargo, crew or passengers, but the narcotics people arent completely satisfied. I think we need outside help to resolve the suspicions one way or another.
What led to the suspicions in the first place? Cole asked.
In the past eighteen months theres been an influx of heroin into the Bay Area. A user, an addict supposedly, had part of the story and insisted that the stuff was coming from Mexico by a ship on a regular run - not a small boat. We seem to fit the story best, and there have been other circumstantial things pointing to us.
But, how could I help? Cole wanted to know.
Having read your book and knowing your interest in this sort of thing, I thought Id ask your help either to expose whoever is doing the smuggling, or at least furnish us with a clean bill-of-health. I need assurance that our ship is not being used as a smuggling device. But if it is, I want to know and I want it stopped, Brown said agitatedly. Then more calmly, Of course, money is no object. Id be willing to pay almost any amount to get this thing settled.
Cole thought for a moment. This is all very flattering, but most of my work has been done in research and writing. Dont get me wrong - its an attractive challenge. Ive always wanted to use my knowledge practically and actively.
Nows your chance, Myron Brown urged.
Its appealing at the moment because Im not doing anything so important that it couldnt be postponed for a while, Cole said reflectively. Ive just completed an Investigative Procedures Manual to be used by municipal police departments, and I had intended to take a few weeks off, but this sounds exciting; could I ask a couple more questions?
Ill give you any information I have. Of course, this is strictly confidential, our people are not aware that they have been singled out for smuggling.
Why do the narcotics people continue to suspect the ship? Cole asked.
Well, after they were unable to locate any evidence at all, they did feel confident our ship wasnt involved. But then about ten days ago the Mexican coast guard picked up a French sailor off the coast near the port of Zihuatenejo. He had left a Greek ship in a small rubber life raft and had been trying to make the mainland. Evidently he had shoved off in a hurry and was further from shore than he thought, because when he was found, he didnt have any food or water and was taken aboard the cutter in a coma. The only thing he had in the raft with him was a pound of pure heroin. The Greek freighter that he had left was sailing from the south of France and was scheduled to touch at the port of Mazatlan. The sailor later claimed that the drugs came from a cache he had found on board ship. He had taken some and headed for the mainland, evidently planning to go into the drug business on his own. Brown paused to light a cancer carrier before going on. He told the Mexican authorities that the heroin he had discovered on the ship totaled some hundred pounds of the purest stuff and that it was to be transferred to an American freighter making periodic runs between Mexico and the United States carrying a bulk cargo. So - if he knows what hes talking about it almost has to be the Crescent Moon since were the only one making a regular run; although he didnt name us.
The tie-in seems pretty strong, Cole admitted. One more question; you said the custom officials searched the crew and the passengers. Do you always carry passengers on this ship?
Well, yes, we normally do have passengers on board. But these passengers are made up of clients, people who purchase our products. To explain the set-up, the area in Mexico where our clay comes from is also noted for its fishing and hunting. Our sales department takes advantage of this to entertain their customers with an ocean voyage. We have a man who handles the details of these junkets and always makes the trip. He paused as a waiter came down the steps carrying a tray of drinks. Oh, heres Roy. I hope you like the sherry, I know very little about wine; Margaret is the connoisseur.
Cole tasted the sherry and expressed his approval. Ive always wondered about the fun of selling, but I guess its a job if you do anything for a purpose. He took another sip of the wine and placed the glass on a low marble table. Im thinking about what youve just told me, but I still dont see how my help can be as good as the help you have available.
I think we need a new approach, Brown said. Someone from outside with a completely fresh viewpoint. I dont want anyone from Customs or the Narcotics Bureau, but someone who could make a trip on the Crescent Moon as a normal guest without being obvious as to his purpose. I hoped that if you were willing to do this, you might see some unusual or even commonplace thing that would give us a clue as to how this thing is being done - if it is being done.
Another thought just occurred to me, Cole broke in. Why wouldnt the real smugglers be worried about this seaman, who absconded with part of the cache, talking and divulging their methods of getting drugs into the United States?
After the Mexicans got the story from the sailor, they never announced that he had been picked up. They merely put him in one of their maximum security penitentiaries and forgot about him. When the freighter arrived in Mazatlan, the captain reported that after their departure from Zjuatenejo, they had lost a man overboard. It was assumed he was lost about a hundred miles off the coast near San Blas and further assumed that he had been drowned. the smugglers on the Greek freighter had only the problem of transferring the drugs to a United States-bound ship while they were in port at Mazatlan, and the Crescent Moon just happened to be there when they arrived. Myron Brown drew a long breath and continued, Not only your background, Cole, but the very questions you ask convince me that youre the man for the job.
I cant say I am not interested, but you think this is a continuing thing? That these people will go on with whatever method theyre now using to get drugs into San Francisco?
Im sure they will. Its too profitable to give up and has been too easy for them in the past. Im hoping theyll get a little careless and overconfident and we can get a line on the procedure theyre using to get the stuff ashore. Remember, they havent been alerted in the slightest. As far as they know, the seaman fell overboard and was drowned.
The transfer from ship to shore has to be their biggest problem, Cole mused. Let me think about it, Mr. Brown. If I believe I can be helpful, Ill call you in the morning.
I appreciate that, Cole. Brown looked relieved, as though he had expected a yes answer. Lets go on to the house. I want to introduce you to Mike Crowder and his wife. By the way, Mike is the man I was telling you about who sets up these hunting and fishing trips for our customers; hes the permanent tour guide.
As Cole started to get up from the bench, Brown restrained him with a hand on his arm. Oh, and Cole, I cant stress this too much - all that we have discussed must be kept strictly confidential. So far Im the only one in the company that knows of our ships problem. Id like to keep it that way.
I understand, Mr. Brown. On any assignment, I would normally discuss it with my partners, but if I decide I can be of help you have my assurance it wont be mentioned to anyone without your express permission.
Thanks, Cole. How about calling me Myron.
Cole met the Crowders, who appeared to be an average couple dedicated to a corporation and the way of life it demanded. Mike Crowder seemed anxious to please the boss and was determined to be affable to anyone who seemingly had the boss ear. Renee Crowder told endless stories of Mikes exploits and how they benefited McWhorter Brown. Cole excused himself to go in search of Pilar.
There was no formal plan for the showing of the house. People wandered from room to room. The first door Cole opened revealed a room of mirrors with a lady seated on the stool. Noting Coles mild surprise she said, Sorry. I couldnt find the lock. Youre next.
Thanks. Cole closed the door gently and turned through a swinging door into a kitchen. Roy, who had served the drinks, saw Coles hesitation and said, Come on in. Ill pour you another sherry.
Trays of hors doeuvres were being arranged and shell fish predominated: Alaskan king crab, Guaymas prawns on shaved ice accompanied by a bowl of remoulade sauce, half shelled oysters and tiny Mexican white angulas with black staring eyes marinated in wine vinegar and herbs. Cole accepted a cocktail of the small eels and Roy handed him a drink. He tried to decide whether the subtle flavor came from the herbs and vinegar or from the eel itself. As he ate, he watched the trimming of thick steaks for barbecuing. Turning to leave, he bumped into Pilar coming through the swinging doors.
Hi, I thought the food would trap you. Have you seen everything?
Yeah, Im pretty sure I have - all the interesting things. He told her of the marvels of the kitchen, but didnt mention the scene in the mirrored bath.
Well, O. K., she said. Lets go out on the terrace and bore the people and in our turn be bored.
The party was better than he had expected. The drinks were excellent, and the host and hostess sincerely wanted everyone to admire their new home as much as they did. Pilar was sensational. He couldnt imagine how he had thought of her only as an intelligent pretty female partner. Their brief conversations had always been about business and even had a competitive flavor. But that evening, she changed suddenly and she was different. Pilar had always known she was a girl.
After the first couple fell into the pool and everyone decided to go swimming, Pilar held back. But, with some urging, (not by Cole) she finally borrowed a bikini from one of the Browns daughters and astonished him with a diving exhibition that cleared all the drunks from the pool. He hadnt known that marriage at eighteen had terminated her Olympic aspirations. But this was not the only revelation. There were others, and it didnt seem there was any logical reason for her abrupt change.
The late dinner was served and afterwards the evening was spent in conversation with people with whom Cole had nothing in common, and he was generally willing to keep it that way. The males of the species herded together, talking business and discussing where each fitted into the hierarchy of industry. Cole wandered aimlessly from group to group. A professor from one of the local universities, who lived down the mountain from the Browns, suddenly became vocal. As Cole passed by, he was saying:
There was a time when we tried to maintain the separation of our capitalistic system from our democratic government, but that was when the economy was young and consisted of many small and specialized business enterprises. Today we have segments of industry that are truly autocratic economic principalities. The princes of industry reign supreme over man and machines without recourse to the democratic process. Their terms of office are predicated upon their ability to maintain and increase profits. Our industrial empire is welded together by knights of management whose economic lives, including the lives of their families, are subject to the corporations demand for total allegiance.
The professor went on and on and Cole listened and listened, then inevitably became involved. Twenty minutes later, he was saying, So you see that man doesnt have to be an intellectual giant; he has to be a leader, merely intelligent enough to become aware that to survive, he has to be flexible and change. As Cole finished speaking, he was aware of Pilars hand on his elbow.
Hello, Doctor Winters. You two seem to be very intent, but would you mind if I took Cole away from you for a moment?
Dont ask him that. Hes been waiting for an excuse to break off my monologue for the last fifteen minutes.
Dr. Winters protested that he was very interested in what Cole was saying and mumbled something about getting together sometime to continue their discussion.
Pilar took Coles arm as they walked toward the terrace. Have you noticed that most of the other guests have left? Maybe we should find the Browns and say good night.
Cole agreed and they went through the wide open doors to the terrace and were dazzled by the glittering spread of lights a thousand feet below.
They drove back to the City on Skyline Drive and Pilar immediately fell asleep, resting her wet head on Coles shoulder. He touched the damp curls, and remembered she had dived without a cap. He recalled that when she had left the pool, she had dried her hair on a towel and after shaking her head a couple of times and brushing here and there, she had looked as though she were ready for the first take on a movie set.
Coles thoughts drifted to Professor Winters and his put down of corporations and big business. The four people who constituted Rain, Carver, Shu-li and Jones had combined together and accepted the legal device of the corporation to allow themselves operating room within its entity and yet still to be able to act more freely as individuals than was possible in any of the thousands of business combinations with which he was familiar, including other corporate set-ups, partnerships, companies, associations, co-operatives, communes, or what have you.
His thoughts reverted to his driving as they came into the City on Junipera Serra Boulevard, picked up l9th Avenue and cut across Golden Gate Park to Park Presidio. When they entered the tunnel which crossed the United States Military Reservation, the bright lights in the vaulted ceiling and changing sound awakened Pilar.
She put her hands to her hair, then touched Coles damp shoulder. ummm - I must have over-relaxed. Where are we?
Yes, you did - but more like a hypnotic trance. This is the fifth day. Thank goodness, youve come out of it. As she looked around, he continued, Were just going through the Holland Tunnel and will be in New York City on the other side in a minute.
Pilar looked at him gravely, then said with a small gurgle, Did I miss anything exciting along the way?
Well, not really. It was a pretty uneventful trip, except I was worried about you Most things were easy for you to do, but for some reason you were unable to take your pill.
Im sorry I caused you all that worry and trouble. What did you do about it?
Dont you start worrying; I solved the problem. Im taking the damn things myself.
Im not worried. Ive never taken the pill. I was just wondering where you get your supply and was sorry I missed being there when the doctor gave you your prescription.
Oh, the doctor objected, but I insisted on my legal rights not to be discriminated against because of sex.
Are you referring to your drive or your gender? As she spoke the car entered the Marina. Do you remember where I live? she asked.
Cole smiled confidently and, without answering, made the wrong turn, and drove two blocks out of the way before ending up at her building where there was no parking space.
Will you come in for some of my famous instant coffee with a dash of brandy?
Thanks, I doubt if the gendarmes would appreciate my double parking. Anyway, you need sleep and I really dont need anything more to drink. May I have a rain check? he asked.
She hesitated for a moment, thinking about all the men she hadnt invited to her apartment. She wanted the evening to go on; being with him had been natural and easy. She couldnt remember the last time she had been so comfortable with a man - maybe never. She thought of denying her sleepiness and asking him to please come in for just a moment. There was a need to be domestic and not to be alone.
Thanks for taking me to the party, she said. I hope you werent too bored-
Thanks for asking me, and please invite me for coffee and brandy another time.
As the door closed, Cole turned and walked slowly to the car. To touch her hand, to hold her - why the hell hadnt he kissed her good night? But his hunch was that it couldnt have ended there, that any slight involvement with Pilar Jones would become total - and total involvement was not for him. It wasnt needed or wanted.
He drove up into the hills from the Marina and could see the lights of the city reflected back from the low wind-driven fog. Parking the car in an area reserved for 3-C, Rain, he locked the ignition and walked down a half-flight of steps.
Apartment 3 was one of four partitioned off in a turn-of-the-century pile of cut rock. The old house was on a lot that sloped down from street level. Coles quarters were in the rear of the converted house, offering privacy, a small garden and a few of the house tops below. The room he entered had at one time been used for billiards; it was now a combination living room, dining room and kitchen; French doors led to a balcony-patio. There was a smaller sleeping room with the same exposure. The bathroom had been built for guests using the swimming pool. The pool had since been filled in and was now a part of the garden, but the bath still had three showers, three washbasins and three cubicles with stools.
Cole got most of his clothes off as he moved through the bedroom to the bath. He brushed his teeth, started the water for a warm shower, stepped in and gradually cooled it, but not too cool. When he shut off the water he grabbed a towel and walked slowly back to the bedroom while drying and then, dropping the towel on the carpet by the bed, he sort of rolled the covers around himself and went to sleep.
Chapter II
Cole called Myron Brown the next morning to tell him he would be interested in making the trip to Mexico on the Crescent Moon. But, he cautioned, Ive got to go on a plausible basis.
Brown seemed relieved that Cole was willing to undertake the job. The ship is scheduled to sail Sunday night at eight oclock, and on the chance that you would decide to go I mentioned it to Mike Crowder. You met Mike last night, he handles all arrangements for the sailings. At the moment there are only ten passengers booked, including Mike. It should work out fine because one of our biggest out-of-state customers, a man and his wife from Portland, had to cancel. You can take over their stateroom. I suggested to Mike that it would probably be better not to try to find anyone else at this late date to fill the extra space, so youll have the cabin to yourself - it might make it a little easier to work, he concluded.
That sounds 0.K. But what reason did you give Crowder for having invited me?
Bill Spence called me directly from Portland when he learned he couldnt go. I told Mike you were an avid duck hunter and fisherman, and if he had no one else in mind, you might be an interesting addition.
Damn it, I never shot a duck in my life, Cole groaned, and I havent been fishing since I was a kid.
You could tell Mike I was mistaken - you always wanted to hunt ducks and you havent had the time to do anything lately. By the way, do you have a shotgun?
No, the only thing I have are a couple of hand guns and a .22 target pistol Im good with those, maybe thats the way I should hunt and give those Mexican ducks a breather.
Well, no matter. Ive got plenty of guns and equipment you can borrow and since most of my pants are getting a little tight for me, youll be able to get by with just cinching the belt a little. The deep sea fishing tackle is all on board, unless you have some you wish to bring along.
I dont have any equipment. Ill use the tackle available.
Arrangements were made for shotguns and hunting gear to be delivered Saturday morning to No. 10 Black Pearl Road.
I can give you an advance now, or you can bill me when you return, Brown offered.
That wont be necessary. As I told you, Ive been thinking of taking some time off. Youll only be billed if Im successful in resolving the problem. Myron Brown had insisted on paying, so Cole explained further: We have a somewhat different setup in our company. With the exception of Kang Shu-li, our secretary-treasurer who handles our investment program and the little administrative work we have, the other three of us go our separate ways taking on any assignment we like. Fees for this individual work are payable to the corporation. The four of us draw a fixed salary.
Thats very interesting, do you have time to talk about it for a few minutes? Brown asked. Better yet, if youre free, why dont we have lunch?
They made arrangements to meet on Fishermans Wharf. Cole arrived fifteen minutes early, left his car at a station to be serviced and strolled over to observe the fishing fleet. Myron Brown was standing at the wooden rail throwing oyster crackers to the sea gulls.
Are you sure you wanted to know about our corporation, or was that just an excuse to take the afternoon off?
Hello, Cole. I guess it was a little of both. I certainly want to hear about the things you young people are doing, but I could use an afternoon off or a month. Are you hungry? Lets go order.
A bottle blond girl with low-cut blouse seated them at a table overlooking the fishing fleet. Brown ordered a martini and Cole a half-bottle of Grey Riesling.
If youll have wine with lunch, Ill make that a bottle, Cole said.
Fine, that sounds good with bouillabaisse.
Cole ordered a cup of chowder and a prawn Louis, both broke off crusts of sour-dough bread and buttered it before they continued.
As I understand it, the RCS&J Corporation is privately and equally owned by four people: you, Pilar, Mr. Carver and Mr. Shu-li. If each of you draws the same salary, but the corporation receives varying amounts of money for your individual work, how do you reconcile the disparity between what you draw and what you earn for the corporation?
At the end of our fiscal year anyone earning in fees an amount over and above his draw takes this difference in preference stock. The extra money remains in the corporation to fund our investment program. Preferred stock disbursements are on a sliding scale reflecting the highest interest rates that could be obtained from a bank or savings and loan.
To get back to my fee on this present assignment, there wont be any charge without results. If I can determine for sure that the ship is being used for smuggling and am instrumental in bringing the smugglers to trial only - not conviction - or if I can give the ship a clean bill of health to your satisfaction, then well make it a nominal fee, two hundred fifty dollars a day, plus expenses. Of course, in this case, the expenses are taken care of. After the trip, whatever time might be necessary to complete the job would be prorated, plus expenses.
Its a deal, Cole, and I appreciate it, not only because youre unwilling to charge unless you get results, but because youre willing to tackle the job at all.
They spent the rest of the lunch hour discussing ways to make crime pay. Myron Brown paid the bill, and just before they parted assured Cole, Ill have the hunting equipment plus shells for the shotgun brought to your office tomorrow morning.
Cole picked up his car from the station thinking about how he should prepare for his introduction to duck hunting. He had rated Expert in gunnery school firing at moving objects being towed by the United States Air Force. He wondered if shooting at pulled targets from a flyins platform would help him hit ducks.
On Saturday morning the elaborate hunting gear was delivered to No. 10 Black Pearl Road. Cole was alone in the office and selected an over-and-under twelve gauge shotgun and a Remington pump gun of the same gauge. The clothing fit well enough, although the trousers were a little loose. The lightweight size twelve wading boots were perfect. After setting aside what he would take, Cole spent the rest of the day playing tennis in Golden Gate Park, and flew to Monterey for a date Saturday night.
Late Sunday afternoon, he flew back and hangared his plane at a small strip near Half Moon Bay, picked up his car and met Kang Shu-li at the office. They packed the gear Cole had selected the day before and loaded it, along with a case of special shells, into the trunk of Kangs car. Brown had insisted Cole take the shells even though Cole learned later there was plenty of twelve gauge ammunition aboard the ship. They ate dinner at Borgias, drank picon punches while watching Coles extra-thick pork chops being cut and broiled. While the chops acquired a dark brown crust, asparagus spears were sauteed in butter and seasoned lightly with salt and pepper. Kangs veal scallopini was synchronized with the broiling chops. Mushrooms were added to the scallopini and were flipped in the air to land on the bottom of the black skillet and bubble in butter.
Giuseppe, who had been behind the bar, saw Kang and waved. He came hustling over to the bread block, pulled down a round flat loaf 8 cut it in half, set one half on edge, and chopped slices within an inch of complete severance. He slapped the bread on a platter, slid it in front of them and, turning to the waiter squeezing by, called, Hey, Tony, bring some more wine here.
Wheres the boss? Kang asked. We havent seen her around this evening.
Lucretia? Shell be here at eight. Is everything O. K.? Hey, Tony, more butter here. He lowered his voice. You going hunting or something? he asked conspiratorily. I saw you loading your car.
Im not. Coles taking an ocean voyage.
Giuseppe wanted to know all about the trip, and Cole told him what he could, promising to bring back ducks for everyone. Giuseppe explained with gestures Lucretias old-country duck recipes.
An hour and a half later, they left the restaurant and arrived at the ship with three minutes to spare.
Chapter III
After Kang left him at the ship, Cole went aboard. A seaman met him at the head of the gangplank and took him to the first officer who checked a passenger list and found C. Rain with the assigned stateroom. The stateroom was larger than he expected. On the dresser there was a bowl of fruit surrounded by three bottles of booze - scotch, bourbon and gin. At the moment Cole wanted a beer but decided to unpack his clothes first. Opening a door in the dresser, he discovered a refrigerator with soda, soft drinks and beer. He pushed the gear into a corner and opened a bottle. After a couple of cool swallows, there was a light tap on the cabin door, which sounded sort of sinister. Yeah, who is it? he asked, his voice taking on new character.
This is Mike Crowder. Is everything 0.K?
It couldnt be better, Mike. Come on in, he said.
Mike had been looking after the other passengers and had just learned that Cole was aboard. Everybody dresses pretty casual, he said. Make yourself comfortable and come into the main salon when youre ready.
After Crowder left, Cole dressed in dark blue slacks, a blue knit tee shirt, dark suede crepe-soled shoes and a blue car coat. Stepping on deck, he decided to take a walk around before going to the salon. He didnt want to be conspicuous or make any noise. Quietly turning port, he walked towards the bow of the ship. He didnt really expect to find anything, his purpose was merely to get the feel of the ship. The ship had passed through the Gate and was beginning to hit ground swells. The wind and spray was so cold that Cole wondered if he should keep a sharp lookout for icebergs. The moon shone through wisps of fog, and you could make out that the deck was very orderly and clean. The life-boats were in their davits and Cole figured they could be checked later if they became suspect.
He circled the deck once from bow to stern and was ready to turn into the cabin to use the head before going on to the salon - beer and cold weather are dynamite on kidney function - when, about thirty feet beyond the cabin door, he saw a peculiarly shaped object. The object itself wasnt peculiarly shaped because it was just square and sort of box-like, but it didnt fit into the surrounding contours of the deck and super-structure. He approached to examine it, but found it covered by a tarp and lashed in place by lines tied to ringbolts set in the bulkhead. He expected the tarp to be securely fastened so that there would be no way to expose whatever was inside to view. However, it was merely tied down on each corner with a simple bowknot. This was a fairly smart maneuver, using a bowknot so that it wouldnt draw undue attention. Untying the binding he lifted the tarp and saw the front side of a black box that was open; it contained the damnedest piece of machinery that one can imagine, and Cole was sure it had no connection with the proper operation of a ship. It was black machinery with springs and wheels, a circular plate and even an electric motor, then there was a long lethal-looking arm. How could a ship use this kind of stuff? There didnt seem to be any plausible reason for it; then it came to him what its function must be. It was a launcher; it could launch missiles, grenades or small depth charges at pursuers.
But even if someone on the Crescent Moon were engaged in smuggling heroin, they obviously couldnt use this from the deck of the ship. Then he remembered the motor launch braced on the after-deck. That had to be it. Whoever used the motor launch took this deadly-looking piece of machinery along for protection. It was sitting on casters, the kind that were used to roll guns in and out of the firing embrasures of old wooden fighting ships. He wondered what reasons the captain would give to explain its presence on board.
He pulled the tarp down around the lethal box, retied the fasteners and turned to go to the cabin. There was a scream as he collided with someone in the dark. Dancing back and crouching, he heard a body fall, and then someone wailed, What did I run into? I cant see a damn thing. A mans voice said, Its one of the crew, dear. Then moving out of the shadows, he said, Coming from the bright lights onto this dark deck, I couldnt see anything either.
Cole straightened up and approached the two dark forms. Im sorry. Are you all right? he asked, and then introduced himself.
They turned out to be Mr. and Mrs. Ederle, the only couple on board. The Ederles decided that another drink was needed more than a walk, so they all headed back to the salon.
When they entered there were two tables of bridge in progress. One table was finishing a hand, and Cole was introduced. The story of their accident was told, embellished somewhat by Mrs. Ederle. Letha Ederle went on and on with the story and then lifted her skirt and pulled down her pants to show a dark bruise on a well-rounded and otherwise unblemished hip. Waldo Ederle made no comment, but with a look of bemused tolerance, tossed off the first drink the steward handed him and signalled for another. Cole excused himself and went to the head.
When he returned there was both a bartender and a steward in attendance and, since Cole was interested in every member of the crew, he watched their movements closely. Lew, the steward, just under six feet, slender and wiry, glided quickly with no jerkiness in his action. He hoisted a tray, moved among the furniture and guests, and swooped the tray down. Even with the slight roll of the ship, no drop was spilled. It appeared the steward was born to do exactly what he was doing. Cole couldnt think of any other occupation where his talents would show up to better advantage. But it was hard to reconcile all this talent being wasted on the Crescent Moon. If he wanted to be a waiter, he could have chosen and got a hundred better-paying jobs; maybe he liked the sea.
The Ederles left to continue their walk. Cole went over to the bar and sat on a stool. The bartender moved a bowl of peanuts closer and continued polishing a glass. He commented on the weather and then said that the long-range forecast predicted good weather for the entire trip. He enjoyed talking and told Cole hed been born in San Francisco, had gone to sea at seventeen, and had sailed on the Crescent Moon for two years. His name was Chet, his wifes name was Marge, and they wanted to buy a place, a little spot of land, near Guerneville, and raise chickens. Lew, the steward, was new, had been on board a little over three months, was a bachelor, and even though he was a strange one, he was the best man he, the bartender, had ever worked with. Then he got into a soliloquy on sports and pretty soon, Cole was ready to bet that if there was any smuggling going on, Chet the bartender didnt know anything about it.
The Ederles returned from their walk and Mike Crowder requested one of them to sit in for him while he went to see the first mate. Letha begged off and came to the bar, sitting next to Cole. She ordered coffee and kahlua topped with whipped cream and then taking Coles hand, she placed it on her hip and asked, Do you feel anything?
No, I dont feel a thing. Cole assumed she was talking about lumps. She let go his hand and Cole glanced at the table where Waldo sat; but he was absorbed in the bridge game.
Letha rambled about the blandness of life; she didnt like to hunt or fish but had come along on the trip merely because Waldo had wanted her to and she hoped there might be some excitement. Finally the bridge game started breaking up and people began wandering off to bed. Cole turned down another nightcap, but at Lethas insistence, felt her thigh again. He still couldnt find the lump and, under the circumstances, decided to go to bed himself.
From the deck a three-quarter moon was rolling in the eastern sky lighting the grey-green waves as the ship sailed south. Away off to sea, just on the horizon, there was a light that probably came from another ship or maybe an island. There was the feel of a great night for sleeping, since there wasnt a hell of a lot else to do. A little after one oclock, Cole switched off the lights in the cabin and must have fallen asleep almost at once.
Coles slumbers were disturbed by a light tapping sound. He came up on one elbow and listened. Ten or fifteen seconds, and then another light tap-tap. Going to the door, Cole hesitated and then asked, Yes, what is it?
A girls voice. May I come in? Its cold out here.
Cracking the door, Cole peeked out. Wheres Waldo, your husband?
Hes asleep. Ive been trying to wake him.
If hes asleep, why do you want to wake him? Cole asked logically. Maybe wed better check to see if hes 0.K. He opened the door to let her in, then closed it softly.
No, no, hes all right. Hes just sleeping, she explained, and when Cole was silent, He gets like this sometimes. Hell be out for hours, but hell be fine.
Are you sure?
In the morning hell have forgotten all about it. I just wanted to talk to someone. She moved to the center of the cabin. I hope you dont mind. Does my see-through nightgown embarrass you?
Not particularly but its cold in here too. Put my robe on.
I know a better way to get warm, she said directly. What are you going to do, freeze? she inquired, looking at his bare chest and pajama bottoms.
Ive got a jacket here someplace, if I can find it. When he found it he put it on and stayed standing in the middle of the floor.
Umm, you look like a hunter. What are you hunting?
I was hunting a match, and he started searching his pockets even though he didnt smoke. Do you want a cigarette?
Thanks, no.
Do you want a drink?
I could use a cup of coffee.
I doubt if anybody is in the galley.
We have an electric water heater and instant coffee-in our room.
Yeah, me too. Ill heat some water. He plugged in the appliance. Whats wrong? You two have a fight? he asked.
No. No fight. I just couldnt go to sleep. I thought maybe you felt the same way and might want to talk.
O.K. Fine. What would you like to talk about?
Well, what can a man and a woman alone in a stateroom on a ship in the Pacific Ocean talk about?
Letha, it beats the hell out of me, but it was your idea. I thought you had something specific in mind. All I can think about is your husband finding you in my cabin.
Please dont worry about it. Hes sound asleep. I need a man whos wide awake.
Thats my problem. Im too wide awake, Cole said sitting on the edge of the bed.
Dont disappoint me, Mr. Rain. I need a man and youre the one I want.
Im the man you want? Hell, Im the only one available at the moment.
Maybe your need isnt as strong as mine.
Its pretty strong, but our fun hour could turn into another hole in the head for me; with a shotgun, maybe no head. Cole got up and moved around the cabin then said, Im not positive that the ecstacy would compensate for a huge hole in my belly.
Letha giggled. Im not laughing at the horrible picture you describe but you seem to me to be overly worried.
Me, worried! With only one woman aboard and her husband sleeping not fifty feet from here in a stateroom loaded with shotguns and shells. Whos worried? Im either a great big coward or terribly undersexed. And Im happy you can laugh about it. To me, its a tragedy.
Letha just sat expectantly in the chair. Cole waited for her to get up and flounce out. He didnt know what he hoped shed do next, but when she did nothing, he felt compelled to explain.
I control my urges because I dont want them to control me. I satisfy, but dont sate them. I do it my way. When Im hungry I eat, but not too much. Who wants to be fat? If I need to escape I read a book, take a hike in the hills, or go to the beach. Maybe even pot; but its no good if youre down, it merely enhances the depression. Booze has its drawbacks too. One Sunday morning on a weekend from college, I hit my all-time high in hangovers. You know how it is. When you first wake up you think youre going to die and then a little later youre afraid you wont. Anyway, about eleven oclock Sunday morning, my feeble stirring around brought Aunt Hester to my room with a concoction of tomato juice, lime, tabasco, worcestershire and whatever else she had in the kitchen, plus black coffee. She handed it to me and said, Well, just as long as you had a good time last night nothing else matters.
I said, Yeah, thats the way it was - eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you die.
Your dear late uncle lived and died by that marvelous bit of philosophy so I took it up and tried it once, she said. After that I modified it. Dont eat and drink too much because you might not.
I cant imagine Aunt Hester ever really getting loaded but since then Ive tried to go along with her modification in mind; but I havent always succeeded.
After this long speech Cole felt a little silly, but he also began to believe some of what hed said and decided he really did have better control of the situation.
She sounds wonderful, Letha said. It took Cole a moment to understand she was referring to Aunt Hester. You know, for the first time in my life Im really enjoying talking to a man. Ive never been able to talk about what I really feel deep down inside. Ill tell you something, since youve been honest with me. My name isnt Letha Ederle; Im not Mrs. Waldo Ederle. At twenty-seven years of age Im still the small Indiana college assistant librarian and Im going back there. But Im going to be me, slightly changed. I met Waldo in Chicago about a year ago. I thought I liked him but it was like all my other relationships - pure sex. He told me about this trip, invited me to San Francisco, and I came along as his wife. At one time I thought about marrying him, but decided against it because I dont love him. Mike Crowder knows but not my real name or background. Now that we know so much about each other, or rather you know so much about me, do you think it will spoil the rest of the trip for us?
No, it wont for me and I hope it wont for you. Lets relax and enjoy the trip. Letha smiled in agreement. One other thing, Cole considered whether he should ask the next question. Letha seemed interested so he continued, What does Waldo do? He hadnt meant to be so blunt.
Lethas interest seemed to fade. I dont know, she said shortly. He never talks about what he does. Maybe he sells whatever the people who own the ship make.
Maybe he does, Letha. She wondered what he was thinking about now. I guess I still call you Letha. You all right now?
Yes, Im fine, but I cant wear your robe back. Here take it, and kiss me. Good night, she whispered.
Good night, he whispered back and thought of all the time he had wasted talking.
Chapter IV
The sun had been up for more than an hour and had burned through a slight mist hanging over the sea when Cole was awakened by gunfire. He raised his head from the pillow to listen. There were more shots. He pulled on his trousers, stuffed a Colt thirty-eight special in a forty-five frame in the waistband, grabbed the hunting jacket and left the cabin.
Moving forward toward the sound of the shots he noticed that the depth launcher was gone; the space was empty and the chains and lock hung down from the bulkhead. Staying close to the superstructure he continued to hear intermittent pops. Peering around a corner he saw a group of men near the bow on the port side of the ship. The launcher had been placed on a platform suspended over the side, and a seaman was operating it. A dark object, looking like a miniature flying saucer, left the launcher; there was a blast and the object flew into a dozen pieces.
He started to go back to his cabin, but when one of the group saw him, he instead sauntered toward them stretching and yawning in the fresh morning breeze.
Did the shooting wake you? one of the men asked.
No, no, Cole said. I just thought it was traffic backfiring, and, living in the city like I do, its actually a sort of soothing sound. I think what woke me was that I didnt smell any gas fumes. But you skeet shooters do get up early.
This is trap shooting, said a man whom Cole remembered as being called Barney. Would you like to try it with that cannon youve got tucked in the top of your pants?
Cole looked down in surprise. Jeeze, I had a dream I was back in the military and couldnt step out to take a piss without protection against the tarantulas.
Barney grinned, and Cole went back to his cabin.
At breakfast Cole asked permission of the captain to wander about the ship, explaining that he was interested in everything nautical. The captain was most happy to give his permission, but suggested Cole let someone know what section hed be poking around just in case he didnt turn up, they could come looking. Cole checked the bridge, the staterooms, the galley, the salon, the engine room, the life boats; he even went down in the holds where they carried the clay. He imagined how the holds would be full of clay and could hide a hefty cache of pure heroin if you wanted to. But nothing looked as unnatural as that damn clay-pigeon launcher.
Finally he gave up and started shooting clay pigeons, running around the deck for exercise, loafing in the sun, and playing deck games. At night he drank and played some cards - mostly Hollywood gin and cribbage - for money. All the other passengers played bridge, but since there were only eleven and the captain and first mate refused to play, Cole had an opportunity to talk with everyone and even with part of the crew. There wasnt a damn thing out of line that he could find.
The day they sailed around the tip of Baja California Cole was at the rail, having discontinued the search for the time being. He saw a giant manta ray cutting the water fairly close alongside. The ray was probably twenty feet across the wings from tip to tip. It looked like a bat and they scare the hell out of most people, but Cole had seen them before on television. He was further reassured when one of the crew who had been born at San Jose del Cabo said they wouldnt hurt you, that you could jump in beside one and itd take off like an iguana. Everyone believed him, including Cole.
When the ship dropped anchor off Cabo San Lucas, Cole decided to swim and think while the others went fishing. He had his trunks on when they lowered the big launch and took off for the fishing grounds. Cole found a deck chair where he had meditated before, and went to sleep in the sun. A couple of hours later he wakened, and luckily the ship had swung around so that he was in the shade. By pressing his fingers on the exposed skin he could tell hed got plenty of sun.
Walking to the rail he was now looking toward the land, so he went around to the starboard side and saw the launch heading back. They were making a lot of noise and everyone had a drink in his hand. Someone reached into the fish locker, which was full of sea water, and pulled out a couple of silvery, flipping fish and held them up for Cole to see. With a fish fry coming up, Cole decided he needed exercise. Anyway, he felt pretty foggy and not quite awake yet, so he climbed over the rail and looked at the water about thirty feet below, then made a perfect swan dive. Everyone on the launch was looking and Cole was pretty pleased with the dive, so when he came up he showed them his crawl by swimming away from the oncoming launch. The sea had just a slight swell to it, no choppiness at all. When he surfaced to look around he noticed a wave running across the roll of the sea. He was a little curious about what could cause this, when a tip of something, it was the color of an old inner tube, broke the surface. It seemed never to stop coming up out of the water and didnt until about fifteen feet of the bat-like monster was exposed, along with its horrible maw which probably could swallow you whole.
He didnt remember much of what happened next and neither did anyone else.
He only recalled hearing a tremendous slap that hurt his ears, and was later told that there seemed to be a wake of spray appearing in the ocean from where he was, back to the slowed down launch. They said he rose out of the sea, grasped the gunnel, and all of him cleared the side of the launch by at least a foot.
After dinner that night, and Cole wished it had included filet of manta ray, he went up on the top deck while the others had brandy and coffee below. The sun had already set; but there was still a faint glow in the west. A boat had just left the side of the ship, returning to shore. He asked the first mate if it was a mail delivery, and the mate said no, that it was an official of the Mexican Fish and Game Control and that it was the ships policy to keep on good terms with all Mexican officials. He said they gave gifts from the United States - mostly things you couldnt buy in Mexico, or at least in Baja California Sur. Cole didnt ask if there was any duty involved, but if you could pass things back and forth that easy, why not illicit drugs? Another thing that seemed a little unusual, right away the ship weighed anchor and headed for Mazatlan on the mainland.
Coming from the sea, Mazatlan lies on the lowland in back of an unbroken beach. Green islands humped out of the sea and white water lashed the rocks at their base. As the ship slowly approached the small harbor, the curved narrow sand beach in front of the old town took on more detail. There was a stone and concrete breakwater protecting the street and buildings that lined the shore. A broad strip of sand extended north where the new town was spreading; playas, motels, restaurants and bars.
As the ship crept forward to find her berth, the water turned dull and placid. Bits of debris floated by and occasionally a lazy fish flopped the surface.
The ship anchored in close to steel piles that supported large rigid pipes with flexible nozzles. It had been explained to Cole that these pipes would be used to blow the fine dry clay into the holds of the ship. Beyond the bow of the ship and further into the harbor was a cluttered wharf. Wooden crates were stacked haphazardly and papaya, pineapple, and stocks of bananas were piled in the open. There was a little brown girl in a soiled red dress with a white lace collar sitting atop a dead sea turtle, her dusty legs hanging down and blending in with the mottled shell.
A forward gang plank was being lowered and angled out to reach the wharf. Cole noticed a bald-headed man dressed in tee-shirt and tailored slacks that didnt seem to be part of the scene. The minute the gangplank touched the wharf the bald-headed one started up. Mike Crowder met him at the top. The two shook hands but Cole couldnt overhear what was said.
When Cole came down from topside to have a late breakfast, Mike Crowder introduced bald-head as John Smith, and didnt smile. John Smith was the McWhorter Brown company pilot. He had flown the company plane into Mazatlan the night before. Neither offered a reason for his trip south and Cole wondered why Myron Brown hadnt mentioned the company pilot and plane; then couldnt think of any reason why he should have.
Cole spent the day watching loading operations get under way. The clay was brought in by trucks and dumped under an open tin-roofed shed. A tractor then pushed the material into a hopper where it was transported by the blowing mechanism through the pipes and into the holds of the ship. The operation seemed pretty crude but there wasnt room enough to expand it much. It would be easy to drop a package into the fine clay and blow it aboard. The problem then would be to find it.
