Argosy Freight Company was a subsidiary of Barrington Shipping. Entries had been made for an impressive list of shipments. Undoubtedly, this was a little side business Barrington had gotten into. He tore one page of entries from the ledger. Quickly folding it and placing it in the inside pocket of his day coat, he replaced the ledger just a moment before the pasty-faced Lionel Hodge stepped back into the office.
"My assistant will bring coffee. Our offices are closing at noon today." Hodge's lips twitched into a smile and his eyes darted about the office, looking anywhere except directly at the imposing man standing before his desk. "Lord Barrington is being married this afternoon."
"Yes, the social event of the season, I understand," Zach replied, his eyes narrowing. Both men looked up as a knock sounded on the outside office door.
"Ah, that should be my man now," Zach announced smoothly.
He stepped across the office before Hodge could round the desk, opened the door, and stepped back, allowing Tris to enter, a reluctant companion in tow.
The foreman for the Argosy Freight Company gave Tris a sullen glare. His arm was twisted at an awkward angle behind his back, preventing escape, and he didn't immediately look at Lionel Hodge. Indeed, he seemed reluctant to do so.
"What is the meaning of this?" The bookkeeper was flustered.
Zach smiled. "You have the draft signed by Jerrold Barrington for payment in full for the gold. This gentleman can verify that two cartons for that shipment were delivered to his warehouse." He turned to the discomfited foreman. "I believe you received that shipment last night."
The stricken man seemed to have been rendered momentarily speechless. Deciding that he had temporarily lost the power of speech, Zach supplied the necessary information. "Last night a shipment was delivered to the Argosy Freight Company. Is that correct?"
The foreman looked helplessly to the bookkeeper. There'd obviously been no plan to cover this unusual development. Tris jerked the man's arm upward when he answered too slowly.
"Aye," the foreman grunted out painfully, his face going from pale to crimson.
But Lionel Hodge wasn't about to be so easily maneuvered.
"What has any of this to do with Barrington Shipping?" he asked.
Zach smiled. He'd been waiting for Hodge to ask that question. "Isn't it true that Argosy Freight Company is part of the Barrington holdings?"
Hodge smiled like a satisfied little mouse who'd just grabbed the cheese out from under the cat's nose. "You are mistaken, sir. And since the shipment has not been received, I cannot honor the draft," he announced with thin-lipped satisfaction.
"I see." Zach nodded to Tris. A copy of the Argosy bill of lading was presented. He laid it on the bookkeeper's desk. "This proves the gold was delivered last night."
Hodge was undaunted. "That proves nothing." He gave the paper a perfunctory glance. "Only that Argosy Freight received a shipment of gold."
Thecat'spaw came down on themouse'stail as Zach retrieved a piece of paper from his coat pocket. "And this is a page from a ledger of accounts. Notice the lettering at the top." He indicated the gold-embossed Barrington name at the heading of the page. "Barrington Shipping Company, and the name of the subsidiary company—Argosy Freight. I believe, Mr. Hodge, we have established that Barrington Shipping, in fact, has received the gold."
Recognizing the ledger page, Hodge finally nodded and turned toward the file drawers. The third one sat conspicuously open. He turned back to Zach, the white of his face beginning around his mouth and climbing into his hairline.
Zach cut him off with an impatient wave of his hand. "I am quite correct, Mr. Hodge. Now, if you will please sign the draft and come along with me. I believe the bank will be open for the remainder of the day. But I do wish to be quick about it. It's been pleasant doing business with your employer."
"I will have to notify Lord Barrington." Hodge nervously shuffled the papers on his desk. He reached for the bell pull that would summon his assistant from the adjacent office.
Zach's fingers closed over the man's hand. "I don't think you'd really want to do that. After all, Lord Barrington is to be married today. He would be most displeased if you were to interrupt him with such a trivial matter."
The flustered bookkeeper looked from Zach to Tris and back again. The perspiration along his upper lip glistened. "Yes, of course."
Zach smiled. "Now if you will come along with me, we can conclude this business." He donned his hat, and seizing the bookkeeper by the arm, pushed him out the door and down the steps to the waiting coach.
In less than an hour, the transaction was completed. Several hundred thousand pounds sterling of Barrington money had been transferred to an anonymous account at the Bank of Zurich.
Zach approached the coach, shoving Hodge onto the seat beside the Argosy foreman. Tris sat opposite them, a pistol leveled at his prisoners, a long-bladed knife across his lap.
"What should I do with ‘em, Cap'n?"
Zach removed the watch from his vest pocket and checked the time. It was one o'clock in the afternoon. In another hour it would all be done.
"Leave them where they won't bother anyone for the next several hours. Then get to the ship."
"What about you, sir?"
