1965 - The Way the Cookie Crumbles by James Hadley Chase

Author:James Hadley Chase
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Ticky Edris parked his car and got out stiffly, aware that his back was aching. The long, hard hours at La Coquille restaurant were exhausting him. Now the end was in sight, the work seemed harder and the hours endless. He looked at his wrist watch. The time was 02.55. A hell of a time to get back from work! He glanced up at the apartment block and was surprised to see the light was on in his sitting room.

It wasn’t usual for Algir to be waiting up. Had something gone wrong? Exerting himself, he trotted across the sidewalk, and up the steps and across the lobby to the elevator.

He would be thankful when Algir got some money, he thought, as the elevator took him up to his apartment. Having him as a boarder was not Ticky’s idea of fun. He unlocked the front door of the apartment and entered the living room.

Algir was sitting before the kitchen table he had brought into the living room and which he had converted into a workbench. On the table was a small foot-driven lathe, a vice and a number of tools. To one side was a pile of key blanks.

‘You’re working late,’ Edris said, crossing over to the cocktail cabinet. ‘What’s new?’

‘Knock it off, this is tricky!’ Algir grunted.

Edris poured himself a stiff whisky, kicked off his shoes and sat down heavily in his armchair. He watched Algir as he used a fine, rattail file on a key blank. After some ten minutes, Algir pushed back his chair with a sigh of relief.

‘I guess that’s it. That’s taken me four blasted hours to get right.’ He got to his feet and fixed himself a whisky. ‘Ira was here this evening. She brought a beautiful impression of a key belonging to Hyam Wanassee’s safe.’

Edris slopped his drink.

‘Wanassee! He’s about the richest! He eats regularly at La Coquille. He tips fifteen fish at a throw!’

‘He left by the evening plane. She’s going to empty his safe tomorrow morning. That’s why I’m working this late. There could be enough in that box to put us in the gravy for the next six months!’

‘This is the beginning of it, Phil! Tomorrow she may get hold of another key. You’ve got to keep at it! No slacking off. You’ve got to cut those keys as fast as she gives you the impressions. I tell you: this could net a million . . . more!’

Algir nodded. He sipped his whisky and then leaned forward.

‘Something is bothering me, Ticky. Something maybe you have missed out on.’

Edris looked sharply at him.

‘What is it?’

‘Did it ever occur to you that Ira might cheat us?’ Algir said. ‘She transfers the money into my safe. Later, I come around and pick up the money and bring it here. What’s to stop her transferring only part of the money and keeping the bulk of it herself?’

‘How would she get it out?’ Edris said, his eyes hardening. ‘You get it out because the bank thinks it belongs to you.

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