The Light of the Day - Eric Ambler [33]
“I thought Miss Lipp was in Istanbul.”
“She is at the villa,” he said shortly. “Now we will have no more of this nonsense, please. You and I will go and get the car immediately.”
“If you have Mr. Harper’s written authority, of course.”
“I have Mr. Harper’s authority.”
“May I see it, sir?”
“That is not necessary.”
“I’m afraid that is for me to decide.”
He sat back breathing deeply. “I will give you one more chance,” he said after a pause. “Either you hand over the car immediately or steps will be taken to compel you to do so.”
As he said the word “compel,” his right hand came out and deliberately flicked the drink in front of me into my lap.
At that moment something happened to me. I had been through an awful twenty-four hours, of course; but I don’t think it was only that. I suddenly felt as if my whole life had been spent trying to defend myself against people compelling me to do this or that, and always succeeding because they had all the power on their side; and then, just as suddenly, I realized that for once the power was mine; for once I wasn’t on my own.
I picked up the glass, set it back on the table, and dabbed at my trousers with my handkerchief. He watched me intently, like a boxer waiting for the other man to get to his feet after a knockdown, ready to move in for the kill.
I called the waiter over. “If this gentleman wished to make a report about a missing car to the police, where should he go?”
“There is a police post in Taxim Square, sir.”
“Thank you. I spilled my drink. Wipe the table and bring me another, please.”
As the waiter got busy with his cloth, I looked across at Fischer. “We could go there together,” I said. “Or, if you would prefer it, I could go alone and explain the situation. Of course, I expect the police would want to get in touch with you. Where should I tell them to find you?”
The waiter had finished wiping the table and was moving away. Fischer was staring at me uncertainly.
“What are you talking about?” he said. “Who said anything about the police?”
“You were talking of compelling me to hand over the car to you. Only the police could make me do that.” I paused. “Unless, that is, you had some other sort of compulsion in mind. In that case, perhaps I should go to the police anyway.”
He did not know what to say to that. He just stared. It was all I could do not to smile. It was quite obvious that he knew perfectly well what was hidden in the car, and that the very last thing he wanted was the police taking an interest in it. Now he had to make sure that I didn’t go to them.
“There is no need for that,” he said finally.
“I’m not so sure.” The waiter brought me the drink and I motioned to Fischer. “This gentleman will pay.”
Fischer hesitated, then threw some money on the table and stood up. He was doing his best to regain control of the situation by trying to look insulted.
“Very well,” he said stiffly, “we shall have to wait for Mr. Harper’s arrival. It is very inconvenient and I shall report your insubordinate behavior to him. He will not employ you again.”
And then, of course, I had to go too far. “When he knows how careless you can be, maybe he won’t have much use for you either.”
It was a silly thing to say, because it implied that I knew that the situation was not what it appeared on the surface, and I wasn’t supposed to know.
His eyes narrowed. “What did Harper tell you about me?”
“Until tonight I didn’t even know you existed. What should he have told me?”
Without answering he turned and went.
I finished my drink slowly and planned my movements for the evening. It would be best, I thought, to dine in the hotel. Apart from the fact that the cost of the meal would go on the bill, which Harper would be paying, I wasn’t too keen on going out just then. Fischer had seemed to accept the situation; but there was just a chance that he might change his mind and decide to get rough after all. Tufan’s men would be covering