The Big Enchilada

didn’t have that kind of dough. How did he do it?”
    “Hunter,” he said with some exasperation, “I’m not his bank manager.”
    “Okay, okay. Just asking. Got anything at all on Acker?” “No, and there’s no reason why I should.”
    “Why do you think Acker would want to buy the company? Wasn’t it a losing proposition?”
    “It seemed to be, but in business, people do strange things everyday. You wouldn’t believe some of the colossal mistakes I’ve seen.”
    “But it wasn’t a mistake,” I said.
    “What do you mean?”
    “Medco’s doing great. Acker has a great big house in Bel Air, and the company’s soaring. At least, so I understand.”
    “Really! How surprising. I must make a note to look into that. Mr. Acker may be a man worth watching.”
    “Just what I thought,” I said.
    That seemed to be about all there was. As soon as Maycroft stopped trying to prove something, he turned out to be all right. As far as I was concerned, he was still a fraud, but even frauds have to know their stuff if they want to pull it off. I thanked him and said we’d be in touch, which soured him a bit. I made for the door and he leaped up, nervously saying he’d accompany me downstairs.
    “What’s the matter, Maycroft? Are you afraid I’ll unzip my fly and expose myself to dear Carla. Shit! She’d probably follow me home with her tongue hanging out if I did that.” Maycroft cringed slightly and looked a little green. It was an unnecessary comment on my part, but, fuck, I get so tired of his type. Twits like Maycroft think they’re so civilized they can handle anything, but their guts turn to cat puke when they encounter a barbarian like me. Like my father said, I believe in playing my game, not theirs.
    Maycroft nervously ushered me across the reception area. I noticed that he and Carla exchanged meaningful glances. When I reached the outer door, I turned and grinned at her.
    “Don’t worry, honey. I fixed it so the bruises wouldn’t show, though he may not be much good for a few days.” Her eyes grew wide with alarm, and I laughed as Maycroft pushed me through the door. We didn’t exchange any conversation while waiting for the elevator to arrive. The doors opened and he followed me in. Too much!
    “I may not be a hot-shit stockbroker,” I said, “but I can find the ground floor in an elevator.”
    Maycroft didn’t answer. His eyes were turned upwards and he was delicately fingering his scalp, making certain his hair piece was in place. I laughed. At least I had found out the reason for the mirror on the ceiling of the car.

EIGHT

    I drove through town to my office. The temperature felt like it was rising by the minute. All movement was slowed down to about half normal speed, and the heat haze made everything look as though it were seen through a distorting mirror. It wouldn’t have been too bad, but the exceptional heat combined with the exhaust fumes of a million malfunctioning automobiles, and the result was that pleasant effect of greasy heat. You find the same thing in traffic-clogged Bangkok during hot season, and a few other fortunate locations around the world.
    After a lot of stop-and-start driving I finally made it to my neighborhood. As usual there was no place to park, so I left the car at the back of the local used-car lot. I wasn’t much worried about anyone being tempted to buy the thing—rust-rimmed bullet holes haven’t yet caught on as a popular decoration.
    On the way to the office I went into a submarine-sandwich joint. I had a fresh Italian roll filled with lots of extra-spicy chorizo sausage and covered with a burning-hot chile verde sauce. It was so hot that even my forehead started to sweat a little, and I felt the fiery tingle from my teeth all the way down to my belly. The proprietor, an oily little Turk, watched with amazement as I munched on some pickled serrano chiles as I ate the sandwich. I washed it down with a couple of icy San Miguel beers from the Philippines.
    I lit up a cigarette as I finished the second beer. I was convinced there was something going on with Simon Acker and Medco. I didn’t know what, but there were too many abrupt reversals for it to be completely legit. There was going to be a take-over, and then there wasn’t. The company is going under, and then it seems to be quite successful. The Ackers have no money, but then he comes up with some very heavy dough and buys the company. He shares his problems with his wife, and then he