People moved back and forth between the ship and the wharf. Some were laborers, others appeared to be officials. There werent any restrictions to movement about the ship that Cole could see. Just before noon he watched Letha and Waldo descend the gangplank. They were the last of the passengers to leave the ship. He watched them get into a taxi and head for town. About this time he became convinced that his observations were worthless and he might as well join the others and go shopping. Turning he found the bald pilot, he couldnt think of his name immediately, standing about twenty feet away and staring at him.
Ive got to go to Cuernavaca, he said. And I was wondering if youd like to go along.
Yeah sure, Cole said without thinking and remembered the pilots name. Will we fly? he asked, then decided that was a stupid question.
Just as soon as we get to the airport, John Smith explained.
As Cole went to his cabin to pick up a sweater he wondered at the sudden invitation. Had he been conspicuous by remaining aboard? Did someone want him off the ship? He decided this was probably unlikely since he had seen several persons carrying boxes and packages aboard and there was no way for anyone observing to determine their contents. If the smugglers were going to be caught, it would have to be in San Francisco.
John Smith stopped the plane just shy of the runway, holding before moving into take-off position, waiting for take-off instructions. During the long wait Cole read the check-off list and watched the pilot move the various controls and read the many instruments. The pilot decreased the pitch of the propellers giving them a thinner bite into the air, ran up each turbo jet engine separately, lowered the flaps twenty degrees, and getting the awaited signal, wheeled into position and pushed the throttle gradually up to full power. The plane rolled forward slowly and then with increasing velocity thrust Cole deep into the copilots seat. The lift-off was smooth and John Smith placed the plane in a climbing attitude, quickly dropping the earth far below them.
The S.S. Crescent Moon with the two pipes connecting her to shore was swept under the right wing. John Smith selected a southeast heading that, for the moment, paralleled the shore. There were miles of beaches and soon the coastal farmland gave way to jungle and mountainous terrain. It was mostly clear but there were small scattered showers, and one towering thunderhead full of lightening that they flew around. One such detour swung them far out over the sea. A white ship was visible down through the mist, sailing away from the land. Suddenly it became a strange and awful scene to Cole. He waited for impending disaster and was gripped with terror but he knew there was no immediate danger. The storm was off to the left and the strange ship was serenely moving under it into the concealing mist. He wondered if something out of the past was causing this torturous horror to grip him. But he knew he had never experienced this sense of doom before. As his momentary fixed rigidity subsided he became convinced that he had just looked into the future. The sea, the ship, the mist would come again and in this forthcoming time an awful dread would truly exist.
He felt the plane alter course and saw that they were now heading inland away from the sea. An hour later Mexico City spread out a mile below and the peaks of snowcapped Popocatepetl and Ixtacihuatl jutted a mile above. The altimeter registered twelve thousand feet. Just beyond the rim of the mountains to the southwest John Smith started a steep letdown for the airstrip at Cuernavaca.
The land on either side of the airstrip was lush and green. There were coconut palms and gold and purple flowering trees. The plane touched down smoothly and John Smith talked with the tower in halting Spanish and then switched to English. He asked for a parking space as close to the terminal as possible and received taxiing instructions to move just beyond the modern concrete building. Cole watched as John Smith set the brakes, switched off the communications system and shut down the engines. He was an excellent company pilot, Cole thought, and wondered if there were other things he was good at.
Cole opened the door and lowered the steps, moving aside for the pilot to descend. When he reached the ground the pilot was already walking towards a big old American car that looked to be in mint condition from loving care. A steel cable was lowered and the beautiful old car moved towards the plane. John Smith stopped and slowly started retracing his steps. The car parked beside the plane and a uniformed chauffeur got out and hurried around to the rear door. But it was opened from the inside and a gnome-like creature dropped to the ground. Cole thought of Toulouse-Lautrec but this guy was powerful and agile. He directed the opening of the rear trunk and the removal of what appeared to Cole to be an oversized footlocker. John Smith was opening a storage door on the side of the plane; he swung it back before exchanging greetings with the extra short man, and then introduced Cole.
The short mans name was Gustave Tallarin. Cole thought tallarin meant noodle but wasnt sure. He wanted to help load the trunk into the plane but John Smith and the chauffeur were handling it. There was a heavy iron lock on the latch that secured the lid and Cole wondered how he was going to get it open to see inside. Just as the trunk was being lifted up to disappear into the plane Tallarin said something to the chauffeur in Spanish. The chauffeur answered and nodded his head but Tallarin insisted that they place the trunk back on the ground. The Spanish was so fast Cole couldnt follow it all.
It was hard to believe, but Tallarin brought out a key, opened the lock, unlatched and raised the lid. The trunk contained mostly decoys. They appeared to be plastic ducks. They were different from any Cole knew about, having been molded in various attitudes. Some seemed to be taking off, others landing, and some just seemed to be sitting, as is normal for a decoy. Very clever, Cole thought, and wanted to see what was under them.
The short man searched down, moving the decoys around and Cole saw what he thought was a pair of wading boots. The chauffeur then pulled a cover from the inside of the lid revealing a dismantled shotgun and a broken-apart fishing rod with reel. This satisfied the short man and Cole was pretty well satisfied too. He watched the lid being relatched and the lock inserted but the short man didnt close the lock. Cole decided that if he got a chance he might take a closer look but he didnt feel any real urgency.
Cole offered the copilot seat to Senor Tallarin, but the short man seemed happy with the luxurious cabin. He accepted a drink and settled back to enjoy the flight.
About thirty minutes after takeoff, John Smith swivelled the controls over to the copilots side asking Cole to take over while he went to the head. Cole was surprised at the casualness of it, but then remembered telling John Smith that he carried a multi-engine rating. He finally assumed this was one of the reasons he had been invited on the trip.
The plane flew beautifully. Maintaining altitude and course took only the slightest pressures on the controls. Cole saw the sea off to the left and decided the pilot would rather follow the shore than fly over mountains and jungles. He altered course slightly, the seacoast angled west, and he noted the time of the heading change. Glancing at the chart that he hadnt been following too closely, he decided John Smith could make any corrections when he returned.
The pilot came back but didnt take his seat. He noted the slight change Cole had made in the heading, was satisfied since they were VFR all the way, and suggested Cole might descend home if he wished, and move the plane around a bit; to get the feel of it. This was a happy suggestion for Cole. He waited while the pilot sat down next to the short man and then pushed the elevator gear forward and reduced power slightly. They went into a long gradual descent but he had to reduce power even further when the increased speed of the plane caused a levelling off.
At fifteen hundred feet he followed the shore line generally without probing into coves or small harbors. Once he saw whales humping and blowing in the water off to the left and later he saw a cream colored horse with a white mane running and shimmering in the sun as he dashed up the beach away from the sound of the plane. He didnt see any people on the beaches and only once did he see a small fishing village. Again he adjusted the elevators and power settings and began to climb. At ten thousand feet he looked at the chart and saw that Tepic should be a few miles off his right wing. He picked up the haze and smoke assuring him of his position. And then he thought of the French sailor from the Greek ship jailed in the penitentiary at Tepic. The brutal fact of any one being caged was impossible for him to imagine. The soaring flight, the lulling events obscured cruel facts from Cole. There had been a moment of prescience over the ocean, but nothing to allow him to foresee the terrible happening converging upon him. It would happen - but not right away.
His reverie was cut short when John Smith Squeezed into the left hand seat. Cole swivelled the controls over without being asked since Mazatlan would be coming up soon.
After they landed a rickety bus was waiting for them in the parking area. Senor Tallarins gear was unloaded and the trunk was tossed on top. The driver of the bus skirted el centro back to the S. S. Crescent Moon.
Dinner that night was hosted by Mike Crowder at one of the beach restaurants. Colle learned that the bus would leave at four a.m. next morning to take them to the duck blinds. He could hardly wait.
When they returned to the ship early Cole went directly to his cabin and wrote in his diary. He was a little disappointed that the day hadnt provided some big clue to the nefarious activities of the ship. The bare facts he jolted down didnt release him from the instinctive primeval state he found himself in while gliding over the land and sea. So he wrote a poem to a girl.
It didnt occur to him that his regression into the basics of life had been brought about by the use of the most modern technology. He drank a bottle of Dos Equis and went to bed, and before the beer got him up, there was a pounding on his cabin door announcing the bus would leave in thirty minutes for the rice fields.
Chapter V
The bus smelled like the fishing launch, of gasoline and the sea. Letha sat beside him, put her head on his shoulder and went to sleep. Waldo was two seats ahead on the left talking with Senor Tallarin. Mike Crowder was explaining that the blinds had been prepared, decoys set out and hot thermos coffee and sandwiches were in place. The blinds were double and Mike and Cole would hunt together.
When the bus finally stopped rattling and bouncing, Cole pushed Letha awake and helped her outside. The driver turned the lights off and everything was black. There was some milling around and Cole lost Letha but someone found his hand.
Senor Rain, I am Cerillo. You will follow me.
Coles hand was dropped and he said, Hey, wait a minute. I cant see a thing.
Hold to my belt. I am carrying your gun and shells, a voice said. Cole assumed it was still Cerillo.
They stumbled along for about twenty feet and Cole began to hear water splashing around his ankles. He was grateful for the waders Myron Brown had lent him.
Don make too much noise, the voice whispered.
O.K, Cole muttered and started to sweat.
They plodded and slithered for what seemed an hour but was only fifteen minutes, and then Cerillo stopped. From here you will shoot, the voice whispered again. Cole felt tall thick grass being parted and then bumped a round island. Get inside, the voice said. There is a seat.
Cole stepped over and into a concealed blind. He felt the shotgun as Cerillo pressed it on him and then the shells. There is a dry place in front of you to place the shells and gun, the voice said close to his ear. Cole found what he thought was a secure spot and laid the equipment down. He really didnt care if it fell in the water or not. Here is your refreshment, the voice said and guided his hand to a pasteboard box and metal bottle.
Gracias, Cole said and he supposed it was Cerillo moving stealthily away. After the foot splashes quit he listened for the sound of ducks waking up, but all he heard was a python or a boa constrictor twisting through the slime and grass to attack and strangle him in his lair. There wasnt anything else to do, so he decided to eat the sandwiches and drink the coffee. Reaching out he found an unexpected bottle of beer. Five minutes later it was open after being pounded on the side of the blind. He smelled the awful fluid too late to prevent filling his mouth, but he didnt swallow. The stuff was spewed into the tall grass from his mouth and nostrils. The weather was so warm Mike Crowder had forgotten to mention the small stove and extra bottle of kerosene. Cole stretched his hands out and found what he assumed was warm dirty water. He rinsed as best he could under the circumstances and then ate three sandwiches. There was chicken and ham and cheese.
After checking the coffee before tasting it, Cole started to remember what he knew about duck hunting. You had to wait for the first light, that was important. Probing the darkness in all directions, he tried to find some hint of this first light. One part of the horizon or the points where he assumed the horizon to be was as black as another. Suddenly he did hear rustlings and stirrings and then as though someone might be talking, a low melodious sound.
He decided it was more like a coo.
At last he saw first light but it was so faint he had to concentrate hard to make sure it was true. And there it was, only higher up than he expected. A thin shaft of difference in the blackness and at the bottom of the thin shaft a pale spreading, and just below, the tops of hills off to the east. Soon there was no doubt of first light in the eastern sky and the subdued noise of awakening was all around.
Cole reached for the gun and opened the breach, then laid it down again to find the shells. They were smooth and oily to the touch. He loaded both chambers, closed and locked, feeling for the safety catch. It was still on. He left it on and waited with the butt of the gun resting in his lap. There was a splash nearby and a whirr of sound went over his head. Cole ducked. A pop sounded way off to the left and then two pops close together both to the right. Three, four dark objects flew across the pale sky directly in front of him. He raised the gun and fired. Nothing happened. He fired again and was sure that one of the objects fell. A bigger splash to his right. Now what should he do? Put down the gun and go after the fallen bird? As he got ready to do this he saw someone in a crouch approaching the blind. It was Cerillo. That is the first one, he said. Very good shooting. He laid the bird on a tuft of grass before backing into the shadows.
Maybe an hour later, Cole waited for his next shot. The watery rice field was sun drenched now and from its very center one duck approached straight on. Instinctively Cole raised the gun and at the same moment remembered this was supposed to be the most difficult shot. The sight swept along the oncoming bird and into the sky before he squeezed the trigger. The duck flipped over and over coming directly at him. Again Cole ducked to escape the flopping object, but the bird plopped at the edge of the water and rolled within a foot of the blind. The blue head glinting green, and the white necklace of feathers identified a mallard. Except for the natural markings of the beautiful dead thing, there was but a single bright red dot on the blue-green head. Cole stared at the first close-up of the results of his shooting. He hoped it would get up and fly away. It didnt. To hell with this, he muttered and climbed out of the blind. The bus was maybe five hundred yards away on a little knoll. He slogged towards it not worrying about the noise. Cerillo gathered up the dead ducks and followed.
Mike Crowder was leaning on a fender as Cole approached. Looks like you did pretty well for yourself, he said.
Yeah, I got more than my share, Cole admitted. I thought you were going to hunt with me.
I had to go back to the ship. I may go out now and try my luck. Mike said a few words to Cerillo in passing on his way to the empty blind.
Waiting for the others to return, Cole cleaned the gun thoroughly and washed off the waders. Senor Tallarin, the short one, was the next to come in. His bag was even larger than Coles. The guide laid them on the ground for inspection. Cerillo had cleaned the last of Coles shoot and stored them in an ice chest at the back of the bus.
When the hunt was finished and they were bouncing back to the ship Cole was reluctant to talk about his skill. Only Senor Tallarin had shot more ducks.
The rest of the stay in Mazatlan, Cole swam and fished. One day after catching two sailfish he had his picture taken between them as they hung down. Since the are not that good to eat, the fish guide suggested they be given to the poorhouse. He explained that the poor people liked them. Maybe because there wasnt anything else to eat.
A couple of times Cole went to sleep on the beach and dreamed. Later on it was hard to separate the dreams from what really had happened, even though it wasnt much. When John Smith left for San Francisco in the company plane Cole thought of returning with him but decided he should see it through. When the ship sailed north he was on it.
He played cards, shuffleboard, and shot skeet. Nothing more occurred aboard ship that raised his faintest suspicion.
Chapter VI
The SS Crescent Moon, leaving the offshore fog bank, sailed into sunlight. A bright blue sky was overhead as the ship altered course, pointing her bow slightly to starboard of center beneath the bridge that spanned the gateway to San Francisco Bay. Standing at the rail, Cole looked up as the ship cleared from under the massive structure. The air was cool even in the sun and there was a crystal sharpness to the sweeping view from his deck. He wondered if Sir Francis Drake had actually found the narrow passage leading to the bay and had sailed around the landlocked harbor. Drake would have seen a desolate sand-blown peninsula with bent and stunted trees. Did the white angular buildings stepping up the inclined land, or the tall towers marking the center of the city add to, or detract from, the beauty of the view? He would be willing to bet that Drake, in his stench-ridden ship seeking fresh water and provisions, would vote for the present panorama over the past.
Off to port, a second bridge crossed the middle of the harbor without enclosing it. Ocean-plying vessels sailed under it to Carquinez Straits and beyond through navigable waterways to Sacramento and Stockton. The ship, heading east, would pass beneath still a third bridge arching out from the peninsula. This structure touched and island two-thirds the way across, bored a tunnel through its hills and then bridged the other third of the crossing to the East Bay cities that ringed the true mainland.
A tug was overreaching the ships slowing speed, coming up from the port stern preparing to aid in the docking at a covered pier jutting from the peninsulas shore. The compact boat moved past midpoint of the bigger ship, reduced power and nosed gently into the forward port side. The SS Crescent Moons bow turned toward land and the little boat maneuvered her alongside the pier with experienced ease.
Cole turned from the rail heading for his cabin. Myron Brown would be waiting for a phone call. The cable for the ship phones should be hooked up soon, but he didnt want to use the ships phone. He was sure all measures had been taken to prevent the eleven passengers and crew from leaving the ship without a thorough search, or the cargo to be unloaded without the same meticulous scrutiny. He wanted Browns permission to reveal the purpose of the just completed trip to his partners.
As he reached the cabin door someone called his name, and turning, he saw Mike Crowder hurrying after him waving a piece of paper.
Hi, Mike, I was going to take my gear from the cabin and stack it by the gangway then give you a call, Cole said. After the farewell party last night I doubted if anyone would be stirring.
Yeah, that was the usual goodbye blast, but it normally ends earlier. Probably no one else will get off the ship until afternoon. He paused and then continued, Oh, this is for the card lessons. He handed over the piece of paper, and Cole saw that it was a check for two hundred and eighty-six dollars.
Wait a minute; are you sure it came to this much? Thats pretty high tuition.
It was that much and dont worry about it; with the tricks you taught me, Ill get it all back with interest next trip.
Thanks, Mike. Aunt Hester always told me gin rummy is ninety percent luck and thats gambling, but the other ten percent is using your head to make money, and thats business.
Some business, Mike grinned.
You have my phone number and address. How about giving me a call, Cole suggested. We like doing business with friends, especially when theyre such fast pay.
Were sailing again as soon as the ships unloaded, about a three day job, Mike explained. Ill call you in a couple of weeks when we get back. He started to leave, then suddenly turned. Hell, I forgot the most important thing I wanted to tell you. Customs is checking people and luggage tougher than usual. The luggage is the thing that takes time, so if youre in a hurry leave your gear and pick it up later.
Im scheduled for a meeting starting thirty minutes after I return. What about the frozen ducks? Cole asked.
Im sure theyll be held up too. Let me handle them for you. Ive gone through this before, you just have to be patient. Mike thought for a moment. Ill have our company driver drop them off at your office or at your apartment, if you prefer, along with the luggage. The ducks will be packed in dry ice, he added.
The office will be fine. I appreciate the help. Now, I owe you some free lessons.
Next time Ill be charging tuition, Mike muttered.
Without luggage, Cole passed through customs with very little inconvenience, except for the removal of most of his clothes and a rectal probe. He found a pay phone inside the covered pier and called Myron Brown. Brown said if Cole felt it was necessary to discuss his findings with his partners, to go ahead as long as they could be trusted, and that he was looking forward to the full report.
That was the hell of it, Cole thought as he hung up. He didnt have any findings. Hed met some nice people and had had a great time, but none of it seemed to be connected with the possible use of the ship as a dope smuggler. He was anxious to discuss the events of the past two weeks with his partners. The four of them in Rain, Carver, Shu-li and Jones worked separately on their individual assignments, but always confided in each other, divulging every fact concerning their projects and helping each other when stymied on a job. The annual shareholders meeting was scheduled, but this shouldnt take more than fifteen minutes, and as always, they would be anxious to listen to his story.
To solve a problem, four heads are better than one only if the four heads produce one acceptable solution, Aunt Hester always said. This admonition made sense to Cole, and he rejected meetings and conferences where problems were left dangling or put over for further discussion. The three other people in the corporation also discussed their work, but they too arrived at their solutions individually. Now he needed their points of view to help him take a bearing on his present position so that he could decide on the next move.
Taxis are hard to find anywhere in San Francisco. On China Basin Street, theyre impossible. Cole waited confidently and saw the empty cab turn into China Basin from Illinois Street. It pulled alongside. Cole got in and directed the driver to Number 10, Black Pearl Road.
Racing the engine through automatic gears, he turned left still on China Basin, swung right into Third, and began a slow cruise. Black Pearl Road, is that near the old International Settlement?
Cole wasnt too surprised that the cabbie didnt recognize the address. There was only one ancient red brick building on the road, and nobody had occupied it for years prior to its purchase by Rain, Carver, Shu-li and Jones. Not too far, Cole said. It probably would be quicker if we took the Embarcadero to Lombard. Its on the other side and about a quarter of the way up Telegraph Hill.
They cut down Brannan to the Embarcadero past the foreign trade zone and the old Ferry Building. Cole pointed across the tracks to Lombard and said, Take another left at the next street.
Black Pearl Road extended a short half-block. The two-story building at the end faced the center of the road. Cole asked the driver to pull up to the turn-around in front of the old brick structure. Leaving the cab, he overtipped. The extra money is for being in the right place at the right time.
Thanks! Say, what is this place? I never knew it was here. The driver leaned over and looked out at the building.
The lower place is Borgias, the best food in town. Cole didnt bother to explain that the offices of RCS&J Corporation were located on the second floor.
The cabbie waved and raced the engine. Ill check it out some night.
Borgias didnt open until eleven in the morning but it didnt matter. Giuseppe, or someone, would be in the kitchen, and he could call for coffee from the office.
There were only two numbers on Black Pearl Road, and the restaurant was Number 13. Cole unlocked the door to Number 10 and entered a carpeted foyer open to the second-floor roof. A wrought-iron chandelier hung from the second story ceiling, lighting the entrance and circular stairway. He climbed the stairs to a large room used as a combination lobby and conference area and switched on light that sprayed up and down the muraled walls, simulating sunlight. The murals were set in squares depicting scenes from the city, and there were times when one got the uncanny feeling of looking at them through windows. The room was heavily carpeted and furnished with coordinated lounges, comfortable chairs, coffee tables and floor lamps. At one end there was a well-preserved antique bar. Several color-oriented phones rested inconspicuously on small tables. Off this room, four offices overlooked the bay, each furnished and decorated to suit the occupant.
The door to Coles office was closed. He opened it and moved quickly to a walnut desk. The desk was the only clue that the room was used for business. There were several inner-office memos and a small stack of letters lying on top. He sat down, putting his feet on a pulled-out drawer, and reached for the memos.
One was a report from Kang Shu-Li, Secretary-Treasurer of the corporation. He noted a memorandum from Pilar and also a penciled note from her, explaining that a message from Larry Carver was on the recorder. Larry was Executive Vice President and had been in southern California when Cole left two weeks ago. Presumably, he was still there.
Pilars memo concerned a new project shed undertaken to redesign functional plastic lawn furniture from giving the appearance of lumps or stumps in the grass. There was nothing personal.
Since Kangs main interest was the every-day operation of the corporation, and his report concerned the shareholders meeting today, Cole read it first.
To the Chairman of the Board, to the other members of the Board of Directors, to the Executive Officers, and to the Common Shareholders of Rain, Carver, Shu-li and Jones Enterprises, Inc.:
It is gratifying to report that the condition of the corporation at years end was better than had been forecasted. Our holdings as of December thirty-first included the common and preference shares of some forty-three corporations, in the total amount of $372,456.00 (market value on that date); five pieces of real estate, including the building we occupy; and three parcels of undeveloped land appraised value of all real estate, as of July last year, $486,000.00.
One of these parcels sold in January of this year for $65,000.00. This particular lot was purchased in the deal with late revered uncle, Po Ling-teng, at the same time he sold us this decrepit building. Total price for both properties $23,758.00.
Rents received from the Borgia lease for the lower half of this building, Number 13 Black Pearl Road, have returned over a period of seven years, after interest charges and taxes for both properties, and insurance for this building, a net gain of $36,480.00. As my revered uncles favorite nephew, I was taught all he knew about the intricacies of making money and was cautioned never to do business with relatives. Cole laughed as he read this, knowing Kang was proud of the first deal hed made for the then partnership. Reading on, he came to Kangs usual close for a report on corporate affairs:
We have learned much from the late Po Ling-teng, from Larry Carver II, from the late Juan Pedro Jesus Mateos y Diego, and from Ms. Hester Coleridge. Our policy is taken from Ms. Coleridges small volume, titled The Spiritual Mans Place in an Evil World, written by Ms. Coleridge after eighty-two years of concerned observation of the human race. If that which God created in his image cannot move against the tide of wickedness or breast the racing current of corruption, then he must flow with these baleful forces, remaining unblemished, until, with Gods help he can control the impious tide and dam the depraved current for his own single, and mankinds benefit.
In her written annotated notes Cole remembered the explanation of this passage was, If a single human being cannot cope with the modern Babylonian establishment, he should not give up his oneness by joining the opposition rabble, but rather merely comingle his entity with the established bastards and screw them at their own game, sharing any gain with his particular God and other worthy souls of the community. The original partnership had consisted of Cole Rain, Larry Carver, Kang Shu-li and Robert Jones. The four of them had met at the University. Kang Shu-li had been the business manager and Cole Rain the editor of a college publication that went against the popular radical trend. Larry Carver and Bob Jones worked as reporters. Kang had interested the group in investing in stocks, bonds and real estate. They had formed an equal partnership and each contributed twenty-five thousand dollars to its assets. Kang had been investing in the market since high school days, and, through the tutelage of his revered uncle, had accumulated assets over fifteen thousand dollars. He had borrowed the balance to make up his share from that same uncle, Po-Ling-teng. Coles twenty-five thousand had come from Aunt Hester Coleridge, who was only in her seventies at the time, but said he should have inherited the money years ago. Larry Carvers money came from football. He had signed a contract with a thirty thousand dollar bonus, had played sensationally in three exhibition games and was then carried from the field with a knee that would never stand that kind of punishment again. Bob Jones parents and his only sister had been killed in an automobile crash while he was in high school. He had been looking for a safe place to invest part of the insurance, and if you couldnt trust people your own age, who could you trust?
One of the first investments made by the partnership was the purchase of the two properties described by Kang in his report. They had planned to use the structure on Black Pearl Road for their offices, but the size of the building made it impossible for them to use more than one floor. The lower floor had been rented to Giuseppe Borgia for his restaurant.
Borgia had been in the restaurant business for fifteen years. Giuseppes, his original place near the financial district, had flourished for only one reason: good food. After making a small fortune, Giuseppe sent to Italy for a bride. Six months later, Lucretia Donatelli, who had been selected by Giuseppes parents still living in the old country, arrived in San Francisco. Lucretia and Giuseppe were married in the church, and their reception was held at Giuseppes, restaurant and bar. It was the perfect place for a wedding party, and all the partners, with the exception of Bob Jones, had been present. Lieutenant Jones, accompanied by his bride, Pilar, was in Texas for flight training.
Cole remembered the reception. Giuseppe and Lucretia had signed the lease for Number 13 Black Pearl Road and completed its renovation. Giuseppe wanted to name the restaurant in honor of his bride and had commissioned one of the many artists who frequented the North Beach area to strike off a small bronze plate. It would be bolted to the brick wall beside the entrance. The plate was to be given to Lucretia at the wedding party. The artist had created his masterpiece. The lettering had an Italian look and stood out boldly from the indented and antiqued bronze background. Giuseppe was honoring his new bride by naming the restaurant Lucretia Borgias Palazzo.
When the plaque was presented to Lucretia at the party, Giuseppe climbed on top of a table to make a speech: To all my wonderful friends, I want to say that Giuseppe is now Mister Borgia and my wife is Mrs. Borgia who will have the newest and finest restaurant in San Francisco. Before she was my wife, she was Lucretia Donatelli, the best cook in Italia. Thats why shes now my wife, and she is going to cook up all her secret recipes for my he hesitated, catching the error, for our new restaurant, Lucretia Borgias Palazzo. After making this speech, Giuseppe moved to the edge of the table to jump off. The table tipped and Giuseppe, clutching the bronze plaque, fell to the floor, breaking his arm. But, since he was completely anaesthetized by the spirit of the occasion, the break wasnt discovered until X-rays were taken three days later.
There were other minor accidents at the party. Tony Coniglio, carrying a large bowl of steaming vermicelli covered with a tomato, mushroom and meat sauce, was accidently tripped by Father OConnell. The Father was demonstrating what he termed a side-swipe soccer kick, using for the ball a wet wadded-up napkin. Swinging his leg in an arc, he caught Tony just under the right kneecap with the toe of his shoe. Tony fell forward and with presence of mind threw the vessel he was carrying on top of the bar.
Oversized Larry Carver squeezing into a booth had sat on a broken cocktail glass. A doctor at the party took three stitches in his ass with a borrowed needle and thread, sprinkling an antibiotic over the wound. Someone said it was plain salt and Larry agreed.
The one accident that could have had serious consequences occurred when a couple got into heated argument near the entrance of the restaurant. Cole knew them fairly well; Spike and Lenore Swensen. Lenore was a fragile little thing with flashing blue eyes. Spike was a big crew-cut blond, about six-four, two hundred and thirty-five pounds. He had played ball with Cole and Larry at the University. When Cole walked over to them, Lenore was saying, Youre always threatening to use physical violence against me. If you ever dare lay a hand on me Ill see you rot in jail.
Calm down, Lenore, Spike soothed. All I said was that you cant handle your booze and there are times when you need your butt spanked.
Cole interrupted, Hi, everybody. Why dont we all go over to the bar and have a drink.
Lenore leveled him with cold blue eyes. Why the hell dont you get lost?
Now, Lenore, Cole took on Spikes tone, This is a great party and I just wanted you two to have fun like everybody else. I agree with you. Spike shouldnt threaten physical violence. He put his arm around her shoulder while holding a half-filled highball glass. As she moved away from him, the glass was jarred and the drink splashed down the front of her dress.
Damn you, now look what youve done. With her open palm she smacked Cole on the cheek. Spike made a grab for her and she immediately turned on him, ducked under his outstretched arms and butted him in the stomach. There was a low planter sitting on the floor which caught the back of his legs and beyond the planter was a plate glass window. Spike made a perfect backward dive through the window, his head striking the concrete sidewalk. Huge sheets of glass crashed down. Spike lay still where he had fallen. Lenore stepped through the window and kneeling beside him, took his head in her arms and cooed, Oh, you poor darling, are you hurt? Please, please speak to me.
Spike opened his eyes. I think theres been an accident. I just heard a hell of a crash.
God, honey, you really had me worried. Lenore took a deep breath of relief. Youre so damned awkward, she said, pressing her lips to his forehead.
Cole wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, took a last look, and leaving them, walked over to the bar to get another drink.
All this had happened several years ago and Cole found that he couldnt be in a reminiscent mood for long without thinking of Pilar.
After Bob Jones had gone into the service, Pilar Jones was called in to design the decor for Lucretia Borgias Palazzo and had exactly caught the Italian Renaissance mood. In the first months they had all helped out: Larry Carver with business and administrative advice, Cole with legal help, and Kang Shu-li with suggestions on buying procedures and waste-disposal methods which saved money and increased profits.
A year and a half after the opening, there was no doubt of the success of the new restaurant. It was at this happy time that Cole received a phone call from Pilar Jones. In a barely audible, tear-choked voice she read the telegram announcing Bob Joness death.
Pilar Priscilla Mateoss ancestors had been land grant holders in California for more than two hundred years and there was no financial need for her to ever work. But after Bobs death she wanted to be more than a fourth owner of Rain, Carver, Shu-li and Jones. The three remaining partners, with some reservations, allowed her to join them. Pilar had a degree in design engineering, but found that applying engineering principles as taught at the University was too restrictive for her more creative free art form. Recently, it had been impossible for her to accept all the requests for her services, and she now greatly enhanced the corporations image. Of course Coles current assignment was due to the fact that Pilar had designed ceramic tile for McWhorter Brown.
Chapter VII
Cole sipped the coffee Mario had sent up on the dumb waiter. His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing phone. Setting the cup on the edge of the desk, he lifted the receiver, Cole Rain.
Oh, Mr. Rain, I didnt know you were back, said Mattie Lou, one of the switchboard operators at Columbia Office Services. I was trying to reach Mr. Shu-li or Miss Jones. How was your vacation? she asked.
Fine, Mattie Lou. I just got here and Im the only one. I thought we had a stockholders meeting scheduled this morning. Do you know anything about it?
I think your meeting was postponed until around noon. Larry Carver called in yesterday to say he couldnt return until sometime late this morning. He talked with Miss Jones and there should be a message on your recorder.
Ive got a note from Pilar to check the tape, just havent gotten around to it yet. Do you have anything for me?
Nothing important, Mr. Rain. I screened your calls and recorded the information. I can place them for you any time youre ready. She paused, I think Miss Baker has something for you. Let me switch you to her.
Cole waited until he heard Miss Bakers sultry voice.
Good morning, Mr. Rain. What a pleasant surprise to have you back. Low and husky, Cole thought it sounded as though they had just wakened up together.
Hi, Joanne. Do you have a slight cold? Mattie Lou said you had something for me.
The burr in her voice was even more pronounced, I dont have a cold, Mr. Rain. I never felt better, and I do have something for you.
Cole felt a slight twinge in his loins and wondered what the hell it would be like to meet Miss Baker in person. She interrupted the exotic thought.
You have a half-dozen or more letters from law enforcement people concerning your Investigative Procedures Manual. Ive put them on the T-viewer, and Ill be ready for you, she said slowly, any time youd like to dictate replies.
Gazing at the couch across the room he saw Miss Bakers nude form reclining there beckoning: Im ready any time youd like to ravish me. Im ready, he started, No, I mean - Ill get back to you sometime this afternoon or tomorrow morning, Joanne.
Ill be waiting. she purred.
Joanne had done the bulk of his secretarial work for the past year and a half, but everything was done through their private line to Columbia Office Service. He had never met her in person. Dictation consisted of pushing a button, talking into a mike directly to Joanne, or into a recorder for her to pick up later. Correspondence was microfilmed and filed in Columbias office. There was a televiewer with transmitter and receiver at both locations. The transmitters held as many as twenty microfilmed pieces of correspondence, and Cole could switch on the T-viewer merely by pressing a button, and click through an entire file of letters, memos or other data.
He backed off the tape and flipped it forward into a group of telephone messages. Pilars voice came through, Ive cut you into Coles recorder, Larry, so you can explain the delay.
Larrys voice was modulated and controlled with half a laugh, Good morning, Mr. Rain. Hey, that sounds like a song title, and he sang a couple of stanzas from As Time Goes By. He was big on Bogart and especially, Casablanca. Smogsville must be Dullsville, Cole thought, if hes reduced to watching the late, late show.
Cole, baby, weve set up three franchises and one brand new business venture, and its been such fun - such a great challenge and terribly exhilarating to present cost analyses, market studies, cash flow projections, and the important item, payback guarantees, to all these hip bankers, government agents, and plain accountants. Youd have just loved it, but you missed it all. You had to take that dratted ocean voyage to hunt and fish for the meat that will see us through the balance of the winter. (The recording went on):
Well, I too have had my problems. As I already mentioned, Ive been seeing a lot of bankers. Yesterday, I invited this banker to dinner. Actually, shes not the owner of the bank, nor the president, nor even a vice-president, shes been working in this bank as the Number Seventeen teller. But with her intelligence and equipment, I would think shed make an excellent Chairman of the Board.
But I digress. During dinner I discovered that she needed my help. Her former husband - shes divorced now - Oh, yeah, I found out an interesting statistic; ninety-two percent of all the people in southern California have been divorced. Anyway, they had bought this cabin in the mountains, which is now hers after the divorce settlement. It has a mortgage on it, and she tells me the place is beautifully furnished, but the furniture isnt all paid for either, so even though she loves the place, shes decided to sell. She has an offer for everything, including the furniture, that would retire the indebtedness and still leave a small profit of fifteen hundred dollars. Off hand, this sounds like a hell of a deal, but after we talked it over and approached it from a conservative business analysis and financial consultant position, it was decided that I should see the property. Shes taking the afternoon off tomorrow, and we plan to lay in a supply of packaged and bottled provisions for an overnight study in depth of the property. Next morning shell drive me back to the airport, and I should arrive at No. 10 Black Pearl Road around noontime. Since our watchword has always been Business Before Pleasure, I didnt want to risk corporate censure by not helping a banker friend. All for now - see you tomorrow.
Cole flipped off the recorder shaking his head as Kang walked through the door, grinning with an outstretched hand, You look like there was lots of sun in Mexico; how long have you been back?
Hi, Kang. The ship docked a little after eight this morning. I got here around nine-thirty.
Sorry about the meeting, but I guess you listened to Larrys explanation.
Yes, I did. It sounded as though he had no other alternative, lets hope he gets back sometime this week.
Kang laughed, Hell, hes downstairs now. Lucretia fixed him one of her famous potions, and hes getting around to taking a little black coffee. Pilars there too. She and Lucretia are talking about having lunch sent up here, so if you want anything special, youd better call. I think theyre planning cracked crab, bean salad, hot sourdough bread and a couple bottles of Pinot White.
Larry stuck his head in the door, and Pilar walked around him.
Welcome back from the hunt. You look marvelous, she said.
Hi, Pilar, glad to be back. Whos your friend?
Larry came over with a sheepish grin and shook hands. Man, he said, I, too, need a vacation. Ive been thinking about one of those rest cures where you just lie around in hot springs full of mud and sweat. You know, if I had to live in Southern California, I dont think Id last another five years.
Who wants to last a long time just to be lasting? Cole asked. Its not the locality, Larry, youre just an active liver. Aunt Hester always said Its better to die from living too much than not to have lived at all. But Ill admit you do look a little tired.
Yeh, Larry said, If I wasnt black, Id have dark circles under my eyes.
Dont let anybody put you on. Youre black and youve still got dark circles under your eyes. I hate to keep quoting Aunt Hester, but she always said Dealing with bankers can be a caution.
Why dont we postpone the meeting and go to the beach? Larry suggested. The position of the corporation is all in Kangs succinct report, and he was only going to quickly go over the certified figures that Cash Weatherholm prepared. Theyve included a balance sheet showing assets, liabilities, shareholders investments, along with statements of income, retained earnings, capital surplus and disposition of funds. Lets each take a copy, look it over, and if there are any questions, Kang can answer them, if not, well go back to Cash Weatherholm. After he said all this he started moving toward the door, but he was voted down three to one.
Fifteen minutes later Kang moved that the business portion of the meeting be concluded and adjourned, so that Cole could give an account of his trip. The dumb waiter back of the bar in the plush lounge buzzed, signaling the arrival of food and drink. They moved from Coles office and opened up a table beside the bar. Pilar and Cole carried trays of food to the table and Kang and Larry brought up chairs. The cracked crab was the usual excellent, but Cole insisted it was the best hed ever eaten. With the coffee, Pilar asked him to tell them about the ocean voyage and Mexico.
There is an aura of mystery about this only because Myron Brown insisted that I not divulge - even to you - what my assignment was. The minute I left the ship this morning, I called him and got permission to discuss anything I wished to at this meeting. The trip might still turn out to have been a vacation. I told Brown that if I were unable to resolve his problem, I would so consider it, and he wouldnt be billed for my time.
It still sounds like a good deal, Larry said. Howd you manage it?
I first met Myron Brown at his home on the Peninsula. As you know, Pilar has done work for McWhorter Brown, and she also did some special tile designing for their new home. She was invited, and I went with her to a sort of new house showing party. Remembering the party Cole decided to talk about Pilar.
As these things go, they can get a little flat, he said. However, Pilar made it a memorable evening. Her design work, as you can imagine, was truly beautiful and later on in the evening, she changed to a bikini and gave a diving exhibition in the lighted pool with what can only be described as devastating effect.
Larry and Kang both started to speak, and Larry won.
Hold it! This may give us the diversification were looking for. I know where we can lease an indoor pool that will accommodate from five to six hundred spectators. We could charge five dollars a head to see the show, get a license to serve drinks and rent a porpoise or two from the aquarium to fill in the act.
Kang broke in, And I could be Zanter, a Chinese ape man and come swinging in over the audience on a vine and drop into the pool just in time to save Pilar from the lecherous assault of the excited porpoises.
Thats good, Larry said. You know those babies are supposed to be smarter than people.
Thats the most ridiculous suggestion you two ever made, Pilar said. I wouldnt perform in a show like that for less than fifty dollars a head.
O.K., a great idea and I appreciate everyones contribution but now that weve got the price fixed, shall I go on with my story? Where the hell was I? Oh yeah, after Pilar came out of the pool, she went into the dressing room and put her clothes back on; let me say that it was prior to all this that Id had a talk with Myron Brown. He told me that the United States Customs suspected their ship, the Crescent Moon, of smuggling. The ship operates between the United States and Mexico as a carrier of clay. Having read some of my books on crime and investigation, he thought maybe I could be of help. I thought it over, and the next morning called and told him Id take the job.
