The Maltese Cube (Chapter 17)

What happened in Chapter 16

Mac returns to his office with the Maltese Cube tucked away in a suitcase. His secretary Umax gives him four files that his assistant Sherlock had made. Inside these files was all the information that Sherlock was able to gather about Pindler, Gassly, M. Bell, and Lisa. Mac hid the Cube in a small alcove in his office andd reviewed the files. Those file reveiled many things as yet unknown to us, the reading public. Mac then called M. Bell and Police Detective Astronomer, asking them not to come until he called again, but to be ready to move quickly. Lastly he called Lisa and told her to come to the office, but to be on the lookout for Pindler and Gassly.

Chapter 17
Do you smile when things go wrong? You must have someone else to blame.

The first one to the office was also the closest. Lisa walked in glancing back and forth. She probably expected to see Pindler or Gassly sitting in one of my office chairs and seemed relieved to find me alone. I didn’t fill her in on the guests soon to arrive. She walked over to the small bar and poured herself a scotch’¦neat.

As she sipped her drink, she casually looked around the office searching for some sign of the package I had picked up. Her eyes looked across the wall where I had hidden the Cube and didn’t stop at the now covered alcove. She strolled over to the small sofa on the other side of the room and sat down. I could tell she was carefully considering what to say next. I decided to speak first.

‘Any sign of Pindler or Gassly on your way here?’ I asked carelessly.

Her drink was to her lips, but she didn’t take a sip as she gazed at me over her glass.

‘No, no sign of either of them.’ She said, ‘Are you expecting them?’

‘Absolutely.’ I checked my watch. It was almost one o’clock and Pindler had said he would be here in the afternoon. While he had never said what time exactly he would arrive, considering his nature I figured he would arrive right as the afternoon began. Sure enough, just then my intercom buzzed.

‘Boss?’ Maxine(1) asked.

‘Yes? What is it Maxie?’

‘Your’¦..clients have arrived.’

‘Have them come on back. Finish that filing I gave you earlier and then you can go home for the day.’

‘Gee, a whole half a day off. You’re a prince boss.’

‘I do try Maxie.’

As I turned off the intercom, the office door swung open and in stepped Pindler and Gassly. Pindler walked across the room toward my desk with the swagger of a man who thinks everything has gone his way. Before this day was done I hoped to remove some of that self-confidence.

As he sat down in front of my desk, he looked over at Lisa. She refused to look back and he chuckled to himself. Gassly stood in the center of the room and carefully inspected its contents. I saw his eyes rest momentarily at the paneling behind me. He had probably spotted the cut on the wall that concealed the alcove. While that was unfortunate, I didn’t think it would matter for long. These two were going to get everything they wanted and a few things they didn’t.

‘Hello Mr. Tosh. How nice it is to see you again. I hope your search was successful.’ Said Pindler.

‘I found what you wanted Pindler. Before I hand it over though, I want to talk about a few things.’

‘Really. What could we possibly have to talk about? I want to conclude our business and take my leave. This entire episode has been very trying and I wish to remove myself to more hospitable surroundings.’

‘Palm fronds and Mai Tai’s?’ I said with some contempt. ‘A guy as clever as you I expected more from.’

Gassly stirred at that and his eyes closed to slits. Apparently he didn’t like it when people made fun of his boss. Pindler, on the other hand, refused to be baited.

‘Therein lies the difference between you and me Mr. Tosh. Usually the brighter you are, the more you can appreciate the simpler things in life. I do not expect someone of your caliber to understand. Suffice to say that by this time tomorrow, I will be jetting off to someplace warm while you scrape by looking for more deadbeat clients.

‘Maybe you will at that Pindler.’ I said. ‘Or maybe you’ll be looking at those sunny beaches through worn out travel brochures behind bars.’

‘Prison? For me?’ Pindler laughed out loud at the prospect. ‘On what possible charge Mr. Tosh?’

‘Let’s start with breaking and entering. Grand theft. Assault and battery. Attempted murder. If I throw out enough charges, I might make some stick.’

‘ It would be an inconvenience at best. It would also mean you would not be paid Mr. Tosh. Worst of all, you would make some powerful enemies. I do not just simply mean myself. Others who would be far less forgiving for not getting what they expect. Is this really a path you wish to take? I think not.’

In our little verbal poker game, Pindler had just made a mistake. I saw my opening and decided to take it. Maybe he would make another.

‘So then you admit you work for someone else? That you’re just a stooge for bigger fish?’

His face turned red and I imagined I could hear his blood pressure rise. Pindler was not the type of man to easily admit that he was not his own manager, not even to himself.

‘I am no one’s stooge Tosh! Never make the mistake that I do not operate independently. I make the rules and change them as I see fit. At no time assume I can’t destroy your pathetic existence and never touch a hair on your head!’

‘Goodness gracious! Aren’t we testy?’ I said with a smile. ‘Your moods change faster than Windows Service Patches(2).’

Notes for Chapter 17

(1) Maxie – Maxine is short for Umax Seeceries. She is Mac’s secretary and all around Girl Friday. She is named after the Mac Clones made by the UMAX Corporation. I used to own a C600.

(2) Windows Service Patches ‘“ They certainly have to release a lot of those, don’t they? Not much choice when your operating systems are filled with bugs and security hole.