Johnny laughed.
“You’re kidding yourself, Sean. If you want Gilda you’ll have to put up with me. I’m not going, so get that idea out of your head. I’m sticking to
you and Gilda and your dough.”
O’Brien shrugged.
“Please yourself. You’ll either go or stay on this boat until you rot. You have no other alternative, and if you think you can escape, try it and see how you get on!”
Johnny grimaced.
“I might go if there was some money in it. Is there?”
“I didn’t expect to get rid of you without it costing me something,” O’Brien said. “I’ll give you ten grand in return for the letter to Gilda and your promise to remain in Paris until I tell you to return.”
“Ten grand?” Johnny said incredulously. “You’ll have to do better than that. Make it fifty, and it’s a deal.”
“Twenty-five, but no more.”