ss.iftomorrowcomes-第53部分

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ered　by　a　drape　cloth。　Grangier　flicked　up　the　cloth。　He　uncovered　a　small　printing　press　with　a　still…wet　hundred…dollar　bill　in　it。　Next　to　the　press　were　sheets　of　blank　paper　the　size　of　American　currency　and　a　paper　cutter。　Several　one…hundred…dollar　bills　that　had　been　unevenly　cut　were　scattered　on　the　floor。
　
　An　angry　voice　behind　Grangier　demanded；　〃What　are　you　doing　in　here？〃
　
　Grangier　spun　around。　Tracy　Whitney；　her　hair　damp　from　the　bath　and　wrapped　in　a　towel；　had　e　into　the　room。
　
　Armand　Grangier　said　softly；　〃Counterfeit！　You　were　going　to　pay　us　off　with　counterfeit　money。〃　He　watched　the　expressions　that　played　across　her　face。　Denial；　outrage；　and　then　defiance。
　
　〃All　right；〃　Tracy　admitted。　〃But　it　wouldn't　have　mattered。　No　one　can　tell　these　from　the　real　thing。〃
　
　〃Con！〃　It　was　going　to　be　a　pleasure　to　destroy　this　one。
　
　〃These　bills　are　as　good　as　gold。〃
　
　〃Really？〃　There　was　contempt　in　Grangier's　voice。　He　pulled　one　of　the　wet　bills　from　the　wire　and　glanced　at　it。　He　looked　at　one　side；　then　the　other；　and　then　examined　them　more　closely。　They　were　excellent。　〃Who　cut　these　dies？〃
　
　〃What's　the　difference？　Look；　I　can　have　the　hundred　thousand　dollars　ready　by　Friday。〃
　
　Grangier　stared　at　her；　puzzled。　And　when　he　realized　what　she　was　thinking；　he　laughed　aloud。　〃Jesus；〃　he　said。　〃You're　really　stupid。　There's　no　treasure。〃
　
　Tracy　was　bewildered。　〃What　do　you　mean；　no　treasure？　Professor　Zuckerman　told　me…〃
　
　〃And　you　believed　him？　Shame；　Baroness。〃　He　studied　the　bill　in　his　hand　again。　〃I'll　take　this。〃
　
　Tracy　shrugged。　〃Take　as　many　as　you　like。　It's　only　paper。〃
　
　Grangier　grabbed　a　handful　of　the　wet　hundred…dollar　bills。　〃How　do　you　know　one　of　the　maids　won't　walk　in　here？〃　he　asked。
　
　〃I　pay　them　well　to　keep　away。　And　when　I'm　out；　I　lock　the　closet。〃
　
　She's　cool；　Armand　Grangier　thought。　But　it's　not　going　to　keep　her　alive。
　
　〃Don't　leave　the　hotel；〃　he　ordered。　〃I　have　a　friend　I　want　you　to　meet。〃
　
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　Armand　Grangier　had　intended　to　turn　the　woman　over　to　Bruno　Vicente　immediately；　but　some　instinct　held　him　back。　He　examined　one　of　the　bills　again。　He　had　handled　a　lot　of　counterfeit　money；　but　nothing　nearly　as　good　as　this。　Whoever　cut　the　dies　was　a　genius。　The　paper　felt　authentic；　and　the　lines　were　crisp　and　clean。　The　colors　remained　sharp　and　fixed；　even　with　the　bill　wet；　and　the　picture　of　Benjamin　Franklin　was　perfect。　The　bitch　was　right。　It　was　hard　to　tell　the　difference　between　what　he　held　in　his　hand　and　the　real　thing。　Grangier　wondered　whether　it　would　be　possible　to　pass　it　off　as　genuine　currency。　It　was　a　tempting　idea。
　
　He　decided　to　hold　off　on　Bruno　Vicente　for　a　while。
　
　Early　the　following　morning　Armand　Grangier　sent　for　Zuckerman　and　handed　him　one　of　the　hundred…dollar　bills。　〃Go　down　to　the　bank　and　exchange　this　for　francs。〃
　
　〃Sure；　chief。〃
　
　Grangier　watched　him　hurry　out　of　the　office。　This　was　Zuckerrpan's　punishment　for　his　stupidity。　If　he　was　arrested；　he　would　never　tell　where　he　got　the　counterfeit　bill；　not　if　he　wanted　to　live。　But　if　he　managed　to　pass　the　bill　successfully。。。　I'll　see；　Grangier　thought。
　
　Fifteen　minutes　later　Zuckerman　returned　to　the　office。　He　counted　out　a　hundred　dollars'　worth　of　French　francs。　〃Anything　else；　chief？〃
