Harry shook his head. ‘It’s not for me, Jimmy. Better shift yourself, I wanna get that plane.’
Jimmy’s face fell. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, then just shrugged and walked out.
Harry lit a cigarette and pulled the magazine toward him. He looked at the picture of the gems for a moment, flicked through the rest of the magazine, then picked up the photograph of Micky Tesco. The blond, blue-eyed boy was tanned and fit, reminding him of himself when he was young. He threw the photograph down and went into the bathroom.
Dolly stood outside Mrs. Gregory’s house, carrying a large bouquet of daffodils. She rang the doorbell, stepped back and looked up. After a minute, she rang the bell again, and eventually a middle-aged woman opened the door.
Dolly smiled sweetly. ‘Mrs. Gregory? I’m from the convent. Mrs. Rawlins. I don’t believe we’ve met. Oh, these are for you.’
Dolly handed over the flowers and hovered on the doorstep, waiting to be asked in. ‘I’ve got a few things from the convent in the car. I wondered would it be possible to have the drill hall keys?’
Mrs. Gregory opened the door wide and gestured for Dolly to come in. In the lounge a very old lady was sitting by an electric fire, wrapped in blankets.
‘Mummy, this is Mrs... I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.’
‘Mrs. Rawlins, from the convent.’ Dolly smiled.
‘Mummy, this is Mrs. Rawlins from the convent,’ Mrs. Gregory repeated in a slightly louder voice. She turned to Dolly. ‘Do sit down — I won’t be a moment.’
Sitting in the worn armchair, Dolly smiled at the little old lady, who didn’t seem to be aware that anybody had entered the room, or that anything was going on around her at all. The room smelt of damp, polish and urine.
‘It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?’ Dolly said brightly.
No reaction whatsoever. When Mrs. Gregory eventually came back she was carrying a large bunch of keys.
‘I’m so sorry to keep you waiting. I will need these returned. Will you need them for very long?’
Dolly shook her head, smiling. ‘I just want to store a few things and I’ll bring them straight back to you.’
Mrs. Gregory fiddled with the keys and removed two large ones from the ring. ‘This one’s for the main door of the drill hall and this one is for the inner door. The vicar had a separate set, but, um, I think he lost them some time ago, so these are the only keys now. I’d be most grateful if you’d return them as soon as possible.’
‘Oh, I will,’ said Dolly. ‘I most definitely will.’
Mrs. Gregory leaned in closer to Dolly and whispered, ‘My mother’s totally senile now, I’m afraid. It’s so sad — she really doesn’t know what’s what. Her only joy in life used to be the Brownies; it was the only time she could get out of the house. You know I’m the Brown Owl...’
‘Yes, the Mother Superior said.’
‘Would you have a cup of tea?’
Dolly was worried about leaving the rucksacks in the car. ‘No, really... I ought be going as soon as I’ve put these bits and pieces in the drill hall. But thank you so much for your help.’
A look of real sadness spread over Mrs. Gregory’s face. Dolly realized how desperate for company she must be. The woman was probably her own age, and yet she seemed so old, so tired and worn.
After a moment, she said, ‘Actually, a cup of tea would be very nice.’
José entered the bedroom and shut the door quietly. The bathroom door was open and he could see Bella’s outline in the shower. She continued soaping herself, unaware of his presence. He turned away. Seeing the light on the side of the telephone was blinking, he picked it up as Bella stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel round herself.
‘I didn’t hear you come in.’
‘Oh, I am so sorry.’ He gestured that he was on the phone, then spoke rapidly in Spanish, or was it Portuguese? Bella could never understand.
‘Sim, sim, não obrigado, sim.’
Replacing the phone, he looked at Bella. She gave him a half smile and walked back to the bathroom. Following her, José leaned against the bathroom door. The en suite bathroom was enormous, with a huge sunken bath, sauna, Jacuzzi, shower, and thick-piled carpet. Bella could feel his eyes on her as she studied her face in the mirror.
‘Everything all right?’
He walked away from her into the bedroom. Bella knew something was wrong. She wrapped the towel tighter round her and followed him into the bedroom. He was slowly unbuttoning his shirt. He nodded toward the phone.
‘That was my friend, from this morning, you remember? The police?’
Bella bit her lip.
‘They found the taxi.’
She swallowed, trying to keep her voice normal. ‘I’ll tell Linda when she wakes up.’
José didn’t take his eyes off her, and Bella knew he was watching her every move. She sat on the stool in front of the dressing table, picked up a brush and looked at him in the mirror.
Slowly, José continued to unbutton his shirt. ‘Leenda is sleeping?’
‘Yes.’
‘They have the taxi, but not the driver. He appears to be missing.’ He stared hard at Bella and she met his eyes in the mirror. ‘But then, I don’t think you wanted him found, am I right?’
Bella put down the hairbrush and turned to face him. ‘It’s not that. It’s just that I think Linda’s been through enough.’ She stood up and moved sexily toward him, deciding to turn on the charm. ‘I’d like her to stay, but she won’t be persuaded. She wants to go back home, to see her mother.’
José knew she was lying. He sat down on the bed and kicked off one of his shoes. She touched his shoulder, but he shrugged her off.
‘Are you all right?’
He kicked off the other shoe. ‘I’m fine.’ He stood up and pulled down the zip of his trousers.
Bella reached out a hand to touch him. He stepped back. Then he suddenly reached forward and pulled the towel away from her. She stood, naked, in front of him. He looked her up and down, examining every inch of her body with a cold expression. She put her hands over her breasts.
‘Don’t... don’t do that...’
He flung the towel to the floor. ‘I wasn’t aware I was doing anything.’ He stepped out of his trousers and folded them neatly, all the time watching her with that icy look in his eyes.
She bent to pick up the towel and wrapped it round herself again.
‘Don’t you like me looking at you?’ he sneered.
Bella was starting to feel scared. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. She moved closer to him. ‘You know I do. I love you, you know that.’
Still he stared at her; his face was hard, not the gentle, loving José she knew.
‘Oh, you love me, do you? Because I’m rich?’
Bella gave a short laugh. ‘No!’
He reached for her left hand, the one with the diamond ring. ‘When are you coming back?’
Bella took that as a cue. She wrapped her arms round his neck and pulled him toward the bed. ‘I don’t want to go, and I don’t want to leave you.’
He allowed himself to be pulled onto the bed, and she lay on top of him, kissed his chest, his neck. ‘Mmm, I love you, I love every inch of you. I could eat you alive...’
He lay unmoving, not responding to her.
She leaned on an elbow and stared into his face. ‘I’m gonna make love to you, gonna give you something to remember me by while I’m gone.’
Then she kissed him again, licking round his ear, nibbling the lobe. Slowly she moved her hand down his body. Suddenly he pushed her, hard, and she fell to the floor. He stood up and walked into the bathroom. Bella remained in a heap on the floor, a trembling hand held to her mouth. He came back, wrapping a dressing gown round him, looking at her as if she was filth.