Sharky's Machine Read Online Free PDF Page A

said.
    ‘How’s that?’
    ‘It is becoming more and more profitable to manufacture products out here in the Orient — I-long Kong, Singapore, Japan. Then assemble them in the States. There are certain tax advantages.’
    ‘You thinking of opening up something in the States?’
    ‘It’s obvious to me now. In another year or so it will be obvious to many.’
    ‘Well, you got the instincts there, Victor. I’ll give you that. Fifteen years, you ain’t made a mistake yet. I thought you were nuts, movin’ out here from Brazil. What did I know?’ He paused, then added, ‘Don’t you ever wanna stop, sit back, listen to the grass grow, drink a little vino?’
    ‘Not yet. The bigger it becomes, the more challenging it is. We may have to go public. It is all becoming too big for one man. Too cumbersome.’
    ‘Sell out, then.’
    ‘Perhaps. (let out of al[this, try something new, different. Something small.’
    ‘Look, I don’t care, see? I mean you do what you do. That’s your end of it, I got no complaints, no complaints at all. Me, I’m here to do what I do, see? I figure, you used the Pittsburgh drop, it had to be something serious. I got here in three days, pal. Think about it. Had to get things set up, a passport, like that. I was twenty-fucking-one hours on the plane. I don’t even know what day it is, flying up and down and around, across datelines, that kinda shit. You know what? I was on Wake Island for four hours, can you beat that? I went out, looked at the monuments and all. I never been this way before, Europe but never over here. For all I know, I get back, it’s gonna be the day before I left. You just be careful, that’s all. You get too greedy, you’ll be like
    the monkey, you know, kept puttin’ his paw in the jar, bringing up a peanut, finally he puts it in there, grabs a whole fistful of peanuts and he can’t get the fist out and he won’t drop the peanuts and you know what. He got the old blasteroo, that’s what.’ ‘I shall keep that in mind.’
    ‘So what’s the problem? What am I doin’ here?’
    Burns was beginning to sweat. He took off his coat and draped it over his lap.’
    ‘You remember Halford, the major in Firenze?’
    Burns thought for a moment.
    ‘Vaguely.’
    ‘He was in charge of Stitch. Tall man. Very straight, tough. Very smart.’
    ‘Yeah, sure I do. The paisanos called him, what was it?’
    ‘Gli occhi de sassi. Stone eyes.’
    ‘Right. A very suspicious man. He didn’t believe shit. What an asshole.’
    ‘You know him. Four days ago I saw Halford, on a restaurant like the one out there. In Aberdeen Harbour. He is a colonel now, a full colonel.’
    Is that what’s got you goin’? Hey, I hardly recognized you and I was looking for you. Is that what this is all about?’
    ‘He recognized me. I am sure of it.’
    ‘Ah, c’mon,’
    ‘We were not five feet apart. I was paying the check and I turned to leave and he was just sitting down at the next table and we stood there and stared at each other and I swear, for a moment he almost said something. Then I got out, very quickly. But as we were pulling away in the launch I looked back up and he had come outside. He was at the rail, watching me.’
    Burns said, ‘Humh.’
    ‘I have been terrified ever since. It is frightening, to be afraid to walk on the street. My company is in Mui Wo, on the island of Lantau, to the west of here. Only occasional tourists come over there, to visit the silver mines. And yet I have been afraid to go outside. Today, coming here, my stomach hurt. 1 sat in the back seat of the car looking out the window, looking at every face.’
    ‘Take it easy.’
    ‘It has been a nightmare.’
    ‘So far you did everything right. You didn’t try anything. No phone calls. Didn’t try to get a line on him, right? Nothing to set anybody off?’
    ‘No. I followed the plan. I contacted you and waited.’
    ‘Okay. Good for you.’
    ‘There is a danger. He may have reported it to