　
　Grangier　stared　at　the　francs。　〃Did　you　have　any　trouble？〃
　
　〃Trouble？　No。　Why？〃
　
　〃I　want　you　to　go　back　to　the　same　bank；〃　Grangier　ordered。　〃This　is　what　I　want　you　to　say。。。。〃
　
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　Adolf　Zuckerman　walked　into　the　lobby　of　the　Banque　de　France　and　approached　the　desk　where　the　bank　manager　sat。　This　time　Zuckerman　was　aware　of　the　danger　he　was　in；　but　he　preferred　facing　that　than　Grangier's　wrath。
　
　〃May　I　help　you？〃　the　manager　asked。
　
　〃Yes。〃　He　tried　to　conceal　his　nervousness。　〃You　see；　I　got　into　a　poker　game　last　night　with　some　Americans　I　met　at　a　bar。〃　He　stopped。
　
　The　bank　manager　nodded　wisely。　〃And　you　lost　your　money　and　perhaps　wish　to　make　a　loan？〃
　
　〃No；〃　Zuckerman　said。　〃As…　as　a　matter　of　fact；　I　won。　The　only　thing　is；　the　men　didn't　look　quite　honest　to　me。〃　He　pulled　out　two　100　bills。　〃They　paid　me　with　these；　and　I'm　afraid　they…　they　might　be　counterfeit。〃
　
　Zuckerman　held　his　breath　as　the　bank　manager　leaned　forward　and　took　the　bills　in　his　pudgy　hands。　He　examined　them　carefully；　first　one　side　and　then　the　other；　then　held　them　up　to　the　light。
　
　He　looked　at　Zuckerman　and　smiled。　〃You　were　lucky；　monsieur。　These　bills　are　genuine。〃
　
　Zuckerman　allowed　himself　to　exhale。　Thank　God！　Everything　was　going　to　be　all　right。
　
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　〃No　problem　at　all；　chief。　He　said　they　were　genuine。〃
　
　It　was　almost　too　good　to　be　true。　Armand　Grangier　sat　there　thinking；　a　plan　already　half…formed　in　his　mind。
　
　〃Go　get　the　baroness。〃
　
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　Tracy　was　seated　in　Armand　Grangier's　office；　facing　him　across　his　Empire　desk。
　
　〃You　and　I　are　going　to　be　partners；〃　Grangier　informed　her。
　
　Tracy　started　to　rise。　〃I　don't　need　a　partner　and…〃
　
　〃Sit　down。〃
　
　She　looked　into　Grangier's　eyes　and　sat　down。
　
　〃Biarritz　is　my　town。　You　try　to　pass　a　single　one　of　those　bills　and　you'll　get　arrested　so　fast　you　won't　know　what　hit　you。　prenez…vous？　Bad　things　happen　to　pretty　ladies　in　our　jails。　You　can't　make　a　move　here　without　me。〃
　
　She　studied　him。　〃So　what　I'm　buying　from　you　is　protection？〃
　
　〃Wrong。　What　you're　buying　from　me　is　your　life。〃
　
　Tracy　believed　him。
　
　〃Now；　tell　me　where　you　got　your　printing　press。〃
　
　Tracy　hesitated；　and　Grangier　enjoyed　her　squirming。　He　watched　her　surrender。
　
　She　said　reluctantly；　〃I　bought　it　from　an　American　living　in　Switzerland。　He　was　an　engraver　with　the　U。S。　Mint　for　twenty…five　years；　and　when　they　retired　him　there　was　some　technical　problem　about　his　pension　and　he　never　received　it。　He　felt　cheated　and　decided　to　get　even；　so　he　smuggled　out　some　hundred…dollar　plates　that　were　supposed　to　have　been　destroyed　and　used　his　contacts　to　get　the　paper　that　the　Treasury　Department　prints　its　money　on。〃
　
　That　explains　it；　Grangier　thought　triumphantly。　That　is　why　the　bills　look　so　good。　His　excitement　grew。　〃How　much　money　can　that　press　turn　out　in　a　day？〃
　
　〃Only　one　bill　an　hour。　Each　side　of　the　paper　has　to　be　processed　and…〃
　
　He　interrupted。　〃Isn't　there　a　larger　press？〃
　
　〃Yes；　he　has　one　that　will　turn　out　fifty　bills　every　eight　hours…　five　thousand　dollars　a　day…　but　he　wants　half　a　million　dollars　for　it。〃
　
　〃Buy　it；〃　Grangier　said。
　
　〃I　don't　have　five　hundred　thousand　dollars。〃
　
　〃I　do。　How　soon　can　you　get　hold　of　the　press？〃
