داستان وندی

Chapter three

Wendy’s story

Kelly is not a nice man, and I’ve never liked him. I’ve worked for him for a year now. My father got the job for me - he told me to work hard and not to ask questions.

Kelly often gets angry, and when he’s angry, he shouts at everyone and his face goes very red. I’m afraid of him, but I don’t want to lose my job. I need the money and it’s not easy to find another job.

Richard started work at Kelly’s about a month ago. We’re good friends, but we don’t talk much about our jobs. Nobody at Kelly’s talks about the work.

We don’t really know what his business is. He has two garages in the town and he buys and sells old cars. But he also buys and sells a lot of other things, too - furniture, old pictures, jewellery. I think that some of these things are stolen, but I don’t ask questions.

Ten days ago Kelly called me into his office. I stood there and waited. He began to say something to me, but he stopped and looked down at his papers. Then he took out his diary and opened it.

‘Wendy, what are you doing next weekend?’

‘I’m not sure, Mr Kelly.’

‘How would you like to go on a little business trip? I’ll pay you for it, of course.’

This surprised me, and I did not reply immediately. Then I said, ‘A business trip, Mr Kelly?’

‘Yes, to Germany. just for the day. It isn’t a difficult job but it’s important. What do you say?’

I did not know much about Mr Kelly’s business, but I did know that there was something strange about these journeys to other countries.

They happened every two or three months, and after them there were secret meetings in the office, often late in the evening. I decided that I did not want to go.

‘But, but I’ve never been to Germany. Don’t you think, well, perhaps you can ask one of the others.’

‘I’m asking you, Wendy. I said that it was important and I want you to do it.’ I began to say something but he was still speaking. ‘I have friends in Frankfurt and they want to send me some things.

They’ll give you three small boxes, like egg boxes, and you’ll bring them back here. There’s nothing difficult about that, is there?’

I didn’t say anything.

‘Are you listening to me, Wendy?’ he asked. ‘I need you to do this job for me.’ His voice was getting louder now.

I looked him in the face. ‘I’m I’m sorry, Mr Kelly. I’ve just remembered. I’m busy next weekend. I can’t do it.’

He jumped up and his chair fell back. ‘Now, just you listen to me, young woman. You work for me, remember that. I’m the person who pays you.’ He caught my arm and shook me. This time I’m telling you, not asking you.

You’ll go to Frankfurt or there’ll be trouble. You will leave on the first plane on Saturday morning and come back the same evening. With the three boxes. And don’t say a word to anyone, do you understand?’

Then he walked out.

I didn’t sleep much that night. Or the next. I wanted to tell Richard but he was out of town on another of Kelly’s jobs. What could I do?

I was afraid, and Kelly knew that I was afraid. He did not speak about it again but on Friday he called me into his office and gave me my plane ticket and some money. There was no escape.

Saturday morning came, and I went to the airport. While I was waiting there, I heard my name. I knew that voice immediately. I turned round. ‘Richard’ I cried. ‘Oh Richard, I’m so pleased to see you. But what are you doing here?’

‘I’m coming with you. To Frankfurt. Kelly told me to. Look, here’s my ticket.’

‘You mean. Wait a minute. What did Kelly tell you?’

Richard was smiling. ‘He told me to come with you, that’s all. To stay with you. you know, on the plane, and in Frankfurt.’

I began to understand. ‘He told you to watch me, you mean.’

When we were on the plane, Richard asked me about my work at Kelly’s. He knew very little about Kelly’s business and he knew very little about our trip to Frankfurt. I told him about the ‘egg’ boxes and why I was afraid.

‘The boxes are small, Kelly said, so I think it’s jewellery,’ I told Richard. ‘And I think, I think it’s stolen jewellery.’

Then Richard got very angry, and said, ‘Kelly can’t send you on a job like this. Why doesn’t he go himself?’

‘But that’s it, Richard. It’s easier for a girl - Kelly knows that. He’s clever, you know. But he thinks I’m afraid. So he’s sent you to watch me.’

For a time Richard just sat there, and thought. After a while he turned to me. ‘You’re not going to do it - you’re not going to carry stolen jewellery for that man. Leave it to me. I’ll think of something, of some plan.’ Then he was silent again.

When we arrived in Frankfurt, we went to a hotel for breakfast. Then Richard went off to buy a newspaper, and after that we sat around for about half an hour.

We had to meet Kelly’s friends outside the hotel. When we walked out of the door, two men were waiting for us in a white Mercedes. We drove through the busy streets of the city and then into the country.

Sometime later we stopped at an old house with trees all around it. We all went inside and the men took us into a dark room at the back and left us there. It was cold and Richard gave me his coat. He was smiling quietly to himself.

We waited there in silence. In another room people were talking. We could hear their voices. Then the driver of the Mercedes came and took us upstairs. A short man in a dark green shirt was sitting at a desk.

In front of him on the desk were three boxes. He was playing with a pen and watching us carefully. Richard spoke to him in German. I did not understand, but I heard Kelly’s name and the man in the green shirt began to say something.

All at once there were noises outside, the sound of cars and voices and people running. The man jumped up from his desk and pulled a gun out of his pocket.

He tried to get to the window but at that minute the door opened and three or four policemen ran in and jumped on him.

There was a fight, but the police got his gun from him and held him on the floor. An older man arrived, a police inspector with grey hair, and began to give orders to the policemen. He called across the room to Richard and me in very good English, ‘Are you all right? They didn’t hurt you, did they?’

