Girland sat back. He crushed out his cigarette as he studied Erica.
“You could be lying, of course,” he said without much hope. “You could have the pearl and you’re trying to gyp me out of my share.”
She met his searching eyes and she shook her head.
“I haven’t the pearl... no one could possibly steal it. It was a story I had to tell Carlota to get me out of here. I am sorry you are disappointed, but I still hope you will help me. You will, won’t you?”
“Then if you haven’t the pearl, why are they hunting for you? Why are they trying to kill you?”
“Because I know something. You don’t sleep with a man for nearly a year without finding out something about him.”
“What do you know, Erica?”
She smiled at him.
“Get me out of here and I will tell you, but I am not talking until we are on a plane and out of Hong Kong.”
Girland drew in a long deep breath. His rainbow had suddenly vanished into a black cloud. He had been so sure that he was going to be rich. He was now convinced she was telling the truth. It took him a moment or two to shake off the feeling of depression. Then accepting the situation, he shrugged. At least she had some information. So Dorey had been right after all, he thought. That Dorey!
“Well, okay, I’ll get you out,” he said. “There’s no plane before 3 p.m. tomorrow. Have you any clothes?”
“The suitcase I have with me.”
“Ah! That solves the mystery of the two suitcases. They told me Carlota had two suitcases when she was in Hong Kong, but only one when she reached Paris. You had the other one?”
“Yes.”
Girland thought for a moment.
“As there is no plane until tomorrow afternoon, we had better stay here for the night,” he said finally. “We can...”
He broke off as Erica, staring behind him, suddenly gave a gasping scream. His hand reaching for his knife, Girland whirled around.
“Don’t move,” Malik said, peering down into the cabin. He held an automatic in his big fist. “Just stay where you are.”
He came down the stairs and into the cabin. His huge frame threw a menacing shadow on the wall.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake!” Girland exclaimed in disgust. “Can’t you keep your long snout out of my business for five minutes? I thought you were safely in Paris.”
Malik looked evilly at him.
“It needs very little encouragement for me to put a bullet in you,” he said, “so shut up!” He looked at Erica Olsen who was crouching against the far wall, terror in her eyes. “You needn’t be frightened of me, Miss Olsen,” he went on quietly. “You can regard me as your friend. I overheard what you were saying. I represent the Russian Government. We are very interested in the information you have about Kung. We can give you far better protection than the American Government. I can assure you there will be no trouble nor risk getting you safely out of Hong Kong and to Moscow. I have a fast motorboat here and a helicopter on the island. There is a chartered aircraft waiting at the airport. Within an hour you will be in complete safety.”
Girland looked quickly at Erica. He saw she was getting over her fright and was now studying Malik with a calculating expression in her eyes.
“Don’t believe a word of it,” he said. “You would be crazy to go to Moscow.”
Malik backhanded Girland across his face, sending him staggering against the wall of the cabin.
“I told you to shut up!” he snarled, then to Erica. “He has nothing to offer you, Miss Olsen. He can’t help you. He’s bluffing. If he is stupid enough to take you on a passenger flight, you will be dead before you even get on the plane.”
Erica moved away so she was between Girland and Malik. She studied Malik, then looked at Girland. It was as if she were trying to choose between the two men.
“How do I know you have a chartered plane?” she asked finally.
Malik took a leather folder from his hip pocket and tossed it on the table.
“We fly to Tokyo, avoiding China. From Tokyo we go on to Moscow. If you want proof, here are the plane’s papers and the log book.”
Erica glanced through the papers, then she nodded.
“All right, I will come with you.” She regarded Malik, her eyes shrewd. “I expect to be paid for my information and I expect the price to be high.”
“You certainly said it, baby,” Girland said. “And it won’t be the price you will expect.”
She ignored him, still looking at Malik.
“We always pay well for information,” Malik said smoothly. “Now please go up on deck. We are leaving immediately. There is a boat waiting with one of my men. Get into the boat.”
“Just a moment,” Girland said. “What have you done with Hung Yan? Cracked his skull for him?”
“Where is he?” Erica said. “He has helped me. I am not leaving without him.”
“He’s waiting in the boat,” Malik said, his face expressionless. He jerked his thumb to the stairs. “We are wasting valuable time. Please go.”
“I have a suitcase.”
“I will bring it. Please go!”
Girland said, “He wants you to go because he doesn’t want a witness when he murders me.”
Erica paused, her eyes searching Malik’s face.
“It’s all right,” he said. “I have no reason to kill him. I will leave him here. Will you please go?”
She hesitated no longer and ran up the stairs onto the deck.
Malik backed to the foot of the stairs, then paused, his green eyes glittering.
“I have had enough of your interference, Girland,” he said. “I warned you if we ever should meet again I would get rid of you for good. This is an excellent place to leave you.” He lifted the automatic. “By the time they find you, we will be in Moscow.”
Girland eyed the gun. He felt his mouth suddenly turn dry.
“Don’t do anything you might regret later,” he said, annoyed his voice sounded husky. “You have the girl. You...”
The sudden sound of an approaching motorboat coming at high speed made Girland stop. The two men stared at each other in the dim light, both listening. Then there came a crash of gunfire. Malik half-turned, looking up the stairway of the cabin. Girland sprang forward and with a chopping blow on Malik’s wrist, sent the gun flying.
Cursing, Malik turned and as he was about to launch himself at Girland there came more gunfire. This was immediately followed by the violent noise of machine gun fire and the junk rocked under a hail of bullets.
Malik bent to grab his gun, but Girland kicked it into a far corner. Both men stood glaring at each other as more machine gun fire shook the junk. They heard a thin, wailing scream. Then the motorboat engine roared and began to diminish.