part 4
"Oh sure. He's just workin' on a little artistical project for Miss McKenzie."
"Why didn't he bring his stuff in here and work on it?"
They were all gathered in one of the large public rooms downstairs. The radio in the corner was tuned to the Armed Forces Channel and they were waiting for one of the comedy shows from the States to start. The Warden was settled behind a desk that sat on the other side of the room making his way through some reports or other and Actor was absently doing the exercises the doctor'd shown him. Chief was staring out the window as usual while Casino occupied himself with a game of solitaire.
"Yeah. He usually wants to be right in the middle a things." Chief asked quietly.
"Well, he's makin' something and it's s'pose t'be a s'rprise."
"Jeeze! Lemme guess.... An ashtray, right?"
"You'r a bleeding mentalist ain't you? How'd you know then?"
Casino snorted a laugh. "He's the same age as Stephen when he started makin' 'em.... That 'r cigarette boxes that were all scorched up with a wood burning chisel. We all got 'em, didn't matter if you smoked r' not."
"Yeah? Well, get ready 'cause you'r 'bout t' get a new one." Goniff fixed each one of them, even the Warden, with a determined stare. "You all are, so just you get 'is complements ready." And he turned on his heel to leave, calling casually over his shoulder. "We'll be back in a couple a hours."
"Wait a minute! Goniff, where do you think you're going?"
"Well, uh, ..." The pick pocket turned sheepishly back to face his commander. "Well, since 'ee's set on making all them ashtrays we need to go in and get s'more supplies."
Garrison studied the man standing in the doorway for a few moments before he sighed and leaned forward to reach the phone. "Alright, but it's getting late, you'd better take one of the jeeps."
Goniff grinned. "Thanks, Warden! We won't be long."
Casino stared after the group's second story man before turning on the others. "Wait'll you see what a ten year old can do with a lump a clay." And he shook his head, and snorted a laugh, remembering. "Those were the ugliest damn things I ever saw."
"Yeah?" Chief asked with a slight smile. "What'd you make in school when you were ten, Pappy?"
He tried to ignore the question but with all of them waiting on the answer Casino had to finally admit. "Well, ... an ashtray. I made it for my old man." To avoid being the subject of their amusement the east coast con swept up the cards, shoved out of his chair and headed for the door. "I'm gonna take a walk..."
"Casino?"
He pulled up short in the doorway but didn't turn back around to face Garrison. "Yeah Warden?"
"Your father still have that ashtray?"
"Jeeze!" He swung back around and fixed his commander with a defiant stare. "How should I know."
"You still have the one your brother made?"
The safe cracker chewed at the corner of his lower a lip a moment before he finally smiled and shrugged. "Sure."
g
It was late, way past the time when he told the Warden they'd be back. If he'd been alone and on foot Goniff would've just hopped over the wall somewhere along the back when the guards weren't lookin' and shinnied up the corner of the building, working his way along the roof until he could pull the bars aside and get into their room upstairs. The other blokes would've been covering for him if it had been just one of his regular trips down to the pub, they always did. But this time it was different. This time he had Eddie with him and he didn't really want to teach the little tyke how to get around his troubles like that did he? And then there was the jeep. Even if he and Eddie made it over the wall and inside and managed to get past the Warden and Sergeant Major Rawlins he'd have to come up with some story about why the jeep wasn't sitting all nice and snug in the motor pool. If he'd been born with Actor's silver tongue it might have been worth a try but he tended to stammer when he was trying to cover up something and he knew all it would take would be one of the Warden's 'looks' and he'd been done for. The guards on the gate were another story.
"You clowns were supposed to be back here by 1700. You're more than an hour late and after 1800 you need a password to get into this facility."
This wasn't one of the regular fellas. This was some soldier rotated out here to mark time while they found him another permanent spot. Goniff didn't like these temporary blokes, they didn't have much of a sense of humor, not like the ones that had been around for a while.
"Can I help it if they put lousy rubber on this thing and we had t' stop an change a bloody tire?! Now open up the gates will ya, the kid's tired" And out of the corner of his eye he saw Eddie slump obligingly into the corner of his seat and pull off a pretty credible fake yawn. .... The little tyke had some talent, ...Blimey! He'd have to watch that!
"Nothin' doin' bud. What's the password?"
