Honour Among Thieves

go and tell him what your problem is, and then we'll find out if he's worth the five thousand dollars his company is charging me.' Cavalli smiled as Johnny stormed off in Newbolt's direction. Angelo stood over the slumbering body. He leaned across, grabbed Dollar Bill's shoulders, and began to shake him furiously. The little Irishman was belching out a snore that sounded more like an old tractor than a human being. Angelo leaned closer, only to find Dollar Bill smelt as if he had spent a night in the local brewery. Angelo realised that he should never have left Bill the previous evening, even for a moment. If he didn't get the bastard to the Archives on time, Cavalli would kill them both. He even knew who'd carry out the job, and the method she would use. He went on shaking, but Dollar Bill's eyes remained determinedly closed. At eight o'clock a klaxon sounded and the film crew took a break for breakfast. 'Thirty minutes. Union regulations,' explained Johnny when Cavalli looked exasperated. The crew surrounded a parked trailer - another expensive import -on the pavement, where they were served eggs, ham and hash browns. Cavalli had to admit that the crowds gathered behind the police barriers and the passers-by lingering on the pavement never seemed to doubt for a moment that this was a film crew getting ready for a shoot. Cavalli decided to use the thirty-minute break to check for himself that, once the cars had turned right on 7th Street, they could not be seen by anyone involved in the filming back on Pennsylvania Avenue. He strode briskly away from the commotion, and when he reached the corner of 7th Street he turned right. It was as if he'd entered a different world. He joined a group of people who were quite unaware of what was taking place less than half a mile away. It was just like Washington on a normal Tuesday morning. He was pleased to spot Andy Borzello sitting on the bench in the bus shelter near the loading dock entrance to the National Archives, reading the Washington Post. By the time Cavalli had returned, the film crew were beginning to move back and start their final checks; no one wanted to be the person responsible for a retake. The crowds at the barriers were growing thicker by the minute, and the police spent a considerable amount of their time explaining that a film was going to be shot, but not for at least another couple of hours. Several people looked disappointed at this information and moved on, only to allow others to take up the places they had vacated. Cavalli's cellular phone began ringing. He pressed the talk button and was greeted by the sound of his father's Brooklyn vowels. The chairman was cautious over the phone, and simply asked if there were any problems. 'Several,' admitted Tony. 'But none so far that we hadn't anticipated or can't overcome.' 'Don't forget, cancel the entire operation if you're not satisfied with the response to your nine o'clock phone call. Either way, he mustn't be allowed to return to the White House.' The line went dead. Cavalli knew that his father was right on both counts. Cavalli checked his watch again: 8.43. He strolled over to Johnny. 'I'm going across to the Willard. I don't expect to be too long, so just keep things rolling. By the way, I see you got all your equipment on the sidewalk.' 'Sure thing,' said Johnny. 'Once Newbolt talked to that cop, he even helped us carry the damn stuff.' Cavalli smiled and began walking towards the National Theater on the way to the Willard Hotel. Gino Sartori was coming in the opposite direction. 'Gino,' Cavalli said, stopping to face the ex-Marine. 'Are all your men ready?' 'Every one of the bastards.' 'And can you guarantee their silence?' 'Like the grave. That is, if they don't want to end up digging their own.' 'So where are they now?' 'Coming from eight different directions. All of them are due to report to me by nine-thirty. Smart dark suits, sober ties, and holsters that aren't too obvious.' 'Let me know the moment they're all signed in.' 'Will do,' said Gino. Cavalli continued his journey to the Willard Hotel, and after checking his watch again began to lengthen his stride. He strolled into the lobby, and found Rex Butterworth marching nervously up and down the centre of the hall as if his sole aim in life was to wear out the blue-and-gold carpet. He looked relieved when he saw Cavalli, and joined him as he strode towards the elevator. 'I told you to sit in the corner and wait, not parade up and down in