He gave some more orders and then he came across to Richard and held out his hand. ‘Well done, young man. I must thank you for your help.’ He turned to me. ‘And thank you too. You’ve done very well, both of you. It’s been a good day’s work for all of us.’

I looked at Richard and he gave me a little smile. ‘What does he mean?’ I asked, but Richard did not answer.

The inspector then explained to me. ‘Your friend phoned us this morning from your hotel. After that it was easy. We just waited near the hotel for the white Mercedes and then followed it here.’

The inspector took us back into Frankfurt in his car and when we arrived there, we went at once to his office. He ordered coffee for us and while we were waiting for it, he said, ‘You’ve helped us a lot already but we need your help with one more thing.

There’s still Mr Kelly and his friends. We have a plan for them.’ Oh yes, he knew all about Joe Kelly.

He brought out the three boxes and put them on the table in front of us. Then he said, ‘We would like you to take these back to England with you.’

Richard and I looked at him in surprise.

The inspector waited for a minute and then went on, ‘You don’t need to be afraid. Perhaps you’re thinking about the British police, is that it? Everything will be all right. I will speak to Chief Superintendent Edwards in London, and there’ll be no trouble for you.

Now listen carefully’ He went on. ‘Just give the jewellery to Kelly. He won’t know about the “accident to his German friends, and you must not tell anybody about it, or about our conversation today.

That’s very important. The British police will watch Kelly and wait. Do you understand?’

This plan sounded dangerous to me but Richard said, ‘Yes, of course well do it, won’t we, Wendy?’ Richard is not afraid of Kelly, you see.

So we brought the boxes back with us on the Saturday evening plane from Frankfurt. We did not get back until nearly midnight but we took the boxes at once to Kelly’s house. He told us to wait and then went into another room.

When he came back, he was very happy. He put his hand in his pocket and took out some gold ear-rings. ‘These are for you, Wendy - for your birthday next Thursday.’

‘No, Mr Kelly, no, you mustn’t. I can’t take them, really I can’t.’

‘Of course you can,’ Kelly laughed. ‘You’ve worked hard for them. And we must have a party for you. Let’s get some people together on Thursday night. Where would you like to go? To the Ritz? Or perhaps a disco? No, I know’, and he began to sing: Let’s all meet at Maxim’s,

We’ll have a wonderful time.

I told him three times that I didn’t want a party but he didn’t want to listen. He was too pleased with himself. ‘Oh, yes, Wendy. We must have a party. And you must wear the earrings. Then I’ll know you’re my good little girl.’ His mouth was smiling but his eyes were cold.

Richard said quietly in my ear, ‘Just agree with him, Wendy. And take his ear-rings - you can give them back later. We don’t want anything to go wrong now.’

The next few days passed very slowly. On Monday and Tuesday everything was quiet in the office. Kelly did not speak to me again about the visit to Frankfurt. He stayed in his office most of the time and was always on the telephone. No police came to the office, and nothing happened. I began to feel afraid.

Early on Wednesday morning Richard called in to see me. ‘Is he in yet?’ he asked. He looked at Kelly’s door.

‘Not yet. Why?’

‘I want the keys to his office. Just for a minute.’

‘But Richard.’

‘Come on, Wendy, he’ll never know.’

‘You can’t go in there, Richard. He’ll be here in a minute - it’s too dangerous.’

‘Please, Wendy. It won’t take long. I’ll be out again immediately.’

‘But why. what do you want?’

‘Don’t ask questions. Just give me the keys - quickly.’

Of course in the end I gave him the keys. He opened Kelly’s door and went inside. Some minutes passed and then he gave a shout. I think I’ve got something!’

I went in and saw that Richard was standing in front of Kelly’s desk with a letter in his hand. He held it up for me. ‘This’, he said, ‘is going to help us.’

‘What do you mean?’ I did not understand.

‘Listen.’ He read from the letter. the eggs arrived last weekend and they are now in my house. Be there on 18th April, 11 a.m.

‘The 18th,’ I said. ‘That’s next Saturday.’

Just then I heard a car outside. ‘That’s him,’ I cried. ‘Quick, put that letter back. You must get out of here at once.’

I ran through to my office with Richard behind me. ‘Out there - quick.’ I pushed him into the kitchen and at the same time the door opened and Kelly walked in.

‘Good morning, Wendy.’ He did not stop but went into his office and closed the door behind him.

Richard then quickly left the office and I did not see him again that day. He phoned me the next afternoon, which was Thursday. I knew at once that he was unhappy about something.

‘What’s happened, Richard?’ I asked.

‘I’m not working for Kelly anymore,’ he told me. This morning Kelly told me to do another of his little jobs for him, and I said no. So he started shouting at me, and then he told me to go.

So that’s it - I’m looking for another job.’ He gave a little laugh. ‘And worse than that, he hasn’t paid me, and now I can’t buy you a birthday present.’

‘Oh Richard, that’s not important,’ I said. ‘But are you coming to Kelly’s party for me at Maxim’s tonight? I won’t go without you. You must come.’

‘I can’t, Wendy. I’d like to be there, you know that. But we mustn’t meet until after Saturday.’

‘Why not? What’s happening on Saturday? And what’s happening about the the egg boxes? What are the police doing?

Kelly says I must wear my new gold ear-rings at the party, but I don’t want to. They came from Frankfurt in one of those egg boxes, and they’re stolen! Oh Richard, I’m afraid! What am I going to do?’

‘Everything’s going to be all right, Wendy. Really. I’ve got a plan. Just go to the party, and don’t worry. I’ll see you soon.’

Richard put the phone down, and I have not seen or heard from him since then.