Goniff knew what he'd like to use for the password, but he had the kid in the car, and it probably wouldn't have gotten them through the gate anyway. "You know it's funny but the Lieutenant, 'ee didn't discuss passwords with me b'fore we left 'cause we both figgered me and Eddie'd be back on time." He turned a humorless grin in the man's direction. "Now whyn't you be an good little scre... guard and use that radio there to call up t' the house. If you raise your torch a little higher it'll shine right in our faces sos you can see us real good. You just tell 'em up there the number on the front a this jeep an what we look like and I'd wager they'll let ya push that bloody gate outta the way without a password."
And after a long moment's staring match the guard did just that. After a few more moments on the radio he stalked to the gate, pushed it out of the way and waved them through.
They made the trip up the drive in silence but Eddie turned in his seat when Goniff pulled the jeep up in front of the garages that ranged behind the house. "Weren't you scared Goniff? That bloke was awful big 'n mean. ... And he had that rifle an all?"
He'd had his eye on the weapon the whole time. Facing one of those, even an American one, wasn't Goniff's favorite thing to do. That's why sometimes if he was on his own, even if he wasn't late, he still scrambled over the fence to get on the grounds. "Nah. That don't scare me... They hardly ever shoot us anymore." And he let the little boy sit there and stare at him in shock for a moment before he laughed. "C'mon. We're gonna miss our nosh-up if we don't get in there...." The little man climbed out of the jeep and walked around to the boy's side, sticking his hand out for him. "And I still have t' face the Warden."
Eddie slipped out of his seat and reached up to take Goniff's hand, studying his face as they made their way up to the back door of the mansion. "Can't you just tell 'im about the tire?"
"Well I would a done once, but, ..." Goniff considered it a moment. "The Lieutenant, he trusts me now an I don't wanna mess that up, see? So him and me, we both know I broke the rules a little bit and t' make it right with him all I gotta do is tell 'im why."
"But won't you get in trouble for it, Goniff?" They were on the step outside the door that led into the pantry and Eddie was still holding back.
"Maybe. But it'd go a whole lot worse if I tried lyin' 'bout it." The pick pocket opened the door and ushered the little boy inside in front of him as he gave a short laugh. "The Warden, he has ways a findin' stuff out."
g
The others were already rattling their way through setting the dining room up for their meal. As they made their way past the room he gave Eddie a pat on the shoulder and a shove in the direction of the room they all shared up stairs. After the boy'd started off to put his things away and get cleaned up Goniff stuck his head in the dining room. The Warden didn't always take his meals with them. In fact most of the time he didn't, but since Eddie'd come to stay they'd made a little bit of a ritual of sitting down all together. If he was tied up in a meeting or working on his reports or something Goniff'd have a little more time to polish up his version of the truth. He made a quick count of the place settings and grinned. "The Warden out?"
Chief turned and a slight smile lifted his mouth. "Not any more."
"The guard on the gate said you'd had some trouble with a tire, Goniff. I checked the jeep out... Looked fine to me."
The little man cringed, he hadn't heard a door open or anyone move up behind him. He rolled his eyes for his teammate's benefit before turning to face their commander with a grin. "Oh. Hi, uh,... Lieutenant." And just like always he started to stammer a bit as the Warden stood there with his arms crossed and stared at him.
"Don't bother Goniff," Garrison shook his head and held the cat burglar pinned with his gaze a moment longer. He turned on his heel and headed for his office, calling over his shoulder as he went. "You and I have a meeting after you finish your meal."
g
The cockney thief slipped in the door to the office and stood a moment, nervously grinning at the man in charge. Garrison just waved him to a seat and went back to his reports. Goniff took the chair across the desk from the Warden and tried to sit still. Even though he knew he was going to be telling the truth he still fidgeted around. And the Warden let him sit there, ... a good long time too....
Garrison put the finishing touches on his report, signed it and settled it into a neat stack in the out tray. He pulled out the drawer and put his pens away and even took a moment to brush the leather blotter on the desk clear of dust and bits of paper. Then he pulled his chair up, rested his arms on the desk top, interlaced his fingers and finally looked up. By that time it was all Goniff could do to keep back the torrent of words.
"Well?"