　
　She　said　reluctantly；　〃Now；　I　suppose；　but　I　don't…〃
　
　Grangier　picked　up　the　telephone　and　spoke　into　it。　〃Louis；　I　want　five　hundred　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　French　francs。　Take　what　we　have　from　the　safe　and　get　the　rest　from　the　banks。　Bring　it　to　my　office。　Vite！〃
　
　Tracy　stood　up　nervously。　〃I'd　better　go　and…〃
　
　〃You're　not　going　anywhere。〃
　
　〃I　really　should…〃
　
　〃Just　sit　there　and　keep　quiet。　I'm　thinking。〃
　
　He　had　business　associates　who　would　expect　to　be　cut　in　on　this　deal；　but　what　they　don't　know　won't　hurt　them；　Grangier　decided。　He　would　buy　the　large　press　for　himself　and　replace　what　he　borrowed　from　the　casino's　bank　account　with　money　he　would　print。　After　that；　he　would　tell　Bruno　Vicente　to　handle　the　woman。　She　did　not　like　partners。
　
　Well；　neither　did　Armand　Grangier。
　
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　Two　hours　later　the　money　arrived　in　a　large　sack。　Grangier　said　to　Tracy；　〃You're　checking　out　of　the　Palais。　I　have　a　house　up　in　the　hills　that's　very　private。　You　will　stay　there　until　we　set　up　the　operation。〃　He　pushed　the　phone　toward　her。　〃Now；　call　your　friend　in　Switzerland　and　tell　him　you're　buying　the　big　press。〃
　
　〃I　have　his　phone　number　at　the　hotel。　I'll　call　from　there。　Give　me　the　address　of　your　house；　and　I'll　tell　him　to　ship　the　press　there　and…〃
　
　〃Non！〃　Grangier　snapped。　〃I　don't　want　to　leave　a　trail。　I'll　have　it　picked　up　at　the　airport。　We　will　talk　about　it　at　dinner　tonight。　I'll　see　you　at　eight　o'clock。〃
　
　It　was　a　dismissal。　Tracy　rose　to　her　feet。
　
　Grangier　nodded　toward　the　sack。　〃Be　careful　with　the　money。　I　wouldn't　want　anything　to　happen　to　it…　or　to　you。〃
　
　〃Nothing　will；〃　Tracy　assured　him。
　
　He　smiled　lazily。　〃I　know。　Professor　Zuckerman　is　going　to　escort　you　to　your　hotel。〃
　
　The　two　of　them　rode　in　the　limousine　in　silence；　the　money　bag　between　them；　each　busy　with　his　own　thoughts。　Zuckerman　was　not　exactly　sure　what　was　happening；　but　he　sensed　it　was　going　to　be　very　good　for　him。　The　woman　was　the　key。　Grangier　had　ordered　him　to　keep　an　eye　on　her；　and　Zuckerman　intended　to　do　that。
　
　**********
　
　Armand　Grangier　was　in　a　euphoric　mood　that　evening。　By　now；　the　large　printing　press　would　have　been　arranged　for。　The　Whitney　woman　had　said　it　would　print　5；000　a　day；　but　Grangier　had　a　better　plan。　He　intended　to　work　the　press　on　twenty…four　hour　shifts。　That　would　bring　it　to　15；000　a　day；　more　than　100；000　a　week；　1　million　every　ten　weeks。　And　that　was　just　the　beginning。　Tonight　he　would　learn　who　the　engraver　was　and　make　a　deal　with　him　for　more　machines。　There　was　no　limit　to　the　fortune　it　would　make　him。
　
　At　precisely　8：00；　Grangier's　limousine　pulled　into　the　sweeping　curve　of　the　driveway　of　the　H？tel　du　Palais；　and　Grangier　stepped　out　of　the　car。　As　he　walked　into　the　lobby；　he　noticed　with　satisfaction　that　Zuckerman　was　seated　near　the　entrance；　keeping　a　watchful　eye　on　the　doors。
　
　Grangier　walked　over　to　the　desk。　〃Jules；　tell　the　Baroness　de　Chantilly　I　am　here。　Have　her　e　down　to　the　lobby。〃
　
　The　concierge　looked　up　and　said；　〃But　the　baroness　has　checked　out；　Monsieur　Grangier。〃
　
　〃You're　mistaken。　Call　her。〃
　
　Jules　Bergerac　was　distressed。　It　was　unhealthy　to　contradict　Armand　Grangier。　〃I　checked　her　out　myself。〃
　
　Impossible。　〃When？〃
　
　〃Shortly　after　she　returned　to　the　h