The Day of the Jackal

«Surer to kill, yes, if you get a good hit,» said the Belgian. «But the chest is surer to get a good hit. At least, when one is using a light weapon with a short barrel over a hundred and thirty metres with possible obstructions. I assume,» he added, «from your uncertainty on this point of the head or the chest that there may be someone passing in the way?»

«Yes, there may be.»

«Will you get the chance of a second shot, bearing in mind that it will take several seconds to extract the spent cartridge and insert a fresh one, close the breech and take aim again?, 'Almost certainly not. I just might get a second if I use a silencer and the first shot is a complete miss which is not noticed by anyone nearby. But even if I get a first hit through the temple, I need the silencer to effect my own escape. There must be several minutes of clear time before anyone nearby realises even roughly where the bullet has come from.»

The Belgian continued nodding, by now staring down at his desk «In that case you had better have explosive bullets. I shall prepare a handful along with the gun. You know what I mean?»

The Englishman nodded «Glycerine or mercury?»

«Oh, mercury I think. So much neater and cleaner. Are there any more points concerning this gun?»

«I'm afraid so. In the interests of slimness all the woodwork of the handgrip beneath the barrel should be removed. The entire stock must be removed. For firing it must have a frame-stock like a Sten gun, each of the three sections of which, upper and lower members and shoulder-rest, must unscrew into three separate rods. Lastly, there must be a completely effective silencer and a telescopic sight. Both of these too must be removable for storage and carrying.»

The Belgian thought for a long rime, sipping his beer until it was drained. The Englishman became impatient.

«Well, can you do it?»

M. Goossens seemed to emerge from his reverie. He smiled apologetically.

«Do forgive me. It is a very complex order. But yes, I can do it. I have never failed yet to produce the required article. Really what you have described is a hunting-expedition in which the equipment must be carried past remain checks in such a manner as to arouse no suspicion. A hunting expedition supposes a hunting rifle, and that is what you shall have. Not as small as a.22 calibre, for that is for rabbits and bares. Nor as big as a Remington.300 which would never conform to the limitations of size you have demanded.

«I think I have such a gun in mind, and easily available here in Brussels at some sports shops. An expensive gun, a high-precision instrument. Very accurate, beautifully tooled and yet light and slim. Used a lot for chamois and other small deer, but with explosive bullets just the thing for bigger game. Tell me, will the… er… gentleman be moving slowly, fast or not at all?, 'Stationary.»

«No problems, then. The fitting of a frame-stock of three separate steel rods and the screw-in trigger is mere mechanics. The tapping of the end of the barrel for the silencer and the shortening of the barrel by eight inches I can do myself. One loses accuracy as one loses eight inches of barrel. Pity, pity. Are you a marksman?»

The Englishman nodded.

«Then there will be no problem with a stationary human being at a hundred and thirty metres with a telescopic sight. As for the silencer, I shall make it myself. They are not complex, but difficult to obtain as a manufactured article, particularly long ones for rifles which are not usual in hunting. Now, monsieur, you mentioned earlier some tubular compartments for carrying the gun in its brokendown form. What had you in mind?»

The Englishman rose and crossed to the desk, towering over the little Belgian. He slipped his hand inside his jacket, and for a second there was a flicker of fear in the smaller man's eyes. For the first time he noticed that whatever expression was on the killer's face it never touched his eyes which appeared clouded by streaks of grey like wisps of smoke covering all expression that might have touched them. But the Englishman produced only a silver propelling pencil.

He spun round M. Goossens' note-pad and sketched rapidly for a few seconds.

«Do you recognise that?» he asked, turning the pad back to the gunsmith.

«Of course,» replied the Belgian, after giving the precisely drawn sketch a glance.