"I'm sorry Warden we meant to be back on time but when we found what we was lookin' for and that bloke that had the stuff, he found out what Eddie was doin' with it... That fella, he has a potter's shop in a shed in the back of his house, see, and he said he'd help Eddie do his stuff up right and proper and I didn't think it would do no harm, and he was all excited about doin' it and..."
"Breathe Goniff."
He sat back in his chair and gulped down some air. When he looked up the Warden was still sitting with his arms on the desk waiting. He was trying his best to look stern but the corner of his mouth and his eyes gave him away. Goniff grinned again, most of the nerves gone. "Well I, uh...." he shrugged. "I couldn't disappointment him, could I?"
"No. I guess you couldn't." And when Garrison relaxed back in his chair Goniff did the same. "So Eddie had a good time?"
"Oh yeah. He got stuck right in and made all of 'em at one go." The little man watched his thumbs twiddle away in his lap for a moment before glancing sheepishly through hopefully raised brows. "But we, uh... We gotta go back down there a couple more times."
Garrison just raised a questioning eye brow.
"Well, see... 'ee made the bloody things, but, uh... now. ... Now they gotta dry, see. An then he goes down and paints 'em." The little man shrugged across at his leader. "An then Georgie, he'll bake 'em in this oven 'ee's got...
"Kiln."
"What?"
"It's a kiln."
"OK. So George, he'll roast the things in 'is kiln and then they'll be ready t' bring home here and pass around." Goniff jerked his chin at the papers Garrison had been working on. "We're not goin' nowhere, are we?"
"No. You're not."
"I don't like the sound a that, Warden. You ain't goin' over there all on your own are you?" They knew he went, even when he wouldn't or couldn't tell them, they all knew.
"I have to make a quick trip over." He watched his second story man frown and open his mouth to argue. "This isn't up for discussion Goniff."
He slouched back in his chair and glared at the man across the desk. It wasn't that he was all brave or nothing. He didn't wanna pack up an leave an go over there where he might get hurt or killed... But they was a team, wasn't they. They was s'posed to look out for each other. He also recognized that determined lift of the Warden's chin. "How long'll you be gone, then?"
"How long will it take for this little project of Eddie's to wrap up?"
Goniff pursed his lips and counted it out on his fingers. "Maybe a week... Unless somethin' breaks while Georgie's cookin' 'em in 'is oven...in that kiln a his."
"And I supposed he'll want to go down and check on everything everyday?"
Despite his worry over Garrison's planned solo trip Goniff's mouth pulled up in a quick smile. "I s'pose he will."
"Alright. I'll set it up with Rawlins. You two can have a jeep for... three hours?" At Goniff's nod he continued. "Three hours everyday until the project is complete and he brings the stuff back here." Craig pulled the center drawer open and retrieved his pen, then reached into the drawer on the side of the desk for the order the little man would need. The pick pocket continued to frown at him, even after he had the pass in his hands. "This is a simple one, Goniff. I should be back here before he brings those things home."
The little Brit pushed out of his chair, folding the papers away into his pocket. "But..."
"Get going Goniff." and he shared a look with his second story man. "I'll be looking forward to seeing those ashtrays when I get back." The cockney thief studied the carpet between his shoes a moment then nodded before turning for the door. This wasn't the end of it. Garrison knew the whole crew would troop through here before the night ended. Five minutes later there was a soft knock on the door. "Come in Actor."
g
The Warden was right, he was back before the project was complete. He was tied up in meetings with Reynolds but at least they didn't have to worry over him being over on the continent all on is own. And none of Eddie's little masterpieces broke up in the kiln Georgie fired them in. The boy had packed them carefully and made Goniff drive real slow and cautious when they brought them back to the mansion. He'd even gone to the trouble of building boxes to fit each one out of the board they scavenged from the supply room. Now all they needed was the Warden to be finished up some night before it was time for Eddie to be in bed... and to talk the other fellas out of slipping out to the pub.
"You gotta stay here tonight!" Goniff pleaded. "I just got it from the Sergeant Major. The Warden's headed back and 'ee should be here in time for supper."
"But we got permission to head for the pub...." Casino threw his hands up in disgust. "Jeeze! Permission for a change!"
"Oh, come now, Casino." Actor reasoned from the chair where he'd been reading. "How long could this take. From what Goniff says Eddie has worked very hard on these gifts... Surely you won't begrudge him his little ceremony?"
