Read 1953 - The Sucker Punch for Free Online

the account."
    He took his hand away from the telephone as if it threatened to bite him.
    "If I can persuade her to let me check all the rent statements," I went on, "as they come in, I can't see that Howe can do much damage."
    He rubbed his chin and nodded.
    "Think you can?"
    "I think so, sir."
    "Perhaps I'd better."
    "I'd be glad if you would let me try first. If I fail, then you can take over. It would give you a good excuse to talk to her. You could say I hadn't stated our case properly."
    He seemed to like that for he relaxed back in his chair.
    "All right. See her tomorrow and have a talk with her. If you're not successful, I'll talk to her." He suddenly smiled. "At least you have stopped the mink coat business. That was worrying me. You did well there."
    "Thank you, sir," I said.
    I couldn't get out of his office fast enough.
     

chapter four
     
    I was in my new office the next morning before nine o'clock. That was a record for me, but I had a pretty full day ahead of me, and I was raring to go.
    During the night I had done some heavy thinking. I had several ideas lined up that would bring me in some personal money. I realized the power of Vestal Shelley's name. If I played my cards carefully I could cash in on her name, making a rake-off wherever I offered her business.
    I realized too that I had been a mug in not pressing Burgess for more money. I might have squeezed Howe up to three thousand. I made up my mind that in the future I wasn't going to be modest in my demands. I had something to sell, and if they wanted to buy, they would have to pay for it. After I had completed a draft letter to Howe for Vestal's signature, I called Jack Kerr, a young downtown attorney I knew.
    I told him I wanted him to handle the sale of 334 Western Avenue, and promised to let him have all the necessary papers during the day.
    Then I spent an instructive hour going through Vestal's investment book. As I had thought, every dime was in government bonds, gilt-edged stock and stuff that was as safe as the cross-eyed virgin who once wandered into a stag party.
    I did some more heavy thinking, then shoved back my chair and reached for my hat.
    I drove over to West City Street and pulled up outside a big block of offices.
    I took the elevator up to the fifth floor and walked down the corridor until I came to Ryan Blakestone's office.
    I had known Blakestone for some years. He was young and gay and a regular guy. He had taken over his father's stock and bond business, and was now a pretty successful broker.
    He was surprised to see me.
    "What brings you down here?" he said. "Come on in."
    When we had settled into chairs, I said, "How would you like a slice of the Shelley account, Ryan? I took over the account yesterday. I might be in a position to put some business your way."
    "I'd like nothing better."
    "I've been checking through Miss Shelley's stock records. Leadbeater hasn't turned over a dime of hers in months. I think I could persuade her to give you a trial, but I would have to set the stage first."
    "How do you mean?"
    "Know anything that's heading for a rise?"
    "There are several things that might rise, but I couldn't guarantee them of course."
    "Suppose you had a quarter of a million to stick into the market. Wouldn't that force a rise?"
    He looked startled.
    "Put that amount in the right stock and it certainly would."
    "What I want is a stock that's already moving. We put in a quarter of a million and let the suckers imagine the stock is going to hit the ceiling. Got anything like that?"
    "There's Conway's Cement. It has moved up five points in the past few days, but it's a risk, Chad."
    "Okay, so it's a risk. The account will stand it. We can't lose more than ten grand, can we?"
    He gaped at me.
    "I'll be damned if you sound like a banker. Suppose we lose ten grand?"
    "What are the chances?"
    "Fifty to one, I'd say; but wait a minute, Chad, have you the bank's authority for a deal like this?"
    "I don't need the bank's authority.