The Quiet Death of Thomas Quaid: Lennox 5 Read Free Page A

without the convenience of a legally held key came to mind, so did Quiet Tommy Quaid. But I was going to be as tight-lipped about who I’d use as McNaught was about his client’s identity.
    ‘I assumed you would,’ he said, ‘and that you would have someone particular in mind. It has to be someone who’s good with heights and whose discretion can be relied upon. You’re being well paid for this, so I don’t expect you to cut corners.’
    ‘I won’t. The person I’m thinking about has worked for me before and he’s the best in the business. But it means I will have additional expenses. Shall we round it up to a thousand?’
    McNaught’s hand reached out for the two hundred on the desk and the cosy glow began to dim.
    ‘Okay . . .’ I surrendered faster than a Govan girl on a Saturday night. ‘Seven hundred it is. How do I contact you?’
    McNaught withdrew his hand and I again basked in the glow. ‘You don’t,’ he said. ‘I’ll stay in touch with you. I take it I can trust you to keep this business strictly to yourself and your
contractor
? Absolutely no one else.’
    ‘I won’t even discuss it with my associate here,’ I promised. ‘Heights?’
    McNaught frowned. ‘Heights?’
    ‘You said whomever I hired had to be good with heights.’
    ‘Oh, I see. It’s your business, of course, but the best way into the premises is through the roof. It’s a large industrial complex and entry is through a skylight, six floors up and across pitched roofs. There is minimal security but a night watchman is based on the ground floor and does – or is supposed to do – an hourly walk around and checks the doors at ground level.’
    ‘I think that my guy would rather make his own plan. He’s a bit of a perfectionist.’
    ‘That is of course entirely a matter for you and him, but we have taken the liberty of surveying the building and the security arrangements. Just to save you time.’
    ‘Speaking of time, when do you need the stuff?’
    ‘Before the end of the month. That gives you enough time to plan and execute the break-in. But I will need to know when you plan to carry it out. The exact date and time.’
    ‘Sounds like someone needs an alibi.’
    ‘Again, that’s not your concern. All you need to focus on is getting your man in and out with the plans, ideally leaving little or no trace of his presence. I need to know which night you’re planning to go through with it. Exact times.’ Reaching again into his briefcase, he brought out a foolscap envelope, which he set next to the cash on the desktop. ‘In there you will find the address of the company, photographs and plans of the building and details of what you’re looking for and where to find it.’
    I reached for the envelope but McNaught laid his hand on top of it.
    ‘If you open this and see where the job is, you are committed to taking it. Understand?’
    I nodded. I didn’t pick up the envelope but I didn’t withdraw my hand either.
    McNaught sat back. ‘If there’s anything you want to ask before taking the job, now’s the time to ask it.’
    ‘Are these plans kept under lock and key? If there’s a safe, then that could be tricky and, whatever you say, the cost would have to go up.’
    McNaught shook his head. ‘No safe. The blueprints we want are kept in a draughtsman’s office on the third floor, stored in a plan chest. There’s always a chance that the chest will be secure, so your contractor should be able to deal with locks, although it shouldn’t be anything too challenging. I have to say that if the person you use is skilful enough, there is a good chance that not only will he get in and out without detection, but also it might be some time before the removal of the plans is discovered. Which would actually be preferable.’
    ‘Why not just photograph them? The plans, I mean,’ I added helpfully, and a little cleverly, I thought. McNaught’s expression suggested he didn’t share my opinion of my intelligence.
    ‘You