Cole told about the ships being used both as a cargo carrier and as a sales promotion vehicle for customers. The sea voyage itself was pleasant and the hunting and fishing and other diversions in Mexico were there for those who wanted it. Cole gave a factual account of all that had happened on the ship and shore and even included a sketchy summary of the Letha interlude. He hoped it just might have some bearing. Everyone continued to eat as he wound his story down and he wondered if they understood all hed said.
Youll notice that I use the jargon of the sea. After youve been at sea a while, it just comes naturally. Its funny; Ive flown over the ocean many times and never run into all the new words that one finds on a ship. Ill explain forward and aft, port and starboard, bulkhead and just plain head for you people of the land later.
Dont bother on my account, Pilar said. Ive been sailing since I was five years old.
My uncle took me to Fo-shan when I graduated from grammar school, Kang said. After we landed at Hong Kong, we went on a train from Kowloon to Canton. Fo-shan is about forty miles southwest of Canton on the Pearl River in the Republic of China, so along with my sea slang I also know a little of the language of trains and sampans.
And I worked on a Danish freighter one summer when I was in high school, Larry broke in, thats how I became a football player. Being a steward, I had the run of the kitchen, and when I wasnt serving food, I was eating it. The voyage was supposed to last three months and I was to be back to start school in the fall. The ship got some new contracts in Australia and kept going around the world. I missed a year of high school, grew seven inches and gained sixty-five pounds. Next year I was All Northern California fullback.
O.K., O.K., Cole said. I wont bother to explain any nautical terms.
He leaned back to await the reaction.
Thats the damnedest detective story I ever heard, Kang said.
I kept thinking what Sam Spade would have done in a situation like that, Larry interjected, obviously referring to the Letha interlude. Man, she would have been so tired Sam would have had to carry her back to the cabin.
Sam Spade and 007 are out, Pilar stated. I thought Cole handled it beautifully, although it is a little hard to believe.
After Letha left, Cole said shortly, I went back to bed.
I remember reading about a detective that sort of reminds me of Coles experience, Larry said, emptying one wine bottle in his glass. This guy, in the department he was known simply by the fraction .00033333 ad-finitum and to shorten it they sometimes called him Infinitum and other times just plain Ad. Anyway, Ad was marked for a hit by Murder Incorporated. He escaped down an alley and went through the back door of an apartment building and raced up the steps intending to escape over the roof tops, but when he came out on top, there was this unclothed broad - excuse me, Pilar, - chick sunbathing. They looked at each other and I guess it was love at first sight because he started taking off his clothes. I forgot to mention that as he ran up the steps, he smelled smoke and noticed that the building was on fire. Anyway, he placed his clothes next to her mat but held on to his sixty-pound Swedish automatic disintegrator pistol. They fell into each others arms and kept twisting around on the mat so that Ad could get a shot at his pursuers who were not only coming through the roof, but were also on top of the adjacent buildings. To make a long story short, under the circumstances, Ad was adequate.
My Buddha, what happened next - were they both killed? Kang pretended he he wanted to know.
Oh, no, Larry explained. As Ads pursuers came onto the roof, their automatic carbines blazing, Ad shot two of them and then calmly picked off the three who were banging away from the other buildings. When the fire department arrived, he picked up the gorgeous bronze blond and, both nude, jumped into the net below. Then he concluded sadly, But from that day on he was known as Inadequate Ad.
I thought you said he was adequate, Kang protested.
He was that first time, but remember I said under the circumstances. According to the girl, and this came out a long time later at the divorce trial, she testified that they were married a few hours after the escape from the pursuers and the fire, and that Ad was inadequate from that moment on.
That doesnt follow. Why? and Kang really wanted to know this time.
You see, the excitement the first time had so stimulated him that he could never settle for less, Larry explained. Ads conditioning had been fixed. They tried again and again but couldnt quite duplicate exactly the roof, the shooting, the fire, the smoke and the sirens screaming up; so, of course, without these few embellishments, Ad was inadequate.
That doesnt sound like a detective story Pilar said. Its more like a sticky sweet, sentimental, romantic novel and the hero, who just happened to be a detective, was over-stimulated in his job.
The direct line from Borgias buzzed, and Kang flipped the speaker on. It was Giuseppe announcing that Coles luggage and ducks had arrived, wanting to know what he should do with them. Then without waiting for a reply he suggested Lucretia cook them for dinner that night. Everyone agreed and Cole said hed pick up his luggage later. Lucretia would prepare the ducks Italian style, and it was decided the birds would come out of the oven at seven-thirty sharp. Giuseppe was firm. That means that everybody has to be ready to eat; no delay for another picon punch.
Pilar had a prior date, but said she could postpone it until nine oclock if it would be all right for Virgent Eddington to meet her at the restaurant. Kang and Larry suggested she break the date but Cole insisted she should keep it, going so far as to propose postponing the dinner until another night. But since it was the best night for the Borgias it was decided to let the arrangements stand. After the meeting broke up, Pilar called Virgent Eddington and then left to go home and dress.
Hang and Larry left together to go downstairs to the bar where they would meet Cole later.
Cole went to his office to record his report to Myron Brown. He could only report the lack of results, but wanted to hold out hope that something would fit together, some clue, clearing or condemning the ship of the smuggling charge.
Trying to construct his thoughts, Cole found that Virgent Eddington kept intruding. Where the hell had she found a guy with a name like that? It was obvious that for all her tolerance of the three of them, her ribald comments, and her early marriage, she was completely naive about men. Maybe she was impressed by his looks, but the guy could turn out to be a nonentity and quite possibly queer as well. But to hell with it; it was her life and he had problems enough of his own without worrying about hers.
Before switching on the recorder Cole decided to call Aunt Hester. She answered right away and Cole decided she must be in the kitchen.
Hello, who is it? she said much too loudly. Then there was a crash. It could have been a couple of pans or one of Millie Petersons oversized cookie sheets.
Its me, Cole said.
Oh, Coleridge, her voice rose even higher. You always catch us when were the busiest. How are you, dear? Where are you? When will you be home?
Cole expected the multitude of questions and knowing she wouldnt wait for an answer, he didnt.
Where are you calling from? she asked. Well expect you at six for supper. I suppose youre at the public meeting place you call an apartment. Well, your rooms here are ready as always and I dont see why you dont spend more time here or give up that dreadful apartment altogether. Aunt Hester had only seen his apartment once in two years but he didnt dispute her point.
I called to tell you Im back, Cole said. And also to let you know Ill be having dinner at Borgias tonight; but Ill be home to sleep and unload some luggage.
Practically the only things left here are your diaries, Aunt Hester said. That wasnt true, at least half his clothes were there.
Im going to make a report now, a case Im working on. I like to keep my confidential stuff there where nobody can get at it.
Shall I wait up for you?
No, Aunt Hester, it could be late.
Im sure it could. What have you been up to?
Cole explained much of his dilemma in a broad outline. This was his secondary purpose in calling. It was sometimes uncanny how Aunt Hester could go to the heart of a problem and point the way to a solution. Then there were other times when her responses only very tenuously touched the subject they were discussing.
It sounds like youre a detective now, she said. I think thats fascinating.
You might say that, Cole admitted.
Is it dangerous? she asked. What I know about detectives theyre always getting beat up and left in a locked basement someplace or down a back alley. I hope youre taking proper precaution and I dont think you should work at night. Thats always the time when bad things happen to detectives. Crooks perform their dire deeds in the dark. She became alliterative and non sequitur.
If they only perform in the dark, how am I going to catch them in the daytime? Cole wanted to know.
Thats just it, you have to trap them. Theyre not used to the day and youre not used to the night, she said with some doubt in her voice about the latter.
Ill take precautions, Cole promised. He remembered the time she had sent him to the doctor to learn how to take precautions. She wasnt giving him much help but it was hard to head her off now that she knew something of what hed been up to.
Coleridge, maybe you should stop being a detective, she worried. I remember your uncle used to go off half cocked and sometimes I think you take after him. Cole knew she was referring to his Uncle Abner her late husband, and Uncle Abner was no blood relation. But this had never prevented the comparison.
Did you know we found a rat in the basement? It was under the wing where your rooms are. Carl killed it and we buried it out back near the big lemon tree. I dont know if we should have done that but Carl said it would only help the trees. Do you think hes right? Ive always heard that rats carry the bubonic plague. I might never be able to use another one of those lemons.
I wouldnt worry about using the lemons, Cole said. He could only be carrying the plague if he just got off a ship and why would a rat climb all the way up there if he just got off a ship? Now he realized he was involved in her problems as sometimes happened.
Coleridge, she started hesitantly, I know that youll be careful and I know youre going to go ahead and do whatever you have to do. Her voice almost broke on this last, but then she came on very calm. If I had to guess how sailors or the kind of people you describe smuggle in drugs off a ship Id have to say theyd do it the most practical way. I dont believe theres a secret compartment in the bottom of the ship where a frog man swims under and retrieves the drugs, and I dont believe its blown out through those pipes with the clay. Theres too many complications and too many chances to go wrong. All you have to do is think of the most practical way these men have to get their stash off the ship. Cole could tell she had read something about drugs.
Its probably something very simple and right in plain view. I just read about a man, a big scientist, who put a gyroscope inside an eggshell and sealed the shell all back again so that no one could tell. After he used a magnet to start the gyro the egg wouldnt lay on its side any more. It always hopped up and stood on one end or the other. A lot of people saw it and said it was a marvel, but I dont hold with that. I think Christopher Columbus, and he was a sailor, was a lot smarter. When out of the blue someone asked him to stand an egg on end, he just tapped the egg gently until hed made a round crushed base and set the egg right up on a polished table.
Cole wasnt sure the table had been polished but he did remember the story and decided Aunt Hester might have something. But what?
Were you thinking about having home baked beans, stuffed pork chops and homemade cherry pie for supper tomorrow night? he asked.
Well, yes, we had thought of it, she said. But it seemed too much just for us.
Ill be there, Cole said with a warm note in his voice.
Chapter VIII
When Pilar arrived at Borgias private parlour, it was apparent that the party had been under way for some time. Mario, the head waiter, led her through the plush dining area to the quiet elegance of the small room reserved for intimate dinner parties. The elegance was still there, but the quiet was being shattered.
The crabs from right down on the wharf, Giuseppe was waving his arms, are the best from any place on the Coast.
I dont know about that, Kang objected, Some of those northwest crabs are pretty good, especially Dungeness.
Have you ever had Florida rock crab? Larry wanted to know.
Hell, Im talking about any coast. Theyre tender and sweeter than Alaska King crab, too.
Kang had switched back to Cole. Statistics dont prove crap. Theres no way to tell who was the best; Ruth, Mays, or Aaron.
Cole took a drink of punch and eyed Kang. I dont know a damn thing about baseball, but you take your pick of the three, and Ill prove youre wrong.
How the hell are you going to prove Im wrong when you just admitted and I agree, you dont know a damn thing about baseball.
O.K., O.K., whos your pick? Cole said stubbornly.
Whats the use. I just told you statistics dont mean anything. Theres no way you can prove who was best.
All right, if you wont pick, well have Giuseppe decide. Hey Giuseppe, youre a baseball nut.
Giuseppe turned slowly from his argument on shellfish.
Thats a damn lie. Im a smart baseball fan.
Thats what I mean, said Cole hastily. Who was the best ball player of all time, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays or Hank Aaron?
Thats easy. Giuseppe looked knowledgeable.
O.K., Giuseppe, if its so easy, why dont you pick? Cole demanded.
Giuseppe turned slowly to Larry. San Francisco shrimp are more tender and sweeter. And then with calm dignity to Cole, Joe DiMaggio.
Cole looked slightly stunned. Jesus Christ, that wasnt even the question. You better lay off the grappa. Noticing Pilar by the door he yelled, Pilar, come on in. Youre just in time.
Really, I feel as though I must have missed something, she said.
Lucretias strong voice rose above the babel, The ducks come out of the oven in five minutes. Giuseppe, bring the vino. Hello, Pilar, you look very beautiful.
Everyone told Pilar how lovely she looked, then Cole remembering she had a date later that night, decided to have another picon punch.
The table was set with Borgias best napery, real silverware, and the finest china from Japan. Five minutes after Lucretia had made her announcement she came again from the kitchen followed by Mario and Tony carrying trays loaded with smoking golden ducks. No hors doeuvres had been served, no soup or fish, just succulent ducks, crisp and juicy, accompanied by a huge platter of buttered garden asparagus spears, a dish of mixed vegetables including fresh zucchini, spinach, and lima beans, and steaming baked potatoes seasoned with butter, salt and pepper. There were round flat loaves of sourdough bread and more butter.
The vino was a greenish yellow wine with just a hint of sweet tartness. It was volatile in its lightness and exuded a faint fragrance of nasturtiums. Giuseppe bought the total production of a vintner friend located in the Valley of the Moon; taking it from limestone caves when it reached its peak. It was the perfect embellishment for the duck.
Eleven brown birds were eaten, five bottles of wine drunk, twelve capuccinos sipped amidst stacatto and mostly incoherent conversation, before Virgent Eddington arrived to take Pilar away.
Come in. Have a glass of wine, Giuseppe shouted.
Ive got another duck warming. Lucretia left through the swinging doors to the kitchen.
Ill bring a cappucino, Mario said as he placed the third round on the table.
Oh, no, please, thank you, I dont care for a thing. Virgent Eddington protested.
Youve gotta have something, Giuseppe was firm.
Lucretia came back from the kitchen, Duck will be ready in two minutes. She smiled at Pilar and sat next to her.
Well, if you insist, just a cup of coffee, Virgent relented.
With brandy, yelled Giuseppe as Mario left for the bar.
No. No brandy. I really dont drink.
Youll like it, Giuseppe said. Sit down. This brandy was made especially for me by my friend.
Virgent Eddington sat uneasily and looked helplessly at Pilar.
After Kang shook hands, he said in surprise, Hey, youre Eddie Eddington, Heady Eddie, the control pitcher. He turned to everyone with his discovery. Eddie pitched us to a conference championship.
I saw your picture in the paper a couple years after we graduated, Larry remembered.
Yes, I grew up in the Bay Area, and I remember seeing you and Mr. Rain play football and Mr. Shu-li play tennis, Virgent admitted.
Mario placed coffee and brandy in front of Virgent, took the chair beside him and poured a water glass full of wine for himself.
My, you are so handsome. Pilar told me you are a doctor. I want to lose weight. What should I eat? Lucretia asked.
Pilar put her arm around Lucretia. Hes a Doctor of Religious Philosophy, and you dont need to lose weight; you have a perfect figure.
Baseball is much better than football or basketball, Giuseppe said judiciously.
Thats a crock, Larry spoke for the first time in several minutes.
I dont know anything about baseball except it bores me. The rules should be changed to make it more exciting, Cole insisted sententiously.
How can you say that? Larry looked injured. I like a really tense ball game, nothing to nothing in the last half of the seventh, a runner on second, two out and the leagues leading hitter coming to bat. An explosive confrontation like that gives me a chance to go to the john and on the way back pick up a hot dog and a cold beer. Of course, you miss the four balls thrown a yard and a half outside the plate, but if you hurry, you might see the batting champ trot to first base. Man, what a relief a situation like that gives me.
The rules of baseball have been tested over the years, Virgent explained a little stiffly, and they formulate a method for playing the most perfect game man has ever conceived. I do know something about baseball, and I wouldnt change any of its physical characteristics, nor revise any of the rules governing it.
We wouldnt change the rules very much, Cole said, winding up from Larrys encouragement. But why negate the greatest hitters in the league? Lets give the pitcher and batter both something to think about before and after four balls are issued for an automatic walk.
That seems like an excellent suggestion, Virgent acknowledged from his eminence as a star of the game, but how would you accomplish all that with just a small rule change?
Make it this way. Cole was ready now. When a batter gets four balls he can take first base, or he can insist on being pitched to. If he decides to hit hes got a new count: four balls and one strike, say. If the pitcher gives up four more balls the batter can take second, or he could refuse second and still insist on being pitched to. As you can see, pretty soon you got a hell of a lot of problems cropping up.
Maybe hes got eight balls and two strikes now. O.K. What inning is it? The last of the ninth or just the third? Anyway, when he gets up to sixteen balls and two strikes its a home run.
Thats a great idea, Kang enthused, then shook his head. The only problem, Larry might have to sit through nine exciting innings without a relief.
What do you think, Eddie? Larry approved.
Well, I can see some merit in the change. It might be an expedient to add a temporary quality of freshness to one or two minor league games, but I cant understand why youd want to change a sport that is classical in its concept; that has survived and grown for a hundred years and, especially, to obliterate the meaning of certain statistics that have been compiled over those hundred years.
One of the reasons might be that baseball has competitors who arent afraid of change to get more excitement, Cole explained. But maybe the best reason is that if it doesnt change, baseball will become a volume of statistics. But then the baseball nut can read statistics for enjoyment.
I think youre exaggerating the importance of the hitter, Virgent fought back. Whats wrong with a great hitter setting an all-time record for the greatest number of intentional walks?
Larry looked stunned. Thats really a good question, he said, and I dont think its possible to explain whats wrong with it, unless maybe its one of those self-evident things.
Cole broke in now that he had unexpected support. All were suggesting is that a great pitcher and a great batter be given a chance to do their thing.
Hell, Cole, youve been studying baseball, Kang said. Thats a rule change that would make sense. What do you think, Eddie?
Virgent wrinkled his brow, thought deeply and finally admitted he might enjoy a game encompassing such a rule change. Then he pushed back his chair and stood up, saying he and Pilar would have to leave if they were to catch the last half of the concert. Pilar seemed slightly annoyed as she accepted her wrap from Kang.
Lucretia and Giuseppe followed the two through the restaurant and waited while the attendant brought Virgents car. When they returned to the private dining room, Lucretia was enthusiastic about the lovely couple.
He looks like a television actor and Pilar looks like an angel. She couldnt bring herself to compare Pilar to an ordinary television star.
I go to only one college baseball game and he was the pitcher. Why didnt he play professional baseball? Giuseppe asked.
I guess he wanted to be a philosopher more, Kang said.
Mario came from the bar with a tray full of green chartreuse.
Larry took one and sipped the throat-burning liquid eyeing Cole. What did you think of him, Cole? He seemed like a pretty intelligent guy to me.
Cole gulped the green fire and gasped, Theres no question about it the guys handsome, intelligent, has religious convictions, doesnt drink, smoke or swear. But, he paused looking at the last green drop in the bottom of the glass, hes just not my kind of people, I think hes an ass.
Kang gave it some thought; Mario laughed aloud; Larry smiled knowingly; Giuseppe was delighted; but Lucretia was confused, then slowly she turned a smile of approval on Cole.
Chapter IX
Pilar Jones wakened slowly. A frown creased her brow as she thought of the night before. The night should have ended when they left Borgias. The concert was a bore; Virgent Eddington was a bore. What was that silly story that his car wouldnt start and hed insisted that even if they spent the night together in the queen-sized bed, sans nightclothes, she would be completely safe in his care. Something about not contaminating her spiritual soul with thoughts or suggestions of sin. Anyway on the second try the car had started. He thought perhaps some force greater than they understood had caused the engine to fail the first time. How could he be a doctor of philosophy and such a little boy? she wondered. She was sure Cole would have taken her in his arms and carried her to bed. But why hadnt Cole ever?
Yawning and stretching, she moved her body in a slow twisting roll, emerging to stand on a small rose-red carpet. Shaking the pillow, she fluffed and placed it deftly under the counterpane, making adjustments to match the undisturbed two-thirds of the bed. The bath carried through the color theme, including a mirrored dressing table topped with Italian rose marble. Pilar showered, washed her hair, dried body and hair with a giant pink towel, combed her curls in place, brushed her teeth vigorously, gargled mouthwash, selected clothes for the day and dressed in fifteen minutes. She left the apartment, walked to the small foreign car and headed for the center of the city to breakfast with Cole.
As she pressed the button for the Skyroom elevator, Cole whipped around a corner, turned all smiles when he saw her.
How the hell can you look like that so early in the morning? he wanted to know.
Pilars head came up and she said rather haughtily, No one looks their best at this time of day.
Thats what I meant, Cole laughed. How can you look so perfect at seven-thirty in the morning?
Pilar was silent but her pleasure came through loud and clear.
At the top floor the maitre d led them to a window table overlooking the patchy-fogged bay. The sun was breaking through dissipating the stringy wisps.
Before we talk business, what time does the birthday party start tomorrow? Pilar asked. Larrys nephew and Pilars niece had seventh birthdays four days apart. R.C.S.&J., Inc. had volunteered a joint celebration with a day at the park, picnic, games, and maybe the zoo.
Ten oclock. Larrys bringing Larry II with him, Cole said. Im sorry this is a little disorganized but I assumed youd bring Erica at the same time. Since theyre both getting new rackets they can bat the ball around while we play doubles. I thought youd scheduled the picnic for two oclock.
I did, and thats fine with me. Erica will be happy, but what time is Kangs match?
It was his suggestion we start at ten to give him a warmup before he plays at noon. He shouldnt have any trouble winning his first match by one-thirty at the latest.
Hes seeded three?
Thats right.
When the four of them first started doubles play, theyd switched partners after each set but eventually Kang and Pilar paired against Larry and Cole.
It was still an unequal situation. Kang was the top player and Pilar was probably next in all-around ability. Cole and Larry played an aggressive game and could often overpower Pilars more fluid but less violent returns. Kang and Pilar had generally won, but recently Cole and Larry had been playing a psych game trying to at least break even.
It should be a great day, Cole said seriously as they waited to order. Ive been working on my backhand and Im really getting a little afraid of it; its carrying a lot of top-spin and has an almost vicious take-off after it hits the court. Maybe you ought to concentrate more on my forehand. I wouldnt want anyone to get hurt - especially a girl.
Yes, Ill warn Kang to be careful too, Pilar said. But we came to breakfast to eat and discuss whether I should accept my new offer.
I dont like the order you put things in, Cole said. Maybe we should discuss your new job first and then well know whether or not we should eat. I was merely cautioning you on the tennis thing, he shrugged and shifted to the reason for their breakfast date. As I understand it, youre being asked to help develop a gun that will make one man equal in destructive power to an old-fashioned broadside of eighteen-inchers.
The waiter stood with poised pencil until Cole finished and then they ordered breakfast. While they waited Pilar explained the request for her services.
She had met a classmate in the ceramic laboratory at McWhorter Brown. Cecil Glass had the highest achievement record in design engineering at the University. He and Pilar had completed one joint project: reconstructing support crutches for disabled veterans. These crutches were unique in that they could be motivated by the muscles of the upper arm and shoulders exclusively, leaving the lower arms and hands free. Legless veterans with artificial limbs who had used these crutches had learned to play games requiring standing and moving and the free use of both arms and hands. A side benefit had accrued to blind cripples enabling them to hold a leash in one hand and a tap-cane with the other.
When she had met Glass again at McWhorter Brown, he had not given Pilar much detailed information as to what he was doing. She had learned that ceramics, metallurgy and nuclear physics had something to do with it, and that he was commissioned to design a light weapon that could deliver a nuclear missile. The weapon would be held and directed by one man, but it was necessary that his arms and hands be free, and it was in this area that Pilars help was needed.
Cole, as the head of R.C.S.&J. Corporation, had been given security clearance, she explained, since she wouldnt accept the work without the corporations sanction. She had met with Glass several times and now knew all she needed to know to make a decision. The firing piece would weigh approximately ten pounds and would be strapped to the shoulders above the chests normal movement. It could be pointed by sight, using electronically absorbed light waves completely enclosed and reflected within a binocular-like gadget affixed to the eyes and wired to the gun. With this device the head was moveable in any direction, but the vision within the electronic binoculars would always be a wide-angled panoramic view along the barrel of the piece and through an egg-shaped and hairline-crossed sight.
The target would be pinned at the intersection of the hairlines by body adjustment for direct visual firing. The shell case and nuclear bullet, the complete cartridge, weighed slightly over six ounces. It would be propelled from the muzzle of the gun in the usual manner, but, within a minimal measurement of time after firing, the energy from the slowed fission of a new atom-structured rocket fuel would be released to impart the real force propelling the nuclear bullet as much as fifty thousand yards in an unerring path. This micronuclear shell could be adjusted to explode on impact, set to release within a time-distance factor, or, equipped with a miniscule sensor device, it could be dialed to follow and expend its terrifying energy within a predetermined proximity of a target mass.
These methods of triggering its nuclear explosive power would make the weapon effective not only against visual objects but also those unseen dangers known by various technologies to exist beyond the contours of the earth or high within the earths thinning atmosphere. By using the time-difference setting, the bullet could be exploded above the ground target and by dialing the following and proximity sensor, it would be cataclysmically effective against aircraft or fleets of aircraft.
Auxiliary lightweight equipment would consist of a tripod for stabilizing the piece and a circular canister to insert in the magazine for rapid fire. New and old concepts would prevail in this modern weapon, but the predominate change would be the destructive and coercive power such a weapon would give one man. The terror in a simple little single six-ounce bullet would be equivalent to the potential holocaust trapped in a hundred tons of TNT. Pilar concluded by saying that, For closer work bullets of less destructive power could be fashioned.
Thats very interesting, even if it does sound like the last weapon one that will not only transform an enemy into glowing vapor, but could simultaneously atomize the user. Cole pondered a moment longer. It seems like a sort of senseless piece of equipment for a nation to want but if youre asking me should you go ahead and help in its design, Id say, yes.
You know, just talking about it scares me. Pilar was grave. Im not sure that I should get involved in something so final. Do you really think I should?
Its your decision and it should be made on what you think you should do, not what I think. But you havent thought about it yet; youve merely expressed fear and uncertainty based on feelings. Ill help you think your decision if you wish.
Go right ahead. Where do we start thinking?
Well, the weapon is already a fact. Your knowledge and skill will help it to become more efficient, but withholding them wont nullify its existence. If you dont help, someone else will; admittedly this someone doesnt have to be you. You dont have to burden your conscience but, again, and this is the real question, how does salving your conscience solve anything? Cole took a quick sip of water and when Pilar didnt respond continued, To put it in perspective, this is merely one more weapon in the arsenal. We know the bad uses to which it can be put. How do we know it wont be put to a good use, or be used defensively for our own or mankinds protection, if you want to call that a good use. Cole paused then felt compelled to go on. Was it bad when prehistoric man picked up a rock or a club and used it against his predators? If he hadnt discovered the club, the spear, the bow and arrow, its probable we wouldnt be here. Anyway, heres the food, and its for damn sure we need the energy to think up all these craziest things.
It was apparent that Pilar was not convinced completely but still without comment she turned to the food.
There was crisp bacon and soft, fluffy scrambled eggs, sourdough muffins toasted and hot with dripping butter, and a choice of orange marmalade, strawberry preserves or red-raspberry jam. Cole ordered coffee and Pilar milk. She loaded a warm buttered muffin with orange marmalade, strawberry preserves and red raspberry jam and took a bite as Cole shuddered. Then she washed it all down with half the milk, saying, Man needed weapons to survive his early environment, but damn it these weapons were turned against other men. You dont believe man killing man is necessary, do you?
I believe we will someday live without resorting to violence, but we havent learned to do this yet.
You talk as though its a learning process. Why wouldnt an international law against war be the starting point?
Sorry, I over-simplified it. It isnt only learning, its also a matter of genetics. Legislation against violence, as against any other human frailty, is worse than useless if mankind instinctively or with reason, right or wrong, believes that violence will secure for it whatever it seeks.
Then youd add controlled breeding along with education as a substitute for legislation? Pilar asked with incisive analysis, keeping her comments to kquinimum so as not to disturb her breakfast.
Lets leave breeding to the vagaries of natural selection, and Im all for unrestricted vagaries. Pilar ignored the ribald remark but secretly thought it funny. Right, education is better than legislation, except that too often propaganda is substituted for truth. Everybody is being stuffed with all kinds of bull, so intelligent sifting of fact from fiction, true knowledge from propaganda, is a must. Too many so-called educated people are merely repositories of accumulated propaganda, some facts and some fiction dispensed by our educational institutions. Contrary to popular belief, only a very few people have the intelligence, plus the desire, to think creatively and go beyond the junk knowledge theyve stored. We should at the very least try to add just a little to the worlds true cache of information. Watching Pilar eat, Cole began to think some more about natural selection. Damnit, you consume food so effortlessly that I was distracted from the point I was going to make.
Pilar spread more jam, etc. on her muffin and Cole, fascinated, watched, then took a bite of scrambled eggs and a swallow of coffee. We were thinking about the weapon, he said slowly. There are those who believe that the preservation, and preservation is the key word, of their ideological or religious views, or of their economic well-being, is worthy of killing. These are just the mild people who only wish to defend. They have a less violent nature than some others; they merely have a self-preservation instinct to kill. You and I are probably included in this number two group. The really tough-minded killers are the number one group, those who arent secure without imposing, remember imposing their ideology, their religion, or their economic prerogatives on the rest of us. I dont know which group is more numerous but these number one bastards have so far been the most potent even though they havent always won. History records almost exclusively the conflicts between these two groups. Their affinity for conflict separates them from the third group: this is the bunch that will supposedly inherit the earth. They are not only mild, they are meek, and assumedly they will eventually supplant the age of force with the age of reason. So far, historians have practically ignored them, either because their numbers are so small or because they have accomplished so little.
Then Ill add to their number, Pilar said firmly, Im resigning from group two and applying for membership in group three.
But you cant resign, any more than you can resign from the human race and become an antelope, - I almost said a tigress, he grinned, but that wouldnt fit the allegory of meekness.
How do you know I couldnt be mild and meek?
You may already be mild and meek. I merely said you couldnt become it if you werent. Search yourself for the truth. If your Erica were threatened with kidnapping and a life of drugs and prostitution, even though she herself might enjoy such a life, would you kill if you were sure this was the only way to prevent it?
She wouldnt enjoy it, and there might be other ways of preventing it. Pilar slowed her eating perceptibly.
Damn it. Weve already established the facts; there is no other way. Cole frowned. You cant with reason learn about yourself if youre unwilling to accept mental suppositions. It is true that Erica cant be saved without your intervention, and remember, she might not want to be saved. What are you going to do with the cocked and loaded pistol in your hand? Will you save her from a life of drugs and prostitution and save her even from herself?
Pilar sat rigidly for a moment and then with a slight tremor in her voice said, Id shoot the son-of-a-bitch.
Thats what I thought, youre in group two, if we can still classify you as only mildly violent. But dont worry about it. Youre probably in tune with most people and they arent always aware of their savage nature.
Pilar was merely picking at her food now.
But to go on with the gun, Cole said. How do we know the creation of this ultimate weapon for one man will product more aggressive violence? Hell, maybe its very existence will render it uselessness. To exaggerate a point, youve already tacitly agreed that prehistoric man picking up a club and attaching a rock to the end of it for protection probably made a good invention. At least it worked for his survival in a savage world of naturally better-equipped carnivors. His brain and mechanical skill created this first weapon and gave him the means to proliferate and conquer. When he turned his weapens against his own kind, you say this was bad, without knowing what his alternatives were. You could be right, but to continue thinking about it, maybe our natural enemies havent changed that much even though man himself is the only premeditated violent killer of man. Nature sometimes kills violently but without premeditation. Perhaps weather is our major natural violent killer. But maybe today we need to most intelligently control natures subtle side that may be killing us a hell of a lot faster than its catastrophies. O.K., weve been talking about earthly things of which we have some knowledge, but how do we know our final violent enemy has been overcome? Are we sure there are no other forces in the universe to obstruct our existence? Lets assume were aware of all the dangers that exist on earth, although we havent investigated every crevice and peak and all the depths of every ocean. We still cant be sure that our questing for an ultimate weapon wont eventually save us from an enemy outside of our small world. Nor again can we be sure that the very ludicrousness of this guns incredible power of obliteration in the hands of one man wont help the user to gain the age of reason.
Pilar looked up brightly, You know, Id like another muffin and another glass of milk.
Cole was uncomprehending for a moment, bent forward with the thrust of his argument. Then shrugging his shoulders, he signaled the waiter.
I take it you think I should go ahead and work with Cecil on this ultimate weapon in case were invaded from outer space?
What I said was that you should think about it before you decide for yourself. I was merely giving examples of thinking, which might or might not coincide with yours. Cole shook his head and adjusted his eyes. How the hell can you eat so much and still keep your shape?
I actually eat very little, Pilar said, finishing the last muffin. Then she insisted on paying her share of the bill. Cole accepted, splitting the bill in half and charging her a dollar more for the extras shed ordered. As they left the restaurant, it was decided to leave Pilars car for servicing and a wash. They picked up Coles car and headed for Number 10 Black Pearl Road. Cole maneuvered through a section of the city where many of the buildings were being demolished to make room for sterile structures of concrete, steel and aluminum. The narrow streets were clogged with trucks and stacked building materials. The early morning motor and pedestrian traffic was slow. Cole missed people, trucks, and stacks a hair closer than Pilar had experienced and at the same time watched the construction in progress and the girls clumping to work.
Pilar was diverted only by the people; their dress, the personal animation or lack of it in mobile or slack faces, the body movements and the gestures. A girl waiting at the curb squeezed a lighter, lit a cigarette, expelled smoke from her nostrils, released her thumb extinguishing the flame, and dropped the cold metal in her purse. How does it happen youve never smoked? Pilar asked suddenly.
Cole tore his eyes from the bouncing bubbles and undulating hips weaving their fantasies and with some astonishment asked, What?
I was just wondering why you never smoked.
What gave you the idea I never smoked? I used to smoke but I quit.
Were you worried about your health?
Not particularly.
Pilar waited a moment. Id really like to know. Why did you quit?
I quit when I found I couldnt get along without them.
She thought for a moment, Is that supposed to make sense?
Yes, it is.
Well go on.
One time in the mountains I ran out of cigarettes. I worried a day and a half before I got back where I could buy some. You know, just feeling that thick, fat, slick pack gave me a sensuous pleasure. I opened the damn thing and smelled for maybe five minutes. Then threw them away. He didnt say any more and Pilar waited.
Finally she said, But you still havent explained why you threw them away and quit.
I didnt want to be controlled, he said. Cole wondered why shed asked that particular question at this particular moment; her mind was becoming more complex, instead of less, with his greater exposure.
Pilar thought: hes revealed in small inconsequential things, but that isnt exactly true; he thinks and talks too far away from the present. Maybe I dont understand because hes too direct and too detailed about objects and too terse about himself. I quit when I found I couldnt get along without them.
If a person should resist doing things that might control him, she said, then I dont agree with producing nuclear weapons that might control me. Why should I help to develop this one? And also isnt it inconsistent with our corporate purpose?
I dont think so. Were supposed to meld and learn; to be positive and constructive; to win while playing within the rules of the game. Hell, if you can force everybody to play by your rules, then you can change the rules around and make yourself a winner by tailoring them to fit your weaknesses. Remember the difference. We dont know as much about this new weapon as I know about smoking cigarettes. At the moment we know very little. If the government is developing a nuclear gun to be operated by one man then I think theyre making a hell of a mistake, maybe the last big mistake. This whole thing seems illogical, but we dont know enough about it. If it is as we understand it, then perhaps the politicians, the generals and bureaucrats dont foresee the danger of such an individual weapon, but remember the if. He paused and looked at her. What good would it do us not to participate, or for you as an individual not to lend your services? You might feel better morally, but how would this affect the guns eventual being? Einstein was that super but he too had no idea where his creative thinking, his new math would lead. Should his thoughts have been repressed? Ill bet the future will record benefits far in excess of the harm made possible by his theories. But to your problem: if you withhold your services, maybe the weapon wont be as excellently balanced, but it will be just as deadly. Sometimes we intellectuals - excuse me, I didnt mean to include myself - you scientific-intellectuals believe that by withdrawing your individual knowledge and creative ability, you can change mans aggressive nature, his selfishness and greed. Thats just not true. His nature hasnt changed yet and all we can hope for is that he will eventually begin to reason that wholesale killing in the nuclear age could engulf him. Probably for that reason the bomb has only been used to end the one war. But the threat of the big one hasnt stopped little wars, maybe this small baby will. Its yet to be determined if world wars are obsolete but everybody seems a little more cautious. If Einstein was the indirect cause for the deaths at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, then he was the indirect cause for ending the war and the probable reduction of over-all killing. Again, remember its all merely speculation, and so far only death is positive. Our short life has almost no positive pegs; it consists of probables and if you dont learn early to accept a life of probabilities then youre eligible for a sick head. Too many people blow their minds because they insist upon an exact past, a perfect present, and a known and secure future. Forget it. It doesnt exist except in the minds of dangerous fanatics or your average man looking for a place to hide. Look askance at the positive view; its the one to consider longest, to question most fully. Really, the laws of probability are much more appealing than the fanatics advocacy and selling of the one true religion, the postulated economic system, the axiomatic government or the triple-A rated blue chip stock. The only thing you can be sure of is that all things are changing and that your next breath will be somewhat different from your last; in fact, it may be your last.
Pilar shuddered. I like to be sure of things; then I can forget them and go on to something else. Its a good feeling to know the sun will rise in the morning.
What do you think the odds are that the sun wont come up tomorrow? A million, a billion, a trillion to one? The odds just have to be established. The sun might explode before morning, not very likely according to our best astronomers, or a stellar collision, or what about the earths rotation being altered by some stupidity of man? The great probability is that the sun will come up tomorrow, but there isnt any real doubt that someday it wont. Think of the money you could make if you could predict the suns failure to rise tomorrow. Cole gave a short laugh thinking of all that money in a gelid blue world or in a vaporized red-purple glow or maybe even in a solid black hole with compressed matter at tens of thousands of tons per cubic inch.
What are you thinking about? Pilar asked.
I was just thinking that its your decision and Im sure whatever you decide will be O.K. with Kang and Larry. Sorry, I should have said Ill give you a hundred to one theyll agree.
Then there is some doubt in your mind; they may not agree?
Right. They may not. Do you want the odds?
No, I just wondered if youd back with cold cash the odds you pulled out of the air. Knowing you would, I too am sure theyl1 go along with whatever I decide.
They parked the car, unlocked the door at No. 10 Black Pearl Road, climbed to the second floor, and were alone in the silent outer room. They didnt go to their offices but sat lonely in the stillness and then ordered coffee from the restaurant below to occupy the waiting for Kang and Larry.
When the coffee arrived, Pilar brought it on an enameled tray donated by Kang. She poured a cup, added cream and set it on the low table before Cole. He wasnt too conscious of the burn when he swallowed. He was watching as she sat opposite and filled her own cup. The crossing of sinuous legs reminded him of a beautiful boa constrictor he had once seen winding along the smooth branch of a tropical tree. She no sooner became comfortable than she untwined them and fountained up to go to the bar for sugar. He wasnt sure, but had the impression of seeing pubic hair beneath the flowing material molding her thighs. He wondered what she wore under. Moving away from him the curve and crease of her rounded rear rippled and the burning coffee he drank had even less effect. On her return, carrying the sugar, he was positive that the two points moving with each stride under the thin cloth couldnt possibly be entrapped in a brassiere. It was only after her question was repeated the third time that Cole became aware of the sound of her voice.
Im not too sure about that, he said vaguely, and when he noticed that she expected him to go on, he continued with more force, Id have to think about it for a while.
Pilar stirred a half teaspoon of sugar into her coffee and then a little worriedly asked, Are you feeling well? You sound like somethings bothering you.