"Come on, Pappy. The pub'll still be open when Goniff and the kid go up to bed." And Chief laughed at the disappointment that crossed his teammates face. Goniff had missed more than one trip down to the pub since Eddie'd come to stay.
"Yeah. Well, OK." Casino grouched. "But this better not take long."
g
Goniff caught the Warden in the hall before he even had time to take is cap off and put his briefcase away in his office. "I hope you didn't eat down there with Colonel Reynolds."
"Well yes, I did." Garrison found himself herded towards the dinning room. "But I guess I'll have to make room for another meal?"
"Eddie wanted to surprise all a you blokes after supper tonight. Seein's how you'r back with us an all."
"You're all in here already? It's still a little early..."
Goniff pulled the Warden's chair out for him and waited for him to settle in it. "Yeah, well I, uh, ... I promised Casino we'd sort a make an early night of it."
g
The meal got off to a nervous start. Eddie usually entertained them with questions and stories over the meal but tonight he quietly shoved things around on his plate with his fork. The other's had their meals eaten and their plates cleared, the only food left was sitting in front of the Warden and Eddie. Garrison had tried his best but he'd had dinner with Reynolds as they went over the results of his trip and, like Goniff said, he didn't eat much anyway. Eddie was just too jumpy to settle down to his meal.
Casino shot a pleading look along the table over the kids head. As soon as he got a nod from the Warden he was on his feet. "You guys finished with that stuff?" And before either of them could answer he'd swept the plates off the table and headed down to the kitchen with them.
Goniff nudged the boy on the shoulder. "Casino'll be back here in a bit." And he lowered his voice into a conspiratorial stage whisper. "Whyn't you go get.... You know."
The safecracker passed the boy in the doorway and after watching the kid scramble up the stairs he turned on the group's cat burglar. "Jeeze! Shouldn't you go help him or something? If he breaks one a those things on the stairs we got this all to go through again you know!?"
"Nah. The way he packed them in their boxes you'd a thought he was dealin' with the crown jewels. He won't let nothing happened to 'em."
And Goniff was right. Eddie carried each one carefully down the stairs from the hiding place up in their room and sat it on the table in front of it's future owner. With a warning not to touch it he'd headed back for the next one, and then the next.... It took forever.
When each one of them had a carefully handcrafted box sitting in front of them Eddie finally perched on the edge of his chair next to Goniff.... But he just sat studying his fingers while they waited on him to give the OK.
"Well..." Casino started for his box but was stopped cold by a warning look from Goniff.
As soon as the east coast thief sat back in his chair he nudged the boy into action. "Go on and say your bit, then."
He started off softly but they could still make out the tremor in his voice. "I, uh, ... I... Goniff said maybe..." Eddie shot a look around the table. "I... Well. I made what's in them boxes. ..." His head dropped down again and he studied the hands he held clenched in his lap. "You don't have t' keep 'em if you don't want to." And with that he fell silent.
For the next few moments the room was filled with the sound of string snapping and paper being torn away. After a dramatic pause the ooohs and aaahs started up. Eddie started off with just and tentative peep at the men gathered around the table. He took courage when they started sending their gifts around so everyone could have a good close look at them By the time the items were in the possession of their owners again he was on his feet making the rounds so that he could point out all the finer details.
Each one was a realistic, at least from a child's point of view, interpretation of the theme he was after. Actor's piece was a stage. There were steps leading off both sides and small cylinders of clay to represent the lights across the front. Rippled columns ran along the back.... Curtains, the child explained... and with attention to detail the boy had brought them together and formed a groove where the stem of his pipe could rest. Casino had himself a poker table. Goniff must have had something to do with that, he thought. They'd played cards around the kid upstairs but there hadn't been any gambling. Around the edge of the... table top... there were little pieces of clay that had been cut into the shape of cards, and money... little balls of the stuff had been flattened to represent coins or chips.
There was a canoe shaped one for Chief. It was pointed and curved up at both ends and it had two flat ribbons of clay that sat like braces or seats inside at either end. The kid had even carved his version of a wood grain into the sides. And when the team's scout quietly thanked Eddie for his gift the little boy happily reached into the box that had held it and drew a slightly crooked paddle from the crumpled paper and placed it carefully inside the little craft. Garrison's had the most detail. He'd hit the jack pot with a fort. The clay had been incised on the sides to look like blocks of stone and there were cannons on all four corners complete with stacks of cannon balls sitting near by.
