Dennis Wheatley - Sixty Days to Live

'That is a risk, of course; but it could be dealt with. And look what you stand to gain. Since the arms race has been stopped by these new treaties, your steel plants must have been feeling the draught pretty badly. Once we get this thing going, they'll be working overtime again. It will be just like 1938, when the Air Raid Precautions business started. As a protection from the flaming gases of the comet shelters will have to be dug all over the country; thousands of tons of steel girders will have to be supplied; and, naturally, I should see to it that you got the lion's share of the contracts.'

'Very decent of you,' said Sam quietly. 'And what do you require as a quid pro quo?'

'Money, my friend. Without money I can't possibly fight an election. I shall want £100,000 for Press and election expenses. You put up the funds and leave me to do the rest. How d'vou like it?'

'It requires a little thought; £100,000 is a pretty considerable sum to risk on an election gamble.'

Fink-Drummond drew his heavy brows together in a frown until they almost met over his big, fleshy nose. 'What's come over you, Sam?' he asked impatiently. 'Your love affair must have dulled your wits, I think. Surely you see that I'm not really asking you to gamble a single cent. You can make your money back time and again on the falling markets, quite apart from any question as to whether I go back to Westminster as P.M. and am able to push any contracts in your way, or not. If this scheme is worked properly, it'll be far and away the biggest thing that either of us has ever gone into. But if you have any doubts about it, I don't want to press you. You know quite well that I can get the money from half a dozen people in the City. I'm just making you the first offer, that's all.'

'Wait here a moment, will you?' Sam turned away. 'I'm just going to get Hemmingway. I always like to have his views on anything that's really big like this.'

'Is that necessary?'

'Yes. Lavina and I must leave in half an hour or we shall miss the Paris plane and, in any case, if I take it on, Hemmingway will have to handle the financial side of it while I'm away.'

When Sam returned a few moments later he had Gervaise with him as well as Hemmingway Hughes. He shut the door carefully behind him and said to Fink-Drummond:

'You've met my father-in-law. He knows all about this comet business, and I told Hemmingway of it myself the other day. I want them both to know about this proposition of yours.' J

Fink-Drummond shrugged. 'Just as you wish. But it's most important that as few people as possible should know of our intentions until we're ready to launch our campaign.'

'I quite agree,' said Sam dryly, and, turning to the other two, he added: 'Gentlemen, Mr. Fink-Drummond has just put up to me the following proposition. The Government, as you know, are aware of the approaching comet but they have decided to keep any knowledge of it from the public as long as possible, in order to avoid unnecessary panic. Mr. Fink-Drummond has suggested to me that I should finance him, to the tune of £100,000, to promote that panic, in order that he may force a General Election and get back to power himself on a wave of national hysteria. In return, he offers me certain very large contracts, for steel to be used in dug-outs and so on, which his Government would order directly he became Prime Minister.'

'But such a thing is impossible!' exclaimed Gervaise.

'Not at all,' Fink-Drummond replied smoothly. 'If the Press campaign is handled properly, I should say the odds are a good five to one upon my being Premier by the second week in June.'

'I was not referring to the possibilities of your unscrupulous scheme, sir,' Gervaise snapped, 'but to the impossibility of my son-in-law soiling his hands with such business.'

'Thank you.' said Sam. 'I was quite sure that was the way you would feel and it's the way I feel myself.'

Fink-Drummond drew himself up. 'I can only excuse Mr. Stapleton's ill-considered expressions on the grounds that, having lived here buried in the country for so long, he can have no understanding of the methods people like myself are sometimes compelled to use to bring about political necessities. Please be good enough to order my car.'

'I haven't finished yet.' Sam held up his hand. 'Mr. Fink-Drummond has also informed me that, if I refuse him the financial assistance that he seeks, he will endeavour to secure it elsewhere, and I have no doubt whatsoever that he will be able to do so, if not from British, then from foreign financiers.'

'But listen, now,' Hemmingway Hughes cut in, 'surely Mr. Fink-Drummond can't have fully considered the sort of situation which he proposes to bring about. For one thing, the stock markets will slump to zero directly he gets his Press campaign going.'

'What of it?' said Fink-Drummond coldly. 'Those of us who are in the know should all be able to pick up a fortune.'

Gervaise frowned. 'You do not seem to consider the misery

that such a slump might bring to thousands of small investors.'

'My dear sir,' Fink-Drummond turned towards him, 'it is quite clear that you know little of high finance. Small people make or lose money every day, but that is no concern of the professionals who control the markets.'

'But that's only the start of it,' Hemmingway Hughes cut in again. 'To put this thing over, you'd have to make people believe that their lives were in danger. There would be the most frightful panics, demonstrations, riots. You might throw the whole country into a state of anarchy.'

'There would naturally be a certain amount of trouble,' Fink-Drummond conceded, 'but we should proclaim martial law and with a good man at the War Office, we should soon get the unruly elements under.'

'What?' exclaimed Sam. 'You actually mean that to serve your own ambitions you're prepared to plunge the country into such a state of strife that there will be street-fighting and the troops will be called out to fire upon our own people? I've always known you were pretty unscrupulous, but this . . .'

'That's quite enough,' snapped Fink-Drummond. His face dark with rage, he took a quick step towards the door. 'You're behaving like a fool and later you'll regret it. Kindly send for my car.'

'One moment,' Gervaise said quietly. 'Since Mr. Fink-Drummond appears determined to go through with his plans, with or without your assistance, Sam, I think it would be as well to discuss the matter further. We all seem to have got a. little heated and I was surprised into a breach of good taste myself only a moment ago. To calm ourselves I suggest that we should drink a glass of wine together before we say anything more. I'll go and get a bottle.'

'Let me, sir,' Hemmingway offered.

'No, no, I can manage,' Gervaise replied. 'But please, all of you, remain here. I don't want this affair to reach the ears of any other members of the party.'

As Gervaise left the room it was on the tip of Sam's tongue to say that he did not think further discussion could serve any useful purpose, but as he had already conceived a great respect for his father-in-law's wisdom he remained silent.

When Gervaise returned he was carrying four full tumblers of champagne on a tray, which he offered first to Fink-Drummond.

The ex-Cabinet Minister took the nearest glass and smiled again. 'Let me congratulate you, Mr. Stapleton, on your good sense in suggesting that Sam should reconsider my proposition. He's a hot-headed fellow but I feel sure that when he thinks the matter over he will see reason. As he admits himself I could easily get the money elsewhere, but I would prefer to work with Sam because I know that I can trust him.'

Sam shrugged. 'Oh, if I came into this, you could trust me all right; but I'm not coming into it.'

'But why, my dear fellow? We've done many other deals together and some which, I think you will agree, certain people who know little of the inner workings of big business might, quite unjustifiably, consider questionable.'