The 16mm Caper

Chapter 34

Harv sat patiently in the emergency room while the intern went about resetting his broken arm and adjusting the sling for comfort. A doctor had examined him, listened to his lie about how it happened, wrote a quick scrip for painkillers, and turned the rest over to the eager intern.

"There we go. You'll need a couple of weeks like this and then we'll assess it again."

"Right. Thanks." Harv hopped off the gurney and waved for Peter to bring him his shirt.

"You okay, Harv? Jesus I nearly died when she did that." The intern gaped at Peter and Harv steered his friend from the room.

"I told them a different tale so keep it down, eh?'

"Shit, sorry. So . . . does it hurt?"

Harv gave him a pitying look and slipped his shirt on with Peter's help. "Let's go. I hate to think what my studio is gonna look like."

"You think she got in the safe?" Peter asked, alarmed.

"Only with dynamite. But she could do a world of damage trying."

"The combination isn't still there is it? Remember Cheryl...?"

"I learn my lessons, Peter." The slight didn't go unnoticed.

The studio wasn't as bad as Harv expected. A few broken items lay scattered about the floor and the wall around the safe was gouged and marked from the hammering it took from the broken chair. Peter picked up what he could and grabbed a broom from the closet and swept the debris into a manageable pile.

"Don't bother with that. I have a cleaning service that comes in weekly. He opened the safe and took out the material. "We need to put this somewhere else, I don't think it's safe here any more."

Peter suddenly felt dizzy and he reached for the table for support.

"What's wrong?"

"What if- what if she went after Mary?" He jumped for the phone and dialled frantically, hitting the wrong digits twice before connecting.

"Mediatrend, good afternoon."

"Mary Wendlestat, please."

"One moment, please."

Peter wiped his brow to indicate Mary was at work. He waited and then another woman came on the line. "Mary Wendlestat's office, may I help you?"

"Yes I'd like to speak with Mary please."

"She's in a meeting at the moment, may I assist you or take a message?"

"Do you know how long she'll be?"

"She's with our president, Christopher Emmanuel so there is no way of knowing, sir."

"Peter sighed. "Please ask her to call Peter Rabb at-"

"Oh, Peter! I didn't recognize your voice. How are you? It's Marlie, Mary's assistant."

"Uh- oh yeah, Marlie. I'm uh- good. Look could you get the message to Mary. Tell her it's urgent?"

"Gee is anything wrong?"

"It's a- a personal thing. Do that for me, would you?"

"Sure..."

"Thanks, Marlie." He gave her a couple of numbers to try and hung up in the middle of another query. "She's safe at work anyway," he breathed, relaxing.

"Better call the others too," Harv said, ominously.

"I'm gonna call Hughes and take his offer. This is getting way out of hand."