‘Alarms inside of bank, plus all windows and doors. The vault has big steel entry door, but as we go up through vault floor from below it no trigger it.’
‘Of course it will…!’
‘No, listen to me. I hear there no alarm inside vault as they think nobody can get in.’
‘Whoever you got all this info from, does he know what we are going to do and is he safe to keep his mouth shut?’
Silas let out a deep guttural laugh, but John was not so amused and wanted to know if the alarm informant would have to be paid off.
Silas held his pendant towards John. ‘My father give this to me many years ago. Is the Owl of Athena from ancient Greece, a symbol of knowledge, wisdom and how you say… shrewdness. I have no informant, I hear the bank staff talk when they come in my café for food and drink, and the young ones they yap, yap, yap.’
John felt relieved and more confident about Silas who could have lied and said he did have another man who needed paying.
They both stood staring at the whitewashed wall. Silas explained that one of the safety-deposit boxes contained at least £100,000 in untraceable notes. John knew this, but he was curious as to how Silas knew. Silas explained the man used to be a regular at the café, and after too much ouzo one night he said he had put some nicked money in the vault.
‘Silly sod then get himself arrested, but added to de cash there’ll be Christ only knows what. People who use these deposit boxes stuff in jewellery and uninsurable stuff along with a lot of antique silver and dodgy gear – millions could be had for the takin’,’ Silas said grinning and then offered to make John a coffee.
They left the basement and went up the stairs into the café. Silas made some Greek coffee in a small copper pot that he said was called a
‘This other guy you bringin’, you know him well?’ Silas asked, taking a sip of his piping-hot black coffee.
‘He’s the bell man, name’s Danny Mit-’ he began to say and Silas wagged his finger rapidly reminding him it was first names only.
‘Danny’s kosher and I’m using me brother to keep watch from up on high. Any sign of the cops, anyone passing, anything suspicious, or if we’re too noisy, he’ll be able to radio us to stop.’
Silas sighed. ‘I tell you, I gonna be very glad to get out of this shithole as soon as job is done.’
‘What will you do?’
‘I will have to get out of England, but I gonna disappear to Katakolon in my country. Get me a nice villa overlooking the Ionian Sea, a small fishing boat, then I’m just gonna relax.’
‘No family then?’
‘Yes, wife and three kids, but I already send her back to live with her sister a month ago. I gonna tell her I win big on horses so she no suspicious. I won a packet on the Grand National with Red Rum, what a horse. Besides she’s no complainin’ if living well in nice place. You can come and visit, you’ll soon be able to afford it.’ He grinned.
John smiled back. Looking round the dingy café he could understand why Silas wanted to return to his homeland.
Silas lit up a small cheroot and tapped John’s arm. ‘So you all set?’
‘Yeah… just one thing… can we trust this geezer in prison who set it all up? I know he’s got a long stretch inside, but what if he’s trying to get on the side of the cops? You know, settin’ us up and grassin’ to get early parole.’
Silas shook his head and rubbed his pendant. ‘Listen to me and the wise owl, I trust him cos he gotta trust me good. I know more about him an’ could get him banged up for a fifteen stretch. This is a payback, and if he is fuckin’ us over I will grass him up. That dough in the safety deposit was the takin’s from a robbery where a young rozzer got shot in the legs with a sawn-off. You understand me? Don’t think I’m some damned ass-stupid Greek that works tables.’
John nodded and looked at his watch. He’d been with Silas for nearly an hour and any worries he’d had were now allayed. He was confident that not only could they trust him, but also he was a shrewd man eager to get on with the job.
‘OK, let’s start the ball rolling, I’ll begin bringing the decorating gear over tomorrow night,’ he said with a sly grin.
Jane had arrived at work just before midday. She and Kath were sitting in the incident room updating the index cards, proofreading and filing statements.
‘I can’t believe how much my sister is carrying on about the wedding. She’ll no doubt have a fit when she sees me in the bridesmaid outfit – makes me look like Jayne Mansfield because of the corset.’
‘Can’t you get it altered?’
‘No time, it’s all been so rushed.’
‘She’s not up the duff, is she?’
‘No, she is not,’ Jane said indignantly.
‘Is she a virgin like you then?’ Kath said, grinning.
