'My God! You're prickly,' he said. 'But then you always were. Did you ever know me charitable? I seem to remember you telling me — more than once — that I was the most ruthless person you had ever met. Just because I wouldn't stand incompetence. It's a strange thing, but just at the moment I can't think of any one I would rather have run into. But life's like that. If you want a job done, the right man always turns up at the last minute. There are only about a half-dozen men I met in the Army who would be right for a job I have in mind. And if they'd all applied for it in a bunch, I'd have picked on you without a moment's hesitation.' The build-up was obvious. But I began to be interested. Engles never bothered to build any one up unless he really wanted to make use of them. He gave me a sudden warm smile. 'You know — I'm quite serious, Neil. If you want a job, I'd be glad to have you work with me again.'
'What sort of a job is it?' I asked.
'Three months at Cortina in the Dolomites as a script writer for K.M. Studios,' he replied quickly. 'A hundred pounds a month and all expenses.'
I gasped. It was the chance of a lifetime and I had walked bang into it in a chemist's shop. But why me? 'What makes you think I can produce the sort of script you want?' I asked him.
'I don't want you to produce a script, I've got one already.'
'Then what in the world do you want me to do?'
He reacted immediately to my disappointment. He patted my shoulder. 'Three months in the finest skiing country in Europe isn't a bad offer,' he said.
'I know,' I said hastily. 'But I couldn't help being disappointed. You offer me a job as a script writer, and then you say you don't want a script. You know I always wanted to be a writer.'
'I didn't mean to disappoint you,' he said. 'Look, Neil. It's best to be frank with you. I don't think you could write the sort of film script I want. But if you do write one, I'll promise you this — I'll read it and if I can use it in preference to the one I've got, I will. That's fair, eh?'
'Very fair,' I agreed. 'Now, what do you really want me to do?'