Pleasure Thieves

"Thanks," said Harry bitterly. In a flash, he nailed one end of the drape against the wall with a cold chisel. He pulled the other end over the hold of the safe and proceeded to lash it to the wall with his sledge.

The heavy drape muffled the sound considerably, but it soon began to rip apart where he was pounding.

At this point, Harry threw another command at Phillip. He shouted breathlessly for him to bring the car around to the side gate. "If I'm not there in five minutes Phillip, split!"

Phillip nodded in accordance. He had been watching Harry, strangely fascinated by his tenacity. Phillip was no longer a part of this action, barely an accomplice. His risk was extreme and for what? For the impetuousness of a maniac, a young god-like maniac. The agreement was always to give up if things got dangerous. He never dreamed it would turn out this way. So this was what Harry had all cramped up inside him.

He left Harry in the flickering light of the flashlight, lying askew on the floor. Harry's form was illuminated as he lashed feverishly at the wall, the dulled sounds of his blows thudding like distant drum beats.

When Phillip reached the light-swept lawn before the gardener's cottage, he thought the drums were still there, beating in his ears, dull rhythmic thuds, but he knew he was out of earshot.

The flashlight was now in Harry's mouth. He swung powerfully at a bolt on an iron sidearm, which was set in concrete. The other side of the wall, by the safe, was in shambles with the sidearm sprung loose from the concrete. With a final blow from the sledge, the bolt parted and Harry used the crow-bar to loosen the safe.

Bracing one leg against the wall beneath, he gave an inhuman yank on the supporting strips. The safe moved forward about five inches.

Harry looked as if he had been down in a coal pit for days. Covered with sweaty grime, his face was twisted into a frightful mask. He heaved against the safe again; it came out a trifle more. It was so heavy every muscle in his body swelled until he thought he would rip apart.

But soon the safe plunged to the carpeted floor with a smashing sound.

Harry fell to the floor beside it. Gasping, he got to his feet and with monumental effort and slowly lifted the safe onto a heavy wooden chair. Kneeling, his back to the chair, he took one of the side-arms in each hand and tilted the chair forward. It rested heavily against his back.

Staggering to his feet, though bent double, he struggled toward the door. He left the flashlight burning on the floor, shining on all his evil tools. He made his way slowly down the long hall.

When he finally reached the entry window with the taped diagonals, he allowed himself to slump against the sill. Sick and breathless, he rested for a second, his half-closed eyes taking in the gardener's cottage, the same light glittering forth. He coughed and gagged, and in a flash he raised the safe to the window sill and sent it tumbling to the lawn. He jumped out after it.

He held the safe against his groin and knees and staggered like a hunchback across the lawn. When he neared the cottage, he moved to the left of the fieldstone path, passing onto the left lawn which was bathed in a flood of light. Clearly silhouetted in the moonlight, he progressed toward the wooden gate. The safe brushed the ground. He halted by the gate and let it drop, collapsing against the stone portal.

Harry leaned his head against the cool stone wall. It did not ease his pain. His eyes were closed and his breath came in gasps, like an asthmatic's. His head ached. But soon we'll live happily ever after …

as long as that gardener stays fast asleep…

He reached into his coat pocket and extracted the small sledge hammer. Pushing himself away from the wall with his left hand, he raised the sledge and with one tremendous blow, smashed the cast iron lock and handle. The noise shattered the silence and the heavy door swung creakily open.

He glanced behind himself for an instant. That fucking light in the gardener's cottage never burns out, he thought.

Harry lifted the safe to his knees and propelled himself to the sidewalk. Phillip was at the wheel, the rear door of the car open and welcoming. In three steps Harry had the safe to the car. He dumped it in with a heave and collapsed on top of it saying, "OK Daddy, drive…"

He fell unconscious.

CHAPTER IX

Phillip sat leisurely smoking his cigar and reading the papers on a park bench in the vicinity of the sea-lions at the Central Park Zoo.

Elegantly dressed, he ate a bag of peanuts. It had been so long since he had sat in the sun, he enjoyed it. His New York Post ran a story banner: COPS TIE BOSTON AND CONN. JOBS!

"Fingers" Suspected in Both.

He smiled wryly to himself as he read the article over again. "But they'll never know," he said softly to himself.