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Mac's face went white。 I could see it all working around in his mind。 The hundred thousand a year I was paying him。 The bonus participation in profits。 The house he lived in。 The schools his kids were going to。 His position in society。 I wondered if at that moment he wasn't regretting the sixty…thousand…a…year practice he'd given up to e to me。
But I couldn't bring myself to feel sorry for him。 He knew what he was doing。 He even wrote his own contract； on his own terms。 He wanted money and he got it。 It was too late now for him to start plaining。
I looked at the others。 They were staring at us。 I knew then； sorry for Mac or not； I had to give him a leg up。 〃Aw； e off it； Mac；〃 I said； making my voice warm and friendly。 〃We're too close to let a stupid thing like this e between us。 Forget it。 There'll be other deals。 The important thing to do is to get your new contract signed so that I can be sure none of these other pirates steal you away from me。〃
I saw the look of relief flood into his face。 〃Sure； Jonas；〃 he said。 He hesitated。 〃I guess we're both a little bit overtired。 Me with the negotiation； you with that record…breaking flight。 I guess I just misunderstood what you told me。〃
He turned to the others。 〃I'm sorry； gentlemen；〃 he said smoothly； himself once more。 〃It's my fault。 I didn't mean to mislead you but I misunderstood Mr。 Cord。 My apologies。〃
An awkward silence fell in the room。 For a moment nobody spoke； then I grinned and walked over to the urinal。 〃This is just so we don't have to write this meeting off as a total loss；〃 I said over my shoulder。
It was Sheffield who made the first break。 I heard him whispering hurriedly to the others。 When I turned around； he looked at me。 〃Split it with you；〃 he said。 〃Twelve five。〃
They wanted it real bad if they came up that quickly。 At first； I shook my head； then I had an idea。 〃I heard a great deal about you from my father；〃 I said。 〃He said you were a real sportsman； that you'd gamble on anything。〃
A smile appeared on his thin lips。 〃I've been known to wager a bit at times；〃 he admitted。
〃For two and a half million dollars； I'll bet you can't pee into that far urinal from where you're standing；〃 I said； pointing to the one about four feet from him。 〃If you do； the deal is yours for twelve five。 If you don't； I get fifteen。〃
His mouth hung open； his eyes staring behind their glasses。 〃Mr。 Cord！〃 he sputtered。
〃You can call me Jonas；〃 I said。 〃Remember it's for two and a half million dollars。〃
He looked at the others。 They stared back at him。 Then at me。 Finally the Mahlon Chemical man spoke up。 〃It's two and a half million dollars； Martin。 I'd take a shot at it for that kind of money！〃
Sheffield hesitated a moment。 He looked at Mac but Mac wouldn't meet his gaze。 Then he turned toward the urinal； his hand going to his fly。 He looked at me。 I nodded。 Nothing happened。 Nothing at all。 He just stood there； a red flush creeping up his collar into his face。 A moment passed； another moment。 His face was red now。
I broke the silence。 〃All right； Mr。 Sheffield；〃 I said with a straight face。 〃I concede。 You win the bet。 The deal is for twelve five。〃
He stared at me； trying to read my mind。 I kept my expression blank。 I held out my hand toward him。 He hesitated a moment； then took it。
〃May I call you Martin？〃 I asked。
He nodded； a faint smile appearing on his thin lips。 〃Please do。〃
I shook his hand。 〃Martin；〃 I said solemnly。 〃Your fly is open！〃
3
MCALLISTER MADE THE NECESSARY CHANGES IN THE CONTRACTS AND WE SIGNED THEM RIGHT THERE。 It was after four thirty when we came out into the lobby。 I started for the elevator when Amos Winthrop tapped me on the shoulder。
I didn't want to talk to him。 〃Can it keep until morning； Amos？〃 I asked。 〃I gotta get some sleep。〃
His face crinkled in a knowing smile。 He hit me on the shoulder jovially。 〃I know the kind of sleepin' you want to do； boy； but this is important。〃
〃Nothing can be that important。〃
The elevator door opened and I stepped into it。 Amos was right beside me。 The operator started to close the doors。 〃Just a minute；〃 I said。
