I took his arm. Take it easy.
His laughter choked off suddenly. All right, he said. Buy me another drink; I left my wallet at home.
I crooked my finger at the bartender and Walker ordered another double. I was beginning to understand the reason for his degradation. For fourteen years the knowledge that a fortune in gold was lying in Italy waiting to be picked up had been eating at him like a cancer. Even when I knew him ten years earlier I was aware of the fatal weakness in him, and now one could see that the bitterness of defeat had been too much. I wondered how Coertze was standing up to the strain. At least he seemed to be doing something about it, even if only keeping an eye on the situation.
I said carefully, If Coertze was willing to take you, would you be prepared to go to Italy to get the stuff out?
He was suddenly very still. What dyou mean? he demanded. Have you been talking to Coertze?
Ive never laid eyes on the man.
Walkers glance shifted nervously about the bar, then he straightened. Well, if he wanted me; if he needed me Id be prepared to go along. He said this with bravado but the malice showed through when he said, He needed me once, you know; he needed me when we buried the stuff.
You wouldnt be afraid of him?
What do you mean afraid of him? Why should I be afraid of him? Im afraid of nobody.
You were pretty certain hed committed at least four murders.
He seemed put out. Oh that! That was a long time ago. And I never said hed murdered anybody. I never said it.
No, you never actually said it.
He shifted nervously on the bar stool. Oh, whats the use? He wont ask me to go with him. He said as much last week.
Oh, yes, he will, I said softly.
Walker looked up quickly. Why should he?
I said quietly, Because I know of a way of getting that gold out of Italy and of taking it anywhere in the world, quite simply and relatively safely.
His eyes widened. What is it? How can you do it?
Im not going to tell you, I said equably. After all, you wouldnt tell me where the golds hidden.
Well, lets do it, he said. Ill tell you where it is, you get it out, and Bobs your uncle. Why bring Coertze into it?
Its a job for more than two men, I said. Besides, he deserves a share hes been keeping an eye on the gold for fourteen years, which is a damn sight more than youve been doing. I failed to mention that I considered Walker the weakest of reeds. Now, how will you get on with Coertze if this thing goes through?
He turned sulky. All right, I suppose, if he lays off me. But I wont stand for any of his sarcasm. He looked at me in wonder as though what we were talking about had just sunk in. You mean theres a chance we can get the stuff out a real chance?
I nodded and got off the bar stool. Now, if youll excuse me.
Where are you going? he asked quickly.
To phone the airline office, I said. I want a seat on tomorrows Joburg plane. Im going to see Coertze.
The sign I had been waiting for had arrived.
TWO: COERTZE
Air travel is wonderful. At noon the next day I was booking into a hotel in Johannesburg, a thousand miles from Cape Town.
On the plane I had thought a lot about Coertze. I had made up my mind that if he didnt bite then the whole thing was off I couldnt see myself relying on Walker. And I had to decide how to handle him from Walkers account he was a pretty tough character. I didnt mind that; I could be tough myself when the occasion arose, but I didnt want to antagonize him. He would probably be as suspicious as hell, and Id need kid gloves.
Then there was another thing the financing of the expedition. I wanted to hang on to the boatyard as insurance in case this whole affair flopped, but I thought if I cut Harry Marshall in for a partnership in the yard, sold my house and my car and one or two other things, I might be able to raise about £25,000 not too much for what I had in mind.
But it all depended on Coertze. I smiled when I considered where he was working. He had a job in Central Smelting Plant which refined gold from all the mines on the Reef. More gold had probably passed through his hands in the last few years than all the Axis war-lords put together had buried throughout the world.
It must have been tantalizing for him.
I phoned the smelting plant in the afternoon. There was a pause before he came on the line. Coertze, he said briefly.
I came to the point. My names Halloran, I said. A mutual friend Mr Walker of Cape Town tells me you have been experiencing difficulty in arranging for the delivery of goods from Italy. Im in the import-export business; I thought I might be able to help you.
A deep silence bored into my ear.
I said, My firm is fully equipped to do this sort of work. We never have much trouble with the Customs in cases like these.
It was like dropping a stone into a very deep well and listening for the splash.
Why dont you come to see me, I said. I dont want to take up your time now; Im sure youre a busy man. Come at seven this evening and well discuss your difficulties over dinner. Im staying at the Regency its in Berea, in
I know where it is, said Coertze. His voice was deep and harsh with a guttural Afrikaans accent.
Good; Ill be expecting you, I said, and put down the phone.
I was pleased with this first contact. Coertze was suspicious and properly so hed have been a fool not to be. But if he came to the hotel hed be hooked, and all I had to do would be to jerk on the line and set the hook in firmly.
I was pretty certain hed come; human curiosity would see to that. If he didnt come, then he wouldnt be human or hed be superhuman.
He came, but not at seven oclock and I was beginning to doubt my judgement of the frailty of human nature. It was after eight when he knocked on the door, identified me, and said, Well forget the dinner; Ive eaten.
All right, I said. But what about a drink? I crossed the room and put my hand on the brandy bottle. I was pretty certain it would be brandy most South Africans drink it.
Ill have a Scotch, he said unexpectedly. Thanks, he added as an afterthought.
As I poured the drinks I glanced at him. He was a bulky man, broad of chest and heavy in the body. His hair was black and rather coarse and he had a shaggy look about him. Id bet that when stripped hed look like a grizzly bear. His eyebrows were black and straight over eyes of a snapping electric blue. He had looked after himself better than Walker; his belly was flat and there was a sheen of health about him.
I handed him a drink and we sat down facing each other. He was tense and wary, although he tried to disguise it by over-relaxing in his chair. We were like a couple of duellists who have just engaged blades.
