Anthony Parsons - THE PRISONER IN THE HOLD

The Prisoner in the Hold

by Anthony Parsons

When Albert Radnar escaped from behind the Iron Curtain, it was the beginning of the end to that sinister trade carried on behind the glittering facade of their super-cinema.

Thought to be Dead.

IT had just gone half-past nine on a Tuesday night when Handsome Harry, looking up from his job on the door of the Centurion Cinema, saw Dick Gregory coming towards him across the vestibule of the theatre.

Harryhandsome indeed in his well-fitting uniform of sky blue and goldwatched the newcomer thoughtfully, in wardly wondering, not for the first time, why it was that Gregory, no matter what he wore, never succeeded in looking anything but a fourth-rate spiv. Always his shoulders were too padded and too wide. Always he wore his soft felt hat too low over his eyes, and always he had that draped slouchy look, so beloved of the spiv tribe.

Gregory nodded to him as he reached the inner door.

Boss around? he asked, the inevitable cigarette wagging up and down on his bottom lip as he spoke.

In the office, Harry told him. Gotta dame with him, I think-or had, a minute or two ago. Taint your night, is it?

Gregory hunched his padded shoulders.

Ill trail along, he said, and walked on into the expensively carpeted passage leading to the cinema and, beyond, to the office of John Marrack, the owner-manager.

As he reached the door it was opened from the inside and a smart-looking young woman was ushered out by Marrack himself. As Gregory glanced at her, and walked on past, he saw that she was flushed and angry-looking, but John Marrack was as suave as usual, smiling and showing his perfect teeth.

I assure you, madam, Gregory heard him saying, that your complaint will be investigated and immediately put right. I will, myself, speak to the usher concerned immediately the programme is finished. I am very jealous of the reputation of the Centurion as the best run theatre in the West End

Gregory grinned as he passed on out of earshot, continued to the far end of the corridor and then, turning, and seeing that the young woman had passed out of sight round the corner on the way to the exit, he walked back to the office and entered.

John Marrack had seated himself behind his desk again but he looked up sharply as Gregory stepped inside. He was a sleek, dark-complexioned man of forty or so, well-built and immaculate in his evening uniform of white tie and tails.

Hallo, Greg! he said in his smooth voice, What brings you here to-night?

News, Gregory told him. He sat down on a corner of the desk and leaned nearer, and there was that in his lean, high-chekboned face that tautened the others attention. Of Albert, he added.

Radnai? the manager fairly gasped.

Thats right, Gregory nodded, reaching for a cigarette from the box on the managers desk and lighting it from the silver table-lighter. He looked down at Marrack, and grinned. Thats why Im here, he said. Thought youd want to know on the dot. Renes just got in from Paris.

Marrack was on his feet now. He was obviously shaken.

Renes seen him? he demanded breathlessly.

No. Heard from him, boss, so he says, through Jan in Vienna. Hes on his way now.

Who? Jan?

NoRadnai. Hes cut loose, apparently. Got away. Hes coming over as a seaman on a Polish ship called ' Franshikat least thats what it sounds likedue in at Hall on Thursday night, and hes going to jump it and seek political asylum here. The only way he can get back, apparently. Anyway, according to Rene, he wants you to meet the ship in case of difficulties. Rene reckons he must have been snatched behind the iron curtain or something, hence his long silence. Anyway, thats the dope, boss.

Marrack was drawing long breaths through his nose. This was amazing. It was close on a year now since his partner, Albert Radnai, had disappeared from Vienna while over there on one of his film-finding tours, and in all that time not a word had been heard from him. Marrack, in fact, had long since given him up for dead, and would have liked to ask the Courts for permission to assume him deadbut there were difficulties in the way. And risksrisks that Marrack w as unwilling to run.

Is Renesure of this? he asked at last.

Gregory hunched his fantastically padded shoulders.

Well, hes come over especially to bring the message, he said. And he got it from Jan, who got it from Winkey in Poland. So it looks all rightand it was Albert himself who sent the message through. Looks to me as though hes expecting trouble in jumping the ship, and wants you on hand in case he cant make it. Anyway, we shall soon know when the ship docks. Maybe youd like me to go up to Hull with you?

Marrack reached for a cigarette, lit it, and sat down again. He was not well up in this ship-jumping business and subsequent asking for political asylum: he did not know what it involved. But above all things on earth he wanted Albert Radnai back because without himor at least his signaturehe could not unlock their joint banking account which for more than a year now had held 200,000 -literally frozen in the banks vaults. It had been a stupid arrangement from the beginning, but with Radnai away most of his time on the Continent it had been his only security.

Marrack smiled crookedly as he thought of that, but there had never been any flies on Albert Radnai. Radnai trusted nobody, not even his own partnerand the crooked grin on that partners face, as he thought of it, was a mute testimonial to the absent ones astuteness.

Itll be interesting to know who snatched him? Gregorys thin, rather high-pitched voice broke the silence. And why? he added. I thought it was only these political birds who got snatched over there, and Albert was no politician.

Well, it couldnt have been the trade, Greg, or wed have known it long before this, Marrack said.

Thats so. But itll be nice to be sure of it, all the same, Gregory agreed.

Youll go up there, of course?

You bet! Marrack laughed shortly. If hes on that boat hes got to be fetched offsomehow.

Would you like me to go up with you?

Marrack considered the matter, eventually shaking his head.

No, Ill go alone, he said. If he cant jump it under his own steam Ill have to get the police on the job.

Gregory frowned.

I dont like that much, boss, he said slowly. How muchll they want to know, before they act?

Im not sure, Marrack told him. But I reckon the fact that hes my partner here ought to do the trick. After all, hes been living for seven years in the countrywith the proper permissionso surely to the Lord Harry he has a right to come back to it if he can, and particularly

Particularlywhat? Gregory asked when the manager paused.

Marrack had been about to say Particularly since he has 100,000 capital locked up in the bank but at the last moment changed his mind. Marrack had for long been nursing certain ideas concerning Radnais share of the joint banking account.

Particularly since he must have been kept out of it by force and against his will, he said instead. He remembered the increasing numbers of these ship-jumpers from the other side of the Iron Curtain and went on to add that official sympathy seemed to be always on the side of the jumpers. There shouldnt be much difficulty there, I think, he said on an easier note. And in any event, it maynt come to that if he can get clear of the ship under his own steam. I dont even see that he need ask for political asylum, once hes safely ashore. After all, hes already got it. Far as I can see, I could bring him back here and we could go on exactly as though he had returned from a tour in the ordinary way. Why not?