No, I feel great - nothings bothering me. Why do you ask? There she goes again.
Well, nothing in particular, except I asked you three times if you wanted sugar in your coffee and you said you werent sure, youd have to think about it for a while. I just thought a simple yes or no would have been more like you.
Cole recovered fairly rapidly. There are many questions that cant be answered with a simple yes or no. I didnt want any sugar in my coffee, but at the moment I was thinking very positively about something, and I just didnt feel like giving a negative answer. I didnt even feel like maybe. All I wanted to do was think about it for a while. What have you got against thinking? Thats just what weve been talking about.
Pilars perplexed expression was changing to an amused smile but he was saved further explanation by the noise of Larry and Kang coming up the stairs. Cole got up. Hi, Ive got some mail to look at. Pilar wants to talk to you two. If you want me for anything, Ill be in my office. He walked stiffly to the door, entered, and closed it softly.
There was a small stack of mail on his desk. He riffled through the envelopes and selected one to read. He slit it open, and a card attached to a form letter dropped out. He glanced at it briefly, noting the contents and getting the gist of the communication before he picked up the mike and buzzed Joanne at the Service Center. Joannes husky purr brought back visions of Pilar, but Cole didnt want to get into that mood again so he said quickly, Hi, Joanne, Im in kind of a hurry. Could you take a letter for me right away?
Certainly, Cole, Joanne cooed this time. Just a moment, Ill get my equipment together.
He could see her throwing her arms back, stretching the tight sweater across bulging boobs as she casually reached for pencil and pad. He jerked his mind away from the image, asking, All set?
Yes, of course, Cole. Go right ahead whenever youre ready. I certainly am.
He thought for a moment about the machined letter and the computerized bill that he had paid almost a year ago.
This will be another letter to the Ace Corporation - you have copies of all the correspondence?
Oh, yes.
Cole dictated:
Dear Mac:
Hello, there. I hope I wont offend you by using the familiar but after our eleven months of correspondence, I feel I know you well enough. But to get right to business. You were quite correct in rejecting this check for sixteen dollars and thirty-eight cents. This check is a copy of the one I sent in full payment of the bill, and on the reverse side, it shows that the original check was cashed by Ace Corporation. I had a hard time finding this cancelled check as my personal files arent too well kept. It was submitted to you as incontrovertible evidence of payment. Dont get me wrong. Im sure the problems weve had for almost a year now havent been caused by you.
Its those pin-headed sons-of-bitches that you work for that have been stuffing you full of a bunch of god damned lies about me. Perhaps your sensors arent set for you to scan the back of checks so that you can see they have been cashed-in and the bill has been paid.
Anyway, Im going to return the copy of this cancelled check once more and stress the fact that it isnt the real thing only a copy and it serves as good evidence that the Ace Corporation has received all the money thats coming to them. If this is finally accepted as proof of payment by the knot-headed bastards you work for, I trust it wont prevent us from keeping in touch. I recall, the only thing that really bugged you in our long relationship was when you accused me of mutilating one of your cards. As I explained at the time, all I can say is that I read your instructions very carefully about not folding, bending or spindling, and if the card wasnt in perfect shape when you received it, it was either the fault of the United States Post Office, or those mealy-mouthed moronic mothers at Ace.
As I say, if this thing finally gets settled, lets not lose touch. Weve spent too much time, thought, electrical energy and money on postage to just forget.
I shall be looking forward to hearing from you without the sixteen dollar and thirty-eight cent bill coloring our relationship and I will remain your friendly correspondent, but piss on the Ace Corporation.
Happy punch-card.
Cole Rain
Thanks, Joanne, Ill talk to you later, Cole said with relief and hung up.
Disregarding the rest of the mail he went back to the living room lounge. He wasnt surprised to learn that Pilars participation in the development of the controversial nuclear gun had been sanctioned by Larry and Kang, but hit a low point when he was told she had left to keep an appointment with Cecil Glass. They suggested Borgias later for lunch but he wanted to get away and excused himself to go look at sail boats. For some time he had been considering buying a boat so he could sail along the Coast and explore the remote beaches of Baja California. Just before he left, Larry handed him a note from Pilar.
Cole -
Your Aunt Hester phoned and I assumed she wished to talk with you, but it came about that I was the object of her call and have been invited to tea Sunday afternoon - just the two of us - so we can have girl talk. Shes such a dear and she did talk about you! She said youd be home for dinner tonight and were staying in your old rooms at least half the time. Ill give you a big boost as though you need it with her. Im looking forward to Sunday tea.
P.
Why the hell would Aunt Hester be telling Pilar his business. If they wanted girl talk, fine with him. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, Kang called from the top. He climbed back up and went into Kangs office.
I thought Id go look at a boat, he said. Whats up?
I just got a phone call from a girl, Kang explained.
Congratulations, I was sure sooner or later girls would start calling a handsome, intelligent tennis player.
It was the tennis that did it. Otherwise she would have talked to you.
Im going to start playing more, Cole vowed.
Do you want to know about the call? Kang asked.
Yes, what does she think of your forehand?
It was from someone who knows what you were doing on the SS Crescent Moon.
What do you mean knows what I was doing?
Thats it. They know or, at least, think they know.
Tell me about it.
After I tell you, youll say its a small world, Kang said. Anyway, it was a girl that was in one of my volunteer tennis clinics. I dont know her or at least I cant remember what she looks like. Maybe when I see her. Shes got something to tell that her sister thinks might be a big help to you.
Whos her sister?
Thats what I was going to ask you.
Letha?
Could be, Kang said.
But whats she got? What else did she tell you?
Not really anything, except she lives in one of those communes. I said wed come to see her and she said shed like to meet you but she only wanted to talk to me. Thats the mystic connection between teacher and student. Its got to be Saturday and I told her wed be in the park. It seems she lives out that way. A lot of them do. She wouldnt give me her address, said shed meet us there in the late afternoon after our party is over.
Hows she going to find us?
I told her the area wed be in. She says she knows her way around and shed find us. If she doesnt remember me any better than I remember her, I just hope there arent too many Chinese tennis players in the park.
Thats not true that they all look alike, Cole said. You look a lot like the late Rudolf Valentino. I saw him on the late, late show.
Well, what do you think? Kang said.
Fine, lets meet her, coach. Ill be glad to get any information shes got. Cole thought for a moment shaking his head. She sounds like she might be afraid, though.
Maybe, Kang admitted. She didnt want us to know where she lived and she can only make it late Saturday afternoon.
Thanks, Kang, I appreciate your help. I think Ill go find a boat.
The tall bare poles crossed with smaller sticks near their top and with lines streaming to the decks below rocked gently at the boats mooring and sometimes in unison. Cole shuffled along a floating boardwalk admiring the sleek little boats, coveting each one he saw and thinking of the neglected opportunities to become a sailor hed wasted in a misspent youth. Coming to the end of the floating dock, he retraced his steps, always examining more closely the boats on the left. The one he liked best was white with a clean scrubbed teak deck and varnished rails. He paused to look her over and then saw a man kneeling and leaning over the side lettering a name on her bows upside down. He moved along a little further to get a better view. As soon as the man finished the letter C, he looked up and saw Cole. Hi! We decided to change her name.
Its a beautiful boat, Cole said admiringly, Id like to have one just like her.
Oh, she aint mine, he explained, Im just dressin her up for the owner. Would you care to come aboard and take a look around?
Yes, I would - if its O.K.
Its all right. I live aboard most of the time. The owner only uses her once or twice a month, mostly when theres a race. The man got up and moved back to the stern and Cole hopped over the low gunnel to the deck.
What are you looking for? the painter inquired.
I dont know, Cole admitted. Something that one person can handle - or maybe two. I want to be able to sail her in the open sea, but mainly to explore along the Pacific Coast. He hesitated. I dont know what kind of ship that would be.
The man laughed and said, She wont be a ship; shell be a boat. But there aint many around thatll do all the things you want her to.
I guess not, Cole said. Ive wanted a boat for a long time, but now Im not really sure about it.
The man got busy cleaning his paint brush and finished by wiping it dry on a much-daubed but otherwise clean piece of cloth. This aint the boat for you, he said, but lets look her over. Youll find a lot of things on her that should be on any good boat.
They toured the little craft and Cotton Hawke explained to Cole the ordinary parts of a sailboat as well as the unusual features of the Lindmac. Cotton, whose hair looked like a curly ball of the stuff, suggested a cold beer as they completed their inspection of the cabin. Cole sat at a small table and watched the bottles being opened.
I can always tell a prospective boat buyer, Cotton said as he edged into the seat opposite and placed the two bottles in front of them, and itd be my guess that youve got the fever.
How can you tell? Cole went along.
Well, one thing struck me right off. You were real interested in seeing everything, then you got that far-away look in your eye and sort of stared out over the bay, looking right through the Gate to some place and beyond. Thats a surer sign than just being interested in the boat because its what you see out there, all the places she can take you, that brings a man and a boat together. He drank from his bottle and gave Cole an understanding look. What are you goin to call her? he asked.
Rocinante II, Cole said.
The name aint the important thing, its that youve already decided on one, he paused. Thats a new one on me, but then boats have some strange ones. Was there a Rocinante number one?
No, I never had a boat.
I was just wonderin about the II, Cotton explained.
It was the name of a horse once, Cole said, but that was a long time ago.
Cotton considered this and then predicted, I figure youll have your boat in a couple of weeks.
Do you know where I can find what I need?
Not right off, but when a mans decided on the name, hell find the boat to fit it. If I run into anything thatll take you where you want to go, Ill let you know. I know most of the boats around and Ill be sure and keep a weather eye out.
Cole finished his beer, thanked Cotton, left his name, address and phone number and then made his way through the gently rocking boats to his car. When he reached the street he almost turned back towards Borgias for lunch. But thinking about Aunt Hesters stuffed port chops, baked beans and homemade cherry pie, he decided to save up. She was the only female who ever really understood and appreciated him, and he felt the same way about her.
He turned toward Golden Gate Bridge, going someplace and beyond.
Chapter X
Saturday morning, Larry Carver, driving a two-year-old sports convertible, dressed in tennis whites and exposed to the early morning sun, idled down the street on which his sister and her family lived. The turn-of-the-century houses abutted each other and seemed to have a common wall. They were two and three-story structures, neatly kept and painted in a concert of colors; architectural curlicues of another century trimmed the front elevation and were generally embellished by a contrasting shade of the same hue. Parking wasnt easy. If there were any garages for these homes they had come as an afterthought and added on in an era when one car to a family was considered plenty. Larry was lucky and parked half a block from his relatives light grey, black-trimmed home. Nephew, Larry II, had gone unnoticed as Larry backed the car and cramped the wheels to the curb to prevent a run-away. Larry II opened the door on the street side and before his uncle could switch off the ignition cried,
Dont turn her off. Ive got my stuff right inside the door; it wont take a minute to get it. He slammed the car door and started running back to the house.
Larry shouted, Hey, hold it a minute, your mother invited me for breakfast.
Larry II stopped. Im not hungry; are you hungry? he asked. Lets go now; we can get something to eat at the park. We dont want to keep everybody waiting.
Nobody will be waiting. Its only eight oclock and were not supposed to meet until ten. Anyway, your mothers making something for the party and it wont be ready now. Were only ten minutes from the park, relax.
Larry II grabbed Larrys hand and tried to run with it as they started back up the street. Larrys brother-in-law, Dewey Ridge, met them at the door.
Youve got nobody to blame but yourself. It was your idea. At least, it looks like you picked the right day for it.
Theres only going to be two kids against four grown-ups, Larry grinned. Well handle them.
Larrys sister, Delia, coming from the kitchen had just a suggestion of being hurried. Youll have a wonderful day, she defended. Larry II has promised to behave and mind everything you say. Isnt that right, honey? and she put her arm around Larry IIs shoulder and pulled him to her.
I already opened my presents that Mom and Dad got me, Larry II said excitedly. But I can only take one with me. It flies and we can do it in the park. Theres no place to throw it out front; come on in the back yard, Ill show you how it works.
Id rather wait till we get to the park where we can do it right, Larry said seriously. I dont want to spoil it by just seeing it fly a little way in the back yard.
O.K., Ill show you some jacks I got. Did you ever play jacks? I had some old ones, but these are better, the ball bounces a lot higher. Oh, I forgot. Mom says I can take them because theyre small. Come on, Ill show you.
I was probably the best man at jacks in the whole kindergarten system at one time, Larry told him.
Not now, dear, Delia said patiently, were going to have breakfast and Ive cooked all your Uncle Larrys favorites and yours too.
Im not hungry, Larry II said.
You wait till you see what were going to have. The biscuits are just ready to come out of the oven, and were having ham and eggs and grits with redeye gravy.
All right, Larry II ran to the table, but weve got to hurry.
Larry looked at his sister in disbelief. Holy mackerel, Delia, how do you expect me to play tennis and keep up with this guy all day if I start out with a breakfast like that! But he also moved toward the table. Larry II insisted on sitting beside his uncle, and when the food was served tried to eat as much - but didnt quite make it.
After breakfast, Delia iced the banana cake with a fluffy white frosting and placed fourteen candles in a plastic bag - seven for the side labeled Happy Birthday to Larry II and seven for Happy Birthday to Erica. She had thought one big cake would be better than two small ones and had been particularly careful to keep the lettering even and the halves equal. She packed it in a portable cake holder and cautioned Larry on how to carry it, and then at the last moment decided shed better take it to the car herself. Larry opened the trunk and cleared a space in one corner. Delia placed the container carefully and arranged a small satchel with Larrys change of clothes on one side of it and wedged a bag of golf clubs to protect the other side. Larry II grabbed up a particularly deflated basketball and tried to dribble it, shouting, Lets shoot some baskets. We can stop at the station and get some air in it.
Youve got enought things to play with, his father said. I dont think youre going to have time to shoot baskets.
Sure we will. Were going to be there the whole day and Uncle Larry promised to show me how to shoot one-handed when I got older.
O.K. If we have time, Larry sighed, but your Dads right - were going to do a lot of things, so climb in and lets go.
Delia, half-frown and half-smile, looked worried. Are you sure you want to take care of him for the whole day? You know were going to the delta to visit friends on a houseboat and theres no phone. We probably wont be back before five. Are you sure its all right?
Larry rolled his eyes and grinned, Yes, Sis, its fine. Well have a ball.
But this is the first time Youll be completely responsible for a whole day.
Yeah. Well, I appreciate your confidence in me, but dont worry. You have fun fishing and well have fun with the kids. Oh, and everyone said to be sure and thank you for baking the cake - especially Pilar.
You tell them I enjoyed doing it. I just hope its as good as the last one we had when they were all here.
Come on, Uncle Larry, were going to be late, Larry II screamed. His father laughed and shook his head and said again, Well, you asked for it; take care now and well see you later.
Delia called out as they started to pull away, Did you put everything in the car to play with? Have you got what you need for tennis?
Im only taking my flying bird and the jacks, and Ive got my tennis shoes on.
Both Larrys waved happily as they rolled toward the park to spend the day.
Kang was warming up on the backboard, Cole was lacing tennis shoes, and Pilar and Erica were changing in the ladies locker room when the two Larrys arrived. Cole looked up and waved one hand. Hi, Larry II, Happy Birthday. Then he noticed Larry II was carrying Larrys old beat-up racket.
Did Uncle Larry trade you out of your new racket?
This is his racket. Dont you know where my new one is? Larry II looked doubtful.
Yeah, I forgot. Pilar has yours and Ericas both, shes keeping them safe.
Kang caught the bouncing ball on his racket and walked over to the three of them. Happy Birthday, Larry II, Im glad to see you like tennis. Some day you can play for the Davis Cup instead of winding up like these two ex-football sausage heads.
I can already hit the ball good, Larry II said. Uncle Larry told me if I tried hard, you promised to teach me the fine rodents of the game.
Thats right. Well have a class of four and you and Erica will be half the class if you really want to.
The girls came down the path to the courts, both ready to play. Pilar had made Erica a short slipover dress with laced pants to match. She looked very much like a small edition of her aunt.
Larry IIs clothes for the day were white Levis cut off above the knee and a light-weight tennis shirt, another birthday gift. When he saw the girls he began a series of somersaults on the grass, calling for everyone to watch, and challenging Erica to show what she could do. Erica wandered over and when he sat up to look around she said, Happy Birthday, Larry II.
Oh, yeah, I was supposed to say that to you. Happy Birthday, Erica. He got up and took her hand and they walked over to the small stack of presents and Erica asked:
When do we get our tennis rackets?
I like surprise parties, but are you sure these kids arent undercover agents for the CIA? Cole wanted to know.
The presents were opened with some delay in getting the rackets to the proper recipient - they were exactly alike. It was explained to the kids they could play tennis on the adjacent court, play with any of the other toys theyd brought along, or watch the grownups match. The only rule was that they must stay within the bounds of the one court. The rules were barely listened to, and then they both took their new rackets, grabbed a ball apiece and ran to the far court. The effort in getting this settled seemed to have taken something out of the group.
Shall we spin for serve? Kang asked.
Larry looked at Cole. It really doesnt make that much difference who starts the serve; why dont you two go ahead if you think its an advantage.
Kangs eyebrows raised slightly because this just wasnt true. It did make a difference who served first. He knew if he took the serve their chances of beating him ranged from poor to none and he didnt understand Larrys comment. He finally concluded that since this was a warmup for his benefit, to help his tourney play, they were just being nice giving him more practice on his serve. They should realize that with the competition he had in the first round, he didnt need any practice. With some gratitude in his voice, he said, I think it would be better if we spin, unless you want to serve first.
O.K., well serve first. Cole accepted at once.
With no further comment, Kang took his place in the back-hand court for a brief rally before starting the match.
Pilar was aware that Cole and Larry were trying to shake Kang. But realizing that champions arent made by their mechanical skills alone, she too made no comment.
After the warmup, Cole took a couple of practice serves and then to start got a real hard smash to Pilar. She returned it well enough, but Larry gambled at the net, crossed over, and was able to get an unreturnable angle on the ball. With Coles fair-to-good serve and Larrys gambles, they won the first game. Kang with court courtesy insisted that Pilar serve first for their side. Cole and Larry broke Pilars serve, putting them ahead two - love. After the second win, confidence and hilarious repartee ran high between Cole and Larry and continued when Larry muddled through and won his serve. The fun was somewhat dampened when Kangs turn came and he served three blazing aces. Each time he served the ball it barely caught the serving court line, but was good enough so that it couldnt possibly have been called a fault.
To gain a little time Cole got something in his eye, and Larry went to look at it. Confidence ebbing, Cole said in a low voice, Weve got to slow him down, wed better start talking to him.
Kang called out, Whats the matter - did you get something in your eye?
Pilar started around the net with real concern. Maybe I can see it.
No, its O.K. now, Cole assured, Lets play. My vision was blurred. I thought a couple of your serves were awfully close and Larry wasnt looking, but thats O.K. I played them anyway. The games still 40-love.
Do you want me to serve that last point over? Kang asked.
No, no. Your serve is really great. Its got a lot of zip. I think if you put a little more muscle behind it, I wont be able to hit it even though my eye isnt blurred any more.
Kang netted his next serve to Larry. On the second try it was obvious he was consciously making an effort to get it well within the serving court. Larry pounced on it and shot it hard at Pilar. With exceptional reaction she got a return, but it was just weak enough to give Cole a chance to pass her.
The score was 40-15 and Kang moved over to serve to Cole but Larry interrupted just as he was ready to toss the ball up. Are the tourney officials pretty strict on foot fault or not. You do everything so smoothly that from where Im watching, it would be a hard call to make, but a guy looking along the base line would probably pick it up pretty quick. Id hate to see you get into trouble during the tournament.
Kang didnt say anything, just got ready to serve again and then netted his first try to Cole. The second was even less confident and Cole, returning it got good top spin and looped it over Pilars head at the net. Kang rushing in to the net was clearly surprised at Coles deft handling of the serve and tried to race back, but was too late.
Sorry about that, Kang. Larry shouldnt be talking when youre serving, Cole commiserated. Just relax and dont pay any attention to him. Everybody foot faults once in a while.
The muscles visibly tightened in Kangs jaw, and he double faulted to Larry, evening the score at 40-40. Walking slowly back to the opposite corner of the court, he was breathing deeply. His first sizzler to Coles forehand was a blur, but was close enough to the corner that there was no way to call it out. Cole nodded his head and spread his hands in resignation, indicating he was conceding the point.
Kang shook his head and said, No, it missed, and got ready for a second try. Cole and Larry looked at each other realizing Kang must be really upset because he never gave up a point when the other side conceded, but nothing could dissuade him now. His next shot hit with the same speed in the same area, but almost six inches within the corner. He looked at Larry and Cole shouting, How are you calling that?
Oh, that was in by almost six inches. Cole admitted.
With a barely visible smile, Kang said, I know it was in. I was just asking how you were calling it.
Cole held up his hand for time and walked over to Larry, turning his back to the net and saying sotto voce, I think he knows what were up to.
Yeah, Larry said, well change our strategy. When he serves to me, hell rush the net, Ill lob deep to the base line and even if he gets back it will be tough to handle - and well both come in fast for a kill shot.
On the add-in serve, Kang and Cole both broke for the net from opposite sides but Larry got a bad lob and Kang saw that it wasnt deep, that it would drop barely six feet beyond the net. Cole was oblivious until he saw Kang poised for an overhead smash and he only had time enough to throw himself down and back of the net as the ball whistled through the space his body had just occupied. He rose and walked slowly back to Larry.
Next time Ill lob and you rush the net, he said shakily.
With the game score three to one in their favor, things rapidly got worse for the psych experts. Strategy was revised again and again, but the game score mounted to 5-4 against them. It was at this point they decided to both play back near the base line; this ploy, of course, wasnt overlooked. On the last play of the day, Kang had another setup for a perfect overhead smash, but seeing both opponents playing back, he changed tactics at the last moment and with a beautiful soft touch barely tapped the ball across the net. Cole and Larry were horror-stricken when they saw the ball dropping so far away in front of them, they broke for the net as one, racing each other to forestall defeat. Cole, attempting to reach the ball with his backhand, accidentally stuck his racket between Larrys flying legs. Larry naturally crashed headlong into the net, but an instant before the crash his racket caught the ball and sent it into a high lob. Both the upper and lower net supports were snapped from the post closest to where he hit and he was partially rolled up in the loose webbing. Pilar looked frightened, Kang registered amazement, and Cole was stunned. Larry sat up and tried to remove the twisted net from his head and shoulders and in a concerned voice asked, Was that a good return?
The kids had stopped to watch the doubles match and Erica immediately assured him, Yes, it was good. The ball went high up in the air and fell inside the white lines.
Larry looked relieved, but Larry II said, It doesnt count because you touched the net.
There was a moment of silence and finally Pilar spoke. Those are the rules, but its your call to make - whether or not you touched the net.
Larry slowly became aware that they were waiting for him to speak. He raised his head and smiled weakly. It took the rule book to beat us, he said.
While Kang discussed and Cole cussed the rule of idiocy that said you couldnt touch the net while playing the ball, Pilar dabbed an antiseptic on Larrys skinned knees and covered the wounds with band-aids. The argument ended when Kang left for the central courts to play his tournament match. Cole strolled over to look at Larrys knees and Erica and Two stopped their play and came running down the grassy slope to report that the police were on their way. A park official and a policeman on horseback approached. When they got to the tennis courts, they paused to examine the damaged net. The park official turned away from the havoc and looked at the group with an air of disappointment.
Whats been going on here? We had a report of rough play, but we didnt realize it included the destruction of property.
My uncle got hurt, but it wasnt his fault. Larry II spoke up. Mr. Rain tripped him.
But he didnt mean to. Erica came to Coles defense.
No, he didnt mean it. Larry II admitted. It was an accident.
Hold it, kids, well explain. But when Cole had finished explaining, the official and the mounted policeman didnt seem to be any more enlightened; however, since the lawman rode off on his horse, he had apparently decided police action wasnt necessary.
In turn, the park official explained that even though he would accept their version that the cause of the damage was accidental, it would have to be paid for. Cole and Larry admitted their culpability and paid twenty dollars each to cover the forty dollar assessment. The official took their names and addresses, handed them a receipt and told them that after the repairs were completed, if there was anything left of the forty dollars, it would be returned to them. He folded his receipt book, stuffed it in his pocket and left with the admonition that they should be more careful of park property henceforward.
Henceforward, well play without the net, Larry muttered. Who needs all that fancy equipment, I can tell if the ball is over of not. When do we eat and drink? he wanted to know, forgetting the irritation and his skinned knees.
Cole had brought wine and soft drinks. Kang had cooked southern fried chicken, and Pilar had prepared two salads and baked a pot of brown beans. Larry and Cole were to pick up ice cream for the cake later. While they were placing the packed food on a park table to reserve it, Larry II brought his flying bird and his jacks from the car. Erica clutched a new doll and carried a small suitcase filled with a complete wardrobe; she intended making two or three changes of the dolls clothes to coincide with the various activities of the day. She explained to Larry II just how precocious the doll was, that it could walk and talk, that it could cry and get wet and need changing, and it could do anything. Larry II suggested changing the dolls party dress for a tiny bikini and then throwing it in the lake to see if it could swim. Erica hugged the doll close to her and, waiting to make sure Larry II wasnt looking, placed it back in its box and covered the box with a blanket.
Larry II got busy with his flying bird and went racing over the grass and up a tiny knoll. He stopped on top and turned to face the picnic grove. Holding a life-size plastic bird, he tried to attach it to a short cord that in turn was fastened to a long whiplike rod. There was a hand grip and a leather loop to circle his wrist on the end of the rod. Finally, he hooked the tip of the thong to the breast of the bird, whose wings were spread in a permanent position of flight. Turning round and round, he whirled it over his head and shouted for everyone to watch and just before he began to run down, he brought his arm forward like a pitcher throwing overhand, and the willowy rod with the attached cord snapped the bird into free flight. The hook at the breast disengaged when the pressure was relieved at the end of the ship-like action. The bird flew straight as an arrow making a perfect arc and sailing fifty feet over the heads of the watchers. Larry II came tearing down the hill screaming, Did you see that? Hes the best flyer in the world. As he raced past the mildly startled picnickers he shouted, Ill go get him and then Ill show everybody how to fly him.
Where the hell did he get that thing? Cole asked.
My sister said he picked it out himself. He found it in a toy store when they were shopping for his birthday.
Erica had followed Larry II and they came running back after retrieving the bird, Erica squealing, Its my turn - you promised. Larry II hadnt promised Erica anything. Let me do it, she demanded.
As the children ran for the knoll, the others followed, curious to see just how Larry IIs toy worked. Erica was first and surprised them all with the distance she got out of the bird. Pilar tried and then it became a contest between Cole and Larry for the long distance championship. Larry II and Erica were stationed far down the grassy valley to alternate as retrievers. According to the kids, one of Larrys efforts produced the longest free flight, but Cole insisted that his last whip would have been further if the bird hadnt struck the branch of a tree and veered off into the side of a hill. The contest didnt stop until the kids got tired and insisted it was their turn.
Larry and Cole agreed to run back with the bird until each of them had three turns. This was subsequently increased to six turns each. After the last counted turn, and ignoring the kids protests, Cole, breathing hard, suggested he try once to land the bird on the water of the pond. This was a little less strenuous because the time it took for the wind to blow the bird back to the bank where it could be reached provided a breather. Another twenty minutes of spot landing on the small lake, and then Larry came up with the idea that the kids go take a look at the buffalos, but Larry II and Erica insisted on staying to play with the grown ups. They walked wearily back to the table stacked with boxes and baskets and Larry stretched out on the grass. Pilar went through the usual motions of women preparing a feast, and the kids asked Cole to read them a story. Cole, leaning back against a tree with his eyes closed said, Well, Id like to but I dont have a book.
Think one up then, Erica insisted.
Tell us a story about space and exploration, Larry II demanded.
Well, I dont know about that. What would you like to hear, Erica?
Tell us about Sleeping Beauty and how she couldnt be waked up only in a special way.
Hmmm... I dont think I know that well enough to tell it.
You must know a lot of stories, Larry II said. Tell us the one you like best.
Big Larry was dozing and only heard part of the conversation, but he heard Cole say, Let me think a minute This is about a little girl who lived on the edge of a desert, probably some place in the southwestern United States....
Dont you know where she lived? he heard Erica ask.
Well, yes, I know where she lived, but you see her father was a scientist. He was working on a secret project and where they lived was classified top secret.
He heard his nephew ask why? and Cole say, Just take my word for it that it was so.
It was the most updated childrens story Big Larry had ever heard, but then he hadnt heard many recently. The father was this space scientist; the little girl, his daughter, was the product of a broken home; the little girls brother was a junkie who had disappeared. When Erica asked what he looked like, Big Larry heard Cole say, Well, he had a lot of hair and he was sort of wild-eyed. O.K.?
Later on he heard something about the mother and heard Larry II ask, Was she dead?
No, she wasnt dead, she had just gone away some place with one of the assistants at the space lab. More questions from the kids, then he heard Cole say, She had fallen on hard times and was earning her living as a go-go dancer some place in Orange County - thats south of Los Angeles. Big Larry learned that the little girl had got in trouble trying to find her brother. Then Cole said something about a horrible hairy monster who strapped the little girl into a chair, pushed a button, pulled a couple of levers, and whoosh, they took off straight up.
Was it a girl monster? Larry II asked.
Yes, it was. You can never tell about monsters, he heard Cole say.
Big Larry must have dozed off a long time because the next he heard was both kids asking, Whats vigil?
Their parents were just watching and waiting for the kids to return thats vigil - and while they waited the mother who could cook as well as dance prepared a huge feast.
Big Larry decided the story was finished so he sat up. Kang had returned from his tennis match a winner. Then he heard Cole say, Thats the end of the story, but theres a sequel to it if youd like me to go on.
Kang and Big Larry both got up and advanced on Cole. Kang held a dirty towel and Larry said, Ill hold him, you gag him.
Cole jumped up and ran to the table, saying, I nominate Larry to say grace. Larry II demanded to be seated between Pilar and Kang. This worked out fine because Erica was clinging to Larry and Cole. When everyone was arranged, Larry relinquished to Pilar the honor of saying grace. The children looked at her expectantly. Pilar hesitated in apparent deep thought. She bowed her head and with softness and distinctness started her prayer:
We pause briefly to give thanks before partaking of these delectable and life-sustaining substances prepared by us, but created in a mystery. We acknowledge ignorance of lifes source or the reason for its being given into our care. We value its joys and will protect its flame, knowing it as our most precious gift. Lastly, we hope to contribute to its ultimate purpose whatever that may be. Amen.
An hour later there were just token amounts left of the overabundance of food that had filled the table. Pilar had covered the remaining dabs and was playing jacks with the children while Cole and Larry stretched out on the grass. Kang sat under a tree reading a paper. Cole could hear the conversation coming from the jacks game. Larry II wanted to play the Flying Dutchman but Erica preferred Pigs in the Pen. Pilar was on threesies while the children argued.
Larry wasnt sleeping either because suddenly he called out, I used to be the King of Jacks in the Mission District. I won so many toys and comic books they called me the junk man. Kids nowadays get everything for nothing so the game doesnt mean anything.
Thats right, Cole said. The best way to learn anything is to have a reason for learning and you dont develop an urge to win unless you stand to lose something. Its part of our evolutionary process. Hey, Larry, I used to be pretty good too; do you want to show the kids how its done?
They both got up, stretched and strolled over to the corner of the tennis court where the jacks game was in progress. The ball Pilar was using was better than the old ones Cole and Larry had played with. It was rounder and bounced higher, giving the player a longer time to pick up the jacks.
Oh boy! Now were going to have a real game. Larry II said.
Erica jumped up, Ive got some in Aunt Pilars car; Ill go get them. But Pilar stopped her and said she would get them.
Cole took charge. O.K. This is the way well do it. Larry and I will stand you two guys. In the first game Ill play against Larry II and Larry can play Erica.
O.K., Cole, Larry II was enthusiastic. Ive got my jacks, we can start right now - lets play the Flying Dutchman.
Wait a minute, Larry II, I never heard of the Flying Dutchman. That must be a new kids game. Lets just play onesies and twosies, but when you lose you forfeit something so the game will have some meaning for you.
Onesies and twosies is the best game, Larry agreed. But whenever you make a mistake, you have to give something up but you dont lose your turn. You just keep on going to tensies. Understand? Touchsies, helpsies, burnsies, dropsies and movesies will cost you whatever we decide to bet.
Thats the problem, Cole said, What have you guys got to bet?
Ive got five dollars and thirty-two cents, Larry II said. Mom gave me this wallet and my Dad gave me some money and I already had some.
What have you got, Erica? Larry wanted to know.
I got over eight dollars for my birthday and Aunt Pilar has it in her purse.
Right, Cole said. Every time anyone makes one of those mistakes Larry was talking about, he has to pay so much money to his opponent - thats us and well let you two start first.
How much money are we going to bet? Larry II asked. Lets make it a dollar every time we miss.
No, you dont have much money, Larry said. Lets make it a quarter, and if you run out of money before you get to tensies, Cole and I will lend you some.
Pilar had returned with the other set of jacks and had been listening to the betting arrangements. I think you should be ashamed of yourselves, she said, teaching two little children to gamble, and Im not going to let you do it.
Oh, Pilar, you dont understand, Cole groaned. All right, kids, go over and talk to Kang. Were going to have a conference with Pilar.
Arent we going to play? Larry II protested.
But, Aunt Pilar, we want to play with Larry and Cole and bet money. Erica wailed.
Dont worry. Well play, but weve got to have a conference now. Go talk to Kang and well call you when were ready. Cole herded them toward Kang, who looked up from his paper.
The kids wont lose their birthday money, Larry explained to Pilar, Were only going to keep it for a little while and then well figure out a way to get it back to them. Just as Cole says, it will be good for them. Itll teach them not only to concentrate on what theyre doing, but it will give them a taste of the value of money.
Cole interrupted, [This is the greatest lesson children can learn - its part of life - it teaches them that their actions can cause penalties or rewards. Youll see, theyll enjoy it after its all over and they have their money back but theyll understand that they could have lost it.
Pilar wasnt wholly convinced, but acquiesced reluctantly. The conference over, they called the kids back to get the game under way.
We can also play silence, Erica said. That means if you talk or smile or even show your teeth, you lose a quarter.
Agreement was reached on all the rules of the game and the two kids got first turn. They dumped their jacks at the same time and both got a good spread for onesies. Erica played methodically with a graceful rhythm. To everyones surprise, she picked up the ten jacks one by one without a mistake. Larry II had lightning fast hands but lost one on touchies and once again when he said damn because of the mistake. Pilar wanted to forgive the penalty because she said Larry and Cole said damn practically every time they missed a tennis shot and it wasnt the childrens fault if they picked it up, but she was overruled and Larry II was down fifty cents. From then on he played with deep concentration and completed the game through tensies with only three more mistakes. When he placed a dollar and a quarter in the pot, his eyes brimmed with tears.
Erica did better starting out, making only two mistakes up to ninesies and then with her smaller hands committed four more errors before completing the game. Her lower lip trembled and she blinked back tears as she bravely placed a dollar and a half forefit into the pot.
Dont worry about it, Erica, I thought you played very well, Larry said. I want to take a couple of practice bounces with this ball. Its better than the one I used to have.
Cole commiserated with Larry II by pointing out that after he got past onesies his concentration had become a lot better and hed played a beautiful game from then on. Larry II looked doubtful and said, Yeah, but I lost a dollar and twenty-five cents and I was saving up to buy a pony. The tears almost came again.
Erica folded her hands resignedly and waited for Larry to finish his practice bounces.
Kang had given up on his paper and come over to watch the educational process.
All right you two, let us know when youre ready to start, Pilar said. Kang can count Coles mistakes and Ill keep Larry honest.
We dont need any help in counting our mistakes, Cole said calmly, but if it makes you feel better, have at it. Im ready. Are you set, Larry?
Larry took a last practice bounce with the ball, picked up the jacks, and dropped them. He realized too late that he had forgotten to practice this phase of the game; the jacks were all bunched. Cole, watching, saw what had happened so he tossed his jacks in the air to make sure of a good spread but a couple of them rolled over against Larrys pile.
This was merely the start of what turned out to be a minor disaster. They committed all the offenses - touchies, helpsies, burnsies, dropsies and movesies. The only offense they missed was smiling, but both were guilty of swearing and showing their teeth. At the end of onesies Larry had committed thirteen fouls. Surprisingly, Cole came up with only eleven. The children forgot about their tears and watched the money pile up in front of them. When they reached sixies Larry had lost forty-four quarters and Cole fifty-three. Cole suggested that they stop the game and offered to put another dollar each in the pot as a forfeiture. The kids accepted this arrangement gladly.
Uncle Larry, lets play Flying Dutchman now. Larry II was happy.
Erica wanted to play Pigs in the Pen, but Pilar and Kang stepped in and vetoed cancelling the gambling game, insisting that it be played out to the bitter end.
You know, I apologize, Kang grinned. At first I thought you were putting these children on but this really is an educational process.
Pilar asked Cole and Larry to forgive her saying she hadnt fully understood their intention but now she realized they couldnt have been nicer to the children or made them happier.
There was nothing to do but struggle on through tensies and at the end Cole had lost twenty-six dollars and fifty cents and Larry was down twenty-two and a quarter. Cole, being out of money wrote a check for his share and Kang accepted it and gave the children cash. Larry II and Erica split the money into equal shares and, having learned a valuable lesson, matched for the extra quarter. Erica won and wanted to buy candy, promising to divide it with Larry II. This was promptly vetoed by all, and then the children wanted to continue playing but it was time for the birthday cake and, since Cole and Larry were to furnish ice cream, they borrowed five dollars from Pilar and took off in Larrys car. Both children wanted to go along, but were persuaded to go to the lake and watch the miniature sailboats instead.
When Larry and Cole returned with the ice cream, the fourteen candles were divided, seven to a side, and stuck in the fluffy frosting of the cake. They were lighted with ceremony and blown dead with prodigious simultaneous puffs. So far the adventures of the warm sunny day gave them every hope that their secret wishes would be granted. Cole asked what their wishes were but neither would tell, so he asked what they intended to do with all the money theyd won. Erica decided she would make a down payment on a house in the desert, but Larry II had to think. Cole asked him again, What are you going to do with all my money, Larry II?
Its my money now, Larry II said, and Im going to buy an electronic windmill. Did you ever see one?
Not recently, Cole said. In fact, I dont think I ever did see one.
Larry II jumped up and started toward the cars. If youll take me in your car Ill show you one right now. Its down by the beach.
Ive seen that one, Cole admitted, but Im pretty sure its not electronic.
The one I buy has to be solid state. That old one by the beach is probably a tube model.
Could I ask one more question? Cole hesitated. What would you do with an electronic windmill?
Id take it with me all over. If I was on the great plains or in the desert it would bring water up out of the ground for my pony - or grind my corn. I could even use it to charge a motor-bike. Are you sure you dont want to look at the old one by the beach?
Im sure. Im just not sure I shouldnt go fifty-fifty with you on the one you buy. He looked at Larry II for a minute and then said, Anyway, right now Im ready for cake and ice cream.
Me, too!
Me, too! Erica echoed.
Pilar removed the candles and Erica and Larry II made separate cuts in the three-tiered vision. The wedge they severed was so huge that it had to be quartered, but only after it was explained that everyone could eat as many pieces topped with ice cream as he could hold. This might have been the sixth or seventh mistake of the day. Larry II had three and a half helpings, while Erica stopped at three. The cake was the best they had ever eaten and they proved it by not stopping until all were a little sick. When the cake was gone the day at the park began drawing to a close. The first strands of cold fog from the sea barely skimmed the tree tops.
