1980 - You Can Say That Again by James Hadley Chase Read Free Book Online Page A

worked, after breakfast, I remembered Durant had said that today, I would be moved from here and begin the impersonation. The sooner it began, the sooner I would be free.
    After lunch, Durant appeared with a legal looking document which he put on the table.
    ‘Use a pencil and sign here,’ he said curtly.
    Picking up a pencil, I signed Ferguson’s name with a flourish.
    Durant examined what I had written, then nodded.
    ‘Do it again in ink,’ he said.
    Using the Parker pen, I signed over the pencil signature.
    Again he studied what I had written, then he regarded me with his hard, dark eyes. ‘You have passed the test, Stevens.’ He crossed to a chair and sat down. ‘The impersonation will begin this evening. You will be taken to Mr. Ferguson’s residence in Paradise City, Florida. There, you will meet Mr. Ferguson’s wife. She knows about this impersonation. You have nothing to worry about. You will have your own quarters, and you will have no contact with the staff. Mr. Ferguson hasn’t had contact with his staff for some time, so this will not be considered unusual. Mazzo will attend to your needs. At certain times, wearing the disguise, you will show yourself in the grounds of the estate. Mazzo will be with you. Three times a week, you will be driven to the corporation’s office. Again Mazzo and others will be with you. None of the staff will approach you. All you will have to do is to sign letters and documents. I will be directing the operation. I have arranged for Mr. Ferguson’s personal secretary to go on vacation. I have replaced her with a woman who has never seen Mr. Ferguson. No problem there.’ He paused to stare at me. ‘You will do exactly what I say. You will sign any paper I give you without question.’ Again, he paused to stare at me. ‘Is that understood?’
    ‘Yes,’ I said.
    ‘As you see, Stevens, you are being well paid for very little effort.’
    If it was going to be that simple, I agreed with him, but was it?
    He got to his feet.
    ‘We leave at seven this evening. You will wear the disguise. Mazzo will assist you. Whenever Mr. Ferguson takes a trip, there are always spies and the press. Do exactly what Mazzo tells you, and there will be no problem.’
    Taking the document I had signed, he left.
    Paradise City! I had often read about this fabulous playground for billionaires, and I had often dreamed of taking a vacation there. So that’s where the Ferguson residence was. To add to the excitement, I was to meet Ferguson’s wife.
    Man! I thought, you are moving up in the social scale. When this impersonation was over, I promised myself I would find some cute dolly-bird and have a real vacation in Paradise City, spending some of the thirty thousand dollars that would be waiting for me in the Chase National Bank.
    With these thoughts to entertain me, the rest of the afternoon passed quickly.
    At 18.00, Mazzo came in, carrying a suitcase.
    ‘Here we go, Jerry,’ he said, putting the suitcase on the table. ‘Change into these clothes.’
    He produced an off-white linen suit, a pale blue, silk shirt, a dark red cravat and a pair of fawn colored loafers.
    I put on the clothes.
    ‘Pretty fancy, huh?’ Mazzo said, and released his sighing laugh. He took from a box the latex mask. ‘Can you fix this?’
    ‘Sure.’ I limped into the bathroom. They hadn’t forgotten to build up the right heel of the new pair of shoes.
    It took me a little time to fix the mask. I was scared of damaging it, but I finally got it fixed. Then I gummed the eyebrows and the moustache in place.
    Mazzo stood in the doorway watching me.
    ‘It sure is something,’ he said. ‘I wouldn’t know you from the boss.’
    ‘That’s the idea,’ I said.
    ‘Here’s a hat and dark glasses,’ Mazzo went on, producing a broad brimmed white hat which I put on. He then gave me black skiing goggles.
    Again he stared at me.
    ‘I’ll fetch Mr. Durant. He’ll want to see you before we take off. Go over by the bed and