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52
CHAPTER
SEVEN
Bond had arrived a few minutes early for his
appointment with Dr Goldnojaws and filled in the time by going over his cover
story again. Nothing had been left to chance but Bond was meticulous to a fault
in his preparation, it was one of the attributes that made him the
Department’s top agent. His story was that he was James Band, a sales director with L for Leather – a genuine business, should Goldnojaws check up on it– a leather importing and manufacturing company based in London. Before leaving for Stockport Bond had been given a crash course on the shoe leather industry by the people at L for Leather and now knew enough to get by on the subject should Goldnojaws ask him any technical questions. If the worst came to the worst and Goldnojaws were to ask something to which he didn’t know the answer he would say that his job was principally as a figurehead and that his staff could supply Goldnojaws with any information he may require. The bait, the reason why Goldnojaws had given Bond the time of day rather than leave the business to one of his minions, was a hundred thousand pounds worth of premium quality shoe leather for the knockdown price of fifty thousand pounds. The Department would square the difference with L for Leather. The reason given to Goldnojaws for the company’s largesse was a little over-production, bringing with it a need to balance the books. Goldnojaws had fallen for the ploy hook, line and sinker. Goldnojaws had been informed of Bond’s arrival but as it was now ten-o-clock and there was still no sign from his secretary that he was ready to see Bond the secret agent got up to stretch his legs. And also to take another look at the shop floor, which he had already given a quick once-over on arriving at Facade. |