diamonds.'
Haddon pushed his plate aside. He was no longer interested in eating. 'Those diamonds, Lu, in the open market are worth at least eight million,' he said. 'A collar, bracelets and earrings. Right?'
Brady nodded. 'That's what she was wearing when she came into the restaurant.'
'I've had my eye on those diamonds ever since I heard that rich old fool Gomez, her father, had bought them as a wedding present. He was taken to the cleaners. I hear he paid ten million. They are matched stones, something unique, but not worth ten.' Haddon eyed Brady. 'So she was there with the diamonds. Go on.'
'The Warrentons are staying at the hotel for another ten days.' Brady paused to eat, then went on, 'Now, look, Ed, I know the original idea was to bust the hotel's safe and we would pick up around five million. It looked good to me, but so far, I haven't been able to locate the safe. I know the opposition is fierce: security guards and house dicks. I'm beginning to wonder if we would be better off going after the Warrentons' diamonds and forget the safe.'
Haddon began to toy with the chowder again. 'Keep talking, Lu,' he said. 'I hear you.'
'When you steered Mike Bannion to me, you picked a smart guy,' Brady said. 'He's not only a dead shot, but he has that thing ex-army men have.' He shook his head. 'I envy him. Take one look at him and you think this is a guy you can trust.' He paused to eat again. 'But he worries me, Ed. I keep wondering why a guy like him should turn crooked. It doesn't make sense to me.'
Haddon made an impatient movement. 'Why bring him up? His brother who is more crooked than you are, and that's saying a lot, guarantees this guy, and that's good enough for me. Why make complications? Are you telling me you're not satisfied with Mike Bannion's performance?'
'No. He's almost too good to be true. I'm not saying that. He just puzzles me, and another thing, I don't like the way he looks. He looks like a sick man.'
Haddon shrugged. 'His brother told me Mike badly needs money. So, okay, if he delivers, why should you care?'
Brady finished the chowder. 'I guess you have a point.'
'How the hell did we get onto this? I'm not interested in Bannion. I'm interested in the diamonds.'
'I've been working on this. I put Mike in the picture and last night he came up with the info I wanted. What I wanted to know was if this Warrenton woman put her diamonds in safe custody every night. That is, if she uses the box the hotel supplies for every client, and this box is locked in the hotel safe. The security guard told Mike she doesn't. She is one of those arrogant bitches who think, because she lives in the hotel, her jewels are safe, and she can't be bothered to hand them over and get a receipt from the guard after a late night out.
'The security guard told Mike that there was quite a scene when this guard warned her she was taking a risk. He pointed out the hotel would take no responsibility if her jewels were stolen. She told him to go to hell. Then Dulac called on her, again pointing out the risk. She told him it was his business to make the penthouse secure. This he has done. You want service at the Spanish Bay Hotel, you get it.'
Brady paused, then went on, 'So a concealed safe has been installed. Both Dulac and the Warrenton woman imagine her diamonds are safe.' Brady grinned. 'Safes? They're jokes to me. I can get those diamonds, Ed, if you are interested.'
Haddon signalled to the maitre d' who hurried to the table.
'Pecan pie,' Haddon said. 'Okay with you?'
The, apple pie,' Brady said and sat back to pick his teeth.
He watched Haddon staring down at the table cloth. He knew Haddon's mind was busy so he kept quiet.
When the pies were served, Haddon said, 'The problem will be to dispose of the diamonds, but I think it can be arranged. The one man who can handle a deal like this is Claude Kendrick. I'll talk to him tomorrow.'
Brady attacked his apple pie. He was pleased that Haddon hadn't even queried his
Haddon pushed his plate aside. He was no longer interested in eating. 'Those diamonds, Lu, in the open market are worth at least eight million,' he said. 'A collar, bracelets and earrings. Right?'
Brady nodded. 'That's what she was wearing when she came into the restaurant.'
'I've had my eye on those diamonds ever since I heard that rich old fool Gomez, her father, had bought them as a wedding present. He was taken to the cleaners. I hear he paid ten million. They are matched stones, something unique, but not worth ten.' Haddon eyed Brady. 'So she was there with the diamonds. Go on.'
'The Warrentons are staying at the hotel for another ten days.' Brady paused to eat, then went on, 'Now, look, Ed, I know the original idea was to bust the hotel's safe and we would pick up around five million. It looked good to me, but so far, I haven't been able to locate the safe. I know the opposition is fierce: security guards and house dicks. I'm beginning to wonder if we would be better off going after the Warrentons' diamonds and forget the safe.'
Haddon began to toy with the chowder again. 'Keep talking, Lu,' he said. 'I hear you.'
'When you steered Mike Bannion to me, you picked a smart guy,' Brady said. 'He's not only a dead shot, but he has that thing ex-army men have.' He shook his head. 'I envy him. Take one look at him and you think this is a guy you can trust.' He paused to eat again. 'But he worries me, Ed. I keep wondering why a guy like him should turn crooked. It doesn't make sense to me.'
Haddon made an impatient movement. 'Why bring him up? His brother who is more crooked than you are, and that's saying a lot, guarantees this guy, and that's good enough for me. Why make complications? Are you telling me you're not satisfied with Mike Bannion's performance?'
'No. He's almost too good to be true. I'm not saying that. He just puzzles me, and another thing, I don't like the way he looks. He looks like a sick man.'
Haddon shrugged. 'His brother told me Mike badly needs money. So, okay, if he delivers, why should you care?'
Brady finished the chowder. 'I guess you have a point.'
'How the hell did we get onto this? I'm not interested in Bannion. I'm interested in the diamonds.'
'I've been working on this. I put Mike in the picture and last night he came up with the info I wanted. What I wanted to know was if this Warrenton woman put her diamonds in safe custody every night. That is, if she uses the box the hotel supplies for every client, and this box is locked in the hotel safe. The security guard told Mike she doesn't. She is one of those arrogant bitches who think, because she lives in the hotel, her jewels are safe, and she can't be bothered to hand them over and get a receipt from the guard after a late night out.
'The security guard told Mike that there was quite a scene when this guard warned her she was taking a risk. He pointed out the hotel would take no responsibility if her jewels were stolen. She told him to go to hell. Then Dulac called on her, again pointing out the risk. She told him it was his business to make the penthouse secure. This he has done. You want service at the Spanish Bay Hotel, you get it.'
Brady paused, then went on, 'So a concealed safe has been installed. Both Dulac and the Warrenton woman imagine her diamonds are safe.' Brady grinned. 'Safes? They're jokes to me. I can get those diamonds, Ed, if you are interested.'
Haddon signalled to the maitre d' who hurried to the table.
'Pecan pie,' Haddon said. 'Okay with you?'
The, apple pie,' Brady said and sat back to pick his teeth.
He watched Haddon staring down at the table cloth. He knew Haddon's mind was busy so he kept quiet.
When the pies were served, Haddon said, 'The problem will be to dispose of the diamonds, but I think it can be arranged. The one man who can handle a deal like this is Claude Kendrick. I'll talk to him tomorrow.'
Brady attacked his apple pie. He was pleased that Haddon hadn't even queried his
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