take your pay, and learn to play ball.”

“I know one thing, Smith: You’re offering me less than that crook Paar. How do you account for that?”

“Catell, please.” Smith sounded pained. “Personally, I like you. In fact, knowing your quality of work, I respect you. Well, look, Catell. What do you say to fifteen thousand? I’m honestly trying to help you. What do you say?”

“No.”

“No? Catell, you’ve got to wake up. There’s nothing else that anybody can do for you. You’re lucky you came to me, because even though you may not know it, I’m taking a personal interest in you. And do you want to know why? Because, like I said, I admire your work. I have good men in my organization, believe me, but they aren’t artists. In fact, artists are getting few and far between. So, call it sentimental if you want, I’d like to do you a good turn. However, you’re asking too much, Catell, way too much.”

Catell had been sucking on a cigarette, only half listening to Smith buttering him up. What did the bastard want from him?

“Listen, Catell, I just had an idea. Ah, have you ever considered working for us?”

“I’ve had bad moments like that, Smith, but I’m not having one now. Right now, I’m trying to talk a deal with you, nothing else.”

“So am I, Catell, so am I. By the way, you’re broke, aren’t you?”

“I’m getting by.”

“Sure. Just about. Are you getting by enough to say no to five hundred down?”

“Down for what?”

“Here’s what I have in mind, Catell. You want to move your swag? Fine. You want to move it at your price? Fine again. I’ll give you what you ask, twenty thousand. But as I’ve been trying to explain, Catell, I’ll be overpaying you. So it’s no more than a square deal for you to trade me something else. I’m talking about your experience, Catell. Now, shut up a minute. I don’t want you to underestimate yourself, because you have something we can use. I’m not asking you to come in with us. Just hiding out, I’d call it. So here’s the deal: I give you twenty thousand for the gold, and you come in on one deal we’ve got coming up. What’s more, we’ll pay you for your services, and as a friend, here’s five hundred down.”

Smith leaned back in his chair and looked at Catell, putting a hopeful smile on his face.

“It’s no good, Smith. All I want to do is sell my swag.”

Smith’s smile dropped, but he didn’t look disappointed. He just said, “Take it or leave it, Catell.”

There was a cold silence. Catell knew that aside from a slight blow to his pride, nobody was getting hurt in this deal. If Smith was on the level. Smith just had to be on the level. Guys like him paid for services rendered and that was that. And then there was five hundred cash, more cash to come, and all this on top of finally moving the gold.

“When do I get the cash for my gold?”

“After the other deal.”

The bastard!

“And what’s my cut for the other deal?”

“A flat fifteen hundred. No cut out of the swag. Just a flat fifteen hundred. After all, Catell—”

“Plus five hundred now?”

“Minus, Catell. Five hundred now, a thousand after the heist, and the gold deal after that. I’m trying to be generous with you, Catell, really I am.” Smith took a stack of bills out of his desk. He flapped them back and forth against one hand, smiling again.

“All right, Smith, it’s a deal.”

They both got to their feet. They shook hands, exchanged a silent look, and then Smith gave the bundle of notes to Catell. The wrapper was still on them, and it said “$500.”

“I’m sure you won’t regret this, Catell, and I’m glad to have you working for me.”

“I’ll do my job, Smith.”

“Of course you will. Call me in two days and we’ll get together for the briefing. The whole job should be duck soup for you.”

“And now,” said Catell, “I’ll have me a go at this town. And a few clothes would be in order. By the way, what’s that club you mentioned before?”

“The Pink Shell. Topper runs it for me.”

“That figures.”

“Now, there are some other places you probably haven’t seen yet. The Hideaway, or the—”

“Pink Shell sounds fine, Smith. Where is it?”

“You go out to Malibu. Do you know the way to Santa Barbara? It’s on that highway, just the other side of Malibu. A very nice place, Catell,