After the trash and remnants were cleared away and when it was time to go, Erica refused to budge unless Larry carried her to Pilars car. Larry II, even though he had been moving listlessly toward the parking area, now sat on the grass and demanded to be carried also. Kang stooped and swung him onto his shoulders and they moved slowly down the winding path. Cole, loaded with baskets and boxes, followed along in deep thought. There had been a catalyst somewhere in the days events that had steered him into a new train of thought about smuggling and the ship. He wanted to follow a lead Larry had suggested earlier, but there was something else nagging his mind. When he got to the cars he deposited the picnic things and arranged to meet Larry around eight oclock at Borgias.
Erica kissed everyone goodbye with the exception of Larry II who refused to be kissed, insisting on shaking hands all around. As the two cars left to take the children home, Kang and Cole waved until they were out of sight around a bend in the road. Kang thought the day had been a big success; Cole agreed but decided that celebrating birthdays once each year was probably overdoing it.
As they turned back to their cars a girl appeared from out of the trees and walked into the parking area.
After they left the park, Larry II fell asleep, his head resting in his uncles lap. Again there was no opening to park near the house on the crowded street and Larry didnt find a slot until a block and a half beyond. He gently shook Larry II awake. They collected the tennis racket, the toys and the empty cake container and wearily trudged back up the street. Larry was surprised and happy to see that his sister and brother-in-law had returned early. Delia said it was just too hot in the delta country and they were glad to get back to the city fog. Wide awake now, Larry II launched into a detailed report of the neat day at the park, spreading out the crumpled money he had packed tightly in his pocket and explaining how he and Erica had won it. But his parents couldnt quite understand the involved description and Delia scolded Larry, saying that he and Cole shouldnt have given Larry II that much money. Dewey took his son on his lap explaining to him that he would have to return the money to Uncle Larry and Mr. Rain.
Look, Larry broke in, hes telling you exactly how it happened. He and Erica won the money fair and square. Ive listened to him and I really dont think I could explain it any better than he did. Cole and I were trying to be fatherly and teach the kids a lesson in the value of money but maybe neither of us were meant to have all the many joys of fatherhood. Anyway, we had a great time and next week Ill bring Cole around and let him explain how it all happened; it was his idea.
Ill bet youre tired, Delia said. Why dont you just sit down and relax and Ill fix you both something to eat.
Larry turned pale visibly. Please dont mention food, he choked.
Chapter XI
As the girl moved out of the trees directly toward them, Cole said to Kang, It must be Lethas sister, she walks like her. Then addressing the girl, Hi, you look like someone I know.
I dont think so, the girl said. Are you Mr. Rain?
Yes. Then pointing toward Kang, Cole said, I guess you know him.
Hello, Mr. Shu-li. I saw the last set of your match today. You were very good.
Not really. Ill have to be very good next week. Cutting short the preliminaries, Kang said, Mr. Rain - that is, Cole - appreciates your willingness to talk to us. But why do you think you have some information he can use?
I dont know if he can use it or not. My sister thought he could.
Why did your sister think I needed this particular information? Cole asked.
A friend of hers was suspicious of you, the girl said. Theyre not friends anymore and my sister has gone back east. When I told her what I knew she made me promise to get the information to you. She knew all about your company and I remembered Mr. Shu-li. She wrung her hands gently and finally folded her arms. If its all right with you Id rather tell him, but not here. If we talk too long somebody might see us.
Cole rose, stretching. Ill see you sometime tomorrow, he said to Kang, and turned to the girl. Goodbye, and when you can, tell your sister thanks. Ill appreciate any information you can give Kang.
Kang and the girl watched his car swing out of the parking area and turn toward the beach. It wasnt fully dark but it was getting cold and when Kang looked at the girl he could see her eyes were filled with tears. The tears rolled down her cheeks and one dropped from her chin. She didnt brush them away but when he caught her direct gaze she lowered her eyes slightly and they continued to drip.
Should we go now? Kang asked.
I dont have to, she said, but maybe we should.
We can talk in the car, then Ill drive you home whenever youre ready.
I dont want to go home, she said more evenly now. Could I stay with you?
We can stay here a while longer, if you think its all right.
I dont have to stay here. I mean I want to go with you - wherever youre going.
After we talk, Im going home, he said.
Oh, I didnt understand. Ill go back after we talk. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
You can go with me if you want, but how old are you?
I have an ID that says Im twenty-one. Im really nineteen.
Where do you live? he asked suddenly.
I live with some people, but I dont want to go there just now.
Kang pulled a blade of grass, looked it over, put it in his mouth and chewed. Then he got up and, reaching down, helped the girl to her feet. She followed him to the car and got in the front seat. He walked around and got in beside her, wondering if he should tell her about his home. They left the park and turned towards Chinatown without speaking.
Kang and the girl walked through a part of the city that hadnt changed much since the fire. The streets were narrow and crowded with people. The shops were busy and the restaurants were full, approaching the evening peak hour. Kang lived in the middle of Chinatown and garaged his car five blocks away. They left the main street of the section and turned down a cluttered alley which ended after half a block in a sheer concrete wall. Groping left they climbed a flight of steps. At the top was a twelve-foot solid wood fence painted a dull brown to match the rest of the alley; in its center was a door fitted so perfectly that the girl hadnt seen it in the dim light. Only a small round brass lock and a carved wooden handle gave it away. Kang inserted a key and opened the gate for the girl to enter. She stepped into a garden world, seventy by seventy feet square, surrounded by tall buildings on three sides and the wooden fence on the fourth. Gently he nudged her along a gravelled path that wound through a miniature redwood forest, the dwarfed trees ranging to eight feet tall. Coming to a small clearing of white sand in the center of the enclosed land the girl stopped to look beyond the sand where there were palm trees approximately the same height as the redwoods, with lush little banana plants sprouting beneath them. To the right the sand gently sloped to a fifty-foot lagoon and incredibly there was an ocean in the distance with waves rolling on a beach and a sun half-buried in the sea; molten red-tinged golden clouds moved in a blue and green sky.
Kang took the girls hand and they went from the warm sand to a curved inclined path whose grassy edge was sprinkled with wild flowers. They came to a ledge, and beyond were open doors to his home. The room was softly carpeted and strewn with pillows and at one end a bamboo bar and utilitarian kitchen blended into the mood with low lights and muted colors. The girl returned to the ledge to gaze again at the lagoon, the trees, the ocean and the sky and then questioned Kang with her eyes. He beckoned from an open door to the far end of the room, and she came to peer inside at an array of strange equipment. A central object was pointed through an opening in the wall, and unlike a movie projector, it had several projections that pierced the now dark night with directed beams of intense light. A reflected ocean, sun and sky was created on the treated surfaces of the smooth concrete buildings. As she watched the sun disappeared. Flipping one switch off and another on, Kang brought forth a moon shining down on a calm sea. Stars began to pulse and then she saw a small sail come out of the shadows and cut with slow grace across the vast expanse of the ocean. When she started to speak he placed his fingers to his lips, listening. From off out on the ocean came the sound of music, the whipping of wind on sails and the slap of water against a hull. And now she heard other night sounds: of birds and insects, and even of happy voices chattering way off in the distance. She wanted to get closer and they went to the open doors and out on to the ledge - and she wasnt sure what was real and what was fantasy.
She moved toward him and as he embraced her she huddled close in the protection of his arms and looked down again on the redwood forest, the white sand before the lagoon, and deep into the ocean where the sailboat skimmed the waves. Suddenly she was conscious that to her left, beyond the coconut palms, there was a dim glow and out of the mist there appeared in the distance a cone-shaped mountain with a dark cloud rising from its summit, tinged fiery red from a bubbling and spouting crater. A warm rain began to fall as high on the walls of the buildings a sprinkler system installed for the magic garden automatically erupted. She looked way up at the square of real sky and could see fog scudding by, lighted yellow from the lamps of Chinatown. This time she took Kangs hand and they went to the path that led down to the lagoon. At the beginning of the white sand, she slipped off her sandals and ran to the waters edge. With one motion she shed the loose blouse, stripped off her pants and dove into the warm water. She made two gliding passes across the pool and returned to the sandy beach. Raising herself from the water, she stood before Kang without shyness, sure of her physical beauty.
Arent you coming in? she asked. The waters great.
And then doing a backward flip she exposed her inner thighs with a frog like kick.
Kang removed his clothes and followed, swimming and stretching his muscles for two laps before he paused in chest-deep water to look for the girl. Almost immediately he felt a current surging around his legs as she swam by. He stood motionless watching for her to surface, but she returned under water, and he felt her arms encircle his hips and her head press against his stomach. She nibbled at him like a minnow, and then he felt the incredible heat of her mouth and the touch of a fluttering tongue. A shudder shook his body and he reached to pull her to him but she clung like a leech, greedily demanding his fulfillment.
He fought for control, refusing to be taken without giving in return. He was on the verge of losing the battle when she surfaced for air and came into his arms searching his lips and mouth with her warm tongue. Slowly her legs parted and enwrapped his torso. Kangs fear of bursting had subsided somewhat; the cool water gave him respite. Her smallness made a difficult passage but she strained to him and Kang forgot his control and with a vicious thrust entered again into an incredible hotness. They were as two antagonistic living things in a death struggle, the water was thrashed to a froth and before they entered the first portals of darkness and the girl uttered a cry of anguished pain and ecstacy, burying her teeth in his shoulder. Plunging and jerking, Kang subsided finally with low whimpering cries. Then there was a fraction of time when both wished to sink slowly into the waters and be surrounded with its liquid protection forever. Minutes passed before he felt strong enough to carry her from the pool and place her gently on the warm sand. He lay down beside her, and they gazed languidly at the contrived moon, the stars and the sailboat in the distance and listened to the recorded sound of the surf until they were lulled to sleep.
Sometime during the night Kang wakened and carried the girl to his bed; she too awoke and they made love again. It was afterward that she told him what she knew about the smuggler ship, the SS Crescent Moon. The next morning when he wakened for the second time she was gone. For a moment he wondered if shed ever been there. He got up and strode to the ledge to see if she might be by the pool and then he saw the note pinned to an oversized pillow lying on the floor.
Dear Sir:
Im still afraid. What happened to me was the most beautiful experience of my life so far but I wonder if theres any more? Or, can it ever be better? Also, could I settle for what there was in our few hours together if I could be sure it would last forever and would always be the same? I think maybe I could, but then I know that in the morning everything will be different. I forgot, I dont like mornings either. Why does everything have to be so real?
Sincerely, Clara
Kang turned back into the room thinking he should call Cole, but he was famished and decided first to cook breakfast in his utilitarian kitchen and have bacon and eggs and hotcakes covered with orange blossom honey. As he went by he dropped the girls note into a large oriental vase.
Chapter XII
After leaving Kang and the girl, Cole drove directly to his rooms at Aunt Hesters. He parked at the side of the old house under an olive tree and unlocked the private entrance. The rooms were shut off from the main structure by an only door whose key, as well as the one hed just used for the outside door, had been given him on the day hed started high school. The room he entered had been used for study and occasionally to entertain friends. Subconsciously he glanced at the shelved books on one wall to see if theyd been disturbed. He had built the shelves that first summer between his freshman and sophomore years. As usual, the place was immaculately clean since the connecting door had never been locked. Aunt Hester had always protected his privacy scrupulously; if there was any doubt as to whether he was occupying the rooms, she would phone for permission to allow one of the Petersons to come in and clean, or even before she made a personal inspection.
As a constant reminder of the precaution she took in protecting his identity, one of the middle shelves, just below eye level, which held only his leather bound diaries, was thick with dust. In checking an early yearly edition, it would often be necessary to brush away the cobwebs. All the other shelves and books sparkled. He selected the last volume, the one he placed there two nights before and in which he had made the most recent entries, brushed away the dust it never ceased to amaze him how quickly it collected - and, as he started to read a notation, a piece of paper fell to the floor. Picking it up he noted its contents and then re-hid it in the pages of the diary. Reading quickly for several seconds he finally closed the book and returned it to its proper place without disturbing the dust and cobwebs covering the other volumes.
He showered and from his wardrobe split half and half between his two quarters was able to change clothes. When hed finished, it was still more than an hour before he was to meet Larry at Borgias and the restlessness came again. It didnt all fit; there was something that needed thinking about. He switched on the stereo and the room filled with sound. He sprawled on the sofa and tried to relax and meditate but after three minutes got up, turned the music off, and went out to the car.
The tires screeched as he gunned down the curved driveway and at the street, braking only momentarily, he turned toward the wharf. He exceeded the speed limit for three blocks and then, taking his foot off the throttle, reduced speed to ten miles under the limit. Poking along, seemingly oblivious to traffic, but observing all the rules from sheer habit, he drove even slower, passing the fish grottoes on the west end of the wharf and continued to the Embarcadero and its covered piers.
Something had occurred while they were in the park. He went over the day in his mind; the tennis match, they had almost won; the fiasco with the kids, they had probably conditioned them into confirmed gamblers; the picnic, he had eaten too much; Pilars prayer, he was in love with her, but she would never guess. What the hell was it? Something was there. A police siren electrified him suddenly and he couldnt remember if he had run a red light or not, but the black and white car screamed by, and he saw that he was getting pretty far south on the waterfront.
Continuing the slow cruise he turned left into China Basin Street and saw the SS Crescent Moon at her pier. There was unloading activity aboard and trucks were moving from the dock to the street. He drove on past to the end of the street, made a U-turn and headed back to the restaurant, arriving at Black Pearl Road a little before eight oclock. He waved to Borgias parking attendant after he had parked in his reserved space. There was a couple in front of the restaurant waiting for their car or a taxi, and as Cole walked by, the young man said,
Mr. Rain? Excuse me, are you Cole Rain?
Yes, I am. How are you? Cole couldnt think of a name or remember the face.
The young man extended his hand, My name is Glass. Im a friend of Pilars. I recognized you although weve never met.
Oh sure, Pilar told me about you.
The attractive girl was introduced as Mrs. Glass. Cole hadnt known there was a Mrs. Glass. They chatted for a few moments before the attendant brought their car; no one mentioned the project Pilar and Glass were working on. When Cole entered the restaurant he asked Mario for a table in the corner, explaining that Larry would be meeting him in a few minutes. He ordered two picon punches and sat with his back to the wall surveying the dimly lit room. Only half his picon was gone when Larry shoved through the doors walked to the middle of the bar, and flicked his eyes quickly to the four corners. Cole sat impassive, waiting. Larry made a second check of the bar and then again his gaze more slowly circled the room. Coming to Coles corner, his teeth flashed once and he angled and side-stepped in that direction.
How did you work it out that I wanted a picon punch? he asked.
I diagnosed that your digestive track needed a soothing agent. If you dont want it, Ill drink it and you can order your usual margarita special with Irish whiskey.
Ugh, another time, man. No need to discuss it. He sat down and took a sip. By the way, my sister and brother-in-law dont understand how Larry II came by all that money. I told them Id bring you over next week and youd explain.
Hell, the explanation is that Im gullible. I believed you when you said you were a champion jacks player. I cant help it if youve grown big and awkward with all thumbs picking up those little bitty jacks.
Yeah, maybe by next week, we can get a little humor into it, Larry grunted.
Glad to explain about you. I owe them a dinner anyway. Ill call and set it up. Maybe we could all get together. Kang can bring his new girl friend, and you could invite someone from your overstuffed grab bag.
Sounds like a real rally. Maybe Pilar will bring Virgent Eddington - but what about you? He took another drink of punch. I was going to ask whatever happened to Myra or Lena or Theresa and that red-headed Ophelia? How can you let women like that slip through your fingers? I worry sometimes youre losing your lechery.
Its being pent up for the moment, Cole explained. I hope to hell I dont explode.
Giuseppe went hurrying by and catching a glimpse of them, stopped and trotted back to the table.
What - you hide in the corner? Theres a friend of yours ask about you, Cole. Come on, I give you another table, your friend is over here.
We dont want another table. This is fine. Whos asking about me? Cole wanted to know.
Giuseppe turned to look and as he did so, Cole saw a man raise his arm and wave. Cole waved back not knowing who it was.
Hang tight, he said to Larry. Ill check this guy out. He rose and wended his way to the table where a man and woman were seated. In the dimly lighted room, he was almost there before he recognized Mike Crowder.
Mike, how are you? And Renee, (her name is Renee?). Nice to see you both again. When did you discover Borgias?
This is our first experience, Mike said. The food is excellent. But Renee made me taste her drink, afraid Lucretia had spiked it. (It is Renee.â
They serve only legal poison here, Cole assured her. Let me order you a capuccino, Lucretias most famous potion.
Thanks, Cole, Mike declined. Were due at the theatre in twenty minutes. The couple we had dinner with forgot the tickets and left early to go pick them up.
Have you seen Excreta? Renee interjected. Its had marvelous reviews.
No, I havent, Cole admitted. I read a short piece on it, though.
I cant wait to see it, she gushed. I have a friend who has seen it twice and has reservations for a third time. She says that regardless of what youve read, its a play of hope and symbolizes the indestructability of life - carried on in some form or other. Everybody should see it, she concluded.
I hope you enjoy it, Cole said. The title sounds immortal and should add a richness to the growth of our cultural heritage.
Im going to quote you to my friend, Renee promised. I think it better expresses what she was trying to say.
Cole turned to Mike. I saw the ship at the pier when I drove by this evening.
She just got back to her berth. Shes been in Alameda for repairs ever since we disembarked. Well probably sail again Monday morning. He hesitated for a moment, taking the last sip of his coffee. Things are happening so fast, he said. I had hoped we might have a chance to talk. There was an idea I wanted to discuss; I think you might have been interested. He paused again and looked in the empty cup. I want to tell you I enjoyed and appreciated the rap sessions we had aboard ship. I..., then he trailed off and looked at his watch. Weve really got to hurry, and they both stood up. Thanks, Cole, and so long.
So long, Mike. Good night, Renee - nice seeing you both again.
Moving slowly back to the table, he wondered about Mikes strangeness. Why was he appreciative of the rap sessions? Hell, hed forgotten to thank him for delivering his luggage and the ducks.
What happened? Larry demanded. Was it an apparition? You look confused.
Cole sat down and emptied his picon punch. It was Mike Crowder and his wife. I told you about him.
Oh yeah, the guy on the perpetual vacation.
Thats right, only it isnt a vacation to him and hes changed since the last time I saw him. Cole looked at Larry. Are we going to eat anything, or are you ready to go?
Im not hungry, unless you want to.
Lets go.
Larry dropped a bill on the table and they started for the door. Giuseppe, seeing them leaving, came running.
Whats the matter - where you going? I told you Id give you another table. Weve got one of your favorites - veal picante with fettucini.
Larry grinned and said, Thanks, old buddy, but weve got an appointment, and anyway were not hungry right now. Well try to get back before closing time.
Cole looked at Giuseppe and shook his head. Lucretia told us the veal was tough and now you want to push it onto your best friends.
Giuseppes eyes got round, and he turned to scream at Lucretia who was seating a party of six. Cole grabbed him just in time, while he was still only sputtering.
Im kidding, Giuseppe. We havent even talked to Lucretia. She never saw us poked back in the corner like that. Giuseppe opened his mouth wide and Cole hurried on, where we insisted on being put. Well be back and thanks for being a great guy and our best friend in the world.
As his two friends pushed out the front door, Giuseppe beamed his confusion.
Since you know where youre going, why dont you drive? Cole suggested.
Larry was parked next to Cole. He backed out and maneuvered through the lot to Black Pearl Road and then decided on Broadway and the tunnel which would take them through one of the hills that sectioned the city.
Where are we meeting your friend? Cole asked.
We may not be meeting him at all. Ill check his pad and well swing by his favorite shooting gallery.
I thought you made a date.
I did, but that doesnt mean anything. He might have forgotten it by now and could be anywhere of a dozen places, or he might be boxed.
Yeah, like man, youre going to have to help me out with some of this jargon, Cole grinned.
Boxed, hes in jail; shooting gallery, where they shoot up - inject drugs.
If hes high, is he going to make any sense?
Hell make more sense turned-on than he will if hes cold. But maybe not a hell of a lot either way. I think hell try though, he wants turned-off. Larry kept looking at the dark buildings until he found a gray dirty one that looked like all the rest.
Heres his pad. Let me check it out. He doubled-parked and Cole waited in the car but he came back a few minutes later alone. Well go to Jollos. Its only a couple of blocks over. This time Larry found a parking slot a half block away. Ill be right back. I hope to hell Sams taking a night off... Uncle, or Sam - federal narcotic agents, he explained and left Cole to wait.
Twenty minutes later three people appeared suddenly from out of the dilapidated store front that Larry had entered. One of them was a girl. When they got to the convertible Larry introduced them.
This is Cole Rain, he said, and this is Cicero and Debbie.
Cicero was a tall, slender, good-looking black boy and Debbie a long-legged, long-haired blond with intensely blue eyes. Cole got out of the car and the couple moved into the back seat.
How about closing us in, man, the heat could be cruising round and round and we got a spike and two speed balls stashed.
Larry pressed the button raising the top, lashed it down and then started driving cautiously to his own pad.
Chapter XIII
Larry Carver lived across the park in a fairly new section of the city where land costs dictated that homes should still abut each other. He found his place in a wall of white houses all looking alike and parked in the slanted opening of the curb leading to the basement garage. Cole got out, pulled the seat forward and helped Debbie from the rear. Her hand clenched his tight and strained. Cicero followed and stood beside the car with hands in hip pockets hunching and shivering against the cool night air. Larry led them up half a level, hurriedly unlocked the door and reached in to switch on the lights, motioning them to enter. When he came in he closed the door, pressed the lock and attached the chain.
Cicero checked the oblong room that seemingly made up the whole of the house. Satisfied, he unzipped his pants and reached down the left inseam searching for scat and spike. Larry waved toward the far end of the room where the total wall surface, with the exception of the door on the right, was one painting, Leaving Cole, the three of them went through the door and closed it too.
Cole looked around to see if anything new had been added since his last visit. The carpet, the walls, the ceiling, the furniture and the fireplace in back of him were almost exactly the same beige color. Only the texture of the various items made them distinguishable. Three pictures dominated the room; two on the long wall to the left were large but small compared to the painting covering the end wall. There was only the reflected light from the illuminated pictures and Cole moved in front of the first to marvel again at the color and detail. He glanced at the almost illegible signature in the corner knowing it was Laurie. Laurie, Larrys twin sister, had been dead more than two years and since the cold misty day of the semi-private funeral Larry had never mentioned her name. The extent of Larrys loss and loneliness could only be guessed at.
There was a small typewritten card announcing the trilogy of pictures as: Our Relatives by Laurie Carver. Under the first painting was another card; Cole read it again: Our Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandparents. The picture itself was set in a small clearing in a jungle at dusk. There were two people squatting beside a fire. A huge carnivore of the cat family lay dead before them and the ancestral grandmother was handing a bloody red heart, just hacked, with a dripping stone knife, from the breast of the beast, to the ancestral grandfather. She was holding it out with both hands, still clutching the red tool. The bestowal as well as the sharp-toothed laughter showed her approval. The male ancestor was accepting in somber dignity the hacked heart of victory as his due. The subtleties of expression, the features lighted by the flickering fire, the resemblance to Larry and Laurie were there but the impelling subtlety was the faces stamped with the crude and cruel conditions of their primal existence. He backed off to get a last perspective and then moved slowly over to the next painting.
For maybe the twentieth time he read the typewritten card beneath it: Our Nephew - Larry II. Larry II was sitting on the back steps of the house where he still lived; a five-year-old boy holding an alley cat on his lap. A machine pistol and a sling shot lay on the step below. His dark intelligent eyes were level and there was just a hint of impatience, of wanting to break the pose; the need to move, to be active; perhaps to burst into laughter for no reason at all other than that he felt good. The untouched innocence of five-years-old stared straight at Cole.
He moved on to the largest picture and glanced at the title card: Our Nephew and Friends. Cole backed off to see it all. Five people were in the scene; two women and two men of various shades of human color crouched inside a cage that apparently had been constructed from wire mesh and reinforced steel protruding from the smashed concrete of a destroyed city. One of the women was straining to hold open an iron-barred make-shift gate, reaching out from inside the cage and ready to slam it closed as soon as the fifth human gained the enclosure. This last figure was a man running and carrying a dead cat, probably twice as big as the one Larry II held on his lap. Behind him were at least two hundred cats of the same size or slightly larger. They were all the variations in colors that has ever been seen in a cat and they were weird and terrifyingly wild. Some were rabid; white froth flecked from open jaws and yellow pus exuded between needle-sharp fangs. It was a questionable race; whether the runner would reach the make-shift gate in time. He was taking a quick backward look at the closest gaping-jawed cat and there was a half-grin on his face. He was bent low to hurtle through the opening before it closed. (Cole was reminded of Larry being hit by two defenders five yards from the goal line.) It appeared that the cats would be on him, but maybe he could fight them off long enough to just get through. The race would be close but that wasnt the real doubt. The runners death or life, and the death or life of those in the cage really depended upon the girl holding the gate. If she slammed it too soon the cats would rip and tear the flesh from the runners bones, too late, and a horde of ravenous felines would get through and gorge on those inside also. The caged people, all except the girl at the gate, were enjoying the race and ignoring their own peril.
Just as Cole was deciding for the hundredth time what would probably occur if the painting came alive and started to move, Larry came through the door with a couple bottles of beer and two glasses on a tray.
Lets sit by the fireplace, Ill start it up, he said, making his way to the other end of the room and placing the tray on a low beige table in front of a low beige lounge. Cole took a last look at the ruins of some future crumbled city, at the people in the rusted iron cage, at the pursued hunter with his life-sustaining kill and at the death horde of multi-colored cats and turned away.
Whoosh, man, like whoosh. Crazy pad, Larry baby, Cicero bubbled.
Groovy colors on the wall - groovy, Debbie said dreamily. But give me mountains with white, white snow.
While youre smellin the snow, Im reachin up and sniffin me some stardust and keepin right on goin higher and higher, Cicero said.
How about circling around and coming in for a landing over here, Larry suggested. What would you two like to drink?
Coke for me, man. Debbiell have Squirt - anythin with lemon or lime.
Cicero dropped on the couch stretching his stick-like legs towards the new fire. Debbie wandered aimlessly over, touching the rocks of the fireplace. Cole leaned forward from one end of the long lounge and poured his beer and Larry, returning with the soft drinks, said, Its a cool night but were cozying it up.
Have a juice, baby, Cicero called to Debbie. She gotta get back to the big street, he explained. We need the bread for when we livin low insteada high like right now.
Relax, Cicero, Larry said, We got bread for you.
Front and center, Debbie, Cicero demanded. We got action right here. Debbie turned from the fireplace looking first at Larry and then Cole, waiting.
Come on and sit down, Debbie, Larry said. Were just talking. Your conversation is worth money. Debbie glanced quickly at Cicero and he nodded.
Im goin to talk about Jollo, Cicero said, staring directly at Debbie. You dont know nothin, you dont hear nothin, you dont say nothin. Sit down. He clasped his hands in back of his head, leaned on the couch stretching out his thin feet even closer to the fire and opening his mouth as if to speak, closed his eyes and didnt say anything.
They waited for a minute or two and finally Larry asked in a low voice, Wheres Jollo getting this high grade stuff if it isnt coming down from the top? And how do you know he still isnt on the same chain gang?
Cicero stirred but didnt open his eyes. No more, man. Jollo is the top hook. Everythin hangs from him now - he the source and he got nothin but thoroughbreds hustlin for him.
I thought no one could operate outside, Larry insisted.
Jollo dont need to be inside no more, Cicero stirred again slightly. When you connected with jolly Jollo, you connected with the top.
Right, Cicero, but the stuffs got to come from someplace. Where does he get it?
It fly in from tamale-land - thas all I know ... an it pure horse. He makin up with his own cuttin and packin.
How long has he been on his own? Larry asked.
Long time...months....maybe a year, I don know.
What makes you think he flies it in?
Thats the word and I got faith.
I thought you were ready for a kick in the head, Larry said. You change your mind?
Yeah, I did. I dont want to turn off when Im high or when Im low only in the diddle middle. Will you and this cat hep us sometime when we in the diddle middle? he asked, suddenly sitting up and looking from Larry to Cole.
Well help, Cole said. Youve got to let us know when, though. Well keep asking. He paused for a minute and then looked at Debbie who was slumped staring into the fire. No one said anything and finally he turned back to Cicero. I think youve helped us but I want to check something out tonight.
Cicero surprisingly came completely awake, stood up and reached for Debbie, pulling her to her feet.
Take us to the swingin scene, Larry. We gotta get back on the track.
Have you got what you want? Larry asked Cole.
Maybe, I dont know. Lets take the kids back and then run down to the wharf if you havent got anything better to do.
Right, Larry agreed. Nothing better to do.
They circled through the park and back to the buzzin street where they had picked up Cicero and Debbie. Cole got out, pulling the seat forward again, and as they came clambering from the back he handed Cicero two fifties.
This bread will buy bread you know, and then deciding his comment was worthless, Thanks, well see you around....give us a call, like soon.
Right, man, thans for the bread.
Where to? Larry asked when Cole got in the front seat.
Take Bush to Powell to Ellis, cut across Market and well go Fourth to Mission Rock and into China Basin Street.
Larry drove and Cole thought about Ciceros ramblings. Larry didnt ask what he knew and Cole didnt volunteer anything. Coming into China Basin Street Cole said, Turn right here. The unloading of the Crescent Moon was still under way. They drove on past and then Cole asked Larry to swing around and come back again. As they approached the second time, Cole said, Pull over by the small building where the gate guards stationed. He got out of the car and walked over slowly looking at the ship mostly. When the watchman saw Cole approaching he stepped out into the cool night air.
Is that the Crescent Moon? Cole asked before the guard could challenge him.
It is. Are you looking for someone? the guard asked suspiciously.
I know some of the crew. I was just wondering if anyone was aboard.
Are you from the company? the guard wanted to know.
No Im not, but Ive sailed on the Crescent Moon. I thought if anyone was around I might know, Id say hello.
The people on her now are the unloading crew. I think the ships crew are all ashore. Mr. Crowder sometimes stays aboard to get her ready for the passengers but they wont be leaving until Monday so he probably wont show up until tomorrow evening sometime.
Is it still Saturday night? Cole asked in surprise.
The guard got out his watch. Its about twenty-five minutes to go until Sunday morning. As Cole started to leave the guard asked, Who will I say was here?
Cole stopped and looking back, hesitated slightly. Conrad, he said. Joe Conrad. He went back to the car and got in, and as they pulled away he saw the guard making an entry in his record book.
What do we do now? Larry asked.
Theres about an acre of ground right across the street from the ship. If you look back you can see its got a board fence around it. This evening when I drove by, all I could see inside it was a couple of small stacks of lumber. Id like to take a closer look at it.
When? Tonight?
Yeah, right now - but I need a light. I better go back and get my car.
Driving slowly down China Basin Street, Larry looked at him for a long moment. Theres a flashlight in that glove compartment, he pointed, and I havent got anything else to do, or any better sense, he said. But we cant park across the street from the ship. Maybe I can come in from Illinois or Michigan. He kept on driving at a slow pace and at the end of the street doubled back into Illinois, squared into Eldorado and turned left into Michigan and then, stopping the car where he thought would be opposite the ship, started to get out.
No, you wait here, Cole said. I just want to confirm what I already suspect.
Anybody catches me here theyre not going to wait to confirm anything. Ill just wind up in the stout-house, Larry protested.
Dont worry about it Cole commiserated as he faded into the shadows. Ill be right back. Moving cautiously beside a white building he came to the end of it and the reflected light gave out. He stopped, closed his eyes for a minute to adjust them to the blackness beyond and looked off to where the Crescent Moon should be tied up. He saw a faint glow against the low fog. Then he began to make out the dark outline of what he was sure was the top of the wooden fence enclosing the storage area that fronted on China Basin. Starting toward it confidently he stepped into a hole and his left leg dropped into water above his knee. Flinging his arms out instinctively he caught the edge of the other side of whatever he had fallen into and hung there for a moment. As his eyes adjusted further to the darkness it was apparent that he had fallen into a four-foot-wide ditch. He let the other leg slide in and, pushing with his hands in the damp grass, pulled himself out, felt his clinging wet pants, and took off toward the dark silhouette of the fence a little more cautiously. As he came close, he stretched out his hands and finally touched moist boards. With his fingers, he found a crack and put his eye to it. It was just as black on the other side, so he moved to his right and almost at once came to a corner. Turning, he started pacing off the distance to the other corner. It was sixty-four yard-length steps before he found it. Making a ninety-degree turn this time, he continued his measured tread towards China Basin Street. When he came to that end of the fence which was almost on the street, he wasnt sure whether he had taken sixty or seventy steps but finally decided it was seventy. In either case, the enclosed space was approximately an acre - plenty big enough. He reached up and barely got his fingers over the edge of the boards. It must be seven-and-a-half or eight feet high, he thought, but couldnt remember how high he could reach either. Feeling along the top he touched a metal bracket screwed into the board extending upward. He jumped and waved his hand above it and felt a sharp tearing pain in his palm. One of the barbs in the wire-strung brackets had caught it and ripped it open. Damn! Clasping his hands together, the palms felt warm and sticky. He got out a handkerchief, balled it up, and squeezed down hard and then started at a half trot back the way he had come, trailing his good hand along the fence. When he came to the corner he felt his hand leave the fence but before he could slow down there was a bright flash of light and his head was rocked back. Reaching out instinctively, he contacted arms groping for him. Going into a clinch he hissed, Larry? but there was no answer and whoever it was didnt have Larrys bulk, but Christ, he was strong and quick.
Cole pinched one of the arms against his side as his left hand grasped a wrist, and then he felt cold metal. He broke the clinch and grabbed with both hands to keep the cold metal from pointing toward his body. Sweat came quickly and fear-goaded strength soared as he tried to break or jerk the arm from its socket. It was a static strain and again he felt steel pressing down toward the top of his head. He disengaged his right hand and chopped short for the belly, not wanting to miss. There was a high sigh of escaping air and this time he aimed at the sound. His knuckles splatted against a twisting jaw and sharp teeth just as metal crashed against his forehead and spurting blood rolled into his eyes. With all his strength he struck now at a gurgling noise, aiming lower, and felt his fist drive under a chin and into a neck and then a body was falling backwards and he was jerked forward on top of it. The left wrist was painfully stretched and seemed to be caught up in the cold metal. Pushing away from the inert form, Cole still couldnt get untangled and then he saw a light swinging across the field, lost it momentarily about where the ditch was and then saw it come on again sweeping over the ground until it found them and he heard Larrys voice.
What the hell happened? Are you O.K.? Who is he... Christ!... is that your blood or his?
I dont know, but I think its mine. My head hurts.
Larry bent over and played the light on Coles head. Its not very deep but its bleeding like hell, he said, taking out a handkerchief. Here, hold this on it.
Cole reached for the handkerchief and another arm came up with his.
Look out! Larry yelled and Cole feinted off with his right hand, but when there was no more action Larry examined the arm that had moved. How did you get him cuffed? he wanted to know.
Wiping blood from his eyes, Cole looked at the handcuffs in disbelief. Where the hell did those come from? I thought he had a gun.
I wonder who he could be, Larry said with some concern as he turned the torch on the quiet face.
Its the steward, Lew.
Who?
The steward from the ship. I figured there was something wrong about him but I really didnt pick him as a part of this operation. He looked the still form over carefully. Maybe youd better dim that light and well try to get him back to the car.
Here, you hold the light, Larry said, and Ill carry him.
You cant carry him. Im handcuffed to him. And then he paused and looked again. I wonder what the hell hes doing handcuffing me.
What do you mean, handcuffing you? I thought you cuffed him.
Cole shook his head. Lets get out of here. Ill figure it out later.
He got off his knees, pulled Lew up and slung him on his shoulder as easy as an oversized duffle bag. Larry lighted the way and this time both avoided falling in the ditch. When they got to the car Cole worked Lews dead weight into the middle of the seat and squeezed in beside him. Larry got behind the wheel and pushed Lews lolling head off his shoulder.
Are you sure hes still breathing? he asked Cole with real concern.
Yeah, hes O.K. - his pulse is strong.
Now where would you like to go? Larry asked in a business-like voice.
Lets go to my place, Ill call Thad Bocana. Maybe he can get something out of this guy.
Who the hell is Thad Bocana?
Hes an acquaintance of mine with the FBI who read my book on investigative procedures.
Larry raced down the Embarcadero rather than across the city.
Slow down, for Christs sake, Cole said. Youll get us into trouble.
Larry took his foot off the gas, pushed Lews head from his shoulder again, checked the handcuffed wrists and then Coles blood-streaked face.
You mean were not in trouble... now? he asked incredulously.
Twenty minutes later Larry eased into the parking space reserved for C. Rain Apt. 3, got out, closed the door softly and went around to the passenger side to help drape Lew over Coles shoulder. Then he fished the keys from Coles pocket and opened the apartment door. As they went in Lew straightened suddenly and heaved himself head first towards the floor. Larry caught him before Cole was twisted completely around, carried him to the couch and dropped him. This jerked Cole off his feet and put him on top of Lew, who started to struggle again.
Take it easy. Where are the keys for those things? Larry demanded.
Cole got off Lew and sat down beside him. Hi, Lew - nice running into you again. It was hard for Larry to believe they could both look so bad and still be able to function. Lew started to talk:
I didnt know you were there by the fence. I was just curious as to why you were nosing around the Crescent Moon.
Cole interrupted, Have you got a key for these things? Dont tell me you lost it.
Lew searched around in the waistband of his pants and finally came up with a key. It took him some time before he succeeded in snapping both links open, and Larry didnt offer to help.
Whats your story, Lew?
Whats yours? Lew asked.
Cole ignored the question. I concluded a long time ago you werent a steward but Ill admit I didnt figure you for part of the law. Where do you fit?
Im not interested in talking to you, Mr. Rain, Lew said stiffly. Ill call a cab and get the hell out of here, and he started for the phone.
Wait a minute, Lew. I was going to call Thad Bocana and invite him over for a drink. You dont happen to know Bocana, do you?
Lew stopped, looked at Cole and then at Larry trying to grasp a complex combination and turned slowly back to Cole. What do you know about Bocana?
Nothing, really, hes just an acquaintance of mine. He read a book I wrote.
What would that be?
A book on investigative procedures for law enforcement officers.
A look of surprise touched Lews face. Oh, youre that Rain, he said frowning. Ive got to pay more attention to who writes those things. He thought for a moment longer, placing his hand gently on his jaw. I never knew a guy who wrote books could hit like that though. It seems it was all a mistake, and he manipulated his head gingerly to see if it would still turn.
Some mistake, Cole grunted as he dabbed at the still seeping scalp wound.
Lew fumbled out a folded piece of leather and tossed it on the table. Im with the Narcotics Bureau, he said shortly.
I thought youd given up on the Crescent Moon, Cole said in mild surprise.
We gave up a couple of times, but things kept happening. If you and your friend can explain what you were doing there Im ready to forget the Crescent Moon for the last time.
This is Larry Carver, Cole said, a friend and business associate of mine.
Im Hal Bronte. Lews just one of the names I use from time to time. He paused for a minute squinting at Cole. How did you happen to be out there tonight?
Im not at liberty to tell you but it had nothing to do with me or my friend smuggling dope from the ship. Sorry I cant tell you more. Then he asked, Youre convonced the Crescent Moon is clean now, is that right?
Thats right, Lew said, and Im turning my report in that way.
