“If you would wait here, I will tell Mr. Kahlenberg of your arrival.”
A Zulu in white drill came in silently.
“Have a drink please while you are waiting,” Tak continued and then went away.
The Zulu went behind the bar and stood waiting.
They asked for two gin and tonics and then moved out on to the terrace.
“I don’t like the look of that guy,” Garry said in a low whisper. “There’s something about him…”
“Yes. He gives me the creeps. He looks as if he sleeps in a coffin.”
“Don’t you think we got in very easily?” Garry went on, pulling up a basket chair for Gaye and then sitting down himself.
“It’s my charm.” Gaye smiled. “I’m irresistible to spooks. The chances are we will be thrown out as soon as Mr. K. hears we have arrived. Tak must be his major-domo or secretary I suppose.”
The Zulu brought the drinks with two plates of delicious looking canapes and silently withdrew.
“What a gorgeous way to live!” Gaye sighed. “I adore this place. Wouldn’t you love to own it?”
Garry sipped his drink, then shook his head.
“Not for me. I like something a bit more rugged. This is too lush.”
“Oh, no!” She helped herself to a cracker covered with caviar. “I think it is marvellous.”
They had eaten most of the canapes and had finished their drinks before Tak appeared again.
“Mr. Kahlenberg is happy to have you here, Miss Desmond,” he said. “Unfortunately, he is tied up with a series of long distance calls and other business and won’t be free to meet you until tonight. Is it possible for you to stay?”
“You mean… stay the night?” Gaye asked, looking up at the pale face.
“Certainly. That is what Mr. Kahlenberg suggests.”
“But I have no clothes with me.”
“That is no problem. We have a number of women secretaries here. One of them will gladly lend you something.”
“How nice! Did you ask him if I could take photographs?”
Tak shook his head.
“I thought it would come better if the request came from you, Miss Desmond.”
“Well, then we will stay the night. It is very kind of Mr. Kahlenberg.”
“It will be his pleasure.” Tak glanced at his watch. “Lunch will be served in an hour. Perhaps you would care to change?”
As they got to their feet, Tak turned to Garry.
“You too, of course, have no clothes with you, Mr. Edwards?”
“Only what I’ve got on.”
“That can be arranged.” Tak turned as Miah came out on to the terrace. “This is Miss Das. She will take care of you both. If you will excuse me now,” and with a stiff little bow, Tak left them.
Miah came forward.
“Please follow me.”
She led them across the lounge into a wide corridor that stretched away into the far distance. What looked like an electric golf cart stood nearby and she slid under the driving wheel while the other two took the rear seats.
“This corridor is so long,” she said, turning to smile at them, “we have to use this to save our legs.”
“I was wondering how you managed,” Gaye returned. “When I saw the house from the air, I thought of the tremendous amount of walking it must make.”
Silently the trolley took them quickly past many closed doors until they reached the far end.
“This is the guest wing,” Miah said, stopping the car. She walked to a door and opened it. “Please come in.”
They entered a long narrow luxuriously furnished room which led on to a small terrace, also with a swimming-pool and a bar.
“You will find everything you want here,” Miah said. “Your lunch will be served on the terrace at 13.00 hrs. This is your bedroom, Miss Desmond.” She crossed the room and opened a door. “I will send a maid to help you dress. I thought it would be the easiest thing for you to wear one of my saris. Would that be all right?”
“It would be perfect.” Gaye stood in the doorway looking into the bedroom. It was a delightful room, decorated in pale-blue with a king’s size bed, closets, a big dressing-table on which stood a variety of face creams, lotions, perfumes and a make-up kit in a flat, silver box. Moving around the room, Gaye saw on the opposite wall, facing the bed a huge mirror which made the room seem to be twice its size. The bathroom was equipped with every luxury, including a sun lamp, a cabinet equipped with nozzles from which hot air could be released thus saving the fatigue of drying oneself on a towel, and a vibro-massage machine.
While Gaye was exclaiming over the room, Garry was moving around the sitting-room, making a careful examination of the doors and windows.
Miah came to show him his bedroom and bathroom, both of them as luxurious as Gaye’s.
A tall Zulu maid came in carrying the sari. Gaye said she didn’t need her help and could manage on her own. A Zulu manservant brought Garry a pair of white slacks, heelless slippers and a white shirt.
“Mr. Kahlenberg is quite informal,” Miah said. “Dinner tonight will be on the main terrace. Please make yourselves at home. If you wish to swim, there are swim suits in the changing-room. Do explore the garden. If there is anything you wish for, please use the telephone.” With a nod of her head and a smile, she left the room.
Gaye and Garry looked at each other and Garry whistled. “Talk about living it up . .
There came a tap on the door and a Zulu came in with their rucksacks. These he set on the floor and withdrew.
Garry went quickly to his rucksack and satisfied himself the two-way radio hadn’t been removed. He looked at Gaye.
“I wonder if they spotted this?”
“It doesn’t matter if they did, does it?” Gaye’s mind was occupied with the luxury surrounding her. Her eyes shining, she went on, “Isn’t it really marvellous! I’m taking a bath. See you later.” Picking up her rucksack, she went into her bedroom and shut the door.
She quickly undressed. Naked, she stood for a moment admiring herself in the big mirror, then she went into the bathroom and turned on the bath taps. Again while waiting for the bath to fill, she regarded herself in the mirror, striking poses and laughing happily to herself.
What she didn’t realize was that both the big mirrors were twoway: anyone behind the mirrors could see her as if the mirrors were plain glass, whereas from the front she imagined the mirrors were genuine and not trick ones.
His affairs forgotten, his desk neglected, Kahlenberg sat in his wheelchair in a narrow passage which was air conditioned and took his fill of Gaye’s naked beauty.
From the edge of the jungle, Fennel watched the helicopter land. He and Ken had found a vantage point on a big balancing rock, formed by soil erosion, surrounded by trees and bushes, yet giving them an excellent view of Kahlenberg’s house, garden and airfield far below them.
Fennel had powerful field glasses to his eyes. He saw Tak arrive in the jeep and Gaye meet him. He watched Gaye and Garry get into the jeep and drive to the house. He saw them enter and the front door close.
“Good for them! They’re in!” he said, lowering the glasses.
“That was pretty easy, wasn’t it?” Ken asked, puzzled. “From what I hear of Kahlenberg, he doesn’t welcome strangers.”
“Shalik said he was a sucker for a glamour puss. Looks like Shalik knew what he was talking about.”
“Yes… but I didn’t think it would be that easy.” Ken picked up the two-way radio. “I’ll keep this switched on. Garry may be coming through any time now.”
Fennel lit a cigarette and stretched out on the rock. He was feeling tired after the long walk, carrying his tool bag. He dozed while Ken kept watch. After some little time, Fennel sat up, lit a cigarette, yawned, then asked, “When you’ve got the money, what are you going to do with it?”