they went into hiding. Then we happened along on a raid, and picked a few of them up trying to escape in a poor, old fishing boat. His brother was killed a few days earlier, so he took it upon himself to bring the kid with him. Not only that, old boy, he brought the whole forgery caboodle over too, plates, cutting gear, the lot!’
He sat back, nodding judiciously. ‘Yes, I thought that’d shake you!’
‘He’s been turning the stuff out ever since, eh?’ His voice sounded hollow.
‘Yep. Of course, when the cash started to come in, from the travel business too, he set up shop in the cellars of his old house. I saw it, and made newer and better plates, while all the time this bastard Mason gets into bigger and better schemes for getting rid of the stuff. And so, my boy, that is it. Any questions?’
Vivian groped for the bottle, and finding it empty, he jumped to his feet, and began to pace to and fro, while Lang watched him curiously.
‘You’ve certainly given me something to chew on, Felix. God, I can’t grasp it all yet!’ He ran his fingers through his hair, frowning deeply. ‘You’ve not explained yet how I can help you,’ he said abruptly. ‘It seems to me the less I know about all this, the better.’
‘Look,’ said Lang earnestly, leaning forward. ‘A few more trips and we’ll really be in the chips. After that,’ he spread his hands wide, ‘who knows? But I, personally, think it’ll get too hot, and the gaff’ll blow!’
As Vivian remained silent and puzzled, he went on hurriedly. ‘If someone can convince Jensen that we’ve gone on long enough, that it’s getting too risky, then perhaps he will destroy the plates. No plates, no racket. It’s that simple. Provided we do it soon.’
‘What’s Mason going to say about all this?’
‘He is the big snag, and I’m convinced that he’s got Jensen so tied up that the old boy’s content to leave everything to him, just so long as the money comes pouring in.’ He smiled slightly. ‘As you’ve seen, I’m pretty well in with Mason’s wife, she’s a sweet kid, and if I can get out of this, I’m hoping to take her along too. At the moment, she sort of keeps an eye on the enemy camp for me.’
‘Another risk, eh?’ Vivian had to grin.
‘Risk is right! Anyway, what about it? Will you stay and give me a hand? You’ll know nothing, except the story I handed you before, so if we slip up, you won’t be in too deep.’ He banged the table violently. ‘And we won’t slip up! As I see it, we may have to pinch the plates, if that’s at all possible, and chuck ’em in the drink.’ He sighed. ‘That’d be the ideal thing; as I said, no plates, no rackets.’
‘Couldn’t he make some more?’
‘Never in this life, old boy. I’m convinced he really is ready to get out. For one thing, after Karen left finishing school, and helped to set up the overseas branches of the travel business, she took it upon herself to spend more and more time at home looking after him, so it’s not been all that easy for him to prepare the paper and stuff for printing in his little workshop.’
Vivian’s heart bounded. ‘You mean she’s not in the racket too?’
‘Lord no! Jensen’s whole life is devoted to her. I’m convinced he started doing this with her in mind. She’s all he’s got now. He lets her think that all he does in his workshop is design those posters you like.’
Vivian stared out of the scuttle at his side, not wishing Lang to see the hopeful gleam in his eye. It was madness, of course, but how else could he manage to hold on to her memory? He spun on his heel.
‘Christ, Felix, I’m on!’ he shouted, with such vehemence that even Lang jumped. ‘If it’s only to keep that girl out of it!’
Lang’s jaw dropped, and his voice shook. ‘You mean you’ll really help me? My dear old Philip, I somehow knew you wouldn’t let me down.’ His eyes were bright. ‘Just think, we could get another boat like this, and later
He sat back, nodding judiciously. ‘Yes, I thought that’d shake you!’
‘He’s been turning the stuff out ever since, eh?’ His voice sounded hollow.
‘Yep. Of course, when the cash started to come in, from the travel business too, he set up shop in the cellars of his old house. I saw it, and made newer and better plates, while all the time this bastard Mason gets into bigger and better schemes for getting rid of the stuff. And so, my boy, that is it. Any questions?’
Vivian groped for the bottle, and finding it empty, he jumped to his feet, and began to pace to and fro, while Lang watched him curiously.
‘You’ve certainly given me something to chew on, Felix. God, I can’t grasp it all yet!’ He ran his fingers through his hair, frowning deeply. ‘You’ve not explained yet how I can help you,’ he said abruptly. ‘It seems to me the less I know about all this, the better.’
‘Look,’ said Lang earnestly, leaning forward. ‘A few more trips and we’ll really be in the chips. After that,’ he spread his hands wide, ‘who knows? But I, personally, think it’ll get too hot, and the gaff’ll blow!’
As Vivian remained silent and puzzled, he went on hurriedly. ‘If someone can convince Jensen that we’ve gone on long enough, that it’s getting too risky, then perhaps he will destroy the plates. No plates, no racket. It’s that simple. Provided we do it soon.’
‘What’s Mason going to say about all this?’
‘He is the big snag, and I’m convinced that he’s got Jensen so tied up that the old boy’s content to leave everything to him, just so long as the money comes pouring in.’ He smiled slightly. ‘As you’ve seen, I’m pretty well in with Mason’s wife, she’s a sweet kid, and if I can get out of this, I’m hoping to take her along too. At the moment, she sort of keeps an eye on the enemy camp for me.’
‘Another risk, eh?’ Vivian had to grin.
‘Risk is right! Anyway, what about it? Will you stay and give me a hand? You’ll know nothing, except the story I handed you before, so if we slip up, you won’t be in too deep.’ He banged the table violently. ‘And we won’t slip up! As I see it, we may have to pinch the plates, if that’s at all possible, and chuck ’em in the drink.’ He sighed. ‘That’d be the ideal thing; as I said, no plates, no rackets.’
‘Couldn’t he make some more?’
‘Never in this life, old boy. I’m convinced he really is ready to get out. For one thing, after Karen left finishing school, and helped to set up the overseas branches of the travel business, she took it upon herself to spend more and more time at home looking after him, so it’s not been all that easy for him to prepare the paper and stuff for printing in his little workshop.’
Vivian’s heart bounded. ‘You mean she’s not in the racket too?’
‘Lord no! Jensen’s whole life is devoted to her. I’m convinced he started doing this with her in mind. She’s all he’s got now. He lets her think that all he does in his workshop is design those posters you like.’
Vivian stared out of the scuttle at his side, not wishing Lang to see the hopeful gleam in his eye. It was madness, of course, but how else could he manage to hold on to her memory? He spun on his heel.
‘Christ, Felix, I’m on!’ he shouted, with such vehemence that even Lang jumped. ‘If it’s only to keep that girl out of it!’
Lang’s jaw dropped, and his voice shook. ‘You mean you’ll really help me? My dear old Philip, I somehow knew you wouldn’t let me down.’ His eyes were bright. ‘Just think, we could get another boat like this, and later
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