The next shipment was scheduled for May 22nd. In order to prevent any further snags, Pierce took the rather risky step of opening a line of communication between Agar and Burgess. Burgess could reach Agar at any time through an intermediary, a betting-shop proprietor named Smashing Billy Banks; and Burgess was to get in touch with Banks if there was any change in the planned routine. Agar would check with Banks daily.
On May 10th, Agar returned to Pierce with a piece of ghastly news— the two safes had been removed from the South Eastern Railway’s luggage van and returned to the manufacturer, Chubb, for “overhaul.”
“Overhaul?” Fierce said. “What do you mean, overhaul?”
Agar shrugged. “That was the cant”
“Those are the finest safes in the world,” Pierce said. “They don’t go back for an overhaul.” He frowned. “What’s wrong with them?”
Agar shrugged.
“You bastard,” Pierce said, “did you scratch the locks when you put on your finishing touches? I swear, if someone’s cooled your scratches-”
“I greased her lovely,”.Agar said. “I know they look as a routine for scratches. I tell you, she had nary a tickle on her.”
Agar’s calm demeanor convinced Pierce that the screwsman was telling the truth. Pierce sighed. “Then why?”
“I don’t know,” Agar said. “You know a man who will blow on the doings at Chubb?”
“No,” Pierce said. “And I wouldn’t want to try a cross. They’re not gulled at Chubb’s.” The safemaker’s firm was unusually careful about its employees. Men were hired and fired only with reluctance, and they were continually warned to look for underworld figures who might try to bribe them.
“A little magging, then?” Agar suggested, meaning some conning.
Pierce shook his head. “Not me,” he said. “They’re just too careful; I’d never be able to slip it to them….”
He stared into the distance thoughtfully.
“What is it?” Agar asked.
“I was thinking,” Pierce said, “that they would never suspect a lady.”
Chapter 30
A Visit to Mr. Chubb
What Rolls-Royce would become to automobiles, and Otis to elevators, Chubb’s had long since been to safes. The head of that venerable firm, Mr. Laurence Chubb, Jr., did not later remember— or pretended not to remember— a visit by a handsome young woman in May, 1855. But an employee of the company was sufficiently impressed by the lady’s beauty to recall her in great detail.
She arrived in a handsome coach, with liveried footmen, and swept imperiously into the firm unattended by any escort. She was extremely well dressed and spoke with a commanding manner; she demanded to see Mr. Chubb himself, and immediately.
When Mr. Chubb appeared a few moments later, the woman announced that she was Lady Charlotte Simms; that she and her invalid husband maintained a country estate in the Midlands, and that recent episodes of thievery in the neighborhood had convinced her that she and her husband needed a safe.
“Then you have come to the best shop in Christendom,” said Mr. Chubb.
“So I have been previously informed,” Lady Charlotte said, as if not at all convinced.
“Indeed, Madam, we manufacture the finest safes in the world, and in all sizes and varieties, and these excel even the best of the Hamburg German safes.”
“I see.”
“What is it, specifically, that Madam requires?”
Here Lady Charlotte, for all her imperiousness, seemed to falter. She gestured with her hands. “Why, just some manner of, ah, large safe, you know.”
“Madam,” said Mr. Chubb severely, “we manufacture single-thickness and double-thickness safes; steel safes and iron safes; lock safes and throwbolt safes; portable safes and fixed safes; safes with a capacity of six cubic inches and safes with a capacity of twelve cubic yards; safes mounted with single locks and double locks— and triple locks, should the customer require it.”
This recitation seemed to put Lady Charlotte even further off her form. She appeared nearly helpless— quite the ordinary way of a female when asked to deal with technical matters. “Well,” she said,. “I, ah, I don’t know…”
“Perhaps if Madam looks through our catalogue, which is illustrated, and denotes the various aspects and features of our different models.”
“Yes, excellent, that would be fine.”