Everyone of them had the name of the recipient carved on it somewhere and at Goniff's insistence the boy had used a pointed pencil and signed them with his initials and the date on the bottom.
"You think those are good... Wait'll you see this!" And Goniff proudly pulled out Eddie's original little masterpiece of mangled clay. The pick pocket had turned down the boy's offer of a new, improved model. And just like he said, and just like they rehearsed, the guys were suitably impressed.... But each one of them claimed he'd managed to get the best of the lot.
g
Somehow or other the trip down to the pub was forgotten as the men admired Eddie's work and decided just where they'd put their treasures. Actor put his on the table next to the chair where he read his books. Goniff's went on the stand between his bed and the cot Eddie used. Casino put his right on the floor under his bed. He said if he wanted a smoke in the middle of the night he'd know right where it was. Chief didn't smoke, not much anyway, so he put his on the window sill at the head of his bed and that night he said he'd put his knife and harness in it to keep them safe. Eddie eyed his creation and figured he might have to find a way back to George's to make a bigger one. The Lieutenant had been called away from the table almost right after all the packages had been opened, not before he thanked him and all, but right after that. He went off to his office for a little while and then they heard a jeep pull up and he drove off in it.
After things settled down and the men were sharing a drink from the bottle they kept upstairs Eddie snuck down and took a peek in the Yank's office to see what special place he'd found for his fort. He stood frowning in the doorway a moment before moving carefully inside. It wasn't on the desk or any of the cabinets that ranged around the room. He didn't think the Lieutenant would take it with him. Eddie tip toed into the room and peered down in the wastebasket, holding his breath a little against finding it there... but it was empty. He'd just moved around the desk and stood with his hand on the pull waiting for the courage to slide a drawer open.
"What'r you doin' in here, then?"
It was all he could do to keep on his feet when he jumped back . "I'm not takin' nothing! HONest!"
"I know that." Goniff grinned and shook his head. If the kid had designs on a life a crime he sure didn't have the instincts, bless him. The door was wide open. He let the little bloke get a bit of his wind back before asking again. "What'r you lookin' for?"
"I just, .. I wanted to,..."
C'mere. I got a notion where we'll find it." And with that the cat burglar headed off up the stairs, motioning the boy to follow after.
They made their way up to the second floor where the dormitory was, but instead of going in there like always, Goniff turned and opened a door that sat across the hall and a little further down. He stuck his head in first to make sure the way was clear, then turned and motioned for him to go through. Eddie stopped at the door, it'd always been closed before, and took a look inside too. He took a couple of steps inside, then stopped and waited for Goniff to get in and close the door and come up where he could feel him behind, backing him up.
They were in the Lieutenant's room. He could tell because everything was neat and put away, not like the room across the hall. The bed was made proper instead of just having the covers tugged up sort of straight and there was no laundry hanging, or shirts draped over nothing. There was a low table next to the bed, but the only thing that was on it was a lamp, nothing else, ... not even dust.
Eddie got a little shove from behind.
"Go on. Get the lead out."
Goniff's voice was low, not a whisper, not like he was tryin' to keep a secret or nothing, just low... quiet, like the way you talk when somebody's readin' a book or tryin' to go to sleep or something. They moved over to stand in front of a tall dresser and Goniff hooked him under the arms and hoisted him up and held him where he could see the top of it as he hung there.
"See. This is where the Warden keeps 'is really important stuff."
And sure enough there sat the fort tray Eddie'd made for him, right up there on the corner and it had his watch in it too... not the one he wore everyday, but his good one, the one he used on Sundays. Eddie admired the way it looked up there a moment, then examined the other things, ... there weren't many.
"Are Casino and him brothers, Goniff?"
"No. Why'd you think that?"
The boy reached out and pointed. "They got the same picture."
"Oh...that. ... Well.... The Warden, he ain't got a family of his own anymore, see, so when that happens you can borrow one, and Casino's lettin' him borrow his."
"You can do that?"
"You bet you can."
The child hugged tight to the arms that held him off the ground. "Could I borrow you, Goniff?"
Goniff held him suspended off the ground as he stood and waited for his voice to come back. He gave him a squeeze before depositing him on his feet again and reaching a hand down to turn him towards the door. "Sure you can."