Would you hold that report for a day? Im too damned tired and sore to think clearly right now. Ids like to take a hot shower, put a couple of band-aids on my head, get some sleep, and then think about a few things.
What is there to think about?
Ive got some angles to mull over. We might even bring Bocana in on it tomorrow.
My report wouldnt go in until Monday anyway, Bronte said as he got up from the couch wearily. Im a little sore myself, maybe the sleep would help.
Larry, who had been quietly listening, shook his head negatively to himself but didnt voice all his thoughts. Ill take you anywhere youd like to go, he said. But are you sure you shouldnt have a doctor look you over first?
No, Im all right, Bronte said shortly with a sort of sigh. All I need is a couple of aspirins and some sleep.
Cole went as far as the door when the two left the apartment and shook hands with Bronte a little formally. He watched them go down the steps and move toward the car before he called to Larry, If you stop by Borgias tell Giuseppe Ill see him tomorrow. Then he closed the door quietly, hesitating before attaching the latch. Finally he snicked it in and walked slowly to the couch, flopping on it to think for a minute before going to sleep.
Chapter XIV
Carl Peterson picked up a tray of potted begonias and carried them from the small glass house around to the shaded side of the old mansion. He set the tray on the grass beside a plot of ground that Hester Coleridge was working with a short-handled hoe.
Is there any of that sand left? This ground is too hard, she complained as she straightened up and rested the hoe in the chopped dirt.
Carl Peterson reached down for a piece of the dark soil, inspected it closely and broke it in his hands, letting it sprinkle back on the ground. One wheelbarrowll do it, he said softly, as though to himself. Theres plenty of sand.
Hester didnt argue the point, just grasped the hoe and continued to dig at the earth, deciding at the same time to wear her pale blue ribbon-knit dress when Pilar came to tea in the afternoon. She would have to buy a new outfit for the wedding and she allowed the excitement to envelope her and wanted to hurry the planting of the begonias to give her plenty of time to bake orange cookies to compliment Catherine Petersons lemon nut bread. It was somewhat disturbing to her that she had not guessed, or that Cole had never hinted at his romantic interest in Pilar. Of course she wouldnt be the first to mention it to him but there was no reason why it couldnt be discussed and arrangements made with Pilar. These things required planning to which most men were oblivious.
The squeek of the wheelbarrow as Carl pushed it around the corner broke her reverie. Where do you want it? he asked. She directed him to dump it in the middle of the bed and an hour later it was raked in and a dozen begonias had been carefully set out and watered. It was just before noon when she entered the back door of the house, washed her hands at the sink, and dialed Cole from the kitchen phone. She knew when he answered that her ring had wakened him.
I waited to call till I was sure you were up, she said and not waiting for a reply, Mrs. Peterson and I are going to do spring house cleaning in the morning and well start on your rooms first if it wont disturb you.
Fine, Cole croaked. Fine, and he fought to control his voice. I thought youd already done my rooms. They look fine. He wondered if he sounded fine. Ill probably stay here until the middle of the week, Wednesday or Thursday.
Well be finished in your rooms long before then, she said and adjusted the receiver more firmly to her ear. Cole recognized the pause as a signal for the real reason she had called.
Pilar is coming to see me this afternoon, she announced after the proper interval, and this time the wait for his reaction was real. When none came, she continued, That girl has the truest marks of breeding and proper upbringing. Shell make someone a fine wife. Cole was only slightly startled at this sudden switch since Aunt Hester had always come on strong, nudging him toward marriage. Most of these modern girls arent worth a continental, she stated flatly.
He was awake and grinning now, wondering what was coming next. The archaic continental must have filtered down from one of their revolutionary ancestors.
Another of her favorite words was tarnation. Finally he broke in, Well, Aunt Hester, I hope you two have a nice tea and Ill see you again sometime around the middle of the week.
All right, Coleridge, she relented. Sorry if you were flaked out when I called. Ive got to split now, see you later. She hung up just before Coles burst of laughter came through the receiver. She decided to have a light lunch and then bake her cookies. She would still have time for a warm bath and a nap before putting on her blue ribbon knit.
Twisting the ancient mechanical bell, Pilar waited at the heavy front door framing etched plate-glass. Millie Peterson opened it wearing a pink creation that in no-way stamped her as a domestic.
Hello, Pilar, she greeted, and then conspiratorily, Hester got a bad do on her first batch of cookies and she hasnt caught up yet.
I hope Im not early, Pilar worried. You look lovely in pink, Mrs. Peterson.
Thank you. I hear the elevator rattling so shell be down in a minute, Millie Peterson said as they moved into the foyer. Let me take your wrap... what a beautiful shade of blue! Mr. Peterson laid a eucalyptus fire in the parlor, she went on. Come in and make yourself comfortable Ill see if that was Hester.
Pilar loved the old formal room and particularly admired the Persian carpet and the polished parquet floors. To sit near the fire, she selected a rigid and uncomfortable last-century settee. The flames from the burning wood made glowing waves on the floor and mantel, and the warm colors in the carpets gave her a comfortable and secure feeling. She leaned forward to brush her hand over the top of the low table, savoring the texture of the bits of burnished ivory, pearl and exotic woods. There was a china tea service reposing on a mobile cart. The faded flower design on the eggshell-thin rim of the cups was yellowed with flickering light.
Suddenly she had the feeling of being watched and, looking over her shoulder, saw Aunt Hester standing in the open doors. She was wearing azure of almost the same shade of Pilars frock and her silver hair intensified the blueness of the lovely gown and her wise eyes. She walked to Pilar with hands outstretched.
When I saw you sitting there before the fire I wanted to call to you.... Lydia, Lydia hurry, we dont have time for tea....Alex is taking us in the carriage to a little shop on Sutter Street.
I hope it was a pleasant remembrance. I dont need to ask how you are, you look divine.
Lydia was my dearest friend and the prettiest girl I ever knew. You dont suppose thats a sign Im getting old? she asked twinkling. But the past is gone and now youre the prettiest girl I know. Sit down, dear, and in a confidential tone, Can we talk before I ask Millie to bring tea?
Oh yes, lets do, Pilar said. Please tell me all about Lydia.
No, no, dear. Lydia is from another time. I only remember when Im reminded, she said, looking someplace beyond the room and then quickly back. Id like to talk about you and Cole and your plans...and to ask if youll let me help.
Pilars eyes widened, her mouth opening slightly as if to speak but she only portrayed a rather startled expression.
Ive known for some time that you two were in love, she said gently. I dont want to meddle but Id be proud to be a small part of any plans you might have. Since Pilar was unable to speak Aunt Hester continued, Theres a ballroom on the east wing of this house that would be big enough for a reception. The last time it was used was Coles thirteenth birthday party, but after he started high school he didnt want another one.
Pilar held up her free hand, brushing her brow with it, and finally spoke. Are you under the impression that Cole and I are planning to be married? she asked in astonishment.
Oh no, Hester assured her, I didnt know what your plans were. I realize that both of you are very modern and up-to-date on these things, but when two people are in love it sometimes follows that they get married.
Pilar had regained part of her composure but still couldnt understand how Aunt Hester had jumped to this impossible conclusion of love and marriage or something else. Perhaps it was merely old age, but Cole had never suggested that Aunt Hester had mental aberrations. Something was seriously wrong; she would have to set her straight, but gently. Theres nothing between Cole and me, Aunt Hester, other than being good friends and having mutual respect for each other as colleagues in the corporation. It was Aunt Hesters turn to be surprised. Pilar suspected that she should allow this blunt statement of fact to handle the situation but couldnt help asking the obvious. Where did you ever get such an idea that Cole and I were in love?
Aunt Hester was still slightly shaken but she said firmly, I know that Cole is in love with you; maybe being so fond of him myself and so taken with his many charms I assume that whomever he loves would naturally love him in return.
Oh, and Im sure thats so, Pilar hurried to agree, but Cole doesnt love me, Aunt Hester, thats where youre mistaken. She must be just as firm; but then she asked again, Why do you think he loves me? Did he tell you so?
Aunt Hester hesitated for a moment in thought and then seemed to decide to reveal everything. I know many things about Cole without him telling me, she said in a confidential voice. When his parents were suddenly taken and he came to live with me, I had no understanding of little boys - never having had any children of my own. I loved him so, but was worried that I wouldnt be able to help him because of this lack of understanding. I tried not to over-indulge him but I suppose I did. Then in his eighth year his boyishness seemed to become more mysterious to me and I needed to know him better to understand him more, if I were ever to be of any value or help to him. Pilar listened to all this with much interest and decided that the explanation was coming so she didnt interrupt.
When Coleridge was nine, as one of his birthday gifts, I bought him a rather expensive leather-bound diary. There were spaces to make entries for each day of the year and extra pages to be inserted if necessary. The diary could be locked and of course I gave Coleridge a key. I was very happy when I found that he immediately started to use it - writing out his activities of the day. She released Pilars hand and relaxed visibly before continuing. About a month went by before he began describing his thoughts. From that time on we seemed to have a greater understanding and I was able to help unobtrusively as well as not to interfere with his growing up. Boys are rather complicated, she stated with some authority, much more so than girls, even though we try to make out the opposite. Then she went on: Each year I have always given him an annual diary on his birthday and he has a special shelf in his room where he keeps them. He doesnt always fill in every date now but when hes here he writes things down more fully and sometimes leaves bits of paper between the leaves with notes and jottings on them.
Pilar had to break in, But how did his keeping a diary help you to understand him more?
I read them, she said calmly, but of course he doesnt know and we must never let him know.
But I thought you said you gave him the key? Pilar was stunned.
No, no, dear. I said I gave him a key. There were two master keys that will open any volume and I kept one. So you see I always knew what he had been up to and could anticipate his changing moods and sometimes figure out what he planned to do next without bothering him with a lot of questions. Aunt Hester seemed relieved that shed finally told her secret and happily began expanding on it. One of the most interesting aspects in reading them were the subtle changes that became apparent as Coleridge grew from a mischievous boy to a fairly thoughtful young man. You wouldnt believe some of the things he wrote.
Pilar couldnt hold back the giggle. But didnt he ever suspect? You must have let slip things that you couldnt possibly have known except by peeking at his diary - and didnt he ever notice that they had been handled or moved around on the shelf?
Oh no, Im always very careful to place them back exactly as they were before. The shelf never looks different, not even as though it had been dusted. In fact, unless he looks at the earlier volumes and brushes them, they are covered with cobwebs as well as thick dust.
But if you read them wouldnt the dust and the cobwebs be disturbed?
Oh yes, but after they once got dusty and full of cobwebs I never touched them until I found a way to replace the dust and webs. When my husband was alive, he invested in several theatrical productions and we became acquainted with a very nice man who produced effects for the stage. He furnished me with a little bellows that has a spout and when you press it, it sprays dust. He also had a compact machine that creates cobwebs when you turn a crank something like the way cotton candys made. With these two gadgets I always keep Coleridges diary shelf dusty and cobwebby so when he takes a volume down and brushes it off he feels secure in the knowledge that his secret thoughts are locked inside. Im a firm believer that this security of their own private thoughts is very necessary to male growth and maturation. With this twisted bit of rationalized psychology Aunt Hester rose suddenly from the couch and said,But, come my dear, let me show you Coleridges rooms - and then theres something Id like you to read.
They left the parlor and crossed the foyer that contained an ancient walnut stand with a mirrored back that Pilar hadnt noticed before. There was a slippery combination of scatter rugs on the polished floor and an elephants leg cut-off and hollowed-out that was being used as an umbrella stand. Beyond a broad staircase was a hall leading to Coles quarters. Aunt Hester opened a solid-looking door and motioned Pilar to enter. The room and all that was in it was immaculately clean as Pilar had expected and the book shelves mounting the far wall were packed with cared-for volumes. But as they approached, and even though she had been warned, the single shelf almost filled with leather bound diaries covered with dust and cobwebs was a shock. Aunt Hester removed the end volume from the untidy shelf, carried it gingerly to a desk placed under a high window and drew the drapes all the way back. Selecting several paper tissues from the top drawer she wiped the leather clean. From a locket suspended on a chain around her neck she shook out a small gold key and unlocked the flap that held the volume secure. She opened it to where a single sheet of paper was inserted between the pages. Extracting it, she laid it face down on the desktop and handed the diary to Pilar indicating where she should start reading.
Aunt Hester, I dont know...are you sure we should read this? Pilar hesitated, but with hope in her voice.
Yes, of course we should, child. Were reading this not for our own benefit but so that we can better anticipate Coleridges needs and help him even though hes unwilling to ask our help.
Pilar didnt bother to examine this overly solicitous logic but with no more encouragement turned the diary to the light and read:
After leaving the ship I became increasingly nervous and anxious to get to the RCS&J Building, telling myself it was because of the stockholders meeting and not wanting to be late. But I knew what was wrong. I wasnt hurrying to the meeting at all - I was hurrying to see her and she had been with me more than she had ever been. Ive got to sort out my thoughts and the best way is to set them down. As soon as I have a moment to think deeply Ill write out how it first came to me on the beach in Mexico and then Ill forget it. This is like nothing else - this could be total involvement and that I dont need. Anyway, no one will ever guess the way it is - especially her.
There were no further entries in the book. What does it mean? Pilar asked, laying the diary down and looking at Aunt Hester. And he doesnt even say who hes writing about. Why are you so sure of what he means?
Aunt Hester picked up the pieces of paper that shed placed face down on the desk top and handed it to Pilar.
Pilar accepted it with a little less hesitation and began reading again:
TO PILAR
We were together
I was alone.
When we were apart and
Time was slow and quiet
I wasnt alone;
You were there too.
The Sun shone on us and
In a soft and fragrant dawn you smiled.
There were green forests
Craggy snow mountains in the mist and
White crested waves hissing on a bleached beach.
A stallion raced the sand
From surfs edge to golden grass.
Suddenly the sky turned black,
Thunder rolled and jagged lightning
Cracked a thousand fiery fingers.
The vision turned inward and
There was us and a storm.
Rain pelted hair,
Dripped from dark lashes and
Iridescent drops clung.
Our lips touched.
My eyes spilled tears
And I cried
Before I died
And was banished to earth and reality;
But you were there too.
She read it again more slowly this time while Aunt Hester looked on. Then, picking up the open diary, she carefully placed the writing between the pages, closed it and snapped the lock. Neither of them spoke and Pilar caressed the soft leather before returning the volume to its place on the shelf. She wasnt sure she should have done it but was very glad she had and while she searched her conscience Aunt Hester produced a small round box with a spout that operated like a bellows and replaced the thin film of dust that had been wiped away. Then she examined the shelf, the desk and the room meticulously, straightening here and there, before leading Pilar back to the old-fashioned parlor where Millie Peterson was already bustling about.
They ate crisp warm orange cookies that melted almost without chewing, drank redolent pink tea from the Far East, and then stuffed themselves on lemon nut bread with sweet butter as they planned the future.
Chapter XV
Cole opened his eyes wide and lay motionless, staring at the phone by his bed. As he wondered why he had bothered to waken at this particular moment, the phone rang again and then he remembered that it had rung once or twice before way off somewhere in the distance. He picked up the receiver and curved it from ear to mouth, paused before answering and, trying to sound wide awake, croaked, Hello. It was Aunt Hester and she was talking about cleaning his rooms and about seeing Pilar. Damn! If he wasnt dreaming about her he was reminded of her the moment he wakened. It probably didnt matter though, he would have thought of her in a minute anyway. He told Aunt Hester he would see her sometime around the middle of the week and burst out laughing at something she said just before she hung up. He replaced the receiver and rolled over with the vague thought of going to sleep again but almost immediately decided sleep was impossible, which was just as well because the phone rang again. It was Kang.
Did I wake you up? Kang wanted to know.
No, you didnt wake me up. Why the hell did everybody worry about waking him up, it was already ten oclock. Whats on your mind? Then he remembered about the girl and asked, Did you get anything worthwhile from the girl?
Yeah, Kang said. I think so. But shes a strange one.
So is her sister. But you wouldnt want all girls to be alike.
No, true, Kang said. Still...
You didnt learn anything, Cole broke in.
Yes, I did, Kang said. Its the strongest kind of confirmation that the ships being used to smuggle dope. The things she doesnt know are just exactly whos doing it and who picks it up here in San Francisco.
Does she know how they get it off the ship?
She couldnt tell me anything about that.
This is no information at all, Kang, if thats all she could tell you.
I think it is. You havent been able to come up with anything but suspicions so far and if you didnt get something tangible soon, everyone was going to forget about the ship. But this information has got to be authentic. You didnt ask for it and they only suspected that you wanted it. If it werent the truth how could they ever dream youd be interested in the first place?
Wait a minute, wait a minute... youre right, Cole said. I got a conflicting report last night that it was flown in from tamale-land but I see how it could fit together now.
You do! How does bringing it in by ship and flying it in fit together?
Thanks a million, Kang. I really appreciate what youve done. Ill explain it all to you later.
Why not now?
Later, Kang. But wait a minute... did it rain last night, or was there a low fog?
It didnt rain where the ship was, Kang said. There was some high fog.
Cole didnt ask why he was so specific - didnt rain where the ship was.
But nothing low, right?
Whats that got to do with anything? Kang asked.
Kang Ill call you later, and thanks again.
After a few minutes of staring at the high ceiling, his mind racing, Cole got up and went to the three-oriented bathroom, selecting the middle stool. He showed no favoritism, keeping the use of the three stools fairly even. If his conscious mind intruded and he wasnt sure which toilet he had last used he invariably gave his custom to the one on the left; it being farthest from the door, probably giving him the mistaken impression of its being neglected. Contemplating it now, allowing his subconscious mind to rove other thoughts, he felt reasonably sure that he followed the same pattern with the washbasins and showers. Henceforward he would remember - when in doubt, select either the middle or the right hand facility and give the left one a rest. When he finished he showered to the right and shaved before the mirror over the middle basin, all this time thinking of what he would divulge to Lew, or rather to Hal Bronte of the Narcotics Bureau, and whether or not he should ask Thad Bocana of the FBI to sit in. He speculated as to how these two proud agencies might work together but since the two men knew each other maybe their personal relationship would smooth any official hitches. Unplugging the electric razor he placed it in the left drawer, hesitated only a moment before removing it and dropped it in the middle one to serve as a marker for the washbasin last used.
Back in the bedroom, still in deep thought, he opened a drawer and reached out a pair of light blue wool socks, pulling them on while standing. He stepped into a pair of shorts as he moved towards a closet where he selected blue slacks and a dark red pullover sweater. He shoved his feet into cordovan loafers and then, still with a frown of concentration, moved into the living room and stared at the phone. He picked up an indexed pad, flipped to the Bs, found Bocanas number and dialed. A click interrupted the intermittent buzz and a childs voice came through, Hello - do you want to talk to my daddy or to my mom?
Hi, Cole said, Id like to talk to your dad. Can you get him for me?
Sure, hes right outside.
While he waited Cole continued to work on the best way to explain his hunch, or rather the reasoned facts that had brought him to his bizarre conclusions. Thad Bocanas brusque voice short-circuited his thoughts.
Hello, this is Bocana. And the way he said it demanded return identification.
Hi, Thad, this is Cole Rain. Sorry to bother you on your day of rest.
Cole, how are you? He seemed relieved. This is no day of rest business as usual - Im just not doing it at the office.
Do you have time to listen to a problem of mine?
I didnt know you ever had problems, and Bocana sounded happy to learn that others did.
Im not sure its in the province of the FBI, Cole ignored the jibe, but I need to talk to someone who can suggest the right procedure to follow.
Sure, go ahead, Bocana said. Its unofficial for the time being. Ill be glad to help if I can.
Right. First - do you know Hal Bronte of the Federal Narcotics Bureau?
Yes, I know Hal. Hes a good man.
Cole decided to describe Bronte, or Lew, to make positive they were talking about the same man. The identification accomplished to both their satisfactions, he quickly explained the problem of the SS Crescent Moon, his part in the investigation, and the accidental meeting with Bronte the night before, or rather, that morning.
After Bocana stopped laughing, he summarized: Now youre telling me you have a theory based mostly on hunch, that the dope is brought ashore from the Crescent Moon, past customs, through the surveillance of the Narcotics Bureau - and the local authorities - and its all really a very simple procedure. Is that right?
Thats what I believe, Cole said firmly, and if Im right, tonights the only time theyll have during this stay to work their gimmick. Id like to explain my theory and set it up, so that if I am right, the one link missing in this chain of heroin flow will hook-up with the known links.
Well, Bocana mused, you say the ship has been searched repeatedly and no sign of narcotics has ever been found?
Right, Cole admitted. But getting the stuff on the ship in Mexico and bringing it to the pier in San Francisco is easy to do without detection. It would take the complete dismantling of the damn ship to find all the various hiding places. But again, if my reasoning is right, he refused to call it a hunch, the SS Crescent Moon is still the top suspect. Bocana continued to listen. The one place where it comes to an end is the transference from ship to shore, and I think Ive got that solved. But I need help to prove it.
All right, Bocana finally decided. Ive got to go to the office anyway. Why dont you phone Bronte and the two of you meet me there in forty-five minutes.
Sure it wont interfere with what youre doing?
No, my problem, Bocana said, shouldnt affect this area too much. In fact, itll probably end with some of our citizens crossing that Mexican border the other way. Ill see you in forty-five minutes, he concluded.
Thanks, Thad. Cole hung up and in the same motion reached for the phone directory. Finding Bronte Harold W., he checked the address with the one Bronte had mentioned earlier that morning and dialed, waiting through eight rings. When Bronte finally answered he sounded hurried.
Hello.
Morning, Hal - just checking your temperature.
Yeah, thanks. Its normal. A few bruises here and there and my jaws a little stiff - other than that Im O.K. How are you?
Fine. A couple of band-aids are keeping my head together but I guess you could say Im holding my own. Then he quickly gave the narcotics agent a rundown on his conversation with Bocana, not mentioning that the FBI man had been hugely amused at their life-and-death struggle. Bronte tried to pump him on the details of his theory but Cole would only reiterate that he was reasonably sure he knew how the stuff got ashore and would save the details until they met at Bocanas office.
There was plenty of parking space in front of the Federal Building and after Cole bumped the curb gently he saw Bronte heading for the front entrance. As Bronte opened the door he turned and waited for Cole and they entered the building together and took the elevator to Bocanas office. They were ushered directly into Bocana by a crew-cut boy who looked too young to have been in the Bureau for two years.
Leaning back in his chair, Bocana had just finished talking and was now listening to the transceiver resting on his desk. He motioned for them to sit down and continued to listen absorbedly to the report emanating from the open speaker.
...The number five and the least probable assumption is that the suspects will make their way into the Bay Area by car. The weapon and ammunition taken from the Nevada Proving Grounds are readily concealable as normal pieces of luggage or packaged civilian goods and -
Suddenly, Bocana seemingly just becoming aware of their presence and the permeating voiced report, reached forward and picked up the receiver, cutting off the sound. He leaned back again, placed the receiver to his ear, and continued to listen just as intently. Cole examined the room, noting its efficient appearance of sterility. After three or four minutes Bocana returned the receiver to the desk phone, jotted a couple of notes and looked up at his visitors. I expected to see more bandages, he said. Sorry I missed the main event.
Bronte smiled weakly. I knew youd consider it all a big joke but can we get on with Mr. Rains theory?
By all means, Bocana grinned. I imagine youre both anxious to get it over with.
This is my vacation and Im supposed to take the family skiing for a week, Bronte explained stiffly.
Cole broke in quickly. I appreciate everyone taking the time to listen to what I have to say. And with no further preparation he launched into his explanation, interspersing it with a couple of drawings on a chalkboard. He developed his theory expertly. When he had completed the detailed account Bocana shook his head in amusement and looked at Bronte.
If youre right, Bronte said, why isnt the dope already off the ship?
Because the ship has been in Alameda for repairs. She was berthed last night and only the unloaders were there all night. The crew and Mike Crowder will go aboard tonight.
Well, I dont know....I suppose its possible, Bocana said. What do you think, Hal?
My report is made, Bronte said. Rain has worked out a wild hunch but I dont think theres any way possible to smuggle dope or anything else from that particular ship. Thats why Im taking a week off, he concluded.
If your report is final and youre positive its correct, why did you bother to follow me last night?
That was an accident. I was picking up some clothes Id left on the ship and I just happened to see you and your friend cruising along the Embarcadero. Maybe this business Im in makes you overly suspicious; anyway, I followed. Then when you parked in the dark spot on Michigan I had to see what you were up to. As it turned out it was all a mistake.
A hell of a mistake but I still think Im right and I can check it out myself, Cole said independently. Tonight has to be the night for them to move during this particular docking. He stood up, thanked them both for listening to his story and started to leave.
Wait a minute. What do you intend to do? Bocana wanted to know with some concern.
Nothing that will cause any trouble, Cole grinned. And whatever I find out Ill call it into you.
Bocana looked a little doubtful. Im sorry I dont have anybody I can release to give you an assist, he hesitated. But Ill be close to a phone either here or at home. Then he abruptly got up from behind his desk and reached across to shake hands with Cole and Bronte. Even before they left the office he was back on the phone.
As they dropped to street level, Bronte seemed anxious to justify his vacation by yammering at Cole that investigating the ship further was a waste of time and that if he felt any slight possibility he was wrong hed postpone his vacation to help. Anyway, until his report was final, there would be agents checking this last unloading.
Cole thanked him. If I am right, he said, Ill get the proof myself and then Bocana can handle it with the local authorities.
Outside the building they shook hands warily and turned in opposite directions. As Cole twisted the key in the ignition, he was thinking hard about what to do next.
Chapter XVI
At the first cross street he turned left and headed for Spike Swensens house. Spike was general manager of Swensens Trucking Corporation whose primary business was moving freight to and from the docks. The last time he had seen Spike and Lenore Swensen was at the Borgias wedding reception and he remembered that Lenore had shoved Spike through the front of the building out the large plate glass window. He switched his thoughts to the problem at hand and five minutes later parked in front of the Swensen home. He should have called ahead, he thought, but remembered he hadnt seen any phones along the way. He walked to the front door and pushed a button. It seemed to be in working order because he heard a lilting chime come from inside. The door opened almost immediately.
Cole, darling, come in - how nice to see you, Lenore Swensen gushed in apparent happy surprise. She was partially covered with a filmy negligee, opened and unbelted, showing an even more filmy nightgown with only Lenore inside. He was acutely conscious of the lightly-covered spiky nipples and lower down, the tantalizingly protruding dark vee. Cole stood outside and thought of the contrast between her platinum hair and the dark spot.
Come on in, Lenore demanded. Its getting cold in here. When he stepped inside she closed the door and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him on the lips and pressing her body as close as she could get it.
Cole was too startled to react quickly but finally got her arms from around his neck and sort of held her off while he looked about the hallway and into the rooms beyond. Wheres Spike? he asked with some concern.
You dont need to worry about him, he took off for the office an hour ago. Cole licked his lips and tasted coffee and brandy. We had a tee-off time at the club for eleven oclock but its like this every weekend and even on holidays and Im getting damn tired of it, she complained. Come on in and sit down - Im just having coffee. She held his hand and guided him through two mussed-up rooms into a breakfast area where a table was set for two and an electric coffee pot was bubbling.
Cole followed cautiously and when he saw the table set-up he asked rather inanely, Were you expecting someone?
Just you, darling. Thats why I sent Spike off to the office, and she moved in a little closer.
Cole backed off. I wanted to see Spike, he said. I should have called but since I was in the neighborhood.... He paused...Ill just go on down to his office now, he said, backing away a little farther.
No you wont. Youll sit down and have a cup of coffee with me, she said determinedly, pulling out a chair for him. A half hour wont make any difference and you can call Spike from here and tell him youre on the way.
O.K., Cole relented at the prospect of talking to Spike. He moved forward to the table, pulling out a chair and holding it for Lenore in turn. With a curtsying swoop reminiscent of a bunny, she accepted the seat reaching for the coffee and cups while Cole returned to his chair.
God, do you remember the night we spent on the beach wrapped in one blanket? she giggled.
Cole was a little surprised at her reference to that night since it had never been spoken of before. Yeah, he said. I do. But that was a long time ago. Before you were married, he added.
Thats right, she said with some asperity. And nothing as exciting has happened to me since.
Cole took a sip of coffee. Maybe Id better call Spike and tell him Im on my way.
Youve only been here five minutes. She looked disgusted. Dont worry about him. He wont be home until one or two oclock - he never comes back before that time when we have a golf date. What did you want to see him about?
I need a truck for about twenty-four hours. I thought maybe he might rent one.
He doesnt rent trucks but there are plenty of them down there. Im sure hell give you one to use. She took a deep swallow and set the cup down carefully before she asked, Are you moving?
No, as I say, I just need it for a little while - in my business. Then, seeing a phone on a desk in the corner of the room, he jumped up. Id better call him and let him know Ill be down.
Tell him youll be there in about an hour. Ive been dying to talk over old times with you. Leaving the table on her way to the kitchen she brushed past him, trailing a faint fragrance that he liked, and her body touching his gave off an electric shock.
Ill tell you what, he said quickly. I dont think theres any need to call him. Ill just go on down there. Hurriedly he replaced the receiver and started for the front door. He had it open and was already sliding out when Lenore grabbed his arm.
Damn you, Cole Rain. Dont you dare leave without having a cup of coffee and chatting with me.
Im sorry, Lenore, he said. But this is really important and we can do all that some other time. Thanks for everything and goodbye for now.
The last he heard was, Goodbye forever, you bastard.
He trotted to the car, jumped in, and left the Swensen home for the Swensen Trucking Corporations offices and yard. As he drove he couldnt help thinking about the night on the beach. When some of the details really began pressing in on him he decided he better stop thinking about it and concentrate on the plan he wanted to follow. Spikes car was parked beside a one-story stucco building in the space reserved for the general manager. Cole circled in alongside, slid out and started for the front door when he heard Spike yell:
If youre looking for me, Im over here. He looked back and saw Spike leaning against a truck talking with two men. Spike waved and called, Ill be right there - go on in and have a chair.
Cole signaled and went on into the office. The small lobby was furnished with a lounge and a couple of leather-like plastic-covered chairs. He dropped in one, picked up a magazine, stared at it and continued thinking about what he was going to do. Five minutes later Spike came through the door.
Hi, Cole, where you been? Lenore was just asking the other day if Id run into you recently.
I just saw Lenore, Cole said easily. I stopped by the house - should have called first, but I was in the neighborhood and took a chance youd be there. Shes looking great, he said. Pausing for only a moment, he went on hurriedly, But you better get home - shes anxious to go play golf.
I know it, damnit. Something always comes up just when weve got a game planned, but Ive got to wait around here for about a half hour. We can still go, though. Why dont you make it a threesome?
Cant, Cole said shortly. Im like you, always working.
Yeah, Spike said and took the other chair. What can I do for you? What did you want to see me about?
Id like to rent one of your trucks, or maybe just one of those big vans that you leave sitting around down at the docks.
You want a tractor and a semi? Spike asked.
Well, Ive got a problem. I need to go down on the Embarcadero and be able to see whats going on and still be inconspicuous - you know, as though I belonged there. Ive noticed that sometimes you leave your - what do you call them - semis? just parked on the dock.
Spike nodded. Right, sometimes theyre loaded and sometimes theyre waiting to be unloaded. We just drop the landing gear until were ready to move them again. But youd still be conspicuous if you were just loafing around one of those things.
I was wondering if there was someway I could be inside and still see out.
They dont have any windows or holes in them. How long would you want to be on the dock?
Im not sure - maybe all night. And there was a flash-back to the all-night he and Lenore had spent on the beach.
Why dont you drive a tractor down and park it? Weve got some cab-over engines with a sleeper in back and if anyone saw you theyd just think you were waiting to pick up a load.
That would be great, Spike, getting back to business. Do you think that would do it?
The only thing is, you dont look like a truck driver. Youd have to change your clothes. Spike didnt question, knowing that Cole sometimes did crazy things in his business, whatever his business was. He went on: Weve got a shower room out back. Theres always plenty of old clothes hanging around. You could change and look exactly like a big rough truck driver, he grinned.
Thirty minutes later a cab-over engine diesel tractor looking overburdened with huge rubber-tired wheels rolled slowly out of Swensens yard, rhythmically puffing black smoke from an exhaust stack pointing straight up. The man at the controls was wearing boots, baggy pants, an old leather jacket trimmed with brass rivets and a peaked cap that had a round metal button pinned on the side marked STC 23. The rig was unusual in its bigness but was common enough moving towards the dock. The driver, in his shower-room clothes, had lost his identity.
Cole had been surprised that it had taken less than fifteen minutes to learn to operate the tractor and he had driven cars that werent as easy to handle. The dizzying height above the pavement was the most unique sensation. In back of the seat was a bunk with a couple of blankets and best of all, the cab was equipped with a radio phone. Spike had checked him on procedures in calling the special operator to connect directly with any telephone in the country - or out of the country, for that matter. His first thought had been not to chance the wharf until late afternoon but when he checked the mirror and hardly recognized himself and found the tractor easy to operate and loaded with bed and phone, he decided to drive immediately to China Basin Street. Bumping along the Embarcadero, looking down on everything, he saw a one-man sandwich shop with an Open sign in the window reminding him he was hungry. Cutting across the imbedded rails in the road he tried to bring the big rig carefully to the curb by pressing the air brakes gently, but the tractor snapped to a stop forcing him against the steering wheel. As he eased on the brakes slightly it coasted in, touching the curb and sat panting like an overgrown puppy. He switched off the engine and climbed down a narrow ladder to the street.
The sandwich man had been watching through the dirty window and when Cole came in he said, I can give you eggs any style with ham, bacon, or sausage and a hot stack if you can wait a few minutes.
All I want is a couple of sandwiches to go, Cole explained.
Burger, cheeseburger, ham and cheese, egg - whatll you have?
Make it one cheeseburger and one ham and cheese grilled. And can I get a coke and a couple of beers to go?
No beer. Cant afford a license for a small place like this, the sandwich man said, opening the refrigerator to get burger patties, sliced cheese, and thin ham. Theres a liquor store down near Fishermans Wharf if youre going that way.
I was going the other direction but while youre fixing those I might run back down to the Wharf.
O.K. Theyll be ready when you get back.
Cole wasnt sure if trucks were allowed on Fishermans Wharf and when he found the liquor store there was no place to park. He doubled in back of a convertible with the top down and since convertibles are a little unusual for San Francisco, especially on a foggy day, he climbed down and checked it. There were a couple of tennis rackets and three cans of balls lying carelessly in back of the bucket seats. It was Larrys car and Cole assumed Larry was in one of the Wharf restaurants. He went into the liquor store and took a six-pack from the cooler. He placed the beer near the cash register and waited his turn to pay. Coming out of the store carrying the beer, he saw Larry and Kang in the open car. Kang was making a point by drawing a figure in the dust on top of the dash. Larry was shaking his head in disagreement. They both glanced up when he started between the cars to get to the tractor.
Is that your truck? Kang asked in a loud voice.
Yeah, Cole said hoarsely trying to disguise the sound as he climbed on up.
Youre only breaking the law three ways, Larry shouted up disgustedly. That trucks illegal here, youre double parked, and you cant drink beer in a motor vehicle.
They must be in a hurry to get to the courts, Cole thought. Screw you, he said shortly, starting the big diesel and moving it on down the street. In the rear view mirror he saw them both scrambling for the convertible and as he turned the corner he stuck out his left hand with middle finger pointed toward the sky. He wasnt sure if theyd come after him or not. It was too bad they couldnt help but what he had to do was better done alone.
The sandwiches and coke were ready in a bag and, placing them on the seat beside him, he opened the diesel up to fifty miles an hour on the deserted Embarcadero. When he reached the basin the Crescent Moon was still being unloaded. She was higher in the water and her prow loomed above the street. He slowed to watch the trucks move on and off the pier and to see the guard at the gate exchange slips of paper with the drivers. The high-boarded storage area with the barbed wire on top was directly across the street, reminding him of the cut hand which still hurt from the barbs ripping it the night before. About fifty feet from the driveway leading to the gate in the fence was a row of parked cargo containers with their landing gear down. He wheeled the tractor in front of them and carefully backed in alongside, and was surprised at how visible everything was from his high perch in the glassed-in cab. He was just as visible, but the meeting with Kang and Larry had given him confidence in his camouflage. If anybody noticed him, they paid no attention, considering the tractor and its operator a natural phenomenon. He selected the still-hot cheeseburger from the sack, opened the coke and set it on the lip of the dash. He took a man-sized bite from the combination bun, meat, cheese, onion and tomato and then a gurgle of coke, relishing it all, and then settled back in the comfortable seat for the long wait.
Nothing seemed to change about the routine truck movement in front of him and the minutes and hours dragged. The fog lifted some as one, two, and then three oclock checked off, but there wasnt a break as he watched and waited. Once a lighter spot in the sky portended a thinning of the overcast but the fog quickly moved in to blot it out. The trucks continued to roll and the guards and drivers continued to pass pieces of paper back and forth. He even wondered idly if there could be heroin concealed in the papers, but seeing them flutter slightly as they were handed about, decided they were clean. He felt sure the paper-passers were clean too. Until Brontes report was accepted; clearing the SS crescent Moon, undercover agents were watching the dry clay being sucked up and blown from the holds of the ship into the trucks, and other agents were watching the unloading at the McWhorter Brown plant. And he knew that it didnt matter a damn. After this last surveillance, with Brontes report in, theyd give up. The method for getting dope off the ship was foolproof in its simplicity but if he was right, after the transfer was made this time, the amateurs who had planned it would be trapped in the China Basin Street. Again he went over in his mind the possibilities for moving the stuff out of the area. There were railroads for sure but there were only two exits and if he went overland or even decided on one of the these normal exits hed be awfully conspicuous and easy to aprehend. Practically the only movement in the basin was motor vehicles of one kind or another. If smuggling was going on, and now he was sure, there was no way to accomplish it other than the method hed deduced. And yet, some small doubts persisted. He finally decided that thinking on it any more was a waste of time. Now was a time for quiet observation and action when the opportunity came. Suddenly he wished he had bought more coke instead of so much beer. The beer made him sleepy, but then it also made him climb down once in a while to relieve himself between the tractor and the parked semis, breaking the monotony. There had been maybe three cars all afternoon cruise slowly by and he assumed their drivers were either lost or taking a Sunday sightseeing trip along the wharf and somehow had stumbled into the Basin.
He had just climbed into the cab from his third relief trip and the sky was beginning to darken a little when he saw a panel truck approaching from the left. Leaning back to be less noticeable, he watched it come toward him at a moderate speed. It was a fairly new blue panel truck and he assumed it would go on by, but the driver braked and turned into the gravel drive leading to the fenced storage area. It rolled on up a little way and the lights were switched on. The driver got out and walked to the gate. Sorting through a ring of keys, he inserted one in the bottom of the heavy padlock, took it off the hasp and pushed the gates inward. It was hard to believe, but on the side of the panel truck in large letters JOLLO ALLEYS was advertised. It was so damned blatant Cole began to doubt his reasoning again. Either they were stupid or so over-confident of their ingenious plan that they felt no need to conceal the identity of the truck. The driver drove the panel through, stopped again just inside the enclosure, got out to close the gates and bolted them tight. Cole felt better; there had to be a subconscious reason for making the gates that secure since they wouldnt keep the fog out. It was the only suspicious thing the driver had done and it was so trivial that it would generally go unnoticed. Cole picked up the radio phone and gave the special operator both the numbers Bocana had given him, but Bocana was in the office and answered on the first ring. Bocana sounded more relaxed, as though the pressure were off, but Cole still asked if he should call back with his report.
