Time and Again(73)

Henry was confident that the flattery did not impress him at all. “It will cost you.”

“How much?”

“$10,000…each.”

“That seems awfully steep.”

“I have standards about the type of client I will take, and frankly, knowing you now, you fall short. Oh and did I mention it needs to be cash…upfront.”

Hans walked out to his coat and returned with the money, dropping on the desk. “Okay, here is your money, now…”

“Now nothing, I won’t have you dictating terms. You and Arthur be ready, when I find out their location, and I will. I'll call you. You may think I am some small time private dick, but I care about Katarina, as much as you do…maybe more.”

Hans knew he had been played. Henry was already working to save the Falcon, but finding that out, just cost him and Arthur $20,000. Hans wrote a phone number down and dropped it on the desk. He didn’t say goodbye.

Henry got up and put the money in the safe. He called Mike, but didn’t get an answer. He was probably on his way, as was everyone else. He wouldn’t have much time to get the pieces in place. And there was the one wild card; could he trust the Greek man? If he couldn’t, well it wouldn’t just be Katarina in a tight spot.

Henry thought about Mickey, he thought about the $20,000 and smiled. Mickey would have approved. He thought about some of the tight spots they had been in, and the thrill of getting out. The best part was always the drinks after, listening to Mickey tell the story. Listening to the embellishments was always entertaining.

Henry flipped open his notebook and went to the two pages he hadn’t decoded. He gave it one look and pulled out his pencil. Two minutes later he had it all worked out. He had everything he needed right in front of him, courtesy of Michael Thomas Moore.





Chapter Sixty-Three



The phone rang, and Henry picked it up without speaking.

“I waited the hour. What do we do now?” Katrina said, sounding shaky.

Henry took a bit of the edge off of his voice, “We are going to get you out of there, but it is going to require a bit of finesse. You’re going to have to trust me.”

“I do.”

“Will you do what I tell you, when the time comes? Our lives may depend upon it.”

“Yes, whatever you need me to do.”

“Put the Greek man on the phone.”

A few seconds later the voice changed. “Hello, Sir. I’ve followed your instructions, now let’s discuss the exchange.”

Henry said, “You did a good job, she sounds petrified. I’m ready to take you to the ‘Eye’. Leave a couple of your men to watch her. It is in a building not far from there, and the neighborhood should be pretty quiet at that hour.”

The Greek man had walked out of the room. Henry gave him all the details, and the time they would meet.



***

Celine said, “It sounds dangerous to me.”

Professor Brookert said, “I agree with Celine, but I also don’t see any other way.”

Hans and Arthur stood by the desk, behind them Mike, all with concerned looks on their faces. “They will be expecting a double cross, so that is why we have to keep everything in balance. That is why we are meeting at 10:00 p.m., because everything has to be perfect. There can’t be any reason for him to change his mind. If he gets what he wants, he will disappear into the night, and we will get Katarina and Patrick back.”

Arthur said, “It still seems like they have the edge.”

“Look, You, Hans, the Professor and I will take my car. The Greek man will follow with most of his men. We will take them to the building with the ‘Eye’ hidden in it. The Greek man will give me the address where they are holding our friends. Then the three of you will stay with them, while I drive to wherever they are keeping Katarina and Patrick. When I get there, I’ll give the phone number to their two guys, who will call their boss. It’s to a pay phone outside the building. Once he gets on the phone, then they let me into the room to check on Katarina. At this point, I tell them where to find the ‘Eye’. It will take a little while to break through the wall, since I don’t know how to open the trap door. Once they have the ‘Eye’, have checked it out and are satisfied, then he will call back. I have looked into it, and there is a phone in the room, where it is hidden. He calls back, tells his guys he has got it, and they leave. Then I call back, to the pay phone, where the professor is waiting, and give the all clear. At that point, Arthur and Hans you two leave the front of the building with the professor and they see you drive off.”

Arthur said, “I don’t understand why he won’t just tell his guys to shoot you and Katarina.”