Plunder of the Sun Page #2

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Can I do something?

I'm sorry.

I'll get the brandy.

- These things happen very often?

- Too often.

One of them will kill me someday.

That is why I keep my mind occupied...

with matters

such as we were just discussing.

- I have your promise to help me?

- I said I would.

There's one thing though. I'm gonna

need an advance of another $100.

There's a few debts I have to clear up

here in Havana.

- My proposition was $100, Mr. Colby.

- And mine's $200.

And in 10 seconds it's going to be $300.

Very well.

Another $100.

See you onboard ship.

How about that evening

we were discussing?

That was not part of the bargain,

Mr. Colby.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, too.

The next morning I traded the $200

for some traveler's checks...

paid my bills...

and found out that Berrien

was almost what he said he was.

I packed my suitcase,

and figured that the best way...

to carry the package was to fasten it

to my ribs with some adhesive tape.

After that, I boarded the freighter which

was to take me to Mexico, as planned.

I was still short of breath...

when she limped out of Havana

at a fast eight knots.

Anna Luz, if that was her name...

and my fat friend in the wheelchair

were aboard.

But nobody seemed

especially interested in me...

except for the silken invitation to trouble

who seemed to circle the deck...

in search of shipboard trophies.

Raul.

Thank you.

You wouldn't like it.

Spoiled girl, too much dough.

Julie Barnes, by name.

Pittsburgh Steel, third generation.

That gent with her is Raul Cornejo.

On his way home

from law school in the States.

He stopped by Havana to do a little

rumba research with Miss Barnes.

You specialize

in these thumbnail biographies?

I had a drink with the purser

this morning.

What do you have on me?

Al Colby, San Francisco, period.

I'm Jefferson, an independent

coffee broker, among other things.

What do you say to a drink?

Yeah. Why not?

Turns out to be a small world,

eh, Thomas?

Much too small.

Would you like me

to jump over the side, amigo?

That's too much to expect.

Take me to my cabin.

- Who was your friend?

- The name is Berrien.

He seemed kind of surprised to see you.

He should be.

It gave me a jolt to learn that Berrien

and this character, Jefferson...

knew each other and, apparently,

hated each other's insides.

But that afternoon,

I had another surprise coming.

Anna Luz with Jefferson.

What was her game?

I like the English even better.

"For my heart, thy breast is enough

"For thy liberty, my wings are enough"

Go on.

- Who is that?

- Colby.

Let him in.

Shut the door.

It was very unwise of you

to come here, Mr. Colby.

I do a lot of unwise things.

- You haven't lost the package?

- No.

- You're sure?

- I'm sure.

Good, but you must be very careful.

There is a man onboard

who would do anything to get it.

Jefferson?

- How did you know?

- Your face when you saw him.

I'm afraid of him.

- Why?

- He is a crook.

Oh, really? Do you know something?

Down in the bar,

he said the same thing about you.

- How much does she know about this?

- No more than you.

Then what was she doing

talking to him all afternoon?

Didn't you know?

He asked me to have a drink,

and I refused.

How come you took 10 minutes

to turn him down?

That will do, Mr. Colby.

Anna Luz is answerable only to me.

Look, this whole thing started out to be

a very simple proposition, didn't it?

Like me going down and putting a

letter in the corner post-office box.

But now it appears somebody else

is interested in this thing...

- and you don't bother to tell me about it.

- I thought it better.

She spends all afternoon with this guy...

you don't bother

to tell me about that, either.

- What else are you holding out on me?

- Nothing, Mr. Colby.

Come to my cabin. I'm gonna

turn that package back to you.

- But your $800.

- Keep it!

$800. I don't care

if it's 10 times worth $800.

My neck's worth a lot more to me

than that.

You and your penny-ante games.

Mr. Colby, you can't do this to me.

Even if I should succeed

in evading Jefferson...

I could never get the package

through the customs.

You must help me. I beg you.

- How hard can you beg?

- What are your terms?

Half of what the package brings.

But it's sheer robbery.

You can't be serious.

- Aren't I?

- No, wait.

Twenty-five percent.

Fifty percent, and I'll give you the usual

10 seconds to make up your mind.

Well, it's blackmail, but...

I have no choice, absolutely no choice.

We are partners

in whatever the package brings.

Share and share alike.

Put it in writing.

Bring some paper, Anna Luz.

Al?

- What are you doing out here?

- Waiting for someone.

- Want a taste?

- No, thanks.

Don't be stuffy. It's wonderful.

It makes you feel so don't-careish.

I like well-built men.

I saw you sunbathing this afternoon.

Even with that bandage...

You hurt me. Raul! Help!

For a while that night, I watched the

ship tunnel a hole in the ocean.

It had been a good day.

I'd made three,

maybe four bosom enemies...

rejected a pass from a pretty blond...

and latched onto a half-interest

in a package that might contain...

for all I know, some pages

of an old Sears Roebuck catalog.

I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach

that there was trouble ahead.

I went to my cabin,

found that I was right.

I found something on the deck...

a black hairpin.

I decided to parley a hairpin

and a hunch into a little action.

What do you want?

You have no business here.

Maybe not.

What do you got on under that robe?

I said, what do you got on

under that robe?

Nothing.

- Let's find out.

- Are you crazy?

This might be very embarrassing

for both of us if I'm wrong.

Don't you touch me.

I figured you were dressed. You've

just been down searching my cabin.

- Why would I go to your cabin?

- You wanted the package.

If I'd wanted the package,

I would have taken it a long time ago.

Maybe you didn't know what it was

a long time ago.

Maybe you just

found out about it tonight.

I knew about it days ago.

- All right, let's ask Berrien.

- He's asleep.

Well, we'll wake him.

Berrien?

Turn on the lights.

He's dead.

Go call the Captain.

I was afraid the body would spell trouble

when we reached port...

but the authorities knew

about Berrien's bad-heart past.

They asked Anna Luz

a couple of perfunctory questions...

and let us go on into Oaxaca.

Berrien had told me to go to the Hotel

San Felipe, and that's where I went.

I found a reservation

had been made for me.

My immediate concern was

to investigate the package thoroughly.

I wondered if it could be

a diamond eye of an ancient idol...

or maybe a Spanish treasure map.

There was one way of finding out.

But after I did, I didn't know any more

than when I started.

Three pieces of parchment

with some strange symbols...

and a disk of carved jade.

Hello?

Who?

All right, I'll come over.

Mr. Colby.

How about a drink, amigo?

- No, thanks.

- Well, at least let me introduce a friend.

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