Kile gave him a hostile look.
‘I’d scarcely pay out twenty-five thousand unless he was,’ he said curtly. ‘I can understand you are wondering why I want him, but I have no intentions of telling you, so don’t ask.’
‘That’s all right,’ Rico said hurriedly. ‘But to kidnap a man from prison! It was something I wasn’t expecting.’
Kile didn’t seem to think that cal ed for a remark. He sipped his highbal and looked away.
After an awkward pause, Rico said, ‘It depends on Baird, then. If he says he’l do the job, I take it you’re satisfied for him to try?’
Kile glanced across at Eve, who nodded silently.
‘Yes,’ he said, ‘but I don’t think I need meet him again. Frankly, I don’t like him. The less I have to do with him the better. If, after he has looked over the ground, he thinks he can succeed, then let him give you his plan, and you can pass it on to me. If I’m satisfied the plan wil succeed, I wil tell you to go ahead, and until the man is brought to me, I don’t want to hear anything more of what you are doing.
Have I made myself quite clear on that point?’
Rico nodded.
‘Before he makes the at empt, Mr Kile, I expect he’l want an advance of some kind: say three or four thousand?’ Rico smiled apologetical y. ‘That could be arranged?’