Bahama Crisis

I thought I was right. The recent painting session with Cassie Cunningham had clarified my mind and etched that face into my mind's eye. But if I was wrong and Perigord laid on an elaborate operation to no good purpose then he would have an even lower opinion of me than ever.

Fletcher came back, and I asked, "What's Carrasco's credit card number?"

"He paid cash. Just dug out his wallet and paid in hundred dollar bills, American. It didn't empty the wallet, either."

"How much was the bill?"

"A little over 1100 dollars. He used the restaurant a lot and his bar bill wasn't small. Then there was the car rental charge."

I leaned back in the chair.

"Jack, you've been in this business quite a time. When was the last time you can remember that a bill like that was paid in cash?"

"It's happened a few times," he said.

"Not many, though. Usually when a man has cleaned up at the casino he gets paid out in cash so he pays his bill in cash. But that's usually in Bahamian dollars."

"I don't think Carrasco is a gambler," I said meditatively "Not that kind, anyway. I'll take a copy of the bill with me." I felt much more confident and happy.

I flew back to Freeport and went to see Perigord immediately He had Inspector Hepburn with him, and he came quickly to the point.

"Tell us more about this man Carrasco."

I did not do that. Instead, I looked at Inspector Hepburn, and asked, "Do you still think this is about cocaine?"

Perigord said, "Yes, we do."

"Well, I don't. Both Kayles and Robinson seemed surprised when I brought up the subject."

"They would," said Hepburn.

"They were not likely to admit it, were they?"

I said, "To my mind their surprise was genuine. It took them aback."

"But we don't have your mind," said Perigord.

"I doubt if you would consider yourself an expert on the way criminals behave when confronted."

I saw I was getting nowhere pursuing that line; their minds were made up.

"What do you want to know about Carrasco?"

"Everything," Perigord said succinctly.

"He kidnapped me from the Cunningham Building," I said.

"And…"

Perigord held up his hand.

"You're sure it's the same man?"

I hesitated.

"Not one hundred per cent, but near enough. I don't trust people who pay large bills in cash." I told them of what had happened and put a copy of the bill on Perigord's desk.

Perigord, too, found that odd. We thrashed it out a bit, then he said, "Mr. Mangan, can we trust your American friends?"

"In what way?"

"Can we trust them to stick to surveillance, but not to take action in the matter of Carrasco? Our police force is relatively small and I would welcome their help in keeping tabs on Carrasco, but not to the extent of their taking violent action. That I can't permit."

"They'll do exactly as I tell them1' " Very well. I have talked to Mr. Walker and he has Carrasco under observation at this moment; and is to report to my man at your hotel.

Why is Rodriguez coming, and what is he carrying? " I told him and he smiled.

"Yes, I think we can do with scientific aid."

Hepburn said, "There's something I don't understand. If Carrasco kidnapped you in Houston isn't he taking a risk by walking openly about your hotels? He could bump into y ou at any time. In fact, you did spot him or so you think." He glanced at Perigord.

"To my mind this may be a case of mistaken identification. Mr. Mangan admits he only saw the man in Houston for a few seconds."

"What do you say to that?" asked Perigord.

"It's been puzzling me, too," I said.

"But I'm ninety-five per cent convinced it's the same man."

"Nineteen chances out of twenty in favour of you being correct," he mused.

"Those are odds I can live with. We'll watch Dr. Carrasco."

Driving from the police station to the hotel I thought of what Hepburn had said, and came to the conclusion that it could cut both ways. If Carrasco had been the man in Houston then perhaps he was willing to take the chance of me seeing him because I had seen him for only a few seconds. In those circumstances perhaps he thought a beard and moustache were sufficient disguise. As I switched between alternatives my mind felt like a yo-yo.

A good hotel has two circulatory systems, one for the clientele which is luxuriously furnished, and the other for the staff which has a more spartan decor; and in the best hotels the two systems are mutually exclusive because one does not want maintenance traffic to erupt into the public rooms. When I got back to the hotel I stuck to the staff system because I wanted to keep out of the way of Carrasco Walker reported on Carrasco and related affairs.

"He's holed up in his room; probably unpacking. Rodriguez will be here in about two hours; I'll have a man at the airport to meet him. Perigord has a man here in the hotel, and he assigned another to your house to guard your wife." He scratched the angle of his jaw, and added sourly, "They're both armed."

"They're entitled to be," I said.

"You're not." It was good of Perigord to think of Debbie.

"You're not to lay a finger on Carrasco.

Just watch him and report on who he talks to. "