Читать книгу Biggles in Mexico - W E Johns - Страница 9

Table of Contents

The Air Commodore went on. ‘In his fright at the diamond murder Tricky emigrated to Canada—so he says.’

‘How did he manage that?’

‘By the fairly simple process of taking a job as a deck hand on a transatlantic tramp steamer and deserting when he got to the other side. Having forfeited his pay by desertion he had no money, of course, so he had to see about getting some. How he went about this he hasn’t told us, but we can imagine. With the police on his trail he skipped across the border into the United States and in due course made his way to San Francisco. He was soon in trouble again and had to do another bolt, this time into Mexico. He admits frankly that the police had reason to look for him.’

Biggles stared. ‘Do you believe all this?’

‘No. But it could be true, because it seems to be a fact that Tricky arrived in Mexico. And he wouldn’t be likely to go there without a good reason. But never mind how he got there. For the purpose of argument let us say he did get there. How he managed that is where improbability really steps in to make truth wilt in the dust. According to Tricky he stole a car.’

‘One can believe that, anyway.’

‘Yes. And one can believe, as he claims, that he ran out of petrol soon after crossing the Mexican border, although it is more likely that with the police hot on his trail he thought it safer to abandon the car. Keeping off the road he went on foot, got lost in a cactus forest and nearly died of thirst. As you probably know, the frontier between California and Mexico runs through some of the worst, and hottest, desert in the world. However, luck was still with him. He was found by a party of Indian smugglers, who took him along with them. He stayed with them for a time and then plodded on to a flat-roofed pueblo, or village, a little place named Eltora on the Magdalena River. Anyhow, that’s the story this cheap little crook asks us to believe to account for his arrival in one of the wildest and most remote parts of Mexico.’

Biggles was smiling. ‘Tricky certainly has imagination if nothing else. Is there such a place in Mexico as Eltora?’

‘Certainly. It’s just south of the border. And as it’s only a village, unless he had been there it’s hard to see how he could have heard of the place. It’s even harder to see how he could know as much about it as he does. He has all the details at his finger tips—what the people do, what they eat, drink, and all the rest of it. He couldn’t have guessed that, and geography could hardly have been his long suit in what little schooling he had. So there he was, in what is perhaps the wildest part of Mexico, broke to the world. But luck was still with him. Now hold on to your chair, for this caps the lot. Who does he meet in Eltora, of all places in the world, but—can you guess?’

‘No.’

‘His old pals, Ritzy, Corny and Nifty.’

Biggles flinched. ‘Now wait a minute, sir, wait a minute,’ he protested. ‘I’m a credulous sort of fellow and I know that coincidence can play strange tricks, but this is going too far.’

The Air Commodore was laughing softly. ‘I warned you to get a grip on yourself. That, of course, was no coincidence.’

‘You mean—he knew they were there.’

‘He must have done. The age of miracles has passed.’

‘What kills me is that Tricky should expect you to swallow such a fantastic yarn.’

‘He had the explanation ready. He says the local policeman picked him up for begging food. Being a foreigner who couldn’t speak the language, and had no passport, he was put into the one-room gaol to think of a better story than the one he was telling, which was that he was an Englishman who had been robbed and had lost his way. At least, that was what he tried to explain, for he knew no Spanish and the cop knew only a few words of American English. What the policeman—whose name he says was Juan something or other—did, was send for a local resident, who spoke both languages, to act as interpreter. That was Corny Cornelli. With him came Ritzy and Nifty. They bailed Tricky out—or more likely fixed things with the cop to let him go—and took him home. Maybe they were afraid he would talk. They had rented a nice little villa and were living very comfortably with everything laid on, including a female servant.’

Biggles lit another cigarette. ‘Can you really believe this wonderful tale?’

The Air Commodore shrugged. ‘Your guess is as good as mine.’

‘What do you really think?’

‘I believe that Tricky knew all along, or somehow found out, about this hide-out, and made his way there.’

‘For what reason?’

‘Not mere curiosity. Nor could it have been love. There could have been only one reason, the usual one with men of his type, money; money plus a fear that here he might be roped in for murder.’

‘Did he get any money?’

‘Not a bean.’

‘But what on earth were these crooks doing in Mexico?’

‘They had a reason for being where they were. I’ll come to that presently. Tricky says he stayed with the gang for a month. Then there was a row and he left them. My construction of that is, either they got sick of the sight of him and threw him out, or he pushed his demands for money too hard, possibly threatening blackmail, and had to bolt or risk being bumped off. I’d say he bolted. Somehow he got to Mexico City where, broke and homesick, he reported to the British office where he had the effrontery to try to do a deal. He said he knew all about the diamond robbery and would spill the beans in return for a passage home and no prosecution. That didn’t work. British officials don’t make bargains with crooks. They got in touch with us. Being interested in the diamonds we asked them to give him a ticket home. We met him at the dock when he landed. Actually, we had nothing against him, but he was brought to the Yard where he told his story. Afterwards we let him go. He’s still in London. We’re keeping an eye on him.’

‘How much did he know about the diamonds?’

‘Plenty, if what he says is fact, not fiction.’

‘How did he account for knowing about the diamonds?’

