What happened before in Chapter 6
Mac meets Lisa Ecksell and she confirms that Newton has the Maltese Cube. She becomes agitated when Mac speaks about the Cube out in public. They go off to talk in private at Mac’s apartment and discover that someone is waiting inside. Before Mac can react, he’s hit over the head and knocked out.
Chapter 7
Confrontations
As I slowly swan back toward consciousness, I could hear people talking around me. I moved my hands back and forth ever so slightly to find out if I was under any restraints. My hands moved freely. At least I wasn’t tied up. Keeping my eyes closed, I listened in to try and figure out who these players were.
The first voice I recognized was that of Lisa. She was pleading and begging for more time. Time for what was not clear. Soon, I heard a second voice. It was Pindler! He did not sound pleased. While he had not yet spoken, I knew Gassly was probably somewhere close by also. My hunch was proven correct when I heard a murmuring and Pindler spoke up.
‘Good evening Mr. Tosh. I know you’re awake. Why not join us?’
I opened my eyes and almost wished I hadn’t. I was laid out on the floor on the opposite side of the room from where we entered. There was Pindler in my good chair with Gassly, holding a revolver, standing behind him grinning. Lisa sat on the couch with her head down. She had been crying, but for what was not yet apparent.
As I sat up, fireworks were going off and I felt a little dizzy.
‘Mr. Gassly.’ Said Pindler. ‘Would you be so kind as to get our dear friend Mac a drink?’
Gassly reached behind him to the table and tossed me a dark bottle of whatever bourbon had been on sale last week. I almost liked him at that moment, but considering that it had probably been him who had bopped me in the skull, I decided a long lasting friendship was out of the question.
I caught the bottle, opened it, and took a long pull. My head cleared as the cheap rotgut slid down my throat. I took a look at the bottle contemplating another slash, but figured I better have my wits about me. Getting to my feet, I screwed the cap back on and put the bottle down.
Gassly pulled a chair from what I laughingly refer to as my dinette set and placed it in front of me. As I sat down, Pindler watched me with narrow eyes, wondering what to do next.
‘Well Mr. Tosh.’ Said Pindler ‘Feeling better?’
‘Yes much, thanks. Your concern for my welfare is touching.’
Pindler laughed almost girlishly and said. ‘Let’s be clear on something sir. I really don’t care if you died tomorrow. Once our business is concluded, you can crawl back into your hole and pull down the shades. I want the Maltese Cube and I will go to almost any length to get it.’
‘Including murder?’ I said, ‘Does your obsession reach that far?’
Pindler waved his hand dismissively. ‘We all must die Mr. Tosh. Some today’¦.some tomorrow.’
He leaned forward looking me square in the eye.
‘What is rare is when people have some say in the timing of their death. Holding back information from people who don’t shrink from such violence is one way to assure pain and suffering. While I find such behavior’¦.’ He seemed to be searching for the right word. ‘Distasteful. I would not hesitate for a moment if it led to the completion of my goals.’
He leaned back in his chair. ‘Take our little Miss Lisa here. I believe she is withholding information. So far I have not been too rough, but if she cannot convince me of her ignorance, I will be forced to use other methods however brutish.’
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