1978 - Consider Yourself Dead (12 page)

Don’t rush this, he told himself. I have until Saturday morning. At least, I reckon I have two of the problems fixed.

He switched his mind from Gina, and tried to relax, but then his mind switched to Marvin, doped, and at Silk’s mercy. You don’t have to worry about Marvin. I’ll take care of him.

In his mind, Frost saw again Marvin’s proud face as he had talked happily about his son. Marvin will never be found. Silk would murder him and hide his body. Silk was a professional. When he said the body would never be found, he meant just that.

Frost flinched and sweat beaded his forehead.

Drawing in a deep breath, he forced himself to relax.

Five million dollars! No more farting around, trying to scrape up a living! Five million, and the world was his!

Too bad about Marvin.

This was a once in a lifetime chance.

Five

T
he sound of the telephone bell brought Frost out of a heavy sleep. As he jerked upright, he looked at the wall clock. The time was 13.15. He grabbed up the telephone receiver.

‘Mike?’ Marvin’s voice. ‘Hustle into your uniform and come to the guardroom.’ There was a note of urgency in his voice. ‘Grandi’s arrived, and it’s action stations.’ He hung up.

Grandi? Here? The fink was supposed to be arriving tomorrow!

Frost, cursing, rolled out of bed and went into the bathroom. In under fifteen minutes, he was shaved, showered and dressed, and he walked fast from his cabin to the guardroom.

He found Marvin waiting for him outside the guardroom door. Marvin gave him a crooked grin.

‘Sorry about this, Mike,’ he said. ‘He crept up on us. Right now he is talking to Old Creepy. You stay here. I’m doing the patrol. Look busy.’ He eyed Frost over.

‘Watch it. He’ll want to see you,’ and he started off along the path leading to the lagoon.

Frost entered the guardroom and sat down. Through the open door, he saw the three Chinese gardeners were working with frantic haste. Usually, they plucked a weed, sneered at it, ruminated, then plucked another weed. Now, they were really sweating it out. Frost sensed an electrifying change in the atmosphere. Grandi had arrived!

As he sat before the TV monitors, he occasionally caught a glimpse of Marvin, patrolling the estate. Marvin looked tense.

There came a tap on the door and Suka came in with coffee and two beef sandwiches.

‘The boss is here,’ he said, as he set down the tray.

Frost thought even the unflappable Suka looked tense.

‘You eat fast.’

But it wasn’t until four hours later that Frost received his summons, and by then, he found he was also tense.

Suka came into the guardroom.

‘The boss wants you,’ he said. ‘Come with me, please.’

He led Frost to a room that led off the stairway to the upper floor. He stood aside and waved Frost forward.

The room was big with lounging chairs, a six-seater settee, a vast desk, a cocktail cabinet and occasional tables.

At the desk sat a squat, broad-shouldered man in his late fifties. He was wearing a T-shirt and bottle green slacks. His hairy, brown, muscular arms rested on the desk.

Marvin had described Grandi as a gold-plated thug.

Looking at him as he approached the desk, Frost decided Marvin’s description hit the nail squarely on the head.

The fat, swarthy evil-looking face with its small restless eyes, the short blunt nose, the thin lips, the high forehead, the shock of iron-grey hair made a picture of ruthlessness, power and cruelty.

‘Sit down!’ Grandi snapped, and waved to a chair by his desk.

Frost sat down, sitting upright, his hands on his knees.

There was a pause while the two men regarded each other, then Grandi said, ‘I have studied your dossier. You have worked for the F.B.I. While working with them, did you have a kidnap problem?’

‘Yes, sir,’ Frost said. ‘I worked with others on the Lucas kidnapping.’

Grandi’s eyes narrowed as he thought.

‘Lucas? A girl? Yes . . . Lucas paid a million to get her back. The snatchers were caught. . . right?’

‘Correct, sir. Three of them were caught. The fourth got shot. I shot him.’

Grandi paused to study Frost. His restless eyes probed.

‘Marvin has had no experience of kidnapping,’ he said. ‘What do you think of Marvin?’

Frost saw his chance, but he warned himself to play this one slow.

‘Excuse me, sir, but I don’t understand the question.’

Grandi shifted in his chair. His little eyes snapped.

‘With your record, you can’t be a fool.’ His voice was a bark. ‘I’m asking you your opinion of Marvin whose job is to protect my daughter. Don’t prevaricate!’

