He walked around Girland, carrying the tape recorder in his left hand, the gun pointing at Girland.
“So long,” Girland said.
The bedroom door closed, then the front door slammed and Girland looked at Carlota with a quizzical smile. “You are quite a family. I can’t wait to meet Erica.”
“She isn’t as nice as I am,” Carlota said. “She is prettier, but she hasn’t my charm.”
“That is sad for her.” Girland looked at his watch. “I wonder if I can get hold of Yew. It’s getting late, but he might be in. My life seems to be spent haggling about money.”
He crossed the room and opened the door.
Carlota said, “Haven’t you forgotten something?”
He turned and looked at her, raising his eyebrows.
“Have I?”
“I thought we had come in here to get to know each other better.”
Girland laughed.
“I must be getting old.” He closed the door. “I can talk to Yew tomorrow morning.”
Staring at him, her violet-blue eyes dark and inviting, Carlota slowly zipped open her dress.
Mavis Paul, Dorey’s new secretary was dark, beautifully built and very assured. She had fought her way up to this position from the typist pool. She was efficient, pretty, diamond hard and determined to make good. She regarded Girland unfavourably as he wandered into her office. This sloppily dressed man in an open neck sports shirt and faded blue jeans made her hackles rise. This was no way for an American to dress in Paris, she thought as she regarded him with a cold, hostile stare.
“Well?” she snapped.
“Apart from a slight hangover, I’m not too bad, thank you,” Girland said. He placed his large suntanned hands on the desk and leaned towards her, smiling. “You must be the new recruit. Ever get lonely, baby? I take care of all the lonely chicks in Paris.”
Mavis stiffened.
“How...”
“... dare you make such a remark,” Girland broke in, beating her to it. “Sorry. You are so lovely and you have lonely eyes. How’s the old square? Is he busy?”
Mavis looked helplessly around the office, but there was no one to help her cope with this man who was smiling at her, and she had to admit he did have a charming smile.
“Mr. Dorey is busy right now,” she managed to say and then was horrified when Girland reached over her desk, flicked down the switch that connected the desk intercom with Dorey’s office and said in a loud, sinister sounding voice, “The Russians have landed. I advise immediate surrender.”
She sat petrified. Then Dorey’s cold, dry voice came out of the intercom box. “Is that you, Girland? Come in.”
“See? Simple,” Girland said as he flicked up the switch. He leaned forward and kissed Mavis on her cheek. “Let’s have a date, baby.” He took her solid slap on his face without flinching. He straightened, felt his jaw and grimaced. “Phew! That could have laid Clay on the canvas. You pack a mean punch, honey.”
“Get in there before I throw my typewriter at you!” Mavis said furiously.
“Did anyone tell you that when you are in a rage, sparks fly out of your eyes?” Girland asked, moving away from the desk. “Sparks like brilliant little stars. Quite the most attractive phenomenon I have ever seen from any woman.” He blew her a kiss. “Bye for now and don’t pine for me. We’re sure to meet again.” He crossed the room and entered Dorey’s office.
Dorey, behind his desk, glared suspiciously at him as he came in.
“What’s happened? Why are you in Paris? Don’t tell me you’ve lost her again!”
“Oh no.” Girland sat down and reached for one of Dorey’s expensive cigarettes in the box on the desk. “Nothing like that.”
“What’s happened to your face?” Dorey said, staring at the bright red mark on Girland’s cheek.
“Collision with an irresistible force,” Girland explained and laughed. “It’s an occupational hazard.”
“You haven’t been interfering with my secretary, have you?” Dorey asked, frowning at Girland.
“No... actually she interfered with me.” Girland lit his cigarette, then went on, “Dorey, prepare for the worst. We have laid an addled egg.”
Dorey stiffened.
“What does that mean?”
“Just that... the egg is addled.” Girland made himself more comfortable. “Our subject has her memory back, and guess what? She isn’t Erica Olsen. She is Carlota Olsen, Erica’s sister. How do you like that? From what she tells me, she was the smoke screen behind which Erica could disappear. As Carlota will tell you, Erica got bored with Kung and ran off. She managed to reach Hong Kong, but Kung’s agents, breathing fire, caught up with her. She had to go into hiding. She persuaded her sister to come out to Hong Kong and then talked her into impersonating her. A tattooist faked Kung’s initials on Carlota’s derrière and then Carlota returned to Paris. She took some drug that wiped out her memory and she was then planted for you and the gendarmes to find. While the Chinese were trying to knock her off and the Russians trying to kidnap her, Erica got out of Hong Kong and has got lost. Just where she is is anyone’s guess. Carlota has no idea. So that’s the sad story.”
Dorey leaned back in his chair. His thin lips tightened.
“Where is this woman?”
“Carlota? Right outside. I told her you would want to talk to her. She’s ready to cooperate. She did this to help her sister. She had no idea that there were any political implications. She was just giving her sister time to get away from Kung.” Girland shook his head. “Quite a brave thing for a girl to have done.”
“I’ll talk to her,” Dorey said grimly.
“I’ll shoo her in.” Girland got to his feet. “Well, I guess this lets me out, doesn’t it? I’m sorry it didn’t work out the way you hoped it would. I did what you wanted... it’s just one of those things.” He smiled at Dorey. “Let me see now, you owe me ten thousand francs... right?”
“Wrong!” Dorey snapped. “I gave you twenty thousand francs. So you owe me ten thousand francs and I’m going to have it!”
Girland looked sad.
“You have no idea what it cost me to rent an apartment in Monte Carlo. Then there was the fare up for the two of us. As Carlota was a little nervous, I thought we had better travel first-class. Anyway, I’ll let you have an account. I think you will find you owe me rather than I owe you. Anyway, you talk to Carlota.” Girland’s smile widened. “You’ll like her... she’s quite a girl.”
“I want that passport back, Girland.”
Girland stared blankly at him.
“What passport?”
“The passport I had faked for this woman.”
“Of course.” Girland clapped his hand to his forehead. “I remember. Well, for Pete’s sake, I’m getting forgetful. I left it in the right hand top drawer of your desk in your villa. I’m sorry... I should have brought it with me... clean went out of my mind.”
“It’s all right. I’ll get Diallo to mail it to me.” Dorey regarded Girland thoughtfully. “I have an idea you are up to something. What are you going to do now?”
“I might take a little vacation. I have saved a little money and before returning to my job, I think I deserve a vacation.”
Dorey wasn’t fooled for a moment.
“Listen to me, Girland, if I find you have been untrustworthy, I’ll make it my business to fix you, and believe me, I could fix you.”
Girland looked innocently at him.
“That’s not very friendly. Just because you get landed with an addled egg, Dorey, you can’t blame me... now can you?”
“Just remember what I’ve said. I don’t think I am going to employ you again. Whenever you have an assignment it goes wrong, but somehow you benefit.”