style="font-size:15px;"> Jeanette said, ‘I don’t think Dan is accustomed to modern dancing. What about you, Mike Abbot?’
Abbot stood up. ‘Would you like to test me on a trial run?’
In reply she opened her arms as the opening bars of music started and he stepped forward. It was a slow and rather old-fashioned number so he took her in his arms and said, as they stepped on to the floor, ‘What’s a nice girl like you doing in a business like this?’
‘I like the money,’ she said. ‘Just as you do.’
‘You must be making quite a lot,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘It’s not everyone who can lay hands on a hundred thousand dollars’ loose cash – that’s the boodle for the successful trial, in case you’ve forgotten. I take it this isn’t a one-shot venture?’
‘What do you care?’
‘I like to stick where the money is. It would be nice if this built up into a regular income.’
She moved closer to him. ‘There is no reason why not. All that is required is that you do your work and keep your mouth shut. Both are essential to your general health.’
‘Would that be a threat?’ asked Abbot lightly.
She snuggled up to him, pressing her body against his. ‘It would. Nobody plays tricks with me, Monsieur Abbot.’
‘No tricks intended,’ said Abbot, chilled at the disparity between her words and her present actions. He had seen her dossier and it chimed in exactly with Eastman’s description. A buzz-saw, he had said. Anyone laying a hand on Delorme or any of her dubious enterprises would draw back a bloody stump at best. And there was a list of six names of varied nationality to demonstrate the worst. He danced with five-foot-six of warm womanhood pressed vibrantly against him and thought that perhaps she was a spider, after all.
She breathed into his ear, ‘You dance very well, Mike.’ He winced as her teeth nipped his earlobe.
‘Thanks, but there’s no need to be so enthusiastic,’ he said drily.
She giggled. ‘Dan was shocked. He kept talking about his wife and children. Does he really have a wife and children?’
‘Of course. Three kids, I think.’
‘He is a peasant type,’ she said. ‘His brains are in his hands. You are different.’
Abbot chuckled internally at the outrage Parker would show at being described as a peasant. ‘How am I different?’
‘You know very well,’ she said. ‘Welcome to the organization, Mike. We’ll try to keep you very happy.’
He grinned in the semi-darkness. ‘Does that include Jack Eastman?’
‘Never mind Jack Eastman,’ she said, her voice suddenly sharp. ‘Jack will do what I tell him. He doesn’t …’ She stopped speaking and made a sinuous movement so that her breasts nuzzled his chest. ‘I’ll keep you very happy,’ she whispered.
The music stopped and she stepped away from him after a lingering moment. He escorted her back to the table and thought he saw a satirical gleam in Eastman’s eye.
‘I’m not tired yet,’ she said. ‘It’s nice having three escorts. Come on, Jack.’
Eastman took her on to the floor again and Abbot dropped into the chair next to Parker. He found he was sweating slightly. Must be the heat, he thought, and picked up his newly refilled champagne glass.
Parker looked at the throng on the dance floor. ‘That woman scares me,’ he said gloomily.
‘What did she do – try to rape you on the floor?’
‘Bloody near.’ Parker’s brow turned pink again. ‘By God, if my missus could have seen me there’d be a divorce tomorrow.’ He tugged at his collar. ‘She’s a man-eater, all right.’
‘It seems as though our jobs are neatly allocated,’ said Abbot. ‘You look after the torpedo and I look after Jeanette.’ He sipped his champagne. ‘Or she looks after me, if I understood her correctly.’
He found he was smiling.
They stayed for quite a while at the Paon Rouge, dining and watching the cabaret. They left at about two in the morning to find the Mercedes waiting outside. Eastman got in the front next to the driver, and Abbot found himself rubbing shoulders and legs with Jeanette who wore a shimmering silver cape.
The car moved away, and after a while he looked out of the window at the sea and said, ‘It would be helpful if I knew where we were going.’
‘You’ll find out,’ she said, and opened her cigarette case. ‘Give me a light.’
He flicked his lighter and saw Parker sitting on the other side of Jeanette, easing his tight collar. ‘You’re the boss.’
The car proceeded smoothly on the road out of Beirut towards Tripoli and he wondered where it was taking them – and why. He did not wonder long because presently it swung off the road and drew up in front of a large wooden gate which was swung open by an Arab. The car rolled into a large yard and stopped.
They got out and Abbot looked around. As far as he could see in the darkness it seemed to be some sort of factory. A large shed loomed against the night sky, and beyond the moon sparkled on the sea. ‘This way,’ said Eastman, and Abbot followed him into an office.
The first thing he saw when the lights snapped on was his own suitcase against the wall. ‘What the hell …?’
‘You’ll be staying here,’ said Eastman. ‘There are two beds in the next room. No bathroom, I’m afraid – but there’s a wash-basin.’ He glanced at Jeanette and then his gaze came back to Abbot. ‘You should be quite comfortable,’ he said sardonically. ‘Ali will do your cooking.’
Jeanette said, ‘You’ll stay here until after the trials of the torpedo. How long you stay depends on yourselves.’ She smiled and said lightly, ‘But I’ll come to see you – often.’ She turned to Parker and said abruptly, ‘How long to make the conversion?’
Parker shrugged. ‘Two weeks – with the right equipment. A hell of a long time, or never, without it. But I’ll have to have a torpedo first.’
She nodded. ‘Come with me.’ They followed her from the office and across the yard to the big shed. Ali, the Arab, produced a big key and unlocked the door, then stood back to allow them to enter. The shed was on two levels and they came out on a platform overlooking the main workshop. A flight of wooden stairs led down to ground level.
Abbot looked over the rail, and said, ‘Well, I’m damned! You were pretty sure of us, weren’t you?’
Illumined under harsh lighting was a sleek and deadly-looking torpedo set up on trestles, gleaming because of the thin film of protective oil which covered it. To Abbot it looked enormous, and the first thought that came into his head was: How in hell did this bitch lay her hands on a torpedo at three days’ notice?