‘He says he got the details from his cockney pal, Nifty, who, he swears, is fed up with the whole business and is pining for the homely smell of London, with fish and chips instead of the everlasting tortillas and frijoles he has to eat in Eltora.’

‘So Nifty did some talking?’

‘Yes. I told you that Ritzy had experience of boats in the Mediterranean. Knowing that if he got the diamonds his great difficulty would be to get them out of the country he planned accordingly. With the proceeds of a mail van robbery he bought a cabin cruiser which he kept at moorings in Chichester harbour. With this he intended to make for Tangier, where as, you know, almost anything can be bought or sold with no questions asked. There he had arranged to meet an agent with whom he had done some business, gun-running, in his smuggling days. With everything nicely worked out he got the diamonds and headed for Tangier the same night. All according to plan. This, you understand, is what Nifty told Tricky on the quiet one evening in Eltora, after a few drinks, when Ritzy was out of the way.’

Biggles nodded. ‘It sounds reasonable.’

The Air Commodore went on. ‘All went well until they reached the Bay of Biscay where they ran into bad weather. Then the engine broke down, and but for a stroke of luck that would have been the end of them and no one would ever have known what became of them or the diamonds. Unable to keep the boat’s head to wind they were waterlogged when they had the good fortune to be picked up by a French tramp outward bound from Bordeaux to New Orleans.’ The Air Commodore smiled. ‘One can speculate on what might have happened if the skipper of the French boat had known that in Ritzy’s soaking kitbag there was a fortune in diamonds. However, he was not to know that and in due course the ship docked at New Orleans. That was how Brabinsky and Co. got to the United States.’

‘This is becoming fascinating,’ murmured Biggles. ‘Go on, sir.’

‘Well, Brabinsky sold a diamond, and with the proceeds the party made its way to San Francisco. Ritzy thought that would be a safer place to lie low while fresh arrangements were being made. The appointment with the agent in Tangier had fallen through and another would have to be made. They still had the diamonds, and Ritzy was afraid that sooner or later the American authorities would catch up with them and ask awkward questions. Had they been honest men they could of course have gone to the nearest British consul, but there was no question of that. Ritzy’s fears were justified. He tried to sell another diamond, but the dealer was an honest man and the police were soon on the track. Ritzy told the tale about being shipwrecked, but the police were suspicious, and while they were checking his story he slipped across the border into Mexico. He daren’t risk being searched. The party didn’t go far.’

‘So that’s how they came to Eltora. Why did they stop there?’

‘They didn’t want to get too far from San Francisco. Ritzy had sent an air mail letter to the agent in Tangier explaining why he hadn’t been able to keep the appointment. A reply came back making another date, this time in ’Frisco, with a man named Hugo Schultz, who would bring the cash with him to pay for the stones. It’s hardly likely that a private individual would have that amount of money so we can assume that Schultz, probably a German from East Berlin, was the representative of the country to which the diamonds were going.’

‘We can guess which country.’

‘Of course. But again the appointment came unstuck. As I’ve said, Ritzy was getting nervous at carrying a load of diamonds around, living in hotels with nowhere to hide them, so he got into Mexico while the going was good.’

‘Did he leave word for Schultz where he was going.’

‘That’s something we don’t know. It was a question Tricky forgot to ask. We may suppose that he did, in which case he would have to wait in Eltora for Schultz to join him. Up to the time Tricky left the party Schultz hadn’t turned up. One can see there would be difficulties. Schultz wouldn’t find it easy to get perhaps a million dollars across the frontier into Mexico without awkward questions being asked. Time would be needed to arrange that. On the other hand, Ritzy and his pals would think twice about trying to get back into the States. They may have had British passports, but remember, they set out for Tangier, so it seems most unlikely that they would have visas for the United States. They may have been allowed ashore at New Orleans as shipwrecked sailors, but having got into Mexico the story wouldn’t be likely to get them back into the States.’

‘And Nifty, apparently, was getting browned off?’

‘Very much so. He admitted they were all comfortable where they were, and had the local policeman in their pocket by means of small bribes, but not even Ritzy wanted to stay in Mexico indefinitely. Corny, too, was getting restless. He wanted to go home to South America, and Nifty, who was completely out of his element, was all for getting back to London. They asked Ritzy to split the diamonds three ways, leaving everyone to do as he liked. But Ritzy wouldn’t do that, so we can well believe that the atmosphere was getting strained. Tricky went his own way to get something out of the business; he didn’t get any money but at least he got home.’

‘Ritzy still had the diamonds when he was there?’

‘So it seems. He had taken the precaution of hiding them. Only he knew where, so there was nothing the others could do about it unless they abandoned their share. Again, Ritzy knew he was in no danger of being bumped off as long as his partners didn’t know where he’d hidden the stones.’

‘I suppose there’s no chance of Ritzy selling the stones in Mexico?’ queried Biggles.

‘Not a hope. He might sell an odd one for ready money although Tricky says he seems to have plenty of cash in his pocket. To try to unload the whole parcel, or even a few, would be asking for trouble. The stones would soon be traced back to him and then the Mexican police would have some questions to ask. Well, as far as we know that’s how things stand at present, supposing that nothing has happened since Tricky left Mexico.’

