Hell Is Too Crowded - Jack Higgins [35]
For the first time Skiros looked worried. "But nothing, I assure you, my friend. No one has laid a finger on her."
"I gave her an injection to keep her quiet earlier on this afternoon," Soames interrupted. "With some people it has side effects. Nothing serious. All she needs is a good night's sleep."
"Is that true, Anne?" Brady said. "This pig hasn't harmed you in any way?"
She nodded briefly and Brady turned to Soames, satisfied. "Okay, this is what we do. You go first with the girl. Skiros and I bring up the rear. If either of you makes a wrong move, he gets it. Is that understood?"
Skiros shrugged and reached for his cap. "How far do we go?"
"To the main gate," Brady said. "We've got a car there."
"I think you are a very careful man," Skiros said, and there was a reluctant smile on his face.
"If we parted at the gangplank, I'd have your crew on my tail before we'd gone halfway along the wharf. You know it and I know it," Brady said. "Now let's cut the small talk and move out."
Soames went first, supporting Anne easily with one massive arm and Skiros followed, Brady bringing up the rear. He had the .38 ready in his raincoat pocket, finger on the trigger, but there was no need--no need at all. As they negotiated the companionway and moved amongst the crew, heads lifted curiously, but Skiros made no sign. At the head of the gangplank he slapped the watchman on the shoulder and grinned. "Don't worry, I'm only going as far as the gate with my friends. Make ready to sail. We cast off as soon as I return."
No one spoke again until they reached the gates. Brady gave Soames the keys and she unlocked the door and put Anne into the rear seat. When this was accomplished, she got back behind the wheel and waited.
"May I go now?" the Greek said.
Brady nodded. "I don't see why not."
Skiros smiled and in the light of the lamp, his face looked quite genial. "Life is a circle, turning upon itself endlessly, my friend. We will meet again, and when we do ..."
"It's hardly likely," Brady said. "We inhabit different worlds. I'd chalk it up to experience, if I were you, and leave it at that."
He climbed in beside Soames and she moved into gear and drove away. As she slowed to turn the corner at the end of the alley, Brady turned and looked through the rear window. The Greek was still standing there under the lamp, staring after them.
"You certainly know some lovely people," he said, lighting a cigarette.
They were moving along Aldgate and she braked to a halt on the opposite side of the road to the tube station. "Look, lover, you wanted your girl friend back and you've got her," she said. "If it's all the same to you, I'll drop off here and we'll call it square."
"Not quite," Brady said. "If I remember correctly, there was some question of a name, wasn't there?"
For a moment she glared at him defiantly, and then her shoulders sagged. "I wish I'd never set eyes on you, you bastard. The party you want is Jane Gordon. She has a flat at Carley Mansions, Baker Street."
"Where does she fit in?"
Soames shrugged wearily. "I don't know. She got in touch with me some days ago, said a friend of hers wanted to contact somebody reliable in Manningham. Someone who could keep his mouth shut. I owed her a favour from way back. I put her on to Das."
"But it was Haras who went to Manningham and gave Das his instructions," Brady said.
"So that was the way Jane wanted to handle it," Soames said. "It was no skin off my nose. After you came snooping round my place this morning, I got in touch with her by phone. Told her I had you under lock and key. She asked me to hang on to you for the time being. Said she had to get in touch with someone else. Someone important. Promised to phone me back at six tonight, but it's after that now."
"Carley Mansions, Baker Street," Brady said. He reached across her and opened the door. "If you haven't told me the truth, you'll be seeing me."
"What I've told you is strictly kosher, lover," she said. "I've had enough of you to last me a lifetime."
She scrambled out on to