Comes the Dark Stranger - Jack Higgins [30]
He took the stairs two at a time, and he was whistling as he unlocked his door. He moved across the room in the darkness and switched on the bedside lamp, and as the shadows reached out towards him from the four corners of the room his spirits suddenly dropped.
He pulled his canvas grip out of the wardrobe and took out the half-bottle of whisky and held it to his lips. As the liquor burned its way down his throat he sat on the edge of the bed and casually slid a hand under the pillow.
A sudden frown appeared on his face, and he jumped to his feet and pulled the pillow from the bed. But he was wasting his time. The Luger had gone.
9
HE made a quick check on the rest of his belongings, but they were all intact. There were no obvious signs of an intruder and the lock on the door had not been tampered with. A key had been used - that much was obvious.
For a moment he considered questioning the night porter, but he dismissed the idea. If the man had allowed someone access to the room he would certainly deny it, and no good would be served by a scene. Only two of the people he had talked to that day knew he had a gun. The first was Laura Faulkner, and the idea that she might have had anything to do with it was absurd.
That left Reggie Steele, and a sudden cold anger flared in Shane. He sat there for a moment or two longer, thinking about it, and then he got to his feet, switched off the light and left his room, locking the door behind him.
The night porter was snoring gently in an easy-chair in the corner of the foyer when he went downstairs, and he walked quietly past him and went out into the night.
It was raining hard as he walked through the deserted streets, and the fog still restricted visibility. It was shortly after one when he reached the Garland Club, and there were still cars parked in the square outside. He walked past the entrance slowly, and moved towards a narrow alley that appeared to give access to the side of the building, and then his eyes fell on something that halted him in his tracks. Laura Faulkner’s car was parked at the kerb a few feet away from him.
At first he thought he was mistaken, and he approached the car to examine it more closely. A low growl caused him to move back hastily as the Dobermann poked its head through the half-open window.
He stood looking at the car, a hundred thoughts racing through his brain, and then steps sounded behind him and a gay voice said, ‘Hallo, handsome! You wouldn’t be waiting for me by any chance?’
As he turned, Jenny Green emerged from the alley. In the sickly yellow light of the street lamp she looked pale and drawn, and there were dark smudges under her eyes.
As she came nearer a frown replaced her smile. ‘You don’t look too good,’ she said. ‘Is anything the matter?’
He forced a smile. ‘I could do with about a week in bed, that’s all. If it comes to that, you don’t look so marvellous yourself.’
She shrugged. ‘Three shows a night in this dump sends me home with energy for nothing but bed.’ She sighed heavily. ‘It can really interfere with a girl’s fun.’
He smiled tightly. ‘I don’t seem to have much time for fun these days.’
She moved closer and put a hand on his arm. There was concern in her eyes when she looked up into his face. ‘You’re all tightened up inside like a spring. You’d better start unwinding fast or you’ll find yourself in real trouble.’
He smiled down at her. ‘You’re a good kid, Jenny, but I’m short on time for what I have to do.’
She started to turn away and hesitated. ‘My place is only twenty minutes’ walk from here,’ she said diffidently. ‘I make good coffee.’
Before he could reply, the door in the alley at the side of the Garland Club opened and someone came out. Shane grabbed the girl by the arm and rushed her into the darkness of a near-by doorway. She started to protest, and he pulled her close, one arm around her shoulders.
She chuckled deep down in her throat and pressed