On the snow white blotter were a dozen or so thick envelopes. The time now was 09.00. I wondered when Val would appear. Remembering that Dyer had said I would be busy, I picked up one of the envelopes and opened it.
It contained a brief to transport Mr. and Mrs. William Jackson for a two week stay in Rangoon, hotel to be arranged V.I.P. Two passports were included. Visas would be required.
It suddenly dawned on me what I had taken on. If this travel brief had come to me at the A.T.S. office, I would have sent it to Massingham who had the staff to deal quickly and efficiently with it and obtain the visas. Apart from Val who hadn’t yet appeared, I had no staff. The Burmese Consulate was in Miami: a trip of over an hour there and back. There was always a delay at any Consulate. I couldn’t hope to get the visas back here under four hours: a waste of the whole morning. This just wasn’t realistic.
I looked at the intercom, found Dyer’s name under one of the switches and called him.
‘This is Burden,’ I said. ‘I want a leg-man to go to Miami right away. Will you fix it?’
‘Not my pigeon I am glad to say old boy. Try Lucas. He handles staff problems. So sorry,’ and he snapped up his switch.
I located Bernard Lucas’s number, called him and explained my problem.
‘We have no one to spare.’ His dry voice sounded completely uncooperative. ‘I don’t know anything about this. I was under the impression we deal with the A.T.S. Why not ask them?’
‘We are not dealing with them anymore.’ I tried to keep the exasperation out of my voice. ‘I’m handling the travel end now for Mr. Vidal. I want a leg-man.’
‘Then you’ll have to speak to Mr. Vidal. I have no authority to engage additional staff,’ and he hung up.
This was something Val would have to cope with, I told myself. I looked at the brief again and saw the Jacksons were due off early the day after tomorrow. This would be cutting it very fine to get their visas in time. At least I could book the flight, lay on a car and fix their hotel accommodation. This I did, using the telephone and the telex. That was as far as I could go with this brief. I put the papers back into the envelope and opened another. This was for transport for Mr. Jason, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Fremlin and Mr. McFeddy to Tokyo. The usual Vidal V.I.P. treatment. Mr. Jason needed to be reminded to have a smallpox shot and Mr. McFeddy needed a visa. I cursed them both. They were due off in three days’ time. I got on to the Jap airlines and booked their flight, then telexed the Pacific hotel, Tokyo for accommodation.
But why go on? Each envelope I opened contained some headache or another. Dyer had certainly passed me the buck. There was still no sign of Val. I worked fast but without someone to do the typing I was hamstrung.
Where the hell was Val? The feeling that the work was fast getting on top of me made me angry and uneasy. I looked at my watch. The time was 11.10. Pulling a scratch pad towards me, I methodically wrote down the details of all the flights and the necessary hotel bookings in order of priority. I found out of fourteen briefs, five were immediate and the rest could be left until tomorrow.
Hoping that at any moment Val would appear, I concentrated on the five briefs. I didn’t realise it was 13.00 until the intercom buzzed and Dyer’s drawling voice said, ‘I forgot to mention it old boy. There’s a canteen at the back of my office block. The food’s reasonable and cheap.’
‘Could I have a sandwich sent up?’
‘Ah yes, I was forgetting you’re a desk-lunch man.’ The sneer was unmistakable. ‘Dial 23 on the green phone. They’ll send you what you want.’
‘You haven’t seen Mrs. Vidal?’
‘She popped off to Palm Beach. Didn’t she look in?’
I drew in a long, slow breath.
‘No, she didn’t.’
‘She seemed a little moody. Maybe she forgot it’s your first day. Did you get your leg-man?’
‘No.’
‘Too bad. How are you managing? Quite a lot for you to handle on your own I should imagine.’
‘It’s under control,’ I snapped and switched off.
Popped off to Palm Beach.
It was hard to believe. We hadn’t seen each other for over a week. Surely she couldn’t have forgotten? Surely she had been counting the days and the hours as I had been. I pushed back my chair and went over to the window. I had to get those visas for Rangoon before 17.00. I looked at the papers covering my desk. I couldn’t afford the time to go myself. Then I thought of Sue who always rose to an emergency. I hesitated. If Massingham heard about it. Sue could get into trouble. There was no harm in asking, I told myself. Olson would be out at lunch. Sue would be on her own.
I called her.
‘Hello, Clay! I was wondering about you. How are you getting on?’
‘I am in a jam Sue. I’ve got no staff and I want two visas for Rangoon by 17.00. You’ll save my life if you can help me.’
‘Have you the passports?’
‘Yes.’
‘Jake has to go to Miami for visas. I’ll tell him to come to you first. He’ll be with you in half an hour.’
‘You wonderful girl!’
‘Clay... you better give Jake something. If it got out...’
‘I’ll take care of him. You’re a real life saver.’
‘Bye now,’ and she hung up.
I returned to my chair and sat down, looking at the litter of papers before me. I decided I would have to do my own typing. I was gathering the schedules together when the door jerked open and Val came in.
The sight of her set my heart thumping. She looked marvellous and so chic. She carried a large plastic bag which she tossed on her desk. Then she shut the door.
‘Darling Clay! Did you wonder where I had got to?’
I got slowly to my feet.
‘Dyer told me.’ My voice was husky.
‘I just had to go. They’re selling off. I’ve got the most marvellous dress for practically nothing! I must show it to you.’
I reached her, put my arms around her, but she pushed me away.
‘No, Clay. Not here!’ She was speaking in a whisper. ‘It’s too dangerous. Anyone could walk in.’
I controlled myself and moved away from her, a feeling of sick disappointment and resentment sweeping over me.
‘Never mind the dress, Val,’ I said sharply. ‘Have you seen what Dyer has left us to handle?’
She frowned.
‘What do you mean?’
‘There’s a hell of a lot of work here and it is urgent. I’ve been waiting for you.’ I picked up the schedules and dropped them on her desk. ‘These need your immediate attention. Would you let me have four carbon copies? While you’re doing that, I’ll fix the flights.’
‘But Clay!’ She was staring at me her beautiful eyes shocked. ‘You sound worried. What’s so important?’ I kept control of my temper.
‘Unless you start working, Val, and fast, six V.I.P.s won’t take off and we will have fallen down on our first assignment. Judge for yourself how important it is.’
‘Clay... you’re shouting at me!’
‘I’m sorry. I’ve had quite a morning. I’ve even had to get my ex-secretary to help out. Come on, Val. Let’s get stuck into it.’
‘But I can’t work in this. I must change. This dress looks marvellous but it is a beast to sit in, and besides, darling, I haven’t had lunch, have you?’
I moved around her, sat at her desk and pulled the typewriter towards me.
‘No. I don’t want anything right now. I’ll start these while you change. Be as quick as you can, won’t you?’ She touched my shoulder lightly.
‘I believe you are angry with me.’
‘Just be as quick as you can.’ Threading paper into the machine, I began to type.
She looked at me for a long moment, then picking up the plastic bag, she left the room.