Ill come to the point, I said. A long time ago Walker told me a very interesting story about some gold. That was ten years ago and we were going to do something about it, but it didnt pan out. That might have been lucky because wed have certainly made a botch of the job.
Ill come to the point, I said. A long time ago Walker told me a very interesting story about some gold. That was ten years ago and we were going to do something about it, but it didnt pan out. That might have been lucky because wed have certainly made a botch of the job.
I pointed my finger at him. Youve been keeping an eye on it. Youve probably popped across to Italy from time to time just to keep your eye on things in general. Youve been racking your brains trying to think of a way of getting that gold out of Italy, but you havent been able to do it. Youre stymied.
His face had not changed expression; he would have made a good poker player. He said, When did you see Walker?
Yesterday in Cape Town.
The craggy face broke into a derisive grin. And you flew up to Joburg to see me just because a dronkie like Walker told you a cock-and-bull story like that? Walkers a no-good hobo; I see a dozen like him in the Library Gardens every day, he said contemptuously.
Its not a cock-and-bull story, and I can prove it.
Coertze just sat and looked at me like a stone gargoyle, the whisky glass almost lost in his huge fist.
I said, What are you doing here in this room? If there was no story, all you had to do was to ask me what the hell I was talking about when I spoke to you on the phone. The fact that youre here proves theres something in it.
He made a fast decision. All right, he said. Whats your proposition?
I said, You still havent figured a way of moving four tons of gold out of Italy. Is that right?
He smiled slowly. Lets assume so, he said ironically.
Ive got a foolproof way.
He put down his glass and produced a packet of cigarettes. What is it?
Im not going to tell you yet.
He grinned. Walker hasnt told you where the gold is, has he?
No, he hasnt, I admitted. But he would if I put pressure on him. Walker cant stand pressure; you know that.
He drinks too much, said Coertze. And when he drinks he talks; Ill bet thats how he came to spill his guts to you. He lit his cigarette. What do you want out of it?
Equal shares, I said firmly. A three-way split after all expenses have been paid.
And Walker comes with us on the job. Is that right?
Yes, I said.
Coertze moved in his chair. Man, its like this, he said. I dont know if youve got a foolproof way of getting the gold out or if you havent. I thought I had it licked a couple of times. But lets assume your way is going to work. Why should we take Walker?
He held up his hand. Im not suggesting we do him down or anything like that although hed think nothing of cheating us. Give him his share after its all over, but for Gods sake keep him out of Italy. Hell make a balls-up for sure.
I thought of Harrison and Parker and the two Italians. You dont seem to like him.
Coertze absently fingered a scar on his forehead. Hes unreliable, he said. He almost got me killed a couple of times during the war.
I said, No, we take Walker. I dont know for certain if three of us can pull it off, and with two it would be impossible. Unless you want to let someone else in?
He smiled humourlessly. Thats not on not with you coming in. But Walker had better keep his big mouth shut from now on.
Perhaps it would be better if he stopped drinking, I suggested.
Thats right, Coertze agreed. Keep him off the pots. A few beers are all right, but keep him off the hard-tack. Thatll be your job; I dont want to have anything to do with the rat.
He blew smoke into the air, and said, Now lets hear your proposition. If its good, Ill come in with you. If I dont think itll work, I wont touch it. In that case, you and Walker can do what you damn well like, but if you go for that gold youll have me to reckon with. Im a bad bastard when Im crossed.
So am I, I said.
We grinned at each other. I liked this man, in a way. I wouldnt trust him any more than Id trust Walker, but I had the feeling that while Walker would stick a knife in your back, Coertze would at least shoot you down from the front.
All right, he said. Lets have it.
Im not going to tell you not here in this room, I saw his expression and hurried on. It isnt that I dont trust you, its simply that you wouldnt believe it. You have to see it and you have to see it in Cape Town.
He looked at me for a long moment, then said, All right, if thats the way you want it, Ill play along. He paused to think. Ive got a good job here, and Im not going to give it up on your say-so. Theres a long week-end coming up that gives me three days off. Ill fly down to Cape Town to see what you have to show me. If its good, the job can go hang; if it isnt, then Ive still got the job.
Ill pay for your fare, I said.
I can afford it, he grunted.
If it doesnt pan out, Ill pay for your fare, I insisted. I wouldnt want you to be out of pocket.
He looked up and grinned. Well get along, he said. Wheres that bottle?
As I was pouring another couple of drinks, he said, You said you were going to Italy with Walker. What stopped you?
I took the clipping from my pocket and passed it to him. He read it and laughed. That must have scared Walker. I was there at the time, he said unexpectedly.
In Italy?
He sipped the Scotch and nodded. Yes; I saved my army back-pay and my gratuity and went back in 48. As soon as I got there all hell started popping about this trial. I read about it in the papers and you never heard such a lot of bull in your life. Still, I thought Id better lie low, so I had a lekker holiday with the Count.
With the Count? I said in surprise.
Sure, he said. I stay with the Count every time I go to Italy. Ive been there four times now.
I said, How did you reckon to dispose of the gold once you got it out of Italy?
Ive got all that planned, he said confidently. Theyre always wanting gold in India and you get a good price. Youd be surprised at the amount of gold smuggled out of this country in small packets that ends up in India.
He was right India is the gold sink of the world but I said casually, My idea is to go the other way to Tangier. Its an open port with an open gold market. You should be able to sell four tons of gold there quite easily and its legal, too. No trouble with the police.
He looked at me with respect. I hadnt thought of that. I dont know much about this international finance.
Theres a snag, I said. Tangier is closing up shop next year; its being taken over by Morocco. Then it wont be a free port any more and the gold market will close.
When next year?
April 19, I said. Nine months from now. I think well just about have enough time.
He smiled. I never thought about selling the gold legally; I didnt think you could. I thought the governments had got all that tied up. Maybe I should have met you sooner.