But by noon he had everything straightened out. He had a plan fully worked out in his mind, and he had the authority to go ahead with it. Now, he could make his final call.
"They're completely trustworthy," Burris had told him. "Not only that, but they have a clearance for this kind of special work--we've needed them before."
"Not only that," Burris told him. "They're good men. Maybe among the best in their field."
So Malone made his last call, to the firm of Leibowitz & Hardin, Electronic Engineers.
"I don't see what I've been sitting around here for, all this time," his partner complained. "I could have been home sleeping until you needed me. And--"
"I need you now," Malone said. "I want you to take over part of this plan."
Boyd nodded sourly. "Oh, all right," he said.
"Here's what I want," Malone said. "Every red 1972 Cadillac in the area is to be picked up for inspection. I don't care why--make up a reason. A general traffic check. Anything you please. You can work that end of it out with the Commissioner; he knows about it and he's willing to go along."
"Great," Boyd said. "Do you have any idea how many cars there are in a city this size?"
"Well, we don't want all of them," Malone said. "Only red 1972 Cadillacs."
"If there were only three," Malone said, "we wouldn't have any problems."
"Sure," Malone said, "but it isn't true. Anyhow: I want every one of those cars checked for any oddity, no matter how small. If there's an inch-long scratch on one fender, I want to know about it. If you've got to take the cars apart, then do that."
"No," Malone said. "Use your head. There'll be a team working with you. Let me explain it. Every nut, every bolt, every inch of those cars has to be examined thoroughly--got it?"
"I've got it," Boyd said, "but I don't like it. After all, Malone--"
Malone ignored him. "The Governor of New York promised his co-operation," he said, "and he said he'd get in touch with the Governors of New Jersey and Connecticut and get co-operation from that angle. So we'll have state and local police working with us."
"That's a help," Boyd said. "We'll make such a happy team of workmen. Singing as we pull the cars apart through the long day and night and ... listen, Malone, when do you want reports on this?"