‘How long ago is that?’

‘Nearly seven weeks.’

‘Anything could have happened in that time.’

‘We are well aware of it. That’s why the matter is urgent. Are they still there? Has Schultz arrived and collected the diamonds? Has the gang moved as a result of the row with Tricky, whom they might fear would rat on them, as in fact he has. Go to Mexico and find out. If they are still in the same place send me a cable, but not from Eltora in case the post office people talk. We can be sure Ritzy will be in touch with the post office for any news.’

‘Is that all?’

‘For the moment.’

‘Couldn’t the Mexican police find out for you if the gang is still in Eltora?’

‘No doubt they could, quite easily, but how could we expect them to take the matter seriously without telling them the whole story? The arrival of one policeman asking questions would be quite enough to send the gang packing. No, this must be done quietly. I’ve already explained the snags of extradition. Mexico, like every other country, has an interest in diamonds. Of course, if you could get hold of the stones well and good, but there could be no question of you making an arrest—anyway, in Mexico. If you could lure Ritzy over the border into the United States that would be fine. We can always rely on the co-operation of the police there. They wouldn’t want the diamonds to get into the wrong hands.’

Biggles looked curious. ‘Why am I picked for this job? Why not a regular officer of the yard?’

‘It would be risky. Remember, we’re dealing with professional crooks. They probably know all our men by sight. That’s part of their business. In any case, they can smell a copper a mile off. They’d take no notice of you, arriving as a casual traveller.’

Biggles smiled. ‘Meaning I don’t smell like a cop?’

‘Frankly, you don’t. You don’t even look like one. But never mind that. Tell me, what’s your opinion of the tale I’ve just told you?’

‘I think most of it is true. Ritzy is in Mexico.’

‘What makes you think that?’

‘In the first place Tricky, not being a complete fool, must know you’ll check up on his story. To be proved an out-and-out liar wouldn’t improve his position in the case. Again, I feel that had the story been a pack of lies he would have concocted one more likely to be believed. Some of the details were quite unnecessary. For instance, why invent a name for the character Ritzy was supposed to meet in San Francisco? Hugo Schultz. There was no need for that; certainly not for a Christian name.’

‘You believe he really exists?’

‘I do. He could be a Russian agent, as you say, probably from East Berlin. I wonder if von Stalhein knows anything about him? Where is he, by the way?’

‘Von Stalhein? He’s still in London.’

‘What’s he doing?’

‘Living quietly in rooms in Kensington while he waits for the fuss over his escape from Sakhalin to die down.’^[B]

[B]	See Biggles Buries a Hatchet.

‘What’s he doing for money?’

‘The last I heard he was making a living doing translations from Russian and German into English, mostly for government departments.’

‘Do they know who he is?’

‘Some may, although he’s changed his name to Lothar Boelke, anyway for the time being.’

‘You’ve got his address?’

‘Yes.’

Biggles tapped the ash off his cigarette. ‘I’ve made a point of keeping away from him, but it might be worth a call to see if he knows anything about this fellow Hugo Schultz.’

‘There’s just a chance he may know him, or know of him, although Schultz is a common name in Germany; and, of course, it could be an alias.’

Biggles nodded. ‘I’ll try it. By the way, I take it you have descriptions of Ritzy and his pals?’

‘Yes. As they have done time you’ll find photos and fingerprints of Brimshawe and Cornelli downstairs.’

Biggles thought for a moment. ‘I can see a snag about going to Mexico. I know enough Spanish to get along as a tourist, but perhaps not enough to deal with official arguments should they arise. I haven’t had to speak Spanish for some time.’

‘Polish it up on the way out. Travelling as a tourist, as I suggest you do, you’ll have time on your hands. Anyhow, as Eltora isn’t a great way from the border you’ll probably find that most of the people you’re likely to come in contact with speak a certain amount of American English.’

‘Where exactly is Eltora?’

‘It’s only a little place tucked away in the north-west corner, about a hundred miles from the frontier with California. You’ll find it on large scale maps. The road runs south through Sonoyta. Playing your part as an ordinary tourist I suggest you get a car in the States and drive down. There’s no point in taking an aircraft across. You won’t need one, and it’s unlikely you’d find a place to put it down near Eltora. It’s all pretty rough country. Oh, and by the way, you’d better not try to take a gun in. The import of arms is forbidden. You won’t need one. All I want you to do at this stage is simply to find out if Ritzy and Co. are still at Eltora.’

‘Okay, sir. I’m not anxious to clutter up my pockets with unnecessary hardware.’

‘All right. Think it over but don’t be too long. Time is precious. A delay could result in the final disappearance of the diamonds—if they haven’t gone already. I suggest you fly out to San Francisco by the regular air services, and make your sortie, by car, from there.’

Biggles stubbed his cigarette and got up. ‘As you say, sir. I’ll be back presently.’

He left the room and returned to his own office.

‘What’s the gen?’ asked Ginger.

Biggles smiled. ‘Sit still and keep quiet and I’ll shoot you the most improbable line you’ve ever heard in your lives,’ he promised.