Frost was sure Grandi had asked Marvin the same question about himself.

‘Marvin is a dedicated ex-policeman, sir. He has a top class record. If I were in your place, I would have picked Marvin.’

Grandi nodded.

‘He said the same about you, but he has never handled a kidnapping case, but you have. I believe in using men of experience. You have worked with the New York police and the F.B.I. It seems to me you have much more experience than Marvin has who has been just a State trooper. I am more interested in your opinions than Marvin’s.’ Again a pause while Frost looked directly at him. ‘Very well, Frost, what do you think of the present security measures to protect my daughter from kidnapping?’

‘Ninety-seven percent perfect,’ Frost said.

Grandi opened a box on the desk and took from it a cigar. He bit off the end, then lit it, puffing smoke at Frost.

‘That leaves three percent unsafe . . . according to you.’

‘Yes, sir.’

Grandi leaned forward. His swarthy face ugly with scarcely controlled rage.

‘Don’t feed me this sort of shit!’ he snarled. ‘Is my daughter safe or isn’t she?’

‘As I see it, sir, there is a weak link in the security chain: the weak link is a possible inside man or woman,’ Frost said quietly.

‘I’ve thought of that. I talked to Chief of Police Terrell. He tells me all the staff working here have been screened, including yourself. Terrell is satisfied. He tells me there can be no inside man or woman.’

His expression wooden, Frost said, ‘Then your daughter is one hundred percent safe.’

Grandi shoved back his chair and walked across to the picture window. Looking at his squat figure, Frost saw this man was almost a midget. He couldn’t have been more than five foot tall, but the power and the muscular build made him impressive.

Grandi swung around and pointed his cigar at Frost.

‘You don’t think so? You think there could be an inside man?’

‘I said your daughter is ninety-seven percent safe. I don’t give a damn what Terrell thinks. There is a three percent risk: small, but a risk.’

Grandi came back to his chair and sat down.

‘So what’s the three percent risk? Spell it out.’

‘If some smart operator kidnapped your daughter, he would demand at least fifteen million dollars ransom,’ Frost said. ‘Maybe to you, sir, fifteen million dollars aren’t something you would risk your life or your freedom for, you are you, but there are millions of people who would risk their lives and their freedom for such money. So I am telling you, sir, that every man has his price. I am still saying that the weak link in the security chain, protecting your daughter, is a possible inside man.’

Grandi leaned forward, glared at Frost.

‘What’s your price, Frost? Would you be the inside man for fifteen million dollars?’

I’m going to be the inside man for five million dollars, Frost thought. His police training was such that his expression remained wooden.

‘I see your point, sir,’ he said and got to his feet. ‘You should ask yourself: if I was aiming to kidnap your daughter, why should I be talking like this? I’m telling you there is a remote possibility that there could be an inside man. It’s part of my job to give you my opinion. It’s up to you to take it or leave it. You’ve just asked me if I would act as an inside man for fifteen million. That’s a fair question. I would not act as an inside man for thirty million dollars and I’ll tell you for why.’ He put both his hands on the desk and leaned forward to stare at Grandi. ‘I don’t sell out a client. If I’m hired to do a job, I do it. I’m cop trained, as Marvin is cop trained. Neither of us sell out a client. If you can’t believe that, then I find myself another job. The ball is in your court,’ and turning, he walked to the door.

‘Frost!’ The bark in Grandi’s voice would have stopped a train. ‘Come back here! Sit down!’

Frost then knew he had got over one big hurdle, but he also knew there were more hurdles ahead.

He walked back to the chair and sat down.

‘This is the first constructive conversation I’ve had since I’ve come here,’ Grandi said. ‘I’ve talked to the Chief of Police, to Amando, to Marvin. They have all assured me my daughter is safe, now you tell me there is a three percent risk. I want my daughter to be a hundred percent safe. So, tell me about this three percent risk . . .’

