Blood Is Dirt Read Online Free Page A

if I stick my nose in?’
    Napier waggled his finger at the barman. Two more
grandes pressions
arrived and two more Red Labels. He lit a Camel. The phone rang in the hotel.
    â€˜Gardez l’écoute
,’ said the receptionist.
    A short fat fellow came into the bar from the hotel and held up a finger. ‘
M. Napier. Téléphone.
’
    Napier squirmed off his stool and leaned back for his cigarettes in case it was a long one.
    â€˜Keep my beer warm,’ he said, and let me know how drunk he was by pinballing his way out of our tight corner before getting on the straight and narrow.
    He was back in ten minutes, looking frisky and not half as drunk as he had been. He hopped up on to the bar stool and clapped me on the back. I didn’t like the turnaround in mood, especially as it looked as if it was going to involve me.
    â€˜Still wanna make some money, Bruce?’
    â€˜Not if I’ve got to lay down my life for it,’ I said. ‘You can’t take it with you, Napier, remember that.’
    â€˜Sure I do,’ he said and socked back the chaser. ‘That was them on the phone.’
    â€˜Who’s
them?
    â€˜They said there’s been a mistake.’
    â€˜That’s big of them. Who’s
they?’
    â€˜They said they want to give me my money back.’
    â€˜Why should
they
suddenly want to do a thing like that?’
    â€˜I don’t know...’ he said, without letting his confidence falter, before he remembered not to lie. ‘Pressure.’
    â€˜Tell me about the kind of person who can exert that kind of pressure.’
    â€˜Well, you know, like you say, you meet people. You tell them what’s on your mind. Sometimes they help you. Sometimes they don’t even have to be asked. You coming?’
    â€˜Napier, you’re going to have to tell me what you’re talking about.’
    â€˜I want you to hold my hand.’
    â€˜That’s not...’
    â€˜I’ll give you five. No. I’ll give you ten thousand... dollars.’
    â€˜What’s wrong with your hand?’
    â€˜Nothing you’re going to catch.’
    â€˜I don’t know about that,’ I said, and drained the first
grande
pression
and started in on the second. ‘Let’s get this straight. The gang that stole your money from your UK bank account have called you here in your luxurious Beninois hotel and have volunteered to give you your money back. In cash. In dollars.’
    He nodded.
    â€˜Ten hours ago you came into my office so frazzled you wouldn’t even tell me their shoe size. Half an hour ago you tell me you’re petrified... seem to think your death is required in all this. Ten minutes ago you get a phone call and you’ve kissed and made up. Now you want me to hold your hand out there in the dark. What annoys me, Napier, what you have to tell me right now is—do I look that much of a sucker?’
    He nodded.
    â€˜You’re on your own,’ I said, and stood up to finish the beer.
    â€˜No, no, Bruce. Sorry. I didn’t mean that. What I meant was that if I start telling you what it’s all about we’re going to be here until six in the morning and the meeting is at nine tonight. There just isn’t the time to fill you in. You’ve got twenty minutes to say “yes” and get me there. But look, what I can tell you is that the person gave me a name. The name of a very powerful man who has guaranteed the handover and my personal safety.’
    â€˜What about mine?’
    â€˜Yours too.’
    â€˜What the hell do you need me for?’
    â€˜How do you get a moped taxi to stop in this town?’
    â€˜You shout
kekeno.
It’s Fon for “stop”.’
    â€˜Now you don’t want me to get on the back of a moped with two million dollars in a suitcase, do you?’
    â€˜I’m your chauffeur,’ I said, getting it. Napier laughed.
    â€˜If you like.’
    â€˜Since when