The doors rolled open again and I stepped out。 〃All right； Amos；〃 I asked。 〃What is it？〃
We walked over to a couch and sat down。 〃I need another ten thousand；〃 he said。
I stared at him。 No wonder he was always broke。 He spent it faster than they could print it。 〃What happened to all the cash you got for your stock？〃
An embarrassed expression crossed his face。 〃It's gone；〃 he said。 〃You know how much I owed。〃
I knew。 He owed everybody。 By the time he got through with his creditors and his ex…wives； I could see where the fifty grand had gone。 I was beginning to feel sorry I'd included him in the deal but I'd thought he'd be able to contribute something to the pany。 At one time； he was one of the best designers of aircraft in the country。
〃Your contract doesn't provide for advances like that；〃 I said。
〃I know；〃 he answered。 〃But this is important。 It won't happen again； I promise。 It's for Monica。〃
〃Monica？〃 I looked at him。 This was going to be good。 〃What about her？〃
He shook his head。 〃I want to send her to her mother in England。 She's too much for me。 I can't control her any more。 She's seeing some guy on the sly and I have a feeling if she isn't balling him already； she soon will be。〃
For a moment； I stared at him。 I wondered if this wasn't a gentle form of blackmail。 It could be that he already knew and was taking this way of letting me know。 〃Do you know the guy？〃
He shook his head。 〃If I did； I'd kill him；〃 he said vehemently。 〃A nice sweet innocent kid like her。〃
I kept my face impassive。 Love is blind but parents are blinder。 Even a cheater like Amos； with all his knowledge； was no smarter than Joe Doakes in Pomona。 〃You talk to her？〃
He shook his head again。 〃I tried but she won't listen。 You know how kids are nowadays。 They learn everything in school； you can't teach them anything。 When she was sixteen； I found a package of Merry Widows in her pocketbook。〃
He should have stopped her then。 He was about three years too late。 She was nineteen now and carried her own brass ring。 〃Guys like you never learn。〃
〃What was I supposed to do？〃 he asked truculently。 〃Keep her locked in her room？〃
I shook my head。 〃You could have tried being her father。〃
〃What makes you such an expert？〃 he snapped。 〃You won't talk like that after you have kids of your own。〃
I could have told him。 I had a father who was too busy with his own life； too。 But I was tired。 I got to my feet。
〃What about the money？〃 he asked anxiously。
〃I'll give it to you；〃 I said。 A feeling of disgust suddenly came up in me。 What did I need guys like this around me for？ They were like leeches。 Once they got into you； they never let go。 〃As a matter of fact； I'll give you twenty…five thousand。〃
An expression of surprised relief flooded across his face。 〃You will； Jonas？〃
I nodded。 〃On one condition。〃
For the first time； caution came into his eyes。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃I want your resignation。〃
〃From Winthrop Aircraft？〃 His voice was incredulous。
〃From Cord Aircraft；〃 I said pointedly。
The color began to drain from his face。 〃But… but I started the pany。 I know everything about it。 I was just planning a new plane that the Army will sure as hell go for… 〃
〃Take the money； Amos；〃 I said coldly。 〃You've had it。〃 I started for the elevator。 I stepped inside and the boy closed the doors in his face。 〃Going up； Mr。 Cord？〃 he asked。
I stared at him。 That was a stupid question。 What other way was there to go？
〃All the way；〃 I said wearily。
Monica was lying across the bed in the tops of my pajamas； half asleep。 She opened her eyes and looked at me。 〃Everything go all right？〃
I nodded。
She watched me as I threw my shirt across a chair。 〃What did Daddy want？〃
I stepped out of my trousers and caught the pajama bottoms she threw at me。 〃He just turned in his resignation；〃 I said； kicking off my shorts and getting into the pajamas。
She sat up in bed； her brown eyes widening in surprise。 〃He did？〃
I nodded。
〃I wonder why？〃
I looked at her。 〃He said it had something to do with y