His Own Theft by John Creasey

Author:John Creasey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: House of Stratus

Chapter Twelve

Bristow’s Offer

Nothing at all in Bristow’s manner suggested that he felt any new burden. He really did look younger and more relaxed; he even moved across to the chair over the strong room, leaning back in it while clasping the arms, and saying with great confidence,

‘John I’m sure you won’t regret what you’ve decided.’

‘I’m pretty sure, too,’ Mannering admitted. ‘It will take a lot of getting used to, and I do wonder whether Quinns hasn’t outgrown me, but …’

‘Quinns will never outgrow you,’ Bristow interrupted, as if without a doubt in the world. ‘You’re synonymous with it, John. There may be some changes and you may even give your manager more authority sometimes but …’ He became momentarily wary, as if wondering whether that had gone too far, but when he saw Mannering smiling he went on, ‘Every day I’m here I learn a little more about the business and about you, but today was a red-letter day. Do you know what Diamond told me?’

‘What did Jack Diamond tell you?’

‘That if you put a value on any piece of jewellery, any painting of any objet d’art or antique, any insurance company will accept the valuation. So will every reputable dealer or auctioneer. I always knew you were unique but not until today how unique.’

‘So unique,’ Mannering said with feeling, ‘that I didn’t know Lorna had an exhibition in a gallery in Burlington Arcade. I saw it by accident this afternoon.’

‘If I know Lorna that will worry you much more than it will worry her,’ Bristow declared, in a tone which carried its own reassurance. ‘But John, you do need a break. Not simply a holiday but a few weeks when you needn’t concentrate so much on Quinns as you have been doing.’ He frowned as he stared at Mannering and then appeared to change the subject abruptly. ‘You know I’ve a son in Australia, don’t you?’

Surprised, Mannering said, ‘Yes – and I seem to remember you were going to take your wife out to see him.’ Could Bristow be about to announce that he needed a holiday, too? The timing would be most unlike him but he might believe that he should get everything over at once.

‘I was there two months before leaving the Yard,’ Bristow said. ‘I don’t particularly want to go again for a few years anyhow. But my wife would love to go and spend three or even six months with the boy and his wife, while in a few weeks’ time the lease of our flat comes up for renewal and I don’t want to pay the extra rent the landlord wants.’ Bristow gave a sudden grin: ‘Quite a chapter of events, isn’t it? If Ellen goes to Australia, I could nightwatch here while looking round for a smaller flat in the heart of London. There is a spare room up in Josh’s place if we moved some of the antiques around a bit, and working this way would suit everybody’s purpose until we decided the best thing to do.

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