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“How many investors have you got backing you at this moment?” Joh
“Fifty-two.”
“Fifty-two idiots,” Joh
“I never did anything like this before,” Brad said ingenuously. “My reputation in Oklahoma and Texas is as clean as a hound’s tooth. You ask anyone. People trusted me. And they had a right to.”
“You’re going to go to jail, Brad,” Rudolph said.
“You wouldn’t do that to me, to your old friend, Brad, who sat next to you the day you graduated from college, would you, Rudy?”
“I certainly would,” Rudolph said.
“Wait a minute, wait a minute,” Joh
“That’s it,” Brad said eagerly, “that’s the way to talk. Sensibly.”
“What have you got in the way of assets?” Joh
“That’s it,” repeated Brad. “Now we’re talking business. It’s not as though I’m wiped out. I still have credit.”
“When you walk out of this room, Brad,” Rudolph said, “you won’t be able to borrow ten cents from any bank in the country. I’ll see to that.” He found it hard not to show his disgust.
“Joh
“I asked you about your assets,” Joh
“Well,” Brad said, “on the books, it’s not so … so optimistic.” He gri
“Is it Virginia’s money?” Rudolph asked.
“Virginia’s money!” Brad snorted. “Her old man tied up the money he gave her so tight, I couldn’t buy a hot dog with any of it if I was dying of hunger in a ballpark.”
“He was a lot smarter than we were,” Rudolph said.
“Jesus, Rudolph,” Brad complained, “you don’t have to keep rubbing it in. I feel bad enough as it is.”
“How much is there in cash?” Joh
“You understand. Joh
“I understand,” Joh
“Close to a hundred thousand. I could give each of you nearly fifty thousand dollars on account. And I’d personally guarantee to pay the rest back later.”
“How?” Rudolph asked brutally.
“Well, there’s still some wells being dug …” Rudolph could tell he was lying. “And then I could go to Sandra and explain how I’m in a little hole for the time being and ask her to give me back the jewelry, and …”
Rudolph shook his head, wonderingly. “You really believe she’d do that?”
“She’s a fine little girl, Rudy. I have to introduce her to you sometime.”
“Oh, grow up, for Christ’s sake,” Rudolph said.
“You wait here,” Joh
“You fellas don’t mind if I mix myself a little drink while I’m waiting, do you?” Brad said.
Joh
“Does he have the right to pay us off like that, preferentially?”
“Well, he isn’t in bankruptcy yet,” Joh
“Nothing doing,” Rudolph said. “Let him throw it into the pot. And let’s get the safety-deposit box keys from him tonight, so he can’t lift the money before we can stop him.”
Joh
“Just because he’s a crook,” Rudolph said, “doesn’t mean that I’m going to be a crook to cut my losses, as you say.”
“I said I thought it would probably stand up in a court of law,” Joh
“Not good enough,” Rudolph said. “Not good enough for me.”
Joh
“I’d report it at the creditors’ meeting,” Rudolph said evenly, “and make a motion to sue you for recovery.”
“I surrender, dear,” Joh
They went back into the living room. Brad was standing at the window, a full glass in hand, tickets at the fifty yard line for the big game of the season in his wallet, gazing out at the rich, friendly city of Dallas. Joh
“And we want you back here tomorrow morning at nine o’clock,” Rudolph said. “Before the banks open. We’ll go around with you to those safety-deposit boxes you spoke about and we’ll take care of the money for you. We’ll give you a receipt for your files. If you’re not here by one minute before nine, I’ll call the police and make out a complaint for fraud.”
“Rudy …” Brad said plaintively.
“And if you want to hold onto those fancy, pearl cufflinks,” Rudolph said, “you’d better hide them someplace, because by the end of the month the sheriff is going to come around to seize your property, every bit of property you own, including that pretty, frilled shirt you’re wearing, to satisfy your debts.”
“You guys,” Brad said brokenly. “You guys … you don’t know what it’s like. You’re rich, you’ve got wives with millions, you’ve got everything you want. You don’t know what it’s like to be somebody like me.”
“Don’t break our hearts,” Rudolph said roughly. He had never been as angry with anyone in his whole life. He had to restrain himself from jumping on the man and trying to strangle him. “Just be here at nine o’clock.”
“Okay. I’ll be here,” Brad said. “I don’t suppose you want to have di
“Get out of here before I kill you,” Rudolph said.
Brad went to the door. “Well,” he said, “have a good time in Dallas. It’s a great city. And remember …” He gestured for the suite, the liquor. “All this on my bill.”
Then he went out.
Rudolph didn’t have time to call home the next morning. Brad came over at nine o’clock, as ordered, red eyed and looking as though he hadn’t slept all night, with a collection of keys for safety-deposit boxes in various Dallas banks. Ottman hadn’t called the night before, although Rudolph and Joh
Rudolph and Joh