اژدهای سبز

chapter four

The green dragon

When Howard became conscious again, he was lying on a hard and dirty floor, and every bone in his body ached. He tried to move but the pain was too much. What had happened? This place was darker than upstairs. Upstairs? Then he remembered. He had opened a door and suddenly he was falling, crashing from step to step until he reached the bottom and– blackness.

‘Just like the last time,’ Howard thought. Then he sat up. The last time! Yes, now he remembered! He had been to this house before. He had seen the old lady. She was lying on the floor in a pool of blood but– did he kill her?

It had been about six o’clock when Freddy came. Howard was just finishing his tea. He groaned when he saw Freddy. Freddy was his brother-in-law and he had been married to Howard’s sister, Helen, for nine years, but Howard didn’t like him. He had never liked him.

He had always been suspicious of Freddy. He thought that Freddy wasn’t really honest. He didn’t know why he thought that, but he did. It was just something about Freddy. He didn’t seem to have a job but he always had a big car and expensive clothes. Helen and the two children seemed to have everything they needed, but–

Howard got up when Freddy came into the room. Freddy was white and nervous. He went quickly to the window and looked out. Did he think someone else was coming?

‘You’ve got to help me, Howard,’ he said. ‘I’m in trouble, bad trouble.’

Howard put down his teacup. ‘What can I do,’ he said carefully. You had to be careful with Freddy.

Freddy’s hands were shaking when he lit his cigarette. ‘I need money, a lot of money.’ Howard started to speak but Freddy continued quickly. ‘I know, I know. You haven’t got any money. But you can help me.’ He was looking at Howard nervously.

‘How,’ said Howard angrily. ‘If this is one of your wild plans, the answer is “No”. I’m not going to help you in any crime.’

‘It’s only a little thing,’ Freddy said. He put out his cigarette. ‘One phone call, that’s all. There are some men–’ He looked nervously out of the window again.

‘What men,’ said Howard. ‘Criminals, you mean?’

‘It’s better if you don’t know,’ Freddy said quickly. ‘They’re not– gentlemen.’ The word sounded strange, when Freddy said it. When they’re angry, they’re dangerous– very dangerous. They’re going to–’

Suddenly Freddy covered his face with his hands. Howard saw that he was shaking and jumped to his feet. He put his hand on Freddys arm. Maybe he didn’t like Freddy but he was his brother-in-law.

Freddy looked up. He was terrified. ‘You’ve got to save me, Howard,’ he said. His voice was shaking. ‘You’re the only friend I’ve got. If they don’t get their money soon, they’ll– they’ll kill me!’ For a few minutes he could not continue. He was too frightened.

‘If I’m killed, what will happen to Helen, and the children,’ he whispered. He knew just how to hurt Howard. ‘No husband, no father. Soon there’ll be no house, no money. They’ll be out on the street–’ His voice was getting louder and louder.

‘All right, all right,’ said Howard. He was trying to stay calm. ‘What do you want me to do?’

Freddy’s plan was easy and it didn’t seem dangerous for Howard. ‘There’s an old lady–’ he began.

Her name was Miss Blake and she lived in a big old house on the north side of the town. The house was hidden behind tall trees. She had lived in the Far East for many years and when she came back, she was a rich woman. Her house was full of valuable things. Most of them were too heavy to move, but then there was the green dragon…

‘Dragon,’ Howard said. He laughed. ‘What dragon?’ It was made of green jade and gold, Freddy had told him, with red jewel eyes, and diamonds on its tail. It stood in a special place in her bedroom and it was lit by bright lights. He knew all about it, because he had been talking to her cleaner at the pub.

‘It’s worth thousands of pounds,’ Freddy said. He was excited now. He was enjoying this. ‘Maybe hundreds of thousands. And it’s light enough to carry, and small enough to hide!’

He wanted Howard to do one thing– just one thing. You phone the old lady,’ Freddy explained. ‘You tell her that a packet has arrived at your address, Primrose Road.’

‘But this isn’t Pr–’ Howard began.

‘I know, I know - You just say it’s Primrose Road,’ Freddy said quickly. ‘Her address is Primrose Avenue - it’s nearly the same, isn’t it? You say your name is Blake, the same as hers. You say that the stamp on the packet says “Singapore” and inside it there is some special tea. You think there has been a mistake. You find her name in the phone book and decide the packet has come to the wrong address.’

He looked at Howard. ‘Do you understand,’ he asked.

‘Yes, yes. Go on,’ said Howard. He wanted to hear the end.

Well, it’s easy,’ Freddy continued. You tell her you would like to bring the packet round to her house, but you can’t walk, you’re in a wheelchair. And you are just going away on three weeks’ holiday. In fact, your daughter is coming soon to take you to the airport. Then you ask Miss Blake, would she like to wait three weeks or would she like to call round at your house immediately and get the packet herself?’

‘But maybe she’ll wait three weeks,’ Howard said. He didn’t like the sound of Freddys plan. But he was interested now.

‘She won’t,’ said Freddy. ‘She’ll want her packet. She’ll leave the house immediately because she’ll want to catch you before you go. And I’ll be outside her house. As soon as she leaves, I’ll get into the house, I’ll get the green dragon, and I’ll get out. If’ll be easy. If’ll be like taking sweets from a baby.’

Howard felt unhappy. But what could he do?

‘I’ll bring the dragon back to you,’ Freddy was saying now. You can hide it here.’

‘Here,’ Howard cried. He was frightened. Why here? What’s wrong with your house?’

‘The children,’ Freddy said. He looked away from Howard’s eyes. They may find it. Also, I want to hide it from those men. They won’t look here.’

Freddy’s plan worked perfectly. Howard was terrified when he heard the old lady’s voice on the phone. He had hoped she would not answer. But she did. One hour later the green dragon was on his dining table. It was staring at him with those hot, red eyes. He hated it from the moment he saw it.

Howard had sat and studied the dragon for hours. He was drinking coffee, black coffee, and smoking cigarette after cigarette. At dinner time he couldn’t eat. When he thought about food, he felt sick. Strange things were happening to his head. Once, with a shaking hand, he had touched the dragon again, but he pulled his hand away quickly. It had seemed red-hot. ‘I’m going crazy,’ he thought. I will go crazy if I have to keep that thing much longer.’ He lit another cigarette nervously.

Had someone seen Freddy, someone who knew him? Had those men - those dangerous criminals - been following Freddy? Had they seen him at Howard’s house? The police had probably interviewed everybody who had worked for Miss Blake. Had the cleaner told them that she had talked to Freddy?

The questions went round and round in his head. ‘I was stupid,’ he told himself. Why didn’t I throw Freddy and his crazy ideas out of the house?’

Suddenly he jumped to his feet. This had to stop. There was only one answer. He had to take the dragon back–