Part 3 (1/2)

'The offer,' Saeton said harshly, 'is twenty-five thousand for the whole box of tricks. That's just two thousand more than the mortgages.'

'But that means winding up the company,' Carter said. 'Randall can't do that unless one of us agrees. Together we out-vote him. Under the articles of the company'

'Please, Mr Carter,' Reinbaum interrupted. 'It is not a question of voluntary liquidation.'

'You mean your going to force us into liquidation?' Carter asked and there as an obstinate note in his voice that made me suddenly respect him.

'The d.a.m.nable part of it is,' Saeton said angrily, 'that when Randall advanced us that last five thousand his solicitor insisted that since it was for material for building the engines, the engines themselves must be included in the mortgage.' He swung round on Randall. 'By G.o.d!' he said. 'If it wasn't that I'd swing for it, I'd' He turned quickly and started to pace up and down, his hands clenched as he fought down the fury that mottled his features. He stopped as he came face to face with the completed engine. Then he reached up to the wall and pressed the starter switch. The engine turned, coughed twice and roared into life. Thev hangar shook to the thundering din of it. He turned to Randall. 'Come here, d.i.c.k,' he shouted. 'Look at it! Feel the power of it! That engine is ready for installation.' He waved his thick hand at the bench. 'The second is already taking shape. In a month it will be finished. In six weeks we'll be on test. And on the 25th January, we'll be on the airlift. In two months you'll be director of a company owning the most talked-of plane in the world. Think of it! Saeton Aircraft freighter slashes fuel costs! My G.o.d, man, haven't you any ambition? We'll make a fortune, and all I'm asking you for is two months. You've carried the company for nearly three years. Another two months isn't much to ask.' January, we'll be on the airlift. In two months you'll be director of a company owning the most talked-of plane in the world. Think of it! Saeton Aircraft freighter slashes fuel costs! My G.o.d, man, haven't you any ambition? We'll make a fortune, and all I'm asking you for is two months. You've carried the company for nearly three years. Another two months isn't much to ask.'

So that was it! Saeton had something new in engine design, something that would reduce fuel consumption. His wasn't the first company that had come to grief trying to pursue this particular mirage, and yet the vibrance in his voice, the sheer gripping enthusiasm of the man carried conviction. I stared at Randall. Surely he would give Saeton those two months? I wanted to see those engines finished now. I wanted to see them in the air, to see them tested. If Saeton succeeded. ...

But Randall was shaking his head. 'I'm s-sorry, Bill.' He was stuttering now in his embarra.s.sment. 'I'm p-pretty well cleaned out, you know.'

'You mean you've lost so heavily you can't buy those mortgages back?' Saeton was staring at him hard.

Randall nodded.

'But what about your horses, your car, that house down at Hatfield?'

The other stared at him. 'But dash it,' he exclaimed. 'I can't sell the house. It's been in the family for generations. And I won't sell my horses.' His face was flushed and there was an obstinate look in his eyes. 'I'm sorry, Bill,' he said again. 'But you've had all the money you're going to get out of me. My solicitor warned me against'

'Oh, d.a.m.n your solicitor!' Saeton shouted. 'Can't you understand that in two months' time' He didn't finish. He had seen the obstinate look in Randall's eyes and he turned away in disgust. His hand reached out and switched off the engine. The din gradually died away. Saeton's hand tightened on the boss where the propeller would be fitted as he turned slowly and faced Reinbaum. 'So it comes to this we're dealing direct with you, Mr Reinbaum. Is that correct?' His voice was quiet and controlled.

Reinbaum beamed and bowed slightly.

'What are your terms for allowing us to continue with the fitting out of the plane?'

Reinbaum shook his head. 'I'm sorry, Mr Saeton. I do not speculate.'

'I've given you some idea of what we're doing here,' Saeton said. 'Surely we can come to some arrangement?'

'The offer I have for your plane and the equipment here is conditional on acceptance within forty-eight hours.' Reinbaum spread his hands in a little apologetic gesture. 'Unless you can pay what is due on the mortgages I must foreclose.'

'You know d.a.m.n well we can't pay. In two months'

'I want the money now, Mr Saeton.' The softness was leaving Reinbaum's voice.

'But if you wait two months ...' Saeton's voice was desperate. 'Two months isn't long. In two months' time I'll have all the backing'

'I repeat, if you cannot pay what is due, then' Reinbaum shrugged his shoulders.

