The Empty Beach ch-4 Read online

  Darling Marion,

  No easy way to say it. I’ve got cancer, It’s bad and there’s no stopping it. They told me in the States that I’ve got a few months to go at the most. So I’ve made some arrangements and there are a few things you have to do if you want to hang on to everything we’ve built up. First, I’ve got some stuff to take that will finish me. I’m going to take it in the water as far out as I can get. It won’t be too bad. Lyle Robinson has the will and it’s watertight. You can trust him with the legal stuff. You can’t trust anyone else, so do as I say.

  Ward and Mac will try to take over. Mac will try hardest. They’ll wait a while, maybe a year or so until the casino deal runs out but Mac will have a go. Stall him.

  You’re going to need a stirrer. Rhino Jackson could do it and you know him. But he’s a drunk. Ron Clingan is tough enough and pretty smart. He’d do. The best would be this private detective named Cliff Hardy. He’s ex-army, which is a plus. He’s pretty hard and he sticks. But he’s not dumb, so you have to be careful. When Mac gets difficult you should contact this Hardy and tell him some story about me still being alive. You’ll have to put on a good act. Get him working on it. Pay him what he asks, but no more. Keep him keen. Don’t tell him about Mac and Ward, he’ll find out and make trouble for them. The word on him is that he keeps going until he gets there. He’ll scare the shit out of Ward, who wants to get out of stuff here as you know. But he’s got that terrible temper. Mac isn’t that bright and he’s got a crook heart, I found out. This Hardy should be able to push them into doing something silly and get them in so much trouble they’ll be off your back.

  Your one problem is that Hardy could get himself killed between now and when you need him. If that happens, be patient and get the best man you can for the job. I thought of killing Freddy and Mac myself but I wouldn’t get both of them, and it could make a lot of trouble for you.

  So do it this way, love. It was all great with you, lots of fun and no-one really ever mattered to me except you. I want it to go on for you. I had to pull out a lot of cash to cover some things and people, but you hang on to the rest.

  Goodbye, Marion

  The signature was a bold scrawl: ‘John’.

  I read it carefully, and read parts of it twice. Marion Singer got another Rothmans going; her eyes were wet and a muscle was jumping out of control on the left side of her face.

  ‘Well, it worked,’ I said.

  ‘Yes.’ She blew smoke awkwardly. ‘He was just the smartest man I ever knew. It worked perfectly.’

  I remembered that Sandy Modesto, one of the ones who never really mattered, had used almost the same words about Singer.

  ‘But…?’ I said.

  The hand holding the cigarette was shaking, and she looked every one of her fifty-plus years. ‘You won’t believe this. I can hardly believe it myself. But I’ve been told that John is in Bangkok. He was seen. He’s had plastic surgery. There’s a girl… Shit!’

  She smashed out the cigarette. The ashtray hopped and sprayed ash and spent matches over her white suit. I grinned.

  ‘Don’t look like that! Hardy, don’t! I must know! I’ll pay you anything you ask to go to Bangkok. I’ll pay you fifty thousand dollars.’

  ‘No,’ I said.

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  Document creation date: 31.01.2012

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