TRUSTED LIKE THE FOX

chapter 15

Caleb recognised me at the same time as I recognised him. He came to an abrupt halt and I saw him change colour.

We stood staring at each other.

He was the first to recover. The colour came back to his face, his mouth twisted into that old cynical grin I knew so well. He started towards me at a run.

"John! Is it really you? Am I glad to see you!"

We were shaking hands and thumping each other. It wasn't until that moment that I fully realised how much I had missed him: how lonely I had been those months for his company.

"You rascal!" I exclaimed and hugged him. "It is so good to see you again."

He caught hold of my shoulders and shoved me back at arm's length while he stared searchingly at me.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were out of the country?"

"I hope the police think so too," I said. I was so pleased to see him I felt like crying. "Come on in and have a drink." I grabbed him by the arm and led him into the lunch room.

He sat on a stool by the counter and looked around. "But what are you doing here?"

I began to make two highballs.

"It's the perfect hide-out, Caleb. I work here now for the time being."

"It sure is, but wouldn't it be better if you were in Mexico or Canada?"

I gave him one of the drinks.

"Easier said than done. I hadn't any money. I was lucky to find this place."

"You really think you're safe here?"

"I can't be really safe anywhere in the jam I'm in."

He reached over and patted my arm.

"I read about the escape. That took guts! I've never ceased to think about you. I never thought I'd see you again."

I grinned at him. "That makes two of us."

He looked at me, his hand sliding down my arm and gripping my wrist."This is the first chance I've had, John, to thank you for what you did for me. I'll never forget it! The way you covered me . . ."

"Forget it. You would have done the same for me."

"You're damn right I would, but it's something I'll never forget. When they caught you . . ." He blew out his cheeks. "What a sweat I was in! I thought they were bound to pick me up. You' a pal: a real pal."

"You were a lot smarter than I was," I said. "Why should we both go into the hole? If I had gone with you instead of panicking . . ."

He took a long drink.

"You weren't the only one in a panic. Gee! I nearly blew my top! I guess we were nuts to have pulled that job. I've never stopped regretting it."

"Me too. What are you doing here anyway? What brings out here?"

He finished his drink, then pushed the glass towards me. I made two more drinks as he said, "I'm on the road. That's a laugh, isn't it? This is the big squeeze. They want me out of the lousy firm now. They have an idea I was mixed up in that business with you. Franklin hinted that the big wheels upstairs were pretty sure I was in it with you. They knew what pals we were, and someone let out I was in the hole for five hundred bucks. So I was taken off safe work. They said they thought it was a sound idea for me to get some experience selling these goddamn safes instead of repairing them. They gave me a list of customers that have old models, and my job now is to persuade them to buy new ones country-wide and beyond." He took from his pocket book a slip of paper. "Antigua Panamericana street, San Cristóbal, Venezuela. Perry Cooper, proprietor. Is that right? He has an old Lawrence safe here. It's my job to sell him a new one. Is he your boss."