William McGivern - The Caper of the Golden Bulls

“Peter, I’m dreadfully sorry,” Morgan said, for perhaps the fiftieth time.

“Knock it off, Fatso,” Blake said.

“I was merely trying to explain that if Quince hadn’t taken such a conservative view of things, we might—”

“Okay, okay,” Tonelli said, cutting him off irritably.

It was still dark outside and through the darkness came occasional flashes of fireworks like heat lightning, and on the air drifted the muffled sounds of marching bands and pounding drums. But the fiesta of San Fermin was drawing to a close; tomorrow’s bullfight would end it.

And already the hikers were buying bread and sausage and wine for their rucksacks, and charting courses north and south through gorges with rushing green streams that would take them on to Biarritz or Madrid.

Tomorrow the roads fanning out from Pamplona would be clogged with cars and motor-cycles, and in the strange silence that would settle in their wake, the Basques would reclaim their old town, reclaim their tables in the cafés, and by nightfall the debris of the fiesta would be sluiced away by watering trucks, and nothing would be left of these explosions of emotion and hilarity but clean, damp streets shining under the old stars.

It was all over for San Fermin and Pamplona, all over for Peter Churchman. The most audacious undertaking of his career, and perhaps the most honourable, had been smashed by these improbably authentic hoodlums, who had forced him to call Mr. Shahari and ask him to bring twenty-five thousand dollars to Pamplona. Shahari had been dubious at first, but friendship had prevailed at last; he had agreed to take the risk, to accept the possibility of being put out of business and into prison by the Spanish government, which allowed him to deal in money in the south for the sake of the tourists, but which sternly forbade him to set a foot farther north than the town of Granada.

Tonelli glanced at his watch. “You’re sure you can trust this guy, Shahari?”

“He’s a reliable person,” Peter said.

“You’d better pray he shows,” Blake said.

“May I wash my hands?” Peter asked a bit later.

“You just did,” Blake said irritably.

“It’s nerves, I expect.”

“Come on.”

Peter walked to the bathroom with Blake’s gun at his back. He turned on both taps in the hand-basin, and, with but little hope, took the walkie-talkie from his pocket and tried to raise Grace. They hadn’t found the set when they searched him; it had been concealed and padded by a handkerchief in the rear pocket of his trousers. But it might have been at the bottom of the sea for all the good it had done him.

But even so, there was a lonely consolation in her silence.

For it was Peter’s fervent hope that she had prudently packed up and cleared out of town. He whispered her name twice but the speaker remained silent. With a sigh, he put the walkie-talkie away and returned to the living-room.

“Peter, they said you were a lawyer, and I had an uneasy feeling about lawyers at the time.”

“That’s all right. It doesn’t matter.”

The phone rang and Blake picked up the receiver. After listening for a second, his expression sharpened and he glanced at Tonelli. “It’s the desk clerk. He says what’s-his-name’s in the lobby. Shahari. But he wants to talk to Churchman.”

“Okay,” Tonelli said to Peter. “Tell him to come up. Don’t put any English on it. Just get him up here.”

Peter rose and took the phone from Blake, who moved behind him and put a gun against his spine.

Peter said, “Mr. Shahari?”

“Yes, Peter.” It was a low and pleasant voice, pitched just above a whisper. Peter felt his heart lurch abruptly. If he were a camel, he thought, with a dizzying irrelevance, he would now be lying flat with a broken back; for this was the last straw.

“Well, hello,” he said.

“Darling, can you talk?” Grace said softly.

“As a matter of fact, I can’t.”

Blake’s gun dug into his back. “Cut the chatter.”

“Excuse me a second.” Peter covered the phone and looked evenly at Tonelli and Blake. “If you don’t want to blow this deal sky-high, you’d better listen. He’s got the wind up. He wants me to meet him in the lobby. Alone. You heard me tell him I can’t. I’d better explain I’m not dressed. Anything. But let me talk to him. Perhaps I can calm him down.”

They exchanged dubious glances, but before they reached a decision, Peter spoke again into the phone. “As a matter of fact, Mr. Shahari, I just stepped out of the shower. Why don’t you come on up?”

“Do you mean that?”

“Oh, no,” Peter said smiling.

“I understand,” Grace whispered rapidly. “I called Mr. Shahari yesterday. I thought you might have needed tools or equipment. It was all I could think of. He told me what you’d asked him to do, where he was meeting you. How many are there?”

“Oh, two, I should say.”

“Keep on talking.”

“Well, I’m sorry I put you to so much trouble.” Peter winked at Tonelli and Blake, who were watching him with uncertain frowns. “Excuse me a second.” He covered the phone. “This is better. He’s explaining the difficulties he had raising the money.”

“Then get him up here,” Tonelli said sharply.

“I’m trying my best. But he doesn’t like doing business this way. He prefers a café or restaurant.” Peter spoke to Grace. “Well, all’s well that ends well. You have the money?”

“Peter, Mr. Shahari’s not coming. I told him not to. Was that all right?”

“Why, that’s fine.”

“Don’t be angry, but I did something else.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I–I called Mr. Bendell and the Irishman. They’re here.”

“Now that was enterprising of you. I wouldn’t have thought of it. Or even considered it, as you must realise.”

“Please, darling. I had no choice. I knew what was at stake. And they wanted to help. They blasted yesterday morning. We can reach the vault on schedule.”

“Well, god dammit Peter said weakly.

Blake’s gun dug into his spine. “No more chatter. If he doesn’t want to come up, I’m going down and get him.”

“Good,” Peter said into the phone. “I’ll expect you right away.”

He dropped the receiver into its cradle, and rubbed his hands together briskly. Now a humble submission to the designs of fate seemed in order.

“Listen carefully,” he said to Tonelli and Blake. “I’ll explain to Mr. Shahari that you are business associates of mine. So put those guns out of sight and button your jackets. I want you to look as proper as possible.”

Seemingly mesmerised by his crisp injunctions, Tonelli and Blake stuffed their guns into their belts and buttoned their jackets over them. “But how about Fatso?”

“That’s all right. Mr. Shahari knows Morgan.”

Peter hesitated an instant, frowning indecisively. Then he thought, to hell with the Irishman, let him find his own fun, and with that decision firmly and unalterably in mind, Peter kicked Tonelli in the stomach, and struck Blake across the jugular with a cutting chop of his hand.

There was a discreet tap on the door.

Peter took no chances with Blake. He pumped three rights into his stomach, and these made it imperative for Blake to breathe, but the damage to his throat made it difficult for him to do so; the combination of conflicting interests caused him to sink to the floor, trying earnestly to stay alive until he could get some air into his lungs. Tonelli was well out of it.

Peter took their guns from them and went to the door.

With some difficulty, Morgan managed to get Grace aside, away from Peter, and when he had her attention he pointed to the Irishman, and said shrewdly: “He’s not Mr. Shahari. Neither is the little fat one. Shouldn’t we tell Peter?”