She replaced the receiver, feeling a little lost and sat for a moment thinking. It was only a few minutes after ten. Maybe Ed would blow in. He came in most nights now. Maybe he was on his way down at this very minute.
She began to finish her make-up, and while she painted her lips with a fine-haired brush, she wondered what Baird was doing in Rico’s office. She had promised Ed to find out al she could of Rico’s and Baird’s movements, and she didn’t want to let Ed down. By now she was half in love with him, and besides, he was paying her well.
She went to the door again and opened it. She hadn’t the nerve to go down the passage and listen outside Rico’s door. Baird had given her a bad scare.
Watch your step, he had said. I shan’t tell you again.
A little shiver ran down her spine as she remembered the way he had looked at her. But with Ed around, she told herself, trying to bolster up her courage, there wasn’t anything to be scared about. Baird wouldn’t dare touch her. Al the same she wasn’t going to take unnecessary risks until she had consulted Ed. He’d know how far she could go.
Leaving the door ajar, she went back to complete her make-up. Then she took off her wrap and slipped into her green evening dress. In twenty minutes she would have to go into the restaurant. It was her late night, and she wouldn’t be through until three o’clock.
She heard the door open at the far end of the passage and she jumped to her feet, running to her door to listen.
She heard Baird say, ‘What are you worrying about? We’l be back in an hour at the latest. You’re not chained to this dump, are you?’
“I shouldn’t be going out,’ Rico grumbled, ‘but I’l take a chance. Maybe nothing will blow up while I’m away.’
‘Aw, forget it. Did you lock up that envelope — the one Kile gave you?’ Baird asked.
‘It’s in my desk. It’s okay. No one ever goes into my office when I’m out. Come on, for the love of Pete, if we’re going,’ Rico said impatiently, and she heard them walk down the passage to the street door.
Cautiously Zoe peered into the passage. She was in time to see Rico disappearing into the alley at the back of the club.
She stood hesitating. Something from Kile! That’s what Ed wanted.
She ran over to the telephone, and again dialled Dallas’s number, but there was stil no answer.
Where was he? she wondered feverishly. They said they would be back in an hour. If Ed was to get a look at that envelope she would have to take action herself.
She went back to the door and looked at Rico’s door. It seemed now a long way down the passage.
Should she take a chance and get the envelope? If she went at once there couldn’t be any risk.
She started down the passage, her heart beating violently, and her knees shaky. She reached the office door, paused outside while she screwed up her courage to go in. Then she rapped softly on the door, turned the handle and pushed the door open. The office was in darkness.
‘Is anyone there?’ she asked in a quavering voice.
The silence that came out of the darkness reassured her, and she slipped into the room, shut the door and groped for the electric light switch.
The lights over Rico’s desk went on. She moved quickly to the desk and jerked open the top drawer.
The first thing she saw was a big envelope with Rico’s name scrawled on it.
As she reached forward to pick it up, the shadow of a man fell across the desk.
The shock paralysed her for a moment, then she spun around.
Baird was standing just behind her. At the door, Rico stood, white-faced, staring at her in horror.
‘Hel o, Toots,’ Baird said softly. ‘Stil peeping?’
The scream that rose in her throat was cut short as his fist smashed against the side of her jaw. She felt herself falling into dark, suffocating oblivion.
II
Adam Gillis stood under the bright lights of the Elite cinema and looked impatiently at the stream of passing traffic.
About fifty yards away, Dallas sat in his car, parked in the shadows, watching him.
From time to time Gillis glanced at his strap watch, and Dallas guessed he was waiting for someone.
He wasn’t surprised when he saw a small coupe pull out of the stream of traffic and stop within a few feet of Gillis.
Gillis opened the door and got in.
‘About time,’ he said crossly. ‘Why can’t you be more punctual? Do you think I haven’t other things 59
James Hadley Chase. The Fast Buck. 1952
to do except wait at street corners for you?’
Eve edged the car once more into the slow moving traffic.
‘I’m sorry, darling, but he didn’t leave until five minutes ago. Besides, I’m not more than five minutes late.’
Dallas started his engine and slid into the traffic after them. He had caught sight of Eve at the driving-wheel, and wondered where these two were going.
‘Has Rico been along?’ Gillis asked, lighting a cigaret e.
‘Yes. Baird got back last night. He says it’l be difficult, but not impossible. Rico said Baird’s going to get Hater out this week.’
Gillis breathed heavily. His eyes were alight with excitement.
‘Did Rico say how he was going to do it?’
Eve shook her head.
‘Preston didn’t want to know. He gave Rico the five thousand and the photograph. He’s arranged to hand over the rest of the money at the shooting-lodge as you said. That’s where Baird will take Hater.’
‘Fine,’ Gil is said. ‘Wel , we’re coming along. If anyone can do the job, Baird can.’
‘Preston’s get ing nervy, Adam. He worries me.’
Gillis shrugged indifferently.
‘Keep him going. I won’t be long now. As soon as he’s collected the money from the Rajah, I’ll move in and take over.’
‘But, darling, how can you be so sure you’l succeed?’ Eve said anxiously. ‘You just can’t take the money away from Preston like that. He’l never stand for it.’
‘Oh, yes, he wil ,’ Gillis said airily. ‘A couple of nights ago, when he was with you, I broke into his stately home. I opened his safe. What do you think I found in it?’
You — you opened his safe?’ Eve exclaimed, horrified. ‘Adam! How could you?’
‘Oh, shut up!’ he said impatiently. ‘If you’d been more helpful I needn’t have taken the risk. I told you we had to get something on Kile. Well, I’ve got it. I found Jean Bruce’s bracelet in the safe. That’d get him ten years in jail.’
Eve gripped the steering-wheel tightly.
‘How do you know it’s Jean Brace’s bracelet?’
‘My dear pet,’ Gil is said, and laughed. ‘Jean used to amuse herself with me when she felt she wanted to be a naughty girl, and I can tell you that was quite often. I’ve seen the bracelet a dozen times.’
Eve felt sick.
‘Oh! I didn’t know you knew her.’
‘There are lots of girls you don’t know I know,’ Gil is returned. ‘As a matter of fact, I’m damned sorry Jean’s dead. When she was in the mood, she could be vastly diverting.’
‘But the bracelet was stolen,’ Eve said, turning to stare at Gil is.
‘Watch the road, can’t you?’ he said sharply. ‘Of course it was stolen. The police are looking for it now. If Kile doesn’t play bal , I’m going to be one of those anonymous callers you read about in the papers and tip the police off he’s got the bracelet in his safe.’
‘You can’t do that!’
‘Not if it isn’t necessary.’