Page 9 (1/2)

Bond said, "People don't tell me what to do I tell them" He walked on into the middle of the room and sat down at a table He said "Co to lean on ed He took two long strides, picked up one of the s, and sat ass-backwards, his left arht arh, inches from the pistol butt that showed above the waistband of his trousers Bond recognized that it was a good working position for a gun as a shield for most of the body This was certainly a most careful and professional man

Bond, both hands in full view of the tabletop, said cheerfully, "No I'm not from the police My name's Mark Hazard I' a job up at Froar place Know it?"

"Sure I know it What you been doing there?"

"Not so fast, my friend First of all, who are you and what's your business?"

"Scaraa Labour relations Ever heard of me?"

Bond frowned "Can't say I have Should I have?"

"Some people who hadn't are dead"

"A lot of people who haven't heard ofover the other, above the knee, and grasped the ankle in a club in heroics For instance, seven hundred million Chinese have certainly heard of neither of us You a did not rise to the jibe He said reflectively, "Yeah I guess you could call the Caribbean a pretty sood pickin's to be had from it The Man with the Golden Gun That's what they calllabour problems We could do with you up at Froa looked bored

"Too many cane fires"

"Was that your business?"

"Sort of One of the jobs of ation"

"Security work I've coht I could suess had been right "Did you get anywhere?"

"Picked up a few Rastafari I'd have liked to get rid of the lot of the discriion, so we had to call a halt So the fires'll begin again soon That's why I say we could do with a good enforcer up there" Bond added blandly, "I take it that's another naed the sneer He said, "You carry a gun?"

"Of course You don't go after the Rastas without one"

"What kind of a gun?"

"Walther PPK Seven sixty-five ht" Scaraa turned towards the counter "Hey, cool cat Couple of Red Stripes, if you're in business again" He turned back and the blank eyes looked hard at Bond "What's your next job?"

"Don't know I'll have to contact London and find out if they've got any other problems in the area But I'm in no hurry I work for theestions?"

The other man sat quiet while Tiffy came out from behind the counter She came over to the table and placed the tin tray with the bottles and glasses in front of Bond She didn't look at Scarahter He reached inside his coat and took out all alligator-skin billfold He extracted a hundred-dollar bill and threw it on the table "No hard feelings, cool cat You'd be okay if you didn't always keep your legs together Go buy yourself so people around me"

Tiffy picked up the bill She said, "Thanks,to spend your , hard look and turned on her heel