‘The security here is top class,’ said Frost. ‘No one can get on this island without alerting Marvin and myself, and police headquarters. This has been well taken care of, and I can’t fault it.’ He paused, then went on, ‘But if there was an inside man, the guardroom could be vulnerable. In this room are the controls. There are four men who have access to this room: Mr. Amando, Suka, Marvin and myself. Mr. Amando has the habit of checking to see if the night guard is asleep. He enters without warning. Suka brings in meals. To reduce the risk, sir, I suggest that Amando and Suka are no longer allowed into the guardroom. I said there was a three percent risk. If Mr. Amando and Suka are not allowed into the guardroom, the risk is cut to one percent . . . a minute risk, but still a risk. If a kidnap attempt is made, the police and you will know that there are only two suspects: Marvin and myself. This narrows down the field. Both Marvin and I have been hired by you to protect your daughter. I can speak for him as I speak for myself: we don’t sell out a client.’

Grandi nodded.

‘I go along with your suggestions. I’ll tell Amando and Suka to keep out of the guardroom. From now on, you and Marvin are responsible for my daughter’s safety. Remember that!’

‘Yes, sir.’ Frost got to his feet. ‘There is one more thing. I know I am speaking out of turn, but I think someone should say it. How long are you going to keep a young, healthy woman caged up in this villa? She is virtually a prisoner here. She . . .’

Grandi cut him short with a savage wave of his hand.

‘You do your job, Frost!’ he barked. ‘When my daughter has learned to behave herself, she will be given more freedom. That’s all!’

‘Yes, sir.’

Frost found Marvin in the guardroom. Closing the door, he gave Marvin a detailed account of his interview with Grandi. Marvin listened, staring thoughtfully at Frost while he talked.

‘So now,’ Frost concluded, ‘we have Amando off our backs. I had to bring Suka into it. I guess he can leave the food trays outside for one of us to collect.’

‘You think there could be a risk . . . that some smart creep could get at the girl?’ Marvin asked.

‘No way,’ Frost said. ‘I was just getting Amando off our backs.’

Marvin rubbed his chin while he thought, then he grinned.

‘Yeah. You did well, Mike. I’ve always said that creep spoilt the scene. Hats off to you for fixing him!’

‘Let’s hope he stays fixed.’ Frost got to his feet. ‘This is my day off. Do you want me to hang around? I itch for a swim.’

‘You get off, but don’t be late back.’

‘See you. Any idea how long the big shot is staying?’

Marvin grinned.

‘I don’t ask those kind of questions.’

Back in his cabin, Frost changed into slacks and a sweatshirt. He decided he would give Marcia a call. Maybe they could have another session together.

As he moved out of the cabin, he saw the Rolls driving down the drive with Amando at the wheel and Grandi at his side. Looking to his left, he saw Marvin leave the guardroom and start off towards the lagoon.

He paused, seeing in the distance, the three Chinese I gardeners, now relaxed, lifting weeds and ruminating.

Then from a clump of flowering shrubs, Gina appeared.

Wearing stretched blue pants and a bra, she waved to him, then darted across the lawn towards him. Frost stepped back into the cabin as she joined him and he closed and locked the door.

They faced each other.

‘Mike! I’ve got to talk to you,’ she said breathlessly. ‘You are the only one who can help me! You must help me!’

‘I’ll help you,’ he said, smiling at her. ‘What’s the problem?’

‘Don’t be so goddamn glib!’ she said, her voice shrill. ‘Wait until you hear!’

Frost eyed her. Her face was drawn, she was shivering, little beads of sweat covered her forehead.

‘Take it easy,’ he said, his voice soothing. ‘Sit down. Tell me.’

She dropped into a chair.

‘You are the only one who can help me, Mike.’ She beat her clenched fists on her knees. ‘You’ve got to help me! You can have all the money in the world if you will help me.’

Frost pulled up a chair and sat by her.

‘Tell me,’ he said.

She stared at him, then took hold of his hand, her nails digging into his flesh.

‘No one would believe this! My father is kinky! My father!’ She jumped up and walked around the room, beating her fists together. ‘Imagine! My father!’

Frost watched her, frowning. Was she high? he wondered. You can have all the money in the world if you will help me. Did she mean this? Was she being hysterical?

‘Gina!’ He put a snap in his voice. ‘Quiet down. Tell me.’

She stood for a long moment, her eyes closed, then she came back and sat down beside him.

‘My father is in love with me,’ she said.

Frost stared at her.

‘What’s the problem? Fathers are supposed to love their daughters, aren’t they?’

‘Love!’ Gina screamed at him. ‘Are you so goddamn stupid you want me to spell it out? He doesn’t love me the way fathers love their daughters! He’s kinky. He’s sick! He wants to screw me!’