Saeton turned away and in the light from the high windows I caught a glint of tears in his eyes. He went slowly over to the bench and stood there, fiddling with the armature he'd spent so many laborious hours winding, his back towards us.

'Well, I think that is settled then,' Reinbaum said, glancing up at Randall, whose face was stiff and wooden. 'We had better go now, Major.'

In a flash I saw my refuge up here on this aerodrome disappearing. But it wasn't only that. I believed in Saeton. I wanted to see these engines in the air. The money I had made ferrying planes and on currency deals wasn't honest money. I didn't care what happened to it. Probably it would be better if I threw it away and I might as well throw it away on this. 'Just a moment,' I said as Reinbaum and Randall were turning away. 'Is it one of the mortgages that has fallen due?'

Randall shook his head. 'No. It's the interest on them.'

'The interest on them?' I exclaimed. 'How much?'

'Eleven hundred and fifty,' Randall murmured.

I turned to Saeton 'Can't you raise that?' I said. 'You could sell something.'

He shook his head. 'There's nothing here that isn't essential,' he said dully. 'If we sold any part of the equipment we couldn't go on. Besides, it's all mortgaged. Everything in this hangar is mortgaged.'

'But surely you've got some money of your own?' I persisted.

'Blast you!' he shouted, swinging round on me. 'You don't have to hammer the truth of this home to me. I don't possess any money at all. For the past month we've lived on credit. My bank account is overdrawn to the tune of more than a hundred pounds. Carter is in the same boat. And don't for G.o.d's sake start asking me if I haven't any friends. I haven't any friends to the tune of eleven hundred quid.' He turned to Randall and Reinbaum. 'Now get the h.e.l.l out of here, the pair of you. Take what action you like.'

They turned to go.

'Just a minute,' I called to them. The amount is eleven hundred and fifty?'

It was Reinbaum who answered. 'The exact amount is eleven hundred and fifty-two pounds four s.h.i.+llings and sevenpence.'

'Then perhaps you would make me out a receipt,' I said. I had got my wallet out and was extracting my cheque book.

He stood there staring at me as though a pit had suddenly opened at his feet. 'A receipt, please, Mr Reinbaum,' I repeated.

He came slowly towards me. 'How do I know that your cheque will be honoured? I do not give a receipt'

'You have the law to protect you in a case like that,' I said. 'Can I see the doc.u.ments proving that you are the legal possessor of these mortgages?' I was enjoying myself, enjoying the sudden surprised silence that descended on the hangar. n.o.body spoke, and Reinbaum stared at me with baffled eyes. For some reason he didn't want to be paid. I thought of how I had got that money and I was suddenly glad I'd ferried those planes. Somehow this made the racket worth while.

Saeton was the first to come to life. 'Just a minute, Fraser. Apart from the fact that I can't allow you to do this, it won't help you know. We owe money. Also we've got to be carried for two months.'

'I realise that,' I said. 'What's the absolute minimum that will carry you to the flying stage?'

He hesitated. 'About another thousand.' His voice suddenly took on new life. 'You see, we've got the metal and the castings. We've got everything. All we need is to cover some of the bills that'll come in and our living' His sudden excitement faded and his words stopped. To carry us and pay the interest on these mortgages you've got to have nearly two thousand five hundred.'

I sat down and wrote out Reinbaum's cheque. 'Who shall I make it out to?' I asked him.

'Weiner, Reinbaum and Company,' he answered sullenly.

As I entered the amount on the cheque counterfoil Saeton touched my shoulder. 'Have you really got two thousand five hundred in your account?' he asked almost unbelievingly.

'Not in my account,' I answered. 'But with my life policy I'm good for that much.'

He didn't say anything, but his hand gripped my shoulder for a moment.

I checked the doc.u.ments Reinbaum reluctantly produced from his brief-case. Then I gave him the cheque and got his receipt. All this time Saeton had been standing over us and as the little man straightened up, he said, 'It was the engines you wanted, wasn't it, Reinbaum?' There was a dangerous quietness about his voice.

'I do not want anything,' Reinbaum answered him. 'Only the moneys.' But I don't think he expected Saeton to believe him, for he added quickly, 'My clients are interested in the charter business.'

'And who exactly are your clients?' Saeton asked in the same quiet voice.

'I am sorry. I cannot tell you that.'

Saeton took him gently by the collar. 'It was the engines they wanted, wasn't it? Somebody tipped them off that you held the mortgages.' He turned to Randall. 'Had you borrowed on these mortgages when you were down here last, in October?' he asked.