A Bad Business

Malcolm Davidson is a successful businessman. He owns mines in South Africa and is now a millionaire several times over. He plans to marry Catherine, who is beautiful, assured, and will provide an open door to all parts of business and society in London. Then a visitor arrives at his office. This is Haynes, a former colleague from South Africa who has fallen on bad times. Haynes is seeking something to do. Anything that will allow him to leave a fortune to his daughter, for Haynes has terminal cancer. Haynes knows many secrets, where the bodies are buried, and Malcolm Davidson is aware of this. Davidson has an enemy, Austin. He cheated Austin out of his share in an important mine. Davidson makes Haynes a proposition, and Haynes accepts. The proposition, never explicitly stated, is that Haynes should kill Austin.