The 16mm Caper

Chapter 28

Austin listened to Harry explain the terms Harv had outlined, part of his mind on his daughter, who was sitting on the sofa with her legs up and an ice pack on her leg, the other considering the advisability of exposing himself to a meeting. Julia had called again, and her words had contained a frostiness that concerned him; his whole reason for this enterprise was so that he could share it with her. It had taken considerable persuasion to talk her into another time extension and now here he was, inches from meeting it yet still apprehensive.

"Why this particular bar?"

"He says it's private. Dark. And large enough so that we should be able to easily find a quiet corner to ourselves. Also, he says that it allows both parties to come and go with the least attention possible. The guy seems genuine, Austin." Harry stated.

"I want you to scout it out first. I can't be too trusting in this. Enough has gone wrong already to take blind chances."

"Okay. I'll send Douglas up to look it over."

"I'd prefer you do it, Harry." Austin kept his voice low. Harry sighed and nodded. "Good. As soon as you're satisfied I'll leave it up to you to set a time. I'll keep myself available."

Both men left and Austin turned his attention to Vera. "Feeling better, dear?"

"My head is still sore. What happened to my leg?"

"Harry said during the fight you were having you fell on something, and it punctured your thigh. I cleaned and dressed it; it probably looks worse than it is. Does it hurt?"

"Not really. I fell?"

"You missed some doses of your medicine, Vera. I've warned you about how important it is to--"

"I know. I know." She closed her eyes. "Was I unconscious?"

"You had a mild convulsion. You ah- you hijacked the ambulance and wrecked it making your escape."

She opened her eyes again and looked at him. "Guess I was still pretty cognizant then, eh father?"

"Vera, nobody feels more pain over your condition than I. It killed your mother. I've devoted a considerable portion of my life to seeing you received the very best of treatment. This- this position you hold with me was designed to allow you to vent the uncontrollable build-up of resentment and anger and so far it's worked pretty well."

"I sense a 'but' coming."

"You have not been taking your full dosage for some time now, have you?" She stared at him, their eyes probing each other's defences. Finally, she looked away and nodded. "Why?"

"Do you know what it's like counting time every day? Having to remember right to the minute when the next pill must go down? I was going even crazier trying to keep to the regimen."

"You are not crazy, Vera." He took her hand. "I can't imagine it but we both know it's necessary. I don't want to lose you, Vera. I don't want you to have go back to the clinic." He felt her hand tense and he patted it soothingly. "You have to stay with the program. It's the only way for both of us." Austin sat up a little startled at the appearance of a tear tracking down over her cheek.

"Do you really love me, daddy?"

"Oh God, Vera. You are all I think about." His mind suddenly clicked loudly in his head as he pictured Julia in the bedroom mirror. "I'll always love you, baby, no matter what."

She struggled to sit up, setting the ice pack aside. "Good, because before this job is over I'm going to get a rematch with the guy who caused this and then I'm going to take apart your little thug, Douglas."

Austin sat back, his face collapsing in dread. "Vera please, consider what this means. We are close to achieving our goal, don't do something to spoil the effort, please." He moved as she pushed up from the sofa, flexing her leg and giving it a mild massage.

"I'll restrain my impulses until you get your precious film, father, but then I'm pursuing my own goals." She left the room with barely a limp and Austin let his head drop into his hands.

******

"We're all set for four this afternoon," Harv said when he called Peter.

"Am I supposed to go alone?"

"They said that one of them would be accompanying their representative so . . ."

"Would you go with me?"

"Nope. I'm your secret back up. Get Dylan or Mary."

"Mary! I doubt that, Harv. I'll give Dylan a call, apparently everybody knows what's going on anyway."

"Hey, partners, remember?"

"Yeah. Okay what's the drill?"

"I just said, four this afternoon. The hostess will have a table set aside for Mister Cinema. Just give her that name when you get there."

"Mister Cinema? You must be joking."

"What's wrong with that? Catlin suggested it."

"Jesus. Okay. And you'll be there somewhere close by?"

"Yup. Catch you later partner. Don't let it go cheap, we have a six way split remember."

"What was that about me?" Mary asked. He told her and then spent fifteen minutes convincing her that it would not be a safe move, he needed another man in case of trouble. Mary finally agreed, remaining in one of her hurt moods that made Peter see lightning bolts.

"I'm going to go early to the mall. I just want to scope out the place and see what's what."

"Are you calling Dylan first?"

"Yes, Mary." He went to the kitchen again and dialled Dylan.

"I wondered when you'd call," he said when he answered.

"How did you know I'd call you?"

"Peter, Peter, Peter. Are you driving or am I?"

"I'll drive... Bette... be there in about twenty minutes."