I threw the dish from me, struggled to my feet and let fly a punch at his race.
He blocked the punch with his forearm, then gave me a
shove that slammed me back into the chair.

“Relax, pally, or I’ll have to hurt you again.”
I looked at him. If I had had a gun I would have killed
him.

“Take it easy. I want to talk to you.” He sat on the bed
again. “See that little black disc in the middle of that mirror?
Didn’t you ever ask yourself why it was there? I bet you didn’t.

No one ever does. It conceals the lens of a sixteen millimetre movie camera. The film in it is worth a couple of thousand to me. Copies of it will go all over the world. You’re going to be a well-known and much appreciated movie star, pally.”

He flicked ash on the white rug, and grinned. “Believe it or not, this room cost me a thousand to equip, but it certainly has paid dividends. I’m telling you all this, pally, because you’re one of us now.

If you think different, say so, and I’ll send some of
these pictures to your nice little wife. They should surprise her, and I don’t reckon you’d want her to be all that surprised.”

I knew he had me. There wasn’t a thing I wouldn’t do to
keep those pictures away from Ann: not a thing.

“That’s the set-up, pally,” he went on. “You’ve had a
good time, now you’ve got to pay for it. One false move out of you and I start handing those pictures around. I’ll have a job for you in a little while, and you’ll do it or else.” He leaned forward, his small bright eyes on my face. “I have an idea you have already guessed what I’m up to. Just in case you haven’t, I’ll tell you.

Towards the end of the week, maybe on Saturday or Sunday, a big consignment of industrial diamonds are being
sent to the Continent.

The consignment will arrive at Eagle Street sorting-office. From there it will be taken to Northolt Airfield by van. I want these diamonds, pally.

Everything’s laid on, and I expect to get them. Your garage is our operations headquarters. The Jaguar Gloria left with you is one of our get-away cars. We have tapped your phone and Joe is ready to phone a message to me as soon as he sees the van leave.

But there’s just one little job we haven’t take care of. It needs technical knowledge, and that’s something you have got.

On Friday night you’re going to get into the sorting-office and
you’re going to put the alarm bell that’s inside the van out of action. How you do it is up to you, but you’ll do it. If you don’t I’ll call on your wife and give her the pictures.

If there’s a leak; if you don’t pull out the job, I’ll know who’s been talking out of turn, and I’ll fix you and I’ll fix your wife.

You mightn’t think so to look at him, but Louis is one of the best acid throwers in town. Ever seen a girl who’s had acid thrown in her face?

That’s what will happen to your wife if you talk, but I’ll give her the pictures first.”
He got to his feet.

“Well, I guess that’s all, pally. Today’s Wednesday.”
You’ve got until Friday morning to work out an idea how to put
that alarm bell out of action.

I’ll be in Friday afternoon to hear how you are going to do it. I’ll bring one of the pictures with me just in case your brain hasn’t worked.” He walked over to the door and threw it open. “On your way, pally.”

I got up slowly and painfully. I had nothing to say: there
was nothing to say. I had walked into a trap with my eyes wide open and the trap had snapped shut. This wasn’t the time to look for a way out.

Each step I took to cross the room sent a jar of pain
through me. I went slowly into the lounge.

Berry and Louis were sitting up at the bar, whiskies
before them. Gloria was lying on the sofa, smoking. Her flame-coloured wrap had fallen open, and her long legs sprawled,
one on the settee, and the other dangling to the floor. She didn’t look at me as I moved like a cripple across the room to the door.

“See the gent out, Berry,” Dix said, following me into the
lounge. “Treat him nice. He’s a partner in the business now.”
Berry slid off his stool and opened the door.

“On your way, sucker,” he said, his thin mouth twisting
into a sneering grin. “Mind how you fall downstairs.”
I groped my way down the stairs to the front door and
opened it.
“Just a minute,” Berry said, “there’s something I want to
say to you.”

I turned.
I saw his fist coming, but my reflexes were too slow to
avoid it. I took a bang in the mouth that sent me reefing into
the mews, and before I could regain my balance I went
sprawling.

“That’s from Glorie with her compliments,” Berry said.
“So long, sucker,” and he slammed the door.