You sound as though youve got something, Bocana said. Go ahead.
While Cole was describing the situation a long black car came into the street from the opposite direction from which the panel had come and pulled up alongside the guard house. Coles attention was divided between the telephone conversation and what was happening across the street. Since the trucks were still moving on and off the pier the passengers from the black car were unloading right where they parked. Three couples got out and the men started removing luggage. there was the usual conglomerate of bags and then there were the long narrow gun cases and two square boxes probably containing special shells for the hunting. If anyone in the party could shoot, the Mexican ducks were in for trouble. Cole reported to Bocana that he could see Mike Crowder and his wife and thought he recognized one of the other couples but couldnt recall their names; he was sure he had never seen the third couple. Mike Crowder had gone on to the pier and now he came back with one of the longshoreman who was pushing a low-wheeled cart. First they placed the two boxes of shells on the cart and then the guns in their cases and finally what luggage it would hold. Leaving the rest of the bags sitting by the car, they followed the longshoreman with the loaded cart and passed out of sight around the corner of the covered pier.
Cole recounted all of this and then went back to the panel truck and told what he knew about Jollos dope connection and his apparent break-away from the syndicate. Then he asked Bocana if he thought the panel truck with JOLLO ALLEYS printed on the side was too obvious.
Hell no, Cole, it only seems stupid. Its so obvious it throws you off. Ill probably owe you an apology. Theres got to be a reason for whats going on and youve got the only logical explanation.
Glad youre beginning to think so. Thats the way I figured it, but I butted in on you when youre busy with other things.
Dont make excuses for me, Cole. What do you want us to do? Ill alert the local narcotics people and youll have all the help you need in thirty minutes.
Not yet, Cole said hurriedly. If Im right, the transfer hasnt been made and wont be until tonight. Everything should stay exactly as it is here in the Basin. Later Ill need people ready to intercept the truck at either end of the street. Theres an intersection of China Basin Street by Mission Rock on the north and by Illinois Street on the South. I believe theyre keeping it very simple. Only one man came in the panel and hes going to go out that way. But just in case he decides to walk out we should have some people posted on Michigan Street.
Maybe someone should be in the tractor with you, Bocana suggested.
No, dont do that. I dont need anybody. Im not trying to do this all by myself but if anything else unusual moves along this street, it could cause them to change their plans. Oh, and also, whoever is on the intercept should be posted as inconspicuously and naturally as possible.
Bocana laughed, Right, Chief.
Cole caught himself before he went on, Hell, I should try to tell you your business.
But Bocana was sincere, Keep in touch, he said. Ill be here until the super-heist breaks, which might be a week from now. Then he added, And good luck.
Thanking him for the promised help Cole replaced the transceiver and switched off. Across the street he saw the big black limousine still there, but the rest of the bags were gone. And now the unloading operation seemed to be winding down, he remembered only two trucks rolling out in the last five minutes and none going in. Peering out the side window at the fenced storage area, all he could see beyond the bolted gate was a dim light that must be coming from the shack in the farthest corner of the lot. He settled down and prepared to wait some more.
It was almost dark now and he imagined Kang and Larry finished with tennis, showered down and sitting in Borgias. He decided to drink another beer. Right after he had drained the last drop and tucked the empty back in the carton, he had to relieve himself again. Climbing down he let go but before he was half finished the whole area around him was bathed in sudden blinding light. It was so unexpected that he jerked back too soon and felt the continuing wet flow trickling down his leg. Looking up disgustedly he saw that he was directly under a high bright arc light. To hell with it. Hauling out he tried to start up again but finally decided he was finished for now and climbed back up in the cab and then noticed he was still unzipped. Correcting that, he cursed himself for not having seen the light before parking under it. While he was debating if the tractor should be moved he realized that inside the cab itself there was complete shadow - the light sprayed down on the outside. He decided he was more invisible in this location than he would be if he were parked on either side of the light allowing it to shine through the windows at an angle. Then speculating on whether, if he had seen the light first, would he have been smart enough to pick this very spot directly under it, he finally decided he would have been. It was hard to believe time was passing so slowly. Nothing was stirring, lights were off in the guards shack and the big gates to the open pier were closed and chain-locked. Perhaps the guard had moved inside the covered pier because there was now a light coming from a window of the building and shining faintly through the cracks of a door beside it. He assumed anyone coming from or going to the ship would have to go through the building past the guard, but all this idle speculation was getting pretty boring. He rolled down both windows to allow the cold damp air to blow through and bent forward to look up at the fog that had now descended to a point where the top of the ships stack was no longer visible. There was nothing to see and, hoping he wouldnt relax too much, he climbed over the back of the seat and swiveled into the bunk, pulling one of the blankets around him. The cold air would keep him awake and any noise from the outside coming through the open windows would be an alert. If he was correct there wasnt actually going to be anything to do. It was just a matter of waiting, but there was always the off chance that the smugglers plans might be altered in some way, and staying close to the scene of action he could hope that any change would be visible or audible from his outpost.
The night stood still and he didnt know how long it was, but the fog finally enshrouded the floodlight overhead and there were wisps of it filtering down almost even with the top of the cab and now the light was dispersed and ghostly. But under the mist he could still see both closed gates; the one to the storage area from the side window and through the windshield to the chained gate closing off the pier. The black limousine was just an outline in front of the covered pier and there was only a faint glow marking the shack at the back of the storage area. After this last check he glanced at his watch and was again surprised to see that the luminous indicators had moved so little.
The comfortable bunk made him uncomfortable and rolling back into the seat he picked up the transceiver from the radio phone, got the special operator and called Bocana. Bocana was at the office sounding tired but maybe mostly bored.
China Basin is sealed off, he told Cole. I got a report forty-five minutes after I talked with you that everything you suggested was covered.
Thanks, Cole said softly. I wish to hell something would happen. This rig Im boxed in is getting a little cramped.
This business is ninety percent patience and ten percent action. Try to relax.
Thats one of my problems. Im getting too damned relaxed.
Well, hell, youve got a phone - call your friends. Im going to be here the rest of the night; keep calling me if you dont know any girls.
After he had hung up Cole decided that Bocanas suggestion wasnt too bad so he got the operator back and gave her Pilars number and listened to it ring eight times before giving up. Then he began wondering if she might have a date with Virgent Eddington, that stupid bastard. He didnt try to call anyone else, just let the night stay fixed. The fog never got any lower while he watched and sometime during the night, as he rested his chin on the steering wheel he must have dozed off.
Chapter XVII
Suddenly, with the first shock of wakefulness from impending disaster, Cole became aware that the scene in front of him was changed. The ship at the dock was distinct in every detail and the fog had lifted and must be two hundred feet above where he sat. Concentrating his gaze on the ships bow, he had the feeling that the truck was moving backwards. He watched intently and it came to him that the ship was moving; she was backing out of her berth into the bay and doing it so quietly he hadnt heard. With some panic he turned to look toward the storage area. The shack was dark but in the first light of day he could just barely see the top of the panel truck. Slight relief trickled through but then he realized that it wouldnt have made any difference if the truck had got out without him seeing it since there was no way for it to leave the Basin unmolested.
Either the transfer of the dope had been made or it hadnt. The ship was sailing and the waiting was over and also he needed to piss again but decided to hold off to watch the ship back slowly into the harbor. She was beginning to turn, showing the length of her, triggering him to reach for the radio phone to call Bocana. Just as he got the operator he heard an engine start somewhere in back of him. In the storage area, the top of the panel truck was no longer visible. He gave the operator the office number and again Bocana answered and this time his voice was tired and full of sleep. Cole explained what was happening.
Good. Were not going to pick him up. Bocana was wide awake now. The intercept people have orders only to follow. You may be right about whos responsible for all this but we need evidence. Weve alerted a police traffic helicopter to hover by. Hes already up and has reported that the fog is lifting enough for him to operate.
While they were going over all the possibilities, Cole watched the gates from the storage area open and the truck slide through. The driver stopped on the outside, got out but didnt relock the gates, merely closed them.
Getting back into the truck he drove to the street and turned left. Cole was giving a running account of this and he could hear Bocana relay it to someone else who in turn was in contact with the intercept people. Cole was feeling good and confident and a little less tense although he had never doubted that he was right. Then he thought of Bocanas double ordeal and his all night vigil and was considerate enough to ask if the major problem Bocana had been working on was resolved.
No, nothing has turned up, he said wearily. Several false starts in other areas, but nothing at all here. And then evidently feeling the need to talk to someone, he continued: Hell, weve got airlines, railroads, bus stations, charter plane services, even automobile traffic being checked and thats the toughest.
While Cole listened he could see the SS Crescent Moon out in the harbor picking up speed and heading for the Golden Gate. He let Bocana unwind and then asked: What about the ship? Shes headed for the Gate and the open sea.
A Coast Guard cutter is trailing along right now, Bocana explained. We dont need to stop her yet. Well see what happens here and we can board her later if we have to, even beyond the Gate. Im requesting...
Coles thoughts had shifted again and he broke in excitedly, What was it that was stolen?
Bocana was a little slow, You mean on the case here?
Yes, something damned funny just occurred to me. Can you tell me what it was?
Its not funny. I can only tell you its a top secret weapon.
But it must be pretty important with all the hell its causing. Is it a nuclear weapon?
I would presume so, Bocana said cautiously. I understand part of the missing items came from the Atomic Energy Proving Grounds in Nevada and part from a defense laboratory here in California. Sorry, I couldnt tell you more about it even if I knew.
Are these items small enough so that they could be carried by one person? Cole insisted.
I suppose so, at least by a couple of people, Bocana admitted. Now that you think youve got your problem solved do you want to solve ours too? he asked with only slight amusement.
Listen, Thad, believe it or not, maybe I can help. This is the damnedest thing and it all ties together. He hesitated, trying to think how to put it.
You mean the dope smuggling and the theft of top secret weapons is somehow connected? Bocana asked.
Thats exactly what I mean.
Let me have it if youve got something, and Bocanas voice conveyed his new respect for Cole.
Coles explanation was fast but complete and from the beginning. He told about Pilar Jones and the fact that she was working on the design model of a small nuclear weapon and then of her status with Rain, Carver, Shu-li and Jones. He explained how her services had been requested by a young scientist whom she had known in college. And as things began to fall in place Cole became even more convinced of what he was suggesting.
Then the name hed been seeking popped out. Glass did some kind of work or performed a service for McWhorter Brown, he said. And I think he took a vacation on the Crescent Moon one time, or at least what was ostensibly a vacation. Thats the name....Cecil Glass. Then he reverted to Pilars work for McWhorter Brown and the fact that she and Glass had become reacquainted there. Glass had asked her to do some design work on a nuclear weapon that was top secret. After her clearance, probably by the FBI, she had accepted the assignment and as far as he knew was still working on it. In fact, he was sure she was still devoting part of her time to it.
And you think the weapon theyre working on is the one that was stolen? Bocana asked.
I dont know, Cole said. But theres a hell of a lot going on that suggests it could be.
Well, assuming that it is, Bocana said logically, how does that help us find out where it is and who took it? Are you suggesting that one of your partners was in on the heist?
No, Im not, Cole said confidently, and then remembered hed been unable to reach Pilar by phone. Im sure Pilar Jones has nothing to do with it. But I told you about the people that came in the black limousine last night and the luggage they unloaded and took on board. The gun cases and what I assumed were shotgun shells in boxes....
Bocana broke in a little impatiently, Hell, Cole, you said they were going hunting. Why wouldnt they have guns and shells?
But thats the point. The ships a perfect way out of the country. Its always leaving with passengers going hunting and loaded down with guns and shells. Anybody seeing them go aboard with a small arms arsenal wouldnt suspect a damn thing.
O.K., Cole, why so you suspect anything? The crackle had gone out of Bocanas voice and he sounded weary again.
It just came to me who one of the other couples were getting on the ship with the Crowders last night, that I didnt recognize, Cole said slowly.
Who were they? Bocana asked.
Cecil Glass and his wife. I only met them once at the entrance of Borgias. I know now that theyd been having dinner with the Crowders. They had forgotten their theatre tickets and were going home to get them. Later I met the Crowders inside the restaurant and they told me they were going to the theatre with some people who had forgotten the tickets and had just left to pick them up. It all ties in. Theres too much to be coincidental.
You might have something. Bocana was short and crisp again, going up and down like a yo-yo.
Let me call Pilar, Cole said hastily. She sees Glass almost every day. I want to find out if she knows hes taking a vacation. He was also praying that the call would find her home in bed.
That should help pin it. Ill get things moving here. Call me right back, Bocana said and hung up.
Cole switched off and then on again and began signalling the special operator. She was there on the second signal and he gave Pilars number and then sat tensely waiting through the faint rings. It rang five times before he heard Pilars low voice.
Hello.
Pilar?
Yes. She paused. Is this Cole?
This isnt a social call, he said. Although I wish to hell it were.
You mean were doing business before breakfast? she asked.
He asked his own question. Are you still working on the aiming mechanism for the nuclear weapon?
She was evidently getting her thoughts together. The design works over. Weve got a test model and it should be demonstrated either today or tomorrow. Is that really why you called to ask me that?
Again he ignored her question. Will Cecil Glass be there?
Yes, hes setting up the demonstration.
Thanks, Pilar. Go back to sleep.
Pilar took the receiver from her ear and brought it around and rested it on the pillow where she could look at it. A minute later she replaced it, closed her eyes, but couldnt go to sleep.
In the cab of the tractor Cole was reporting to Bocana what hed learned from Pilar. When he finished, Bocana asked, How well do you know these people?
I think I know Crowder pretty well. As I said, I met Glass only once but have heard about him off and on from Pilar.
Hold it a minute, Bocana said. Weve already asked the Coast Guard to pick up the ship and talk to her.
Cole could hear voices in the background and Bocana saying something and then he was back on the radiophone.
Its pretty well confirmed, he said matter-of-factly. We have a report from the Coast Guard that they signalled the ship. The ship told them to standoff, denying their request. The Coast Guard made a second demand that they haulto. This also was refused and they told the Coast Guard to stay clear or suffer the consequences. Weve given an order that theyre to stay clear but keep her in radar range.
But hell, isnt there some way you can stop her?
Not if youre right. Not without endangering the lives of everybody aboard, not to mention the possible destruction of the Coast Guard cutter. I understand there are innocent people on the ship - probably most of the crew and the harbor pilot hasnt been taken off yet. Then he added, If youre wrong theres no need to stop her.
Cole ignored this last comment. Can you get in radio contact with her from your office?
Were trying, but no luck so far. The Coast Guard communicated by radio so were assuming the operator aboard must either be part of the group or under their control.
Id like to talk with Mike Crowder, Cole said.
For what reason?
I dont know exactly but all this doesnt make a hell of a lot of sense and he seems like a reasonable guy. Maybe something would come out of talking with him.
You couldnt do it very well from where you are. Unless we get counterorders were going to let her go. Wait a second.
Three minutes later Bocana came back. We dont seem to have any alternatives. Do you really want to try talking to Crowder?
Sure. It cant do any harm.
Are you still in the Basin?
Yes.
How long would it take you to get to the heliport at the Ferry Building?
With this rig....between five and ten minutes.
Get there and well have a traffic control helicopter pick you up. Its loaded with communication equipment.
Before Cole could answer, Bocana cut him off. For a minute he forgot how to start the diesel and then he saw the keys still in the ignition. He fired the engine, got her rolling and raced down China Basin Street. Coming into the Embarcadero he pressed the throttle to the floor. Traffic was light and the only thing he passed was a black and white police car coming from the opposite direction. Glancing in the rear-view mirror, he saw it wheel around in back of him. His only reaction was to try to push the throttle through the floor. As the Ferry Building loomed ahead he could hear the siren and see the red flashes almost directly behind his high perch. At the last moment he jammed on the airbrakes and braced himself as the tractor skidded to a halt in front of the building. The police car swerved and blurred past the window wildly weaving a hundred yards beyond before it shuddered to a screeching halt. Cole was already on the ground running for the heliport and as he sprinted past the last corner the chopper was gently settling down in the marked-off landing space. The rotors continued to turn slowly and the door opened when Cole ran up to scramble in. The pilot didnt comment, just reached across and locked the door as he manipulated the lift-off. Looking down Cole could see two heavy-set cops trot into view gesticulating with hands moving palms downward, signalling that the chopper should land again.
The young police pilot grinned at Cole. You might have some explaining to do when we get back.
Im glad you said when. Cole grinned too.
The dock, the bay, and the city sank and swayed away below. The chopper banked towards the Gate and Cole saw that the tops of the bridge towers extended up into the fog. The pilot was talking to someone on the ground and when he replaced the mike he swiveled to Cole and pointed up.
Well go through this, its not very thick. Farther out theres even less ceiling but its more broken.
Cole looked ahead trying to spot the Crescent Moon but could see nothing on the water but some small fishing boats heading out. Suddenly a swirling light gray surrounded them and a few seconds later they popped on top of the thin layer of fog into a blue morning sky. The sun was in back of them, low on the eastern horizon. Going west the chopper flew directly between two dark areas, barely discernible in the white blanket below, that marked the location of the bridge towers. Peering through the plastic bubble Cole saw the tops of the coast protruding north and south above the fog. The pilot, searching in a tray beside his seat, came up with a pair of dark glasses similar to ones he was wearing and handed them to Cole. The glare from the morning sun on the white mass below was reduced. The chopper hunted slightly from side to side while maintaining an approximate altitude of a thousand feet above the fog as they whirled westward.
How did you know I was the guy you were supposed to pick up? Cole raised his voice slightly, addressing the pilots right ear.
I was told youd be coming down the Embarcadero in a diesel tractor, but I didnt believe it until I saw you park and get out. Whats this all about? the pilot asked. Why is part of the department chasing you and Im ordered to give you a ride and follow a ship we cant see?
Its a long story, Cole said. Dont you know anything of whats going on?
I guessed that a ship is being hijacked and that Im supposed to get you in direct radio contact if I can. Ive got their frequency and Ive heard them talking to the Coast Guard. What did they steal, a ballteship? I understand the big chief asked the Coasty Guard to back off.
Its not a battleship but its presumed they do have some powerful authority aboard. I know some of the people and volunteered to talk to them. Do you think you can get me in contact?
Ill try. We should be at the point where the harbor pilot will be dropped off.
The pilot put the chopper in a long slow circle, switched on the radio, adjusted the frequency, picked up the transceiver and placed one end of it to his ear. Pressing the button in the center he said something into the mouthpiece. Cole couldnt hear what was said but assumed the pilot was trying to raise the ship. The pilot called for several minutes and finally he was listening to someone and then he said something else and handed the transceiver to Cole. Do you know how to operate this? he asked. Hold the button down while youre talking and release it when you want to receive.
Cole nodded; this type of equipment was in his own plane except he generally used a speaker to receive. In this case he decided it would be better if the receiving were private. He pressed the button. SS Crescent Moon, this is Cole Rain in a chopper approximately a thousand feet above your present position. Do you read me? Over. There was a long wait and Cole was ready to repeat when:
We read you, Rain. Why are you following us and what do you want?
Im a friend of Mike Crowders. Id like to speak with him. Is he available? Over.
Id have to check that. The voice sounded negative.
Id appreciate your checking with Mike. Please ask him to talk with me. Id also appreciate your maintaining radio contact while you check. Standing by.
Cole glanced at the pilot and nodded his head. It looks O.K., he said. Waiting for my friend. The pilot merely blinked his eyes and continued to circle.
Mike must have been in the radio cabin all the time because they made less than one circle when Cole heard his voice.
This is Crowder calling Rain in the police chopper. Do you read me?
Loud and clear, Mike. How do you know Im in a police chopper?
What else would be following us? Unless youve enlisted in the Air Force.
You were right the first time, Mike.
I thought so. Im waiting to hear why.
They want to question you about smuggling. Cole hit him with the lesser charge.
Me? Why would they want to question me? Smuggling what?
Probably heroin, Mike, but maybe cocaine or some other hard drug.
Youre hallucinating, Cole. Ive known for a long time that the ship was suspected of smuggling but no trace was ever found. Then in true surprise he said, I didnt suspect you of being part of the fuzz.
Mike, Im not. But to explain it would take a long time. Ill admit I was looking for evidence. How I found it was pretty accidental. Cole noticed that they had stopped circling and were heading west. He couldnt judge their speed but was aware that the SS Crescent Moon was one of the fastest cargo vessels in the Pacific.
Its been nice talking to you, Cole, but Ive got other things to do and were outside the terrirorial waters of the United States, or soon will be, so Im going to close down this conversation.
Hold it, Mike. Let me tell you what we know for sure. We know that you refused to talk with the Coast Guard and then refused to stop. What you must know is that theyre keeping you within radar range.
They have no reason to stop us, Mike broke in.
Wait, Mike Ill hurry it up. The dope was flown in from the ship.
Youre crazy.
No, wait. You were evidently desperate for money for some other project. Cole decided to hint at the major charge. And thats why you did it. While the ship was tied up at the dock you sent those little plastic ducks winging over China Basin Street, in the dark, through the fog and rain; which was the best cover you could get, and landed them in that fenced-in storage area directly opposite.
Youre crazy, Mike said again, but it was weaker this time.
You had those plastic ducks all over the ship as ornaments and some even made up as decoys. The Mexican manufacturers didnt know what you were doing with them. They thought they were producing a toy and I saw the toy in Golden Gate Park, and watched it fly straight as an arrow, even when a little kid threw it on the end of a springy stick. He had to hurry to get it all said. You scooped the insides out of the ducks and filled them with half a pound of dope, resealed the seam, which is a simple process, and launched them through your forward stateroom window. The same as you sailed out clay pigeons with that funny mechanism you had on board that you were always fiddling with and repairing in your cabin. Cole paused, Are you listening, Mike?
Listening and laughing, but go ahead.
You had the perfect setup to use all that paraphernalia - the plastic ducks, the clay pigeon launcher, the hunters as camouflage. It was amateurish but it was so damn innocent looking. It took a series of coincidences to put it all together.
But you did it, Mike came in.
You got overconfident. You even got Jollo overconfident. The police right now are picking up Jollo along with his panel truck and the million dollars or so worth of stuff you flew in last night in all the little ducks. Why dont you make a one-eighty, Mike, and come on back - you have no chance of getting away with this.
Sorry, Cole, I wouldnt admit anything to you. But to demure to your wild imaginings - suppose they were true - were beyond the jurisdiction of the United States and we have no intention of turning back. So goodby, Cole. Over and out.
Cole pressed the button and shouted, Hold it, Mike. Thats only half the story - the minor half. You and your friends carried stolen property on board last night - a gun that fires rocket-propelled bullets with a nuclear warhead. Youd better talk about this, Mike. Over.
He looked down and could see through the thinning fog to the dark sea below, but nothing moved on the surface. He worried that hed been cut off and that Mike might not have heard the last charge. It didnt occur to him any more that he could be wrong about the stolen nuclear gun. He was sure now that it was on the Crescent Moon, but even if it was, what could be accomplished by talking with Mike? He glanced at the pilot and was about to ask him to try raising the ship again when out of the corner of his eye he caught a ghostly white shape moving under the broken mist a thousand yards to the south. He pointed to his left and down and the pilot immediately picked her up and nodding, banked the whirlybird in the direction of the ship. It was only a matter of minutes to get on her tail. Cole glanced at their airspeed and was sure, even with a headwind, that the ship was beyond her cruising speed making knots at full throttle. She was a pattern of white against the blue sea with lacy white lines angling from her bow and white bubbles churning up from her stern.
Cole had just decided to ask the pilot to drop down on a level with the ships deck to try to get their attention when Mikes voice came back. It was hollow and wary now.
Youre babbling, Cole. Youre not making any sense to us. What are you trying to say? But he didnt sound as though he really wanted to know.
Cole was thinking hard before answering and seemed absorbed in starding at the gray smoke streaming from the ships stack and listening to the rotor blades swishing overhead. He was conscious of the calm sea, the thin fog imparting the look of a ship gliding as in a dream, and he knew hed been through it all before. Doubts nudged him; maybe it wasnt true. His stomache ached and his mouth was dry. Gripping the transceiver tightly, he closed his eyes and pressed the button.
You and your friends have stolen United States property. It consists of top-secret equipment that gives your country a breakthrough in tactical nuclear defense. The contraband is on board the SS Crescent Moon and youre taking it out of the country for your own personal gain. Cole said this with slow cold conviction, and then his voice became harsh with urgency. The international waters youre in wont protect you from this criminal act. You have only a few minutes of initiative left. Use it wisely, Mike. Over.
Cole held the receiver to his ear but all he could hear was a faint hum as he waited for Mike to answer. A minute went by and the ship sailed almost exactly due west. The chopper maintained a position of a hundred yards off her stern with an altimeter reading of four hundred feet. Again Cole had almost decided to break the silence when there was a flow of static and he heard a new voice.
We still do not understand what you are trying to say.
Cole was sure it was Cecil Glass speaking. You know exactly what Im saying, Mr. Glass. Youve committed criminal acts against your country and your people. Had they been perpetrated against almost any other people in the world, your chance to talk would have been long gone.
Now youre trying to frighten us, Mr. Rain. If what youre saying were true, we could wipe you out of the sky in an instant.
Yes, Ive thought of that, and its not that comfortable sitting up here talking to you knowing what youve done. Then a thought popped, But Im still willing to drop aboard to talk anytime you people come to you senses.
And if we refuse to discuss it and go our merry way, are you telling me that the great government of the United States and all its little people would try to destroy this ship - just for something that you suspect? The voice dripped venom and sarcasm. And even to be so ridiculous as to suppose you were right about your fantastic nuclear weapon, you cant be accusing everybody aboard this ship. Some of us are certainly innocent of your stupid accusations. By the way, we still have the harbor pilot on board.
Youre the one whos scaring the hell out of me, Mr. Glass. Cole made a quick decision. If my opinion is of any comfort to you Id lay odds that the commander-in-chief of the United States armed forces wouldnt order that you be blown out of the water - even though the Air Force could do it with impunity. As you suggest, there might be innocents aboard.
You sound like a true redblooded American patriot, Mr. Rain. Mike Crowders got the wrong impression of you. He believes you think for yourself.
Im just beginning to realize how much of a patriot I am, and the distorted thinking of your group doesnt appeal to me worth a damn.
As you realize, Mr. Rain, it seems we have the upper hand - so well continue on our way.
Cole was thinking desperately of a way to resolve the impasse. They were many miles from shore and getting further away by the minute. The pilot was maintaining the choppers position in relation to the ship and seemed to be unconcerned as to what was going on. Coles racing mind wondered what the pilots reaction would be if he could listen in on the conversation and then again he spoke to the ship. You have the upper hand at the moment, but with our sure knowledge of what youve done, you wont escape forever.
We may have stronger protection in the future, Glass countered.
You mean you plan to turn the weapon over to an opposition government? If you do, dont change your mind and try to retrieve it later. In this same situation with any opposition government you and any innocent comrade party members would last only as long as it took to get a missile on you.
If we give anything to an opposition government, as you call it, we wont want it back.
That would be very wise of you. In fact, thats the wisest thing youve said so far. There was no answer and Cole waited, but he couldnt wait too long. Let me come aboard, he urged. Your plans are all shot to hell anyway. What can you lose? Maybe we can work a compromise.
You mean throw ourselves on the mercy of the United States government?
Think about it. Youd do a lot better here than where youre going - now that the word is out. There was another long pause and Cole was just about to break in again when Glass came back and asked warily, How would you propose to get aboard?
From the chopper. I think theres a rig that can lower me down to the deck.
The pilot had turned his head and was looking questioningly and Cole realized that he had been overheard; at least some of his conversation had filtered to the pilot.
Do you have a winch and a cable that could drop me down on the deck? Cole pointed below.
Theres a winch but the cable rig is back in the barn. I didnt think Id need it.
I didnt either, Cole admitted wryly. How long do you think it would take to get it? We must be thirty or forty miles from home.
It would take all of an hour or more. Wed have to refuel and then catch up again.
Cole pressed the button. Im sure I can get permission from my end to come aboard and talk but well have to go back and pick up the equipment to lower me to the deck. If youll stay on this frequency, Ill get clearance and report back to you in forty-five minutes. Give me an hour, he corrected.
We would expect you to come alone, Cole. It was Mikes voice again. Just you and the pilot in a single chopper. We dont want anything else in the sky or on the sea. Do you understand? This time his voice was hard and uncompromising and then, as an afterthought, What assurances can you give us that this will be done just as Ive described it?
My word, Mike. Thats all Ive got. If the authorities wont agree to my coming aboard on your terms, Ill wash out of it.
Can I trust you? Mike asked.
Coles laugh released some of his tension. The only answer Ive got is, yes. The decision is now yours.
The chopper whirled on lazily. The white ship below slipped cleanly through the blue water still trailing an angry white wake. The last traces of fog were almost gone and on the vast spread of ocean way off to the horizon there was no other visible object. Where the sky took over it all merged into a huge dome of lighter blue. Nothing moved in it. Far to the north he could see small fluffy white clouds. Suddenly, the receiver crackled again.
O.K., Cole. Well take your word, and well leave this frequency open for one hour.
Will you maintain this course? Cole asked.
Im not promising that, Mike said. Im sure you can find us if youre sincere.
Roger. Ill get back to you in less than an hour if I can. Over and out for now.
Cole dropped the transceiver in his lap and switched on the overhead speaker in case the ship wanted to call back. The pilot again looked at him questioningly.
Lets head for the barn, Cole said.
The pilot moved the controls and the chopper went into a tight turn. Cole watched the suns rays creep into the plastic bubble and when they were slanting into his eyes, just slightly south of their course, the pilot established a level straight-on heading, tilting the rotor blades forward. Their speed picked up as they made for San Francisco. Both, settling back for the run home, had for the first time, a chance to appraise each other.
My name is Cole Rain. Sorry I didnt think to mention it before.
Ive been wondering who you were. Im Kevin McDowell, the pilot said with a slight burr extending his hand. Cole took it and they grinned at each other.
Are we going to pick up the cable rig and then come back and put you aboard? Kevin McDowell asked.
I think so, but Ill have to check first.
Do you want me to radio in to your people?
Id like to keep this frequency open to the ship. We might as well wait until we get to the hangar and I can call while youre refueling and putting the equipment aboard.
Right, Devin McDowell said, squinting ahead through his dark glasses trying to shut out the slanting rays of the sun.
Cole listened to the faint cracklings of the overhead speaker, turned it up a little and then settled back to think. Would Bocana want him to go aboard, he wondered? If he got the okay, what the hell could he say to Crowder and Glass and the others that would induce them to turn back? There had to be others. At least the other couple that had arrived with them in the black limousine had to be part of the group. Were the captain and crew in on it too? Or were they completely unaware of the deadly cargo they carried? If they were not aware, were they being forced to comply with Mikes orders or were they accepting his authority as an executive of McWhorter Brown? The captain was in complete tactical command at sea but would he sail to Cuba or China if Mike so ordered?
Both Mike Crowder and Cecil Glass had been jarred loose from their teeth when he had mentioned the nuclear rifle. And in their present state of shock the sooner he got back to them the better. His chance of success, of at least retrieving the weapon and ammunition, would diminish with the passage of each hour, he thought. During all his pondering upon the action he was about to take, he hadnt considered his own personal peril, or, if he were unsuccessful, how he might be returned from the ship after he once got aboard.
Kevin McDowell tapped him on the arm, pointing ahead to the coastline. The fog was mostly dissipated over the distant land but there was still a thin broken layer below them that extended only to the waters edge. The Golden Gate Bridge was visible in the distance to the left and the shadowed green Coast Range covered the horizon as far north and south as could be seen. Kevin McDowell established a heading that would take them directly over the center of the city.
Holy Mother of Jesus Kevin McDowell choked out in an awed voice as he crossed himself and turned to Cole Rain.
Cole was staring straight ahead in horrified bewilderment. The sun that had been so brilliant before had taken on the look of a full moon and the surrounding sky seemed dark from a scintillating brightness of light eminating from someplace behind them. Kevin McDowell, reacting to the terror in front of him, turned the chopper sharply back on its course. To the west a hundred fiery suns were boiling up from the shattered sea and as their position in the sky became completely reversed, that first incredibly intense light flashed again. They both snapped their eyes closed and threw their arms up to cover them but the burning searing brightness was everywhere.
Go back! Cole screamed. For Gods sake, turn her back!
But this time Kevin McDowell reacted instinctively and the whirling ship was already in a violent turn. The terrifying yellow, red and purple inferno was finally in back of them again but the scene to the east was just as grotesquely repellent in the macabre light. The white wispy fog, the orange bridge, the blue sea, the white and red-roofed city, and the dark green hills, were all something different. The colors had been twisted tortuously until their earthly shapes were diabolical and the churning light moving into them created obscene forms. The once familiar landscape ceased to exist as it was bombarded by radiations from the west.
What the hells happening? Kevin McDowell shouted.
Cole shook his head in disbelief. They exploded, he shouted back. We ought to get the hell out of here.
Before he finished his shout the first hot blast hit them and they were driven deep into their seats as the chopper pushed forward and up. The booming, moaning sound engulfing them was almost unbearable and they watched the altimeter in dismay as it spun past two thousand, three thousand and through five thousand feet. Cole straining forward checked vibrating rotors that looked like the whirling skeletal ribs of a giant umbrella turned inside out, the fabric blown away in a super typhoon. While he watched, the end of a blade broke off, twisting down in front of them. The shaking became even more intense and the hurtling speed increased as the chopper suddenly reached the top of its upward surge and began to plunge toward the sea.
Concentrating directly ahead Kevin McDowell said calmly, Ill try to make the beach. We can set her down there.
Not the beach, Cole screamed in his ear. Go beyond to the highest ground try to make the park get her down on the highest point you can find.
Kevin McDowell frowned before a stricken look of horrible understanding seeped over his face. The mass of water was already on its way. Unsuspecting people on the beach or close to it would be swallowed up by the sea. He continued working to halt the choppers downward plunge and to guide it to some uninhabited high ground. Within seconds they passed the waters edge and crossed a sandy beach. Only a few people were visible and most of them were hurrying inland. Seeing a little boy running toward the beach Cole screamed futilely for him to go back, and at that moment the chopper was jarred by an impact with something reaching above the trees. Whatever it was hit on the pilots side breaking the choppers wild plunge and then they were crashing and ripping into the stunted windblown trees below. Cole was hurtled forward, his head smacking cruelly against the crash pad. Kevin McDowell was already dead, impaled on a piece of splintered wood that had thrust through the side of the chopper when it failed to clear an extended arm of the old windmill down by the beach.
Chapter XVIII
The seat belt, still buckled, was loose in the lap where a hand was lying at an awkward angle. Closing his eyes tightly for a moment, then opening them quickly again, Cole stared at the hand. Something hurt and when he tried to touch the hurt, the hand rose from the lap and he felt stickiness and something that was full of pain. He brought the hand in front of his eyes and recognizing it, saw that the tips of the fingers were covered with brownish blood. Deciding it all belonged, he dropped the hand and tried his feet and they worked. Bending and raising his knees he looked for the other arm and as he moved forward it was released and fell down by his side. He swung it from the shoulder and plopped it in the lap too and then picking it up with the good hand, felt of it. It wasnt broken, just asleep. Having examined himself and feeling reasonably sure that again, it was only his head that was damaged, he raised his eyes to look around.
Outside there was a man and boy draped from head to foot in what appeared to be old blankets. They were standing in a clearing of the stunted trees about thirty feet away and just to the right of the unbroken plastic canopy. They peered in silent, unmoving intentness. He peered back but when they made no advance he turned his head left and refocused his eyes on the pilot and looked for a long moment before deciding not to touch Kevin McDowell. Massaging the left arm had given it life again and he pulled the release on the safety belt that was too loose. The door was still tightly closed and when he pressed the latch it sprung open normally. The man and the boy watched as he crawled from the intact bubble. The chopper was resting on broken branches that had been ripped away by the lost under-carriage. Below the torn branches and springy needles was solid ground. He stood up straight, swaying slightly, and raised his eyes to a yellow sky. The man and the boy in their tent-like apparel were now walking cautiously toward him and getting close the boy looked inside the crashed helicopter at the dead pilot.
Is your friend hurt bad? he asked in a scared voice.
Hes dead, Cole said glancing back.
We called the police, the man broke in. Right after it happened but they didnt come. The boy and I walked to where we saw you come down and then went back and called them again. We told them it was a police helicopter and then they said theyd be here right away.
Cole heard a siren that sounded close and was aware of several sirens in the distance. How long has it been? he asked.
A little over an hour, the man said. The boy and I were still asleep. My son and daughter-in-law left early for the valley. We saw you crash when we ran out of the house.
I thought thered be a tidal wave, Cole said absently.
There was. The man pointed where the water had come, to within fifty feet of the wrecked helicopter. We live only a block from the park but its higher yet.
What happened on the beach?
I dont know. Everyone has been told they should stay inside so we havent gone down there but we heard on the radio that lots of people were drowned.
The boy was holding a portable radio close to his ear. He turned it off as the sound of a siren growled closer and suddenly stopped. A red light flashed through the trees and Cole started in that direction. The man and the boy followed and as they brushed through the low trees they could see a policeman working his way in. Cole assumed he was a policeman, although he was covered in a long gray cape with a hood.
Is the department chopper down in there, that we had a report on? he called.
Yes, Cole said. These people here reported it.
The policeman nodded to the man and boy as he got to them and then turned to Cole. You dont look so good. Can you make it to the car?
Im all right, Cole said, but the pilots dead.
Arent you the pilot?
No, I was a passenger, Cole said. He stepped on a loose rock and almost fell. The policeman grabbed and wrapped Coles arm around his neck and they continued toward the flashing light. When they got down to the road the squad car radio was squawking and a second policeman was reporting in.
The pilots still in the chopper, Cole said to the second policeman calling in. Can you ask them to send an ambulance right away?
Whos he? the second policeman wanted to know.
He was a passenger. Tell them were bringing him in to the clinic, but the pilots dead, the first policeman said.
The second policeman continued to report while the first one helped Cole into the back of the squad car and then went around and got into the drivers seat. The engine was still turning over and Cole, looking out at the man and boy raised his hand. Thanks very much.
They started to move and then they stopped and the second policeman kept talking to the precinct. When he had finished and had asked for an ambulance the driver stuck his head out the window and said to the man and boy, Youd better wait here even though you ought to go home. He pointed towards the downed chopper. Theyre coming for him. Appreciate your staying on the road so they can see you....and thanks.
Well wait, the man said. No thanks necessary.
The second policeman pulled the cape over his head and got out.
Youd better go back to your home, he said to them. Ill take over here. Hes one of our men and we thank you very much.
The man and the boy looked at the driver, who didnt say anything, and then they started walking along the road away from the squad car.
The driver turned to Cole in the back seat. Are you O,K.?
Cole, wrapped in the cape they had given him, merely nodded and the car started moving again along the Crossover drive. They left the park at Park Presidio bypass and went on to Geary Boulevard turning right for downtown. A car crossed in front of them at the intersection of Arguello. It was the first one Cole had seen and after fifteen empty blocks he hadnt seen any people either. A dog crossed the road with an aimless gait and the driver slowed and swerved to miss him. The reflection of the dirty sky imparted an amber cast to the deserted streets and other than the distant sirens, a total hush engulfed the motionless trees and the blank buildings.
Where is everyone? Cole asked hitching forward.
Watching television or listening to their radios. Civil Defense has asked everybody to stay under-cover and off the streets.
Were many people killed?
Not in the city. Just along the outer shore. I understand the bay raised several feet and caused damage but I didnt get a report on people killed or hurt.
