Cargo for the Styx Read Online Free

because you met Aggie Minos. We can’t afford to hold up the sailing, either. The cargo insurance includes penalty payments for delay of delivery. We can’t afford to pass up potential business because you’ve got a thing about Minos.”
    Voice aside again: “Yes, baby. Ted is coming.” Laughter and music in the background.
    I said, “What do you want, a deposition from Aggie that he intends to cut himself a piece of the
Temoc?
”
    “I want proof.” He was yelling now. “Solid, tangible, hardrock proof.”
    “So what if he sails and something does happen?”
    He stopped yelling. He became suavely vice-presidential. “Then we’ll remember who cleared Clift down in LaPlaya.” Distant screech. Voice aside: “Yes, baby, Ted wants to play. Just a minute!”
    It was my turn to yell. “Go play with baby while three hundred and fifty thousand gets away from you!” I rammed down the phone.
    I took a walk. Six paces forward, six back. Proof he wanted. I had a “thing” about Aggie Minos. The hell I did.
    Or did I?
    Winters was right. I did.
    A quarter of a million dollars rode on the cargo. I said, “I’m Aggie Minos. I like the sound of two hundred and fifty thousand. How can I get that much out of Marine Mutual?”
    I couldn’t answer myself. The cargo was being shipped by a nation-wide company. It was even a reputable company. So was the receiver of the shipment.
    I said, “I just don’t have the criminal type mind.”
    I went back to the telephone. I checked my Pocket Telephone Guide (patented). I dialed.
    The answering voice whispered, “Hel-l-o-o.” It was a voice out of the dim reaches of a summer garden, moonlit, surrounded by honeysuckle.
    I said, “I’d like to speak to Irma Wilson, please.”
    “Speaking.”
    I needed a minute for psychological readjustment. I thought of Irma Wilson mostly in terms of Electronic Suppliers. In terms of semi-tailored suits and dresses; of attractive but somewhat severe hair styling; of crisp efficiency in voice and manner. Attractive? Definitely. Interesting? I admit I’d speculated. But idly, to while away odd moments.
    I said, “This is Martin Zane, Miss Wilson.”
    “You sound formidably business-like.” It was a complaint.
    “It is business.”
    “I like to do business between nine and five.”
    I said, “I have a couple of questions that need answering—so I can finish my report. Then I promise to leave you alone.”
    “Promise? That sounds more like a threat.”
    I decided that the moonlit, honeysuckle-surrounded garden where the voice was coming from also had a portable bar close by. I said, “Miss Wilson, does the name Aggie Minos mean anything to you?”
    Enough pause for her to think about it. Then, “No. Should it?”
    I said, “I don’t know. One more question. Is there any possible way for anyone but your firm to collect the cargo insurance? On the
Temoc
cargo, that is.”
    “Do you mean is there any way for an individual to collect?”
    “Yes.”
    “Good heavens, no. Not unless there is someone with the name Electronic Suppliers and he can steal the policy. If anything should happen, Marine Mutual would pay directly to the head office.”
    Another pause. “Isn’t that a strange question, Mr. Zane?”
    I said, “I didn’t think so when I asked it. Thank you, Miss Wilson. Good night.”
    Her
good night
was reluctant. Or maybe it was just puzzled. It had no air of finality. But I hung up anyway. I wanted to do some more thinking.
    I couldn’t think of anything to think about. There was no way for Aggie Minos or anyone else to make a profit on the
Temoc
deal. No way that I could see.
    That left one answer: Aggie was trying to maneuver me into giving him or Clift a bad time. Then he might have me in a position to bring suit. That kind of suit would wind me up for good in this business.
    Would even Aggie Minos go to so much trouble just to get revenge? Revenge for what? Because I’d been doing my job.
    Aggie would. The criminal mind has