The Last of the Hot Rock

Just finished The Hot Rock by Donald Westlake. The last line:


The Ambassador gave a rueful smile. “They would not treat the Major well in Talabwo,” he said, “if he paid two hundred thousand dollars for a piece of green glass.” 

“That’s what I kind of thought.” 

Still smiling, the Ambassador shook his head and said, “I must make a memo to myself never to try to cheat you.” 

Dortmunder said, “Is it a deal?” 

“Of course it’s a deal,” said the Ambassador. “Aside from having the emerald back, aside from anything else at all, it’s a deal because I’ve waited years to give the Major one in the eye. I could tell some stories of my own, you know. Are you sure you won’t have some coffee cake?” 

“Maybe just a little slice,” Dortmunder said. 

“And some coffee. I insist.” The Ambassador glanced over at the rain-smeared window. 

“Isn’t it a beautiful day,” he said. 

“Beautiful,” said Dortmunder.

Westlake, Donald E - The Hot Rock

Like I said before, a solid effort, fun the whole way through. Looking forward to the next one . . . good thing Westlake has a bibliography of over a hundred novels to choose from.