Ive got to make some phone calls, Cole said.
You can make them when we get to the Emergency Clinic - although theyve asked people to limit their calls.
Is that the clinic connected with the city jail?
Thats the one. Do you know it?
I know it. Why are you taking me there?
The hospitals are jammed and you need medical care.
What I need is sleep. Otherwise, Im O.K.
Theyre asking everybody with any exposure to take a shower with some kind of medicated soap and then use a special ointment.
All I want to do is make some phone calls and get some sleep, Cole reiterated, but settled back and didnt say anything more. Five minutes later, without the usual traffic to fight, the driver pulled in beside the city jail next to the small emergency clinic. Cole tried to get out of the back but found there were no latches on the inside of the doors. Two caped and hooded policemen came from the side door of the stone building carrying a stretcher and one of them opened the back door. Cole got out as they were arranging the stretcher and followed.
The driver asked, Did the ambulance pick up the dead pilot yet?
We havent got a report on that, one of the stretcher bearers said.
When Cole entered the building he was surprised to see people lining the corridors, mostly old men, many of them sitting on the floor with their backs against the wall. There was barely enough space to walk between. He stopped and the driver of the squad car squeezed past saying, Come on down this way. They turned left and went up a short flight of steps and then into a brightly lighted interior room. A young bearded man looked up from behind a desk and pulled his glasses down on his nose, pinching the bridge of his nose where the glasses had rested.
This man has probably had more exposure than anyone else, the squad car driver said. he was in a police chopper over the ocean and saw the whole thing. Then to Cole, This is Doc Carsey. Im sorry, I didnt get your name.
The young bearded man behind the desk didnt bother to rise, merely motioned them to go through the door at the back of the room and as they went by started giving instructions:
You can use my room and private shower. Take your clothes off and put them in the basket by the door. Theres some special soap there - show him, Carmody. Suds down a couple of times and rinse off, wash your hair good, too. Afterwards, get ointment all over him, Carmody. Theres a clean gown in the coset. Put it on and you can use my bed.
Thanks, Cole called from the other room. He felt weak and hungry but mostly he wanted sleep. Then he remembered. I need to make a couple of phone calls.
Theres a phone by the bed, use it but dont take too long.
Cole saw the phone by the bed and started to sit down.
Take your clothes off first, Carmody said hastily.
Cole stopped, and swaying slightly, started to remove the truck drivers clothes that he had put on so long ago. When he was naked he tossed the clothes into the basket by the door and sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. Picking up the receiver he dialed Pilars number. It rang eight or nine times and then he shut it off for five seconds before releasing the button and dialing the office. There was no answer there either and before he could try Aunt Hester the young bearded doctor came in. He didnt say anything, just walked over and started looking at the bruise on Coles head. Pushing the hair back he examined more closely and then poked around the edges. He took a small pencil-like instrument from a breast pocket and shoving Coles head slightly, held open the upper lid of the right eye with his thumb. Probing it with light he peered through the end of the instrument and then the same with the left eye.
You have a concussion, he said tersely. I dont know if theres a fracture. Well x-ray later. The skin is broken around the bruise. Wash it carefully but good. Ill put a dressing on it after youve had your shower. He pushed the pencil-like instrument back in the breast pocket of his dirty white jacket, re-examined the bruise and left the room.
Cole reached for the phone again and dialed Aunt Hesters number. This time there was only one and a half rings and he heard Aunt Hesters, Hello.
Hello - How are you? This is Coleridge. He didnt know why he always referred to himself as Coleridge when he talked to Aunt Hester.
Coleridge, where are you? Everybodys been calling and leaving messages. Are you at that dreadful apartment now or are you at your office?
Im downtown but not at the office. Are you all right? I just now had a chance to call.
Yes, Im fine. I saw the whole thing. Of course, I knew what it was and took the precaution of watching through the stained glass window, she went on excitedly and then asked, Where were you when they dropped the bomb?
Nobody dropped a bomb - where did you get that idea?
Its all on television. No ones been accused yet but someone had to do it and those poor people along the coast. Ive called the Red Cross and Salvation Army and offered this place for refugees. Im sure we can handle fifteen or twenty - but I wont let them disturb your rooms. When will you be home?
Not for a while. You might as well use the whole house, and dont believe everything you see and hear on television.
Do you know anything about this, Coleridge?
I know something. Well talk about it later.
I thought as much.
Who called and left a message?
The first one was some crank...a Mr. Swensen. He said the police were at his place about some kind of tractor but that they were really looking for you. He said you almost caused two policemen to have a terrible smashup when you were driving this thing and then you parked it in the middle of the Embarcadero and just left it. He said you got away in a stolen police helicopter. I never heard of anything so ridiculous in my life and I told him so.
You did right. Who else called?
Mr. Shu-li and Mr. Carver. Theyve gone down to the beach to help the poor people there and said to tell you where they were.
Did you get any other phone calls?
Oh yes, Pilar called from the airport - said she was leaving in ten minutes for Washington and to be sure and let you know.
What is she going up there for? Did she say?
She wasnt going up to Washington, she was going back to Washington, D.C. and that you should call a Mr. ....wait a minute, I wrote it down....Bocana. She said youd know...
Oh for Christs sake!
Coleridge, theres no need for that sort of language. Ill have to ring off dear, theres someone at the door. Ive got a hundred things to do - come home as soon as you can. He thought, if it werent for the tragedy, she would be positively happy with all the things she had to do.
When he set the receiver down he heard the shower running. Standing up he steadied himself for a minute and then shuffled slowly into the bathroom. Carmody was there and stood by while he soaped down twice including his hair, and he was very careful with his cut and bruised head. Over his objections, Carmody helped him towel down and then stopped him when he was all ready to fall flat on the bed and sleep for a week. Carmody insisted he put on the white stiff gown that tied up the back. With the knots fixed he dropped forward and embraced the bed and the last thing he remembered was a slight stinging in both thighs and Doc Carseys voice coming through from a long way off.
Im giving you a massive dose of vitamins and minerals. After the second sting, This injection is to combat the effects of radiation. Its worked well on experimental animals but this is the first real test on humans and - Hearing Coles deep steady breathing, Doctor Carsey stopped talking.
Chapter XIX
Less than seven hours later Cole struggled from his coma of sleep to escape the brilliant inferno rising from out of the sea that threatened to swallow him. A harsh white light beat down on his upturned fact. Groaning and covering his eyes he left the terrifying dream and finally pushed to a seat on the side of the bed. Squinting around through the glare he saw a short fat guy standing in the center of the room.
Sorry if I startled you, the short fat guy said. Doc thought it would be all right if I brought you some food. Doc said after fatigue like yours you probably shouldnt sleep too long at one stretch anyway.
Cole felt of the bandage on his head and of the cool damp skin around it. What time is it? he croaked.
The short fat man placed a couple of sacks on the table and curving his left arm, pulled back the sleeve of an expensive sport jacket exposing a watch. Its not quite eight, he said. I brought some cheeseburgers and beer figuring youd like them better than the chow you get in this Joint.
What I need most is a drink of water and a john. Cole got off the bed and went to the bathroom, fairly steady this time. He filled a paper cup from the dispenser and drank and then did it all over. Relieving himself with the door still open he washed and dried his hands and then walked back to the bed and sat on the edge again. How about turning that light on in the corner, he said to the short fat man and when it was on he reached over and switched off the overhead light. Who are you? You didnt come by just to feed me, did you?
My name is Tuperman. Im with the Enquirer. He opened one of the sacks and placed four sandwiches wrapped in transparent plastic on the table. Do you like cheeseburgers and beer? I brought a six pack.
Great. I havent had a cheeseburger and a cold beer since before the cataclysm.
Thats it. Thats what I wanted to talk to you about, Tuperman said.
About it? Cole asked. Were you out of town?
I was sound asleep. I woke up just about like you did a few minutes ago. When I dressed and got to the paper, it was something like wild. No one knew exactly what had happened or what might follow. But after the first hour everybody started to guess, especially the hams on television. You got to give them credit though. Some of them really expected to be turned into cinders at any minute but they wouldnt give up their place in front of the camera for hell or high water and we were having both.
How was the town? Cole asked, How did people take it?
After the tangle on the bridges, which was a nightmare, everybody wanted to go back from where he came. Oh sure, the first shock caused a lot of people to run around crazy-eyed screaming What is it? But then they settled down in front of their television sets and took it pretty calm. Except along the coast the city itself is in fairly good shape. The water in the bay was raised quite a bit but it wasnt hit like the beaches with a solid wall of water.
What was the damage along the coast?
Millions and millions of property damage but the latest, less hysterical figure, is probably somewhere between fifteen hundred and two thousand killed or drowned.
God, I was hoping it wouldnt be that bad.
I looked at it from the air, Tuperman continued, and my first estimate was at least ten thousand dead. You couldnt believe the things that happened to people and the way they worked to help each other. Are you ready for another cheeseburger and beer?
Might as well - no use wasting them.
Have you seen the paper? Tuperman asked and pulled some folded newsprint from his side pocket. Eight sheets. We got this out A C.
What do you mean A C?
After the Cataclysm. You named it.
You pick up words fast, Cole said as he glanced through the paper. The front page was a photograph of the cataclysm. There were no headlines just the papers normal format and then the picture.
Tuperman anticipated the question. A birdwatcher up on Twin Peaks with his expensive camera and telephoto lens. It was all of thirty minutes before we had it in the lab.
Cole leafed through the rest of the paper shuddering at the scenes of devastation. He quickly scanned some of the first-hand accounts that wouldnt be believed if you hadnt been there. On page five there was a photograph of a building that fronted on Market Street near Powell. He remembered having seen a banner over the door, printed in big letters, BAN THE BOMB. In the picture a smaller sign had been placed on the window:
Norm & Norma, Numerologists
Have relocated. Planned return 2/2/2222
On the last page he saw his picture and an account of the arrest of Jollo and three accomplices for illegal possession of ten million dollars worth of heroin.
Is this the item you wanted me to see? he asked, pointing to his outdated photograph.
Yes, thats one of them. I was responsible for getting that in the paper, Tuperman said.
Im a little surprised you managed with only eight sheets and all the other news you had to print.
Believe it or not, we needed a fill in. Eight pages is a lot of news when youre hurrying to get on the street. There are no ads or sports included. He looked at Cole speculatively. But Im interested in your reaction to the wild stories with their explanations of the cataclysm.
I only read completely through the one about China testing its first nuclear warhead missile that went astray and damned near wiped out San Francisco, Cole said. I thought the reporters demand that the President order one of our missiles dropped near Shanghai was pretty equitable thinking.
Yeah, well, theres another story speculating that the Russians actually pinpointed a missile as a warning of what we could expect if and when trouble starts. This writer demands that the President immediately have all nuclear systems, offensive and defensive, dismantled and put to peaceful use as a show of good faith.
I dont think theres any question, that if the President did as suggested, it would show good faith, Cole said.
But the one I like best, Tuperman said, is the one about a munition ship having just left the harbor and once outside, ran into some sort of trouble and blew up. He paused, studying Cole. And I think you know something about it.
Cole couldnt think of any real reason why he shouldnt tell Tuperman what he knew; but then again, he couldnt think of any real reason why he should. Ever since the short fat man had switched on the overhead light jarring him awake and offering to feed him, something in his manner had grated on Cole. A couple of times hed felt like belting him for no apparent reason at all, but now looking at him Cole could understand how people might hesitate to hit the short fat fellow.
Give me the story and your picture will be on the front page of every paper in the country, Tuperman interrupted Coles thoughts. Itll be the biggest story since the fire and quake.
The earthquake and fire, Cole corrected. And immediately decided he should not tell Tuperman what he knew. Trying to think now how he would eventually tell the story, it came to him that the truth wasnt nearly as plausible as some of the bullshit in the paper. Tuperman wouldnt believe him anyway. Hell, it was hard for him to believe and hed gone through it. What makes you think I know anything about the cataclysm? he asked.
A lot of little things. The guy that brought the story in about Jollos arrest and the heroin find said the stuff was smuggled off a ship. Then he suddenly asked, It was the ship that blew up, wasnt it? And he tried to level a wavering gaze on Cole.
Look, Tuperman, Cole said becoming weary of the sparring, Your name is Rafe, isnt it? Ive seen your column.
Thats right - Life with Rafe.
O.K., Rafe. Im not interested at the moment in talking about what I know. Ive been mostly either unconscious or asleep since it happened and I want to think about it and get things straight in my mind. When I do that and if anybody is still interested, youll be among the first to know, and he stressed the among.
Look, Rain, you dont understand. I picked up your story and traced you here. I want an exclusive and its worth something to me and my paper. If youve got the story I think youve got, it could be worth several thousands of dollars to you.
Money isnt everything, Cole said shortly. Sleep and privacy is worth something. What do I owe you for the sandwiches and beer?
The public has a right to know the truth and, like you, I dont believe a one of these stories. But I need a first-hand account to give credence to my theory.
Youve got a hell of a head start, Cole said.
You mean by finding you?
No, I mean by not believing anything you read in the newspapers.
You reject the publics right to know the truth? Tuperman asked sanctimoniously.
Telling you what I know and getting the truth to the public isnt the same thing. Hell, you just said youd use my account to bolster your own theory. And since when does the public have a right to know anything? The only rights I ever heard of are the freedom of speech ones, where you can say or write any damn thing you please. The publics protection from lies, innuendo, twisted opinion and slanted news is nil. So lets talk about your right of free speech and then tell me what the hell your duty is to tell the truth to the public.
Man, you really get wound up, dont you? I thought I was doing you a favor. I could put you on the front page and throw some money your way. I made a mistake, Rain, in finding you. Do you know why?
Yeah, you spent your newspapers money on sandwiches and beer and youre ashamed to ask for it back.
No, Rain, thats not it. Ive got to admit youre pretty funny - but youre also a phony. You dont know anything. Thats why you cant tell me anything. You dont know anything, he repeated. If you did youd be the first one to grab the money and the headlines. I run into loudmouth guys like you every day, and he reached a pudgy hand for the door. Youre a phony, he said as he wedged through and closed the door quickly.
Cole looked around the empty room, the sack lying on its side with one sandwich left, the half empty six pack, the closed door; and then his gaze fell on the black telephone and he burst out laughing. He reached for the receiver and dialed Bocanas office. Bocana wasnt there but the operator asked, Is this Mr. Rain?
Yes it is.
Mr. Bocana left a message that if you called you could find him at home.
Thanks, Cole said and dialed the Bocana residence.
Mr. Bocana, please, when a woman answered.
Im sorry. Mr. Bocana retired early. Could I take a message? Cole hesitated and then the voice came back, Is this Mr. Rain by any chance?
Yes, it is, he said.
Just a moment. He left instructions that if you called I should waken him.
In less than a minute Cole heard Bocanas hoarse voice.
Hello, Cole, its great to hear from you. How are you?
Im fine, Thad, but were probably having problems all over northern California and youre sound asleep.
Yeah, well, my problem-handling equipment is worn out. I decided you citizens could take care of things for a while. And, by the way, you and Pilar Jones have been doing a pretty good job of it.
That was my next question. Where is Pilar Jones? And why was she arrested?
Didnt you get my message? I left it there with the doctor at the clinic.
He probably forgot. I think his message-passing-on equipment is worn out, too. But what about Pilar?
We explained the situation to her sometime yesterday, or whenever it was, and asked her to go to Washington; she very graciously assented.
Yes, but what was the reason for it?
There was a long pause. Well, Cole, you gave us the lead to the Jones girl. You told us she had been working with Glass preparing for the demonstration of the nuclear gun. We wanted her testimony. All information and evidence was being funneled to Washington. She was just one of the witnesses we asked to testify - and the only one from this part of the country. We at first thought it was an international plot but have since come to the conclusion that it was a local action and that all or most of the people involved were on the SS Crescent Moon. This conclusion was arrived at mainly from the information Pilar Jones gave us and from the things that happened subsequently. Bocana caught his breath and then went on. Ill admit we reacted pretty fast - she probably was on her way to Washington by the time you got aboard the police helicopter.
Where is she now? When will she be back?
Thats in the message, too. Her flights due tomorrow morning at eight-fifty. Were picking her up at the airport and bringing her to my office. Wed like you to be there at nine-thirty. The doctor says hes satisfied with your condition and hes sure you can make it.
What the hell is this, Thad? Why should I come to your office? And why are you taking Pilar there?
Youre really a hard man to do business with, Cole. It was supposed to be more or less of a surprise. The FBI, the Federal Narcotics Bureau and the local police are very appreciative of the help you gave them and the President of the United States wants to present a preliminary citation to both of you for all you did on the matter.
What the hell are you talking about? The President of the United States? Have you been smoking lettuce?
Something happened, Cole, that youre not aware of...something that nobody could know or could have foreseen. You both just happened to be in the right place at the right time and your courage and honesty have made you heroes.... maybe accidental heroes but damn deserving ones nevertheless. Then he concluded, If youll look at the record, Cole, youll find that all heroes are more or less accidents of their time.
Im sorry I kidded you about going to bed, Thad, you really need the rest. Does your head feel all right?
My heads fine and itll all be clear to you tomorrow. Go back to bed and get a good nights sleep so you can be at my office by nine-thirty in the morning.
Cole looked at the empty basket where the borrowed truck drivers clothes had been. Wait a minute - I dont have a thing to wear. Am I supposed to travel through this polluted air with no protection?
I understand the polluted air and contamination has been mostly washed away by the storm that started at six oclock.
Is it raining out?
I forgot youre in that pile of stone and iron. Weve had a real Pacific storm blowing in for the last four and a half hours. The weather man says its the three-day variety.
Well be washed clean, Cole mused. But what about the poor damn fish? What will we eat for the next six months?
Will I see you in the morning? Bocana asked.
Yeah, Ill be there, even though you cant imagine how depleted my wardrobe is. Ill manage somehow.
Good, Bocana said and hung up.
Cole sat on the edge of the bed thinking and feeling the bandage on his head. Trying to concentrate on his physical condition he couldnt come to any conclusion other than that he felt all right. The conversation with Bocana didnt make any sense. He could understand somewhat about the several agencies wanting to thank him for his help on the dope arrests, but from then on the only thing heroic about his actions were that they had ended in a cataclysm of destruction and death. Hed be lucky if some insurance company didnt file a suit against him for the loss of the SS Crescent Moon, alleging that he was the catalyst that had caused the fumble that had in turn caused the eruption and disintegration of their insured property and on, and on, and on. This led him to examine the reasons why it had all happened and he decided that most of the time he had been working to bring the smugglers to justice and it hadnt been any vacation. Myron Brown owed him for the two week boat trip plus the subsequent time he had spent solving the problem. Myron didnt have to worry about his ships reputation any more; its place in history was assured. After Cole settled all this and decided to go back to sleep, the door opened and the bearded Doc Carsey came in.
I see youre awake. My assistant said you had a visitor.
Yes, I did. He told me the food was lousy in this place and that he had come to feed me.
The food isnt that bad. We didnt wake you for the evening meal because we thought you needed the rest more.
That I did - and still do - I think.
I can have a tray prepared for you. What would you like?
Im not hungry, Doc. Everythings fine. But youre right about my needing more sleep.
Before you turn in, could we get a few pictures of your head?
My heads fine. Do you think its necessary?
I think we should. I dont believe theres a fracture and I doubt the concussion was so severe that natural rest wont dissipate it. But Id feel better having the x-rays.
O.K., lets do them. I wouldnt want you to worry.
Cole lay on the cold slab under the x-ray camera, turned on both sides, flat on his back and then stretched out on his stomach to have pictures shot of his head. When it was all finished he wended his way back through the bare corridors, not clogged with old men now. He wore only the white gown tied up the back with coarse tough strings. Doc Carsey was sitting at his desk and glanced up as Cole went by.
Heres a message for you, handing Cole the note. Its from a Mr. Bocana.
Did he just call?
No, Im sorry. This came in about six oclock. I forgot to give it to you.
No problem. Ive already talked with him.
He asked if youd be well enough to go to his office tomorrow morning at nine-thirty. I told him I wanted to look at the pictures first but from what I could observe youd be O.K.
Did you happen to see my clothes around here anyplace?
I had them destroyed, Doc said. I didnt know how badly they were contaminated and didnt want to take a chance on your wearing them again. Ive got your wallet and keys and some other valuables here. Sorry about the clothes.
Thats all right. They werent mine anyway, Cole said, deciding hed find the owner and pay for them.
Oh? I was sure they were the ones you wore in here.
I was wearing them. What I mean is....well, anyway it doesnt really matter. Maybe in the morning I can borrow something to wear and then take a taxi home to get mine.
My things wouldnt fit you but my assistants got some fresh whites around someplace that should do.
Cole covered a yawn. Thanks. Ill worry about it in the morning. He went on into the little room and opened the piece of paper to read Bocanas message. It conveyed nothing he didnt already know, even though he had the feeling he knew very little. He thought about what Bocana had said: Something happened that youre not aware of....something that nobody could know or could have foreseen. To hell with it. Placing the message on the night stand he switched off the light and went to sleep without any more thinking.
Chapter XX
Without an alarm clock, Cole awoke late the next morning. He forced himself to stand up beside the bed. A gray light was coming from the open door of the bathroom. Going to it he looked out a narrow window at the rain falling straight down into the drab courtyard. The windows opposite were barred and dirty but there was a little light coming from somewhere inside. The rain had to look of permanence, as though it had been falling for days and would continue for days more. It was now ten minutes after nine but Cole had the complacent feeling that it was much earlier. Opening the medicine cabinet above the lavatory he found an enpty razor and package of blades. A bright-colored tube was there and he covered one side of his dark beard with the foamy substance it comtained, which turned out to be toothpaste. Before washing it off in disgust, since there was nothing else to use, he decided to insert a blade and try it. It worked as well or better than some shaving creams he had used. Toothpasting up the other side, he shaved it. The toothbrush was plastic covered and biting it open he looked for the Made in Japan label but it turned out to be Made in Taiwan. As he leaned over the bowl brushing his teeth he heard a noise, and turned to see Carmody standing in the narrow doorway holding a pair of white shoes and some clothing draped over his arm.
You ought to be able to get into these things, Carmody said. Im supposed to drive you wherever you want to go whenever youre ready.
Thanks. What time is it?
Looking at his wrist watch Carmody reported, Ive got nine-twenty. Doc said your pictures turned out O.K.
Dammit! Im supposed to be across town in ten minutes. Well, Im going to be late. He finished brushing his teeth and gargled a strong antiseptic and wondered if hed picked up a chemical intended for the toilet instead of a mouthwash. Hurrying into the bedroom he pulled on loose white shorts, a white snug-fitting tee shirt, white sox, white pants, white shoes, and last, a stiffly starched white jacket. His wallet, keys and watch were lying on the night stand. He grabbed them as he went through the door, shoving things in his pockets and strapping on the watch.
Docs office and the corridor beyond were deserted and as they came to the outside door Carmody lifted a raincoat from a peg. You better put this on. Im parked up the street a way.
Cole struggled into the too-small slicker, watching Carmody sprint for the car. When he saw the door open he took out after him. The rain hadnt let up any and as he got in and slammed the door Carmody began jockeying out of the tight parking space.
Where to? Carmody wanted to know.
Cole gave the address of Swensens Trucking Company. The repossession of his keys had decided him to pick up his own car since it was close and he was late anyway. When they arrived Swensens yard was wet and empty, except for the car that was huddled in the rain where hed left it. He wondered if the rain had washed off the fallout.
Thats my car there, he pointed and opened the door to get out.
Are you supposed to drive?
As long as I carry a valid drivers license, Cole said. Thanks, Carmody. I really appreciate everything youve done. Ill see you later. Then, as an after thought, Maybe youd better wait until I get started.
Unlocking the door he dropped behind the wheel and was relieved when the engine caught on the first turnover. As he drove out of the yard he waved to Carmody but didnt see anyone else. He wondered how to thank Spike properly after he paid for all the trouble he had caused and for the clothes that had been destroyed. The City had the look of a ghost town and he saw very few people before parking at the Federal Building in a spot marked Reserved, H. Storm. He wondered inanely if the Storms were distant relatives of the Rains. There were people inside the building and they stared at him in the elevator. He had removed the too small raincoat and almost decided he should put it back on but then let it drip over his arm. The door to Bocanas office was closed and he opened it only far enough to edge through. The efficient young lady behind the desk, seeing the white apparition, jumped up.
Yes? Were you looking for someone? she asked.
Mr. Bocana.
Im afraid Mr. Bocana cant see anyone just now. Then a closer look, Youre not....?
Yes, Im afraid I am. I was supposed to be here at nine-thirty but I overslept.
Oh, theyre all here. Im sorry I didnt recognize you Mr. Rain, she apologized as though she had been guilty of failing to recognize her favorite TV personality merely because he was in costume. She hurried across the room to open the door to the inner office and usher him through. Bocana was seated at his desk. A stranger sat on one side of it and Pilar on the other. He couldnt remember ever being so glad to see anyone. She rose hesitantly from her chair, looked searchingly at him and as he moved across the room met him half way. They held each other and he kissed her and she kissed him and they both forgot that there was anyone else in the room or the world. When they parted he held tightly to her hand.
I thought you two would be glad to see each other, Bocana said, as though he were some modern day matchmaker. This is John Raditch, motioning at the stranger who was standing uncertainly beside his chair. He accompanied Pilar from Washington.
Hello, Mr. Raditch, thanks for bringing her back. As they shook hands, Cole dropped the raincoat on the floor and as he turned to pick it up the secretary, watching the scene unfold, said, Oh, Ill take that, Mr. Rain, and pulled it from him, cuddling the wet thing as she backed into the outer office and closed the door carefully.
When the four were alone and arranged comfortably but not completely relaxed there was a moment of embarrassed silence as sometimes happens when no one can think of a starting point. Finally Bocana cleared his throat. Ugh..um...well, Cole, I thought you told me you didnt have a thing to wear. That ensemble blends perfectly with your bandages. Doc had also wound a white dressing around the ripped hand.
Maybe you shouldnt have left the hospital, Pilar worried.
Im O.K., Cole insisted. Go ahead, Thad, Im anxious to know what this is all about.
I mentioned to you over the phone, Bocana began rather more stiffly, that the several agencies involved in the arrests and recovery of the heroin from the SS Crescent Moon are most anxious to express their appreciation to you. He paused, maybe for effect. But the real purpose of this meeting goes beyond that, and even though I know something of it, I think it can better be explained to you by Mr. Raditch.
Cole appraised Mr. Raditch for the first time noting the conservative suit, the close-clipped gray hair, the bushy eyebrows, the rather severe mien. All this was softened somewhat by a hint of humor around the intelligent gray eyes.
Most of the things Im asked to do, Mr. Raditch stated in tones too sonorous, are pretty prosaic and Im afraid sometimes, or even most of the time, fairly unimportant. But on this occasion I feel a high honor at having been chosen by my superiors in the State Department to convey to you, Pilar Jones, and to you, Coleridge Rain, the highest commendation from the President of the United States. Mr. Raditch fumbled in his inside coat pocket and brought forth an official looking sealed envelope and tried to get a fingernail under one corner. Bocana handed him a letter opener. Slitting it open carefully, while Cole fidgeted, Mr. Raditch finally extracted two other envelopes and several thin sheets of typed script. He placed the envelopes on a smoke stand beside him and riffled through the typed pages and Cole began to feel even more uncomfortable and also to itch in several spots, especially his scalp. Reaching up to scratch surreptitiously, he touched the bandage on his forehead and thought back to the sympathetic stares in the elevator.
Mr. Raditch cleared his throat: Oh yes, this seems to be a copy of whats in the two envelopes. One for each of you and a set of written instructions for me - including what constitutes my authority to discuss this matter.
Bocanas chair screeched as he turned slightly. Cole and Pilar sat motionless and silent and looked expectantly at Mr. Raditch.
Let me start by reading a copy of the letter the President has prepared for Pilar Jones, and with no further preamble began to read: To Pilar Priscilla Mateos Jones: It is with the sincerest pleasure and much gratification that I take cognizance of the great service you have rendered to your government, to the people of the United States, not excluding the rest of humanity, and to all living things upon our earth. The testimony you have given before the heads of our government and in confrontation with the leaders of a great foreign power was the key that allowed us time to garner subsequent evidence disproving that there was ever any act of direct aggression by the United States of America against that foreign power. The truth of your words alone might not have been enough to hold in check the more impetuous representatives of that foreign government but the strength of your convictions and the trueness of your heart could not be disbelieved.
I extend to you the highest commendation from the people of our country as its elected representative and from myself as a fellow man. Signed, the President of the United States.
Mr. Raditch shifted this copy to the bottom of the sheets he held in his hand and without taking notice of the puzzled expression on Coles face continued: I will read this copy of the Presidents letter contained in Mr. Rains envelope: To Coleridge Teofolus Rain: The several billions of people in the world, and all the living things upon it, are in your lasting debt. The individual actions directed by your unique intelligence and bolstered by a physical courage uncommon to most of us, has given respite to all life, and we can hope, total succor for the foreseeable future. Your dialogue with the defectors fleeing their country with stolen contraband and cowering behind the shield of innocent humans, was monitored and relayed for our desperate need in Washington. Pilar Jones provided the delaying action and your replayed conversation with the conspirators on the ill-fated SS Crescent Moon gave incontrovertible proof that the terrible tragedy following could not have been other than accidental. We may never know its exact cause but the balance was weighted in our favor and the possible destruction of three-fourths of the world was averted.
It is my fervent hope that all men will soon understand the very ludicrous aspect of finality here imposed. The end of civilization rested in the heart and eyes of one woman and the intelligence and courage of one man. May no man or woman ever again be so burdened. It is my further hope that such devices of total destruction will now be removed from the arsenals of nations, assuring that a mere accident cannot threaten the obliteration of life on earth.
First, as the representative of the people of the United States and, secondly, as a fellow human being I extend to you, Coleridge Rain, my sincerest gratitude and highest commendation. Signed, the President of the United States.
Mr. Raditch looked up from his reading with a bright smile. Bocana appeared benign. Pilars direct gaze was leveled at Cole in adoration and Cole was dumbfounded. Rising from his chair Mr. Raditch handed the envelopes containing the Presidents message to the two newest heroes. Im sure Mr. Rain has some questions to ask, he said. And I have been given the authority to answer them. But I must caution you that the information I am about to divulge is highly classified and will not be released by our government for publication. Such public announcement can only be made after the foreign government referred to decides it is in their interests to do so. Actually, since my conversation with you is confidential, there is no need not to state flatly that the government referred to is the Soviet Union.
Mr. Raditch was enjoying his role, but before he could continue Cole broke in: As you say, Mr. Raditch, Im pretty much lost. Am I right in understanding that youre permitted to answer any question to help clarify this mystery?
By all means, Mr. Rain. Thats why Im here. Returning to his chair Mr. Raditch folded the papers he held and inserted them in the original envelope tucking it inside a concealed pocket. First, Mr. Rain, would you indulge me in one question? I think its proper to ask this question prior to our discussion of what actually occurred while all that happened to you on that fateful day is still fresh in your mind and unencumbered with extraneous facts.
I cant think of anything to add to the information you must already have, Cole said. But go ahead.
Lets just say you can satisfy our curiosity. What I would like to know, Mr. Raditch lit a cigarette before asking, Can you recall how many nuclear eruptions there were that morning?
Cole was startled by the question and repeated it slowly, How many eruptions there were? His thoughts turned inward and he seemed to be alone and out of focus. Ive thought about it some, he said at last. But truthfully Ive tried to forget everything that happened that morning. I was unconscious for a while and Ive slept a lot since. But to answer your question: We were in sight of the coast. I could make out the bridge and the city in the distance, and the whole Coast Range was visible north and south. The first we were aware that anything was wrong was the shifting emphasis of light that suddenly was coming from behind us. The pilot shouted something and put the chopper in a sharp bank. When we were turned back toward the ship I knew what had happened but Im sure the pilot still didnt understand, not knowing what I knew. The light had changed from the first flash; it wasnt so intense and color had entered into it. And then again, and it couldnt have been more than a few seconds, there was another incredible white flash and even though I was wearing dark glasses I recall throwing my arms up to protect my eyes but I still couldnt blot out that blinding flare. Cole paused for a moment before going on. If I thought about it I must have assumed that the two boxes of nuclear cartridges exploded at different times. Maybe they had been separated to each end of the ship. But, as I say, Ive tried not to think about it too much.
That corroborates what we know, Mr. Raditch said, pleased with what hed learned. I doubt if the cases were separated but if they were it wouldnt have made that much variation in the time lag of the two explosions. The second brilliant flash was a Russian undersea nuclear ship lurking in the vicinity that was detonated by the first explosion.
I was beginning to guess something like that must have happened, Cole said thoughtfully. And the Russians decided we deliberately bombed their nuclear sub?
Thats correct, Mr. Raditch said. But it was almost two hours before the Russians reacted and precipitated the crisis. There was great activity at their Washington embassy and when the President got word of it, coupled with the news from the west coast, he immediately activated the satellite communications system to the Kremlin. His denial of any knowledge of what had occurred, to understate it, was less than well received. All agencies and departments were alerted to the danger developing and the FBI produced Pilar Jones, who because of the two-hour delay in the Russians reactions, would soon be arriving from the east. Assumedly she had the most knowledge of the weapon and ammunition that had exploded. She testified before the Soviet representatives in Washington and her story went by satellite to the Kremlin where it was interpreted for their heads of government. When the tape that had been monitored between yourself and the defectors was relayed and played for these same Russian representatives and transmitted to Moscow, the truth of the Presidents assertion that he had no knowledge of the event and that it was a tragic multiple accident, was inescapably clear. Mr. Raditch paused only long enough to catch his breath. The President insisted, against contrary advice, that you both had every right to know immediately that your unselfish deeds were of incalculable value not only to your government and fellow citizens but to all humanity. And then directly to Cole he said, I was very interested in your graphic account of what took place at the time of the explosion. Id appreciate knowing what your reactions and thoughts were just prior to and after the crash of your helicopter.
Pilar, never having taken her eyes from Cole, noticed his appearance of calm acceptance become outwardly troubled again.
I thought we would probably die. Kevin McDowell did, but I wasnt too worried about it. He hesitated for a moment before going on. The one thing I think about most, and Im sure its what Ive been trying to forget... He stopped again before continuing, I was looking down when we came in low over the land and I saw a small boy running to the beach to join the excitement. All the vicious stupidity wrapped up in the wall of water that would crush him on the beach was suddenly crystal clear in my mind. He was just a little boy, anyplace in the world, hurrying to get a better look at the fire. At the end his voice was very low and it was a strain to hear the sound of it. The torture of what he told was close to unbearable. It was accepted only because it was done, and now there was so much more to do. After he stopped speaking the others sat silent and tense. Cole slumped in his chair, passed his bandaged hand across his eyes and said in a stronger voice, Actually, Im still sort of tired. I feel as though I could go back to bed and sleep for a week.
Released from their taut positions the three rose at the same time and looked with concern at Cole. Pilar placed her hand on his shoulder. Are you all right? she asked.
Im fine, he said getting to his feet. Its always been a terrible effort for me to think. He encircled Pilar with his arm and held out his hand to Mr. Raditch. I appreciate your bringing Pilar home, Mr. Raditch. And even though I still cant quite comprehend all that youve told us, it seems reasonable, since nothing that has happened the last few days has been too real. Will you convey our appreciation to the President for his thoughtfulness in writing to us?
I will, and Im sure that when the Russians release the news giving the fullest facts of what occurred you will be invited to the White House to accept the Presidents personal thanks. Then he corrected himself. Even if they dont release the facts the invitation will be forthcoming.
Bocana moved from behind the desk and Cole accepted his hand.
You did a great job, Cole.
Thanks, Thad, for your kind words. I know you love people who meddle in your business.
Were in debt to you, Pilar, for your gracious acceptance of our request to go to Washington. It made for a happy coincidence when your testimony be came so vital.
I enjoyed part of it but Im glad to be home.
Youve both been through an ordeal. Ill have someone drive you home.
Ive got my own car, Cole said, parked in a space reserved for some bureaucratic dignitary.
I thought the police department brought you here.
Did the doctor give you permission to drive? Pilar wanted to know.
He didnt tell me I couldnt, not explaining that Doc Carsey had provided him with a driver.
When they moved into the reception area Bocanas secretary was ready with the raincoat and rushed to Coles side. She helped him put it on and he felt less conspicuous even if it was too tight. Outside the building it was still raining and Cole struggled out of the raincoat again and wrapped it around Pilar. They ran the quarter of a block to the car.
Where would you like to go? And where is your luggage? he asked.
We didnt wait for it at the airport. One of my government men, assigned exclusively to me, will deliver it to the apartment later today.
You really are a VIP, Cole said admiringly.
Yes, and from now on Im only going to associate with VIPs. Ive missed all of them so much these last few days. But now Id like you to drive to Twin Peaks and we can look at the city in the rain.
Good idea. Id like that too.
The wet streets were mostly empty and with the windshield wipers swishing they looked for other changes but there were none apparent. When they reached the top Cole stopped and they sat quietly listening to the drops beat on the top and watched them bounce off the hood. Both bridges were mistily outlined against the grayness and the city below was still San Francisco in the rain. Turning toward the beach Cole couldnt see where the land and water met.
Larry and Kang are working along the shore, he said. Ill go down there tomorrow and help.
Shouldnt you rest? she asked.
Im going to until tomorrow.
The rain continued its steady soft beat.
What did the doctor say about your overexposure to radiation?
He said my hair and eyebrows might fall out but if they did theyd grow back in six months. Then he told me that in his considered opinion my hair wouldnt fall out.
But supposing hes wrong. Arent you worried?
Why should I worry? Its his reputation thats at stake.
Youre feeling better, she laughed for the first time.
Do you want to continue living in San Francisco? he asked. Or would you rather commute from Marin, the East Bay, or down the Peninsula?
I like the City.
So do I, but things change.
Yes, they do, she admitted cautiously.
When this is all over, maybe we can have a party in Aunt Hesters ballroom. Its full of cots and people now, but when their homes are rebuilt and the place is empty well invite all those other VIPs for a rally. Aunt Hester can wear her lavender lace dress that she only wears on special occasions. Larry plays with a local musical group that he can invite and Kang can bring his Magic Lantern for a light show. That old room was made for music and light, he said slowly, giving her a chance to interrupt. But when she didnt say anything he continued, After I apologize to Spike for double parking his tractor and pay him for the damages we can invite the Swensens. Maybe Lucretia will help you and Aunt Hester plan the refreshments and Giuseppi can look up a lot of statistics to be ready to settle any arguments. Well invite Doc Winters and his wife, and Bocana and his wife and Doc Carsey - I dont know if hes married or not - and theres a sailor by the name of Cotton thats looking for the kind of boat I want to buy - well ask him.
Is it a sailboat?
Right, with an auxilliary diesel. We can explore the bay and the delta country and then take her outside and sail her along the coast to Baja California.
With that kind of boat you could sail around the world, she said, relaxing in the sound of the quiet rain.
We could, he said. We sure as hell could.
Are you going to write in your diary all the things that have happened to you? she asked.
Not me. From now on well keep a joint log and you can make the entries and Ill go over them to see if theyre accurate.
She seemed a little disappointed but then with a happy smile, Are you trying to tell me something? Or ask me a question? she wanted to know.
Yes, I guess I am, he said in a husky voice. Id like to know what your innermost, deepest stirrings are.
Placing her head on his shoulder she caught a faint whiff of a popular mint-scented toothpaste, and in a low voice audible only to his right ear, Darling, she confided, I feel an urge to merge.
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