alfredo had a phone in his pocket, purchased for him by the woman who was keeping him.
he hesitated to use it. he decided to keep walking, on the chance he might encounter a working pay phone.
the sky overhead grew darker.
alfredo left the waterfront behind, and came to an area where high rises fronted the water.
he saw a man sitting alone on a park bench. a white haired man, impeccably groomed, wearing an old fashioned but brand new gray fedora. a stout looking walking stick was balanced on his knee.
alfredo approached the man on the bench . “excuse me. sir, but do you know where avenue a———————— is?” this was the street of the address on the matchbook.
the man looked up at him. “avenue a—————? why, it is all the way on the other side of the city. at the edge of the jungle.”
“ah. thank you.” alfredo looked around. “would you happen to know if there are any public phones nearby?”
“a public phone? no need for that.” the man reached into the pocket of his jacket and produced a small phone. “use this, sir. i insist.”
alfredo took the phone. “thank you.”
“may i ask,” the man in the fedora continued, “if you are going to call…. “ he rattled off the eighteen digit number from the matchbook.
“yes, i was,” alfredo, in no way surprised, answered.
“then i advise you not to call it.” the man had turned on the bench and faced alfredo directly. he gripped his walking stick firmly as he spoke.
alfredo smiled. “and why might that be?”
“because i know the man who will answer the call. or one of whose flunkies will answer the call. his name is don reynard de axa and he is a fool. he will offer you a generous sum to kill a man named bud johnson, whom don reynard imagines to be a person of consequence but is actually of no consequence whatever.” the man paused and looked alfredo in the eye. “but i am prepared to make you a much better offer.”
“and who might you be?” asked alfredo.
“you have never heard of me, but i am don carlos and i am the richest man in the world.”
“i see. and you are going to make me an offer to do what —?”
“to carry out a delicate operation. but one i am sure you are capable of.”
“involving - ?”
“involving a kidnapping, among other things.”
“a kidnapping!” alfredo laughed. “in this century?”
“oh, not for ransom, not for ransom ha ha!” don carlos held up his hand. “but the operation will involve kidnapping, among other things.and i am prepared to pay - ”
but alfredo held up his hand in turn. “if it is all the same to you, sir, i think i will hear this don reynard’s offer first. after all, he contacted me first.”
“of course, of course, suit yourself.” don carlos got to his feet. “i will leave you, i don’t wish to intrude on your conversation.”
alfredo held the phone out to don carlos. “i am afraid i would be abusing your hospitality by using your phone.”
“oh keep it, keep it by all means. it is only a telephone.” don carlos pointed down the beach, toward a bend in the bay. “do you see that low building over there? the green one?”
“yes.”
“it is a restaurant with the homely nomenclature of the sunrise cafe. why don’t you meet me there for breakfast tomorrow morning, let us say ten o’clock?”
“thank you. i will do that - if circumstances permit.”
“then i bid you good morning.” don carlos turned and set off down the beach at a brisk pace, swinging his stick.
alfredo watched him go. after a moment’s hesitation alfredo dialed the eighteen digit number.
as he expected his call was answered immediately. “whom am i speaking to?” a voice asked.
“i am alfredo.”
“stay where you are. a car will pick you up shortly.”
alfredo put the phone in his pocket and looked down the road the way he had come.
a few raindrops began to fall.
after five minutes a black limousine with tinted windows appeared.
the back door opened and alfredo got in.
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