To Catch a Spy Read Online Free PDF Page A

awkward. The place is full of Barbara’s assistants, butlers, and maids. My wife and I … never mind. There’s a bar in Santa Monica, a little place on the beach called Wally’s.”
    “I’ve seen it,” I said.
    “The owner’s a friend of mine. Can you be there at ten tonight? I’ll give you the bag and tell you what to do next when you get there.”
    “I’ll be there at ten,” I said.
    “Fine,” Grant said, standing and holding out his hand again. We shook for the second time. “I’m counting on you, Peters.”
    “I’ll walk down with you,” I said.
    We went into Shelly’s office and were greeted by the sight of Sheldon Minck slouched down in his dental chair, his clothes as messy as the room was clean. He needed a shave. He needed a bath. He needed serious fumigation and a fresh cigar. His glasses were on his forehead.
    “I did it, Toby,” he said, looking around the office. “A new beginning.”
    “You did a great job, Shel,” I said.
    Shelly squinted in our direction, fumbled for his glasses, and managed to drop them down on his nose, although there was a serious tilt to the left.
    “I know you,” Shelly said, looking at Grant.
    My new client looked at me.
    “This is Dr. Minck,” I said. “This is his office. He’s a dentist. He’s hungover.”
    “Why don’t you add that my wife left me?” Shelly said checking what was left of his cigar and searching his pockets for a match. “Then you’d have my whole life story. Four sentences. That’s it.”
    “Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Minck,” Grant said.
    “Got it,” Shelly said, leaning forward but not getting out of the chair. “George Kaplan, Jefferson High. You were a few years after me. You did imitations for the annual Maskers Night. You’re doing someone now.”
    “I’m not George Kaplan,” Grant said.
    Shelly looked again.
    “We’ve really got to get going, Shel,” I said, moving toward the door.
    “If you’re not Kaplan, you look a hell of a lot like him,” Shelly said suspiciously.
    “It’s my curse,” said Grant. “People are frequently confusing us. I’ve sent apologies to Kaplan a number of times, but he doesn’t respond.”
    “Sounds like Kaplan,” said Shelly. “I mean it sounds like Kaplan not to answer. Not that you sound like Kaplan. You sound like the actor. David Niven. But you don’t look like him.”
    “I’ll be back in a few seconds, Shel,” I said, my hand on the doorknob.
    “I’m alone, Toby,” he said. “No patients. No Mildred. No friends. Well, not many friends.”
    “It’s a sad story, Shel,” I said, opening the door.
    “It was a pleasure meeting you, Dr. Minck,” Grant said, following me out. Shelly didn’t answer.
    In the hall, Grant asked, “Is he always like that?”
    “He’s having a good day,” I said. “You should see him when he’s depressed.”
    “I think I’ll forgo that pleasure.”
    “Stairs or elevator?” I asked.
    “I took the elevator up,” said Grant, moving briskly toward the stairs. “I don’t really have the time to take it down.”
    So I stood at the railing, watching him as he moved quickly down the stairs.

CHAPTER
    3
     
    Shelly was still slumped in his dental chair when I went past him heading back to my office. He looked up and shook his head.
    “How much can one man take?” he said with a massive sigh.
    A hell of a lot more than you’re dealing with, Sheldon, I thought. But aloud I said, “You’ll make it, Shel. You’re a resourceful human being.”
    “I am, aren’t I?” he asked, looking up.
    “That’s something I’ve always admired about you,” I said, my hand now on the knob of my office door.
    There really wasn’t much I admired about Shelly, and certainly not his resourcefulness. My experience with him was that whenever he tried to fall back on his instincts or intellect, he took a dive instead.
    I went into my office and sat behind my desk. It wasn’t noon yet. I had most of the day to go before I had to meet Grant at