12 Chinks and A Woman

     Noolen shook his head. “I've got a racket that's a lot better than that. You leave all that to me.”

     Kemerinski looked at Schaife. “Two grand ain't an awful lot, but I'd like to smack that mob if I could get away with it.”

     Schaife said, “Make it three.”

     Noolen shook his head. “Can't do,” he said briefly. “Two's ample.”

     There was a moment's silence, then the squint-eyed Alex said, “That's okay with me.” The others hesitated, then agreed. Fenner blew out his cheeks. “So far so good,” he thought.

     “We shall want a boat,” he said. “Any of you guys got a motor-boat?”

     Kemerinski said he had.

     Fenner nodded. “There's a spot just north of Key Largo, called Black Caesar's Rock. That's where Carlos keeps his boats. That's where Thayler makes the exchange and takes the Chinks for the rest of the ride. I guess we might go out an' look that burg over.”

     Scalfoni swung his short legs. “I got just the thing for those guys,” he said, with a cold grin. “How would you like to take a load of bombs with you?”

     Fenner looked vaguely round the room. “Bombs?” he said. “Sure, bring bombs.” A fixed ice-cold look crept into his eyes. “Sure,” he repeated, “that's quite an idea.”

     Noolen said uneasily, 'The cops'll make a hell of a row about bombs.”

     Fenner shook his head. “The cops won't worry about Carlos. They'll hang out bunting when that guy croaks.”

     Scalfoni got up. “When do we go?” he said. There was a tight eagerness in his voice.

     “We'll go now. We'll go just as soon as the boat's ready an' you boys have collected some artillery.”

     Scalfoni hesitated, then shrugged. “I gotta date, but I guess she'll have to wait. This sounds like it's goin' to be quite a party.”

     Fenner said, “Where's your boat?”—to Kemerinski.

     “It's in the harbor opposite the San Francisco Hotel.”

     “Okay. Suppose you boys meet me in an hour's time on the boat?”

     They all said they'd do that, and Fenner went out with Noolen. He said gently, as they got into the street, “If I were you, I'd go along to the cops and get protection. If Carlos thinks you're in this he might get tough with the Casino. You keep out of sight until it's over. Tell the cops you want some officers over at your place; that you're expecting trouble.”

     Noolen looked uneasy, and said he'd do that, and went off into the darkness.

     Keeping to the back streets, Fenner headed for the waterfront. He walked fast, his hat pulled well down over his face, and his eyes searching the black shadows as he went along. He had no intention of running into any of Carlos's mob just at present. He knew Carlos must be looking for him. Fenner told himself the next twenty-four hours ought to be a lot more interesting than the last twenty-four hours.

     As he approached the waterfront through Negro Beach he saw ahead of him a car drawn up under a lamp standard, with parkers on. He looked hard at the car and came on, slowing his pace and not quite knowing why he did so. Somehow, in the almost deserted dark street that car looked too isolated, too obviously loitering. He suddenly ducked into a doorway because he noticed the curtain of the rear window had shifted. There was no wind, and he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone had been watching him come down the street.

     The sound of an engine starting came to Him in the silence, and gears grated, then the car began to move forward slowly. Fenner stood in the doorway until the red tail light disappeared round the bend in the road. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then stepped out on to the pavement again.

     He didn't go forward, but stood very still, listening. Faintly he could hear the whine of a car, and a cold little smile hit his mouth. The car had gone forward only to turn. It was coming back.

     He ran across the road fast and stepped into another doorway in the dark shadows. Squeezing himself against the brickwork, he felt for his gun and jerked it from his shoulder holster. He thumbed back the safety catch and held the gun, with its blunt nose to the star-filled sky.

     The car swung round the bend. It was gathering speed. Its only lights were its parkers, and as it swept past, a blaze of gun-fire spurted from the side window.

     Fenner could hear the patter of bullets thudding against the wall on the opposite side of the road, where he had been. Someone was grinding a Thompson, and Fenner couldn't help being thankful that he had crossed the road. He fired three times at the car as it went past him. He heard the crash of the glass as the windshield went, and the car lurched across the road and thudded up the curb, then smashed into a shop window.

     Running from his doorway, Fenner went a little way up the street, passing the car, and ducked down a dark alley. He went down on one knee and peered round, watching.