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.’
‘But how did he get it?’
‘I should worry about that. He can explain that to the police if he wants to, but somehow I don’t think he will.’
Eve drove in silence for a while, her mind frozen with fear and worry. It was still not too late to draw back. She felt she had to warn Adam again.
‘Preston’s worrying about Baird,’ she said. ‘He’s beginning to think as I do. Suppose Baird finds out who Hater is, or suppose Hater tells him about the collection?’
‘Baird is almost certain to find out who Hater is,’ Gil is said carelessly. ‘But he can’t do anything about it until the money’s paid over. I should think it’s more than possible he knows already and is planning to double-cross Kile. I’ve taken al that into account. It’s simply a matter of working faster than Baird, and I’ve no doubt I can do it.’ He glanced at his strap watch. ‘Make for the Frou-Frou Club, will you? I’ve got to meet a man there in ten minutes.’
‘Oh, Adam, I do wish you would give this up,’ Eve said feverishly. ‘It’s too dangerous. You don’t know what you’re walking into. I’l go back to the Fol ies. I can earn enough for both of us.’
‘Wil you shut up!’ Gil is snarled furiously. ‘Don’t be so damned gutless! This is the chance of a lifetime, and I’m not going to miss it!’
She drove in silence to the club and stopped the car before the lighted entrance. Dallas, fifty yards behind them, increased speed to pass them. He drove into the parking lot at the side of the club.
As he walked to the entrance, he saw Eve’s coupe driving away. He caught a glimpse of her white, set face, and guessed the talk she had had with her brother hadn’t been a pleasant one.
He entered the club. Gillis was just coming out of the cloakroom. He smiled at Dallas and came over to shake hands.
‘Haven’t seen you in weeks,’ Gil is said breezily. ‘How are you?’
‘Alive, but no more,’ Dal as returned. ‘I’ve been out of town. I thought it was time I looked up Zoe again.’
‘How did you find her?’
‘Al you said she would be.’
Gillis nodded.
‘I’m glad. Let me see, don’t I owe you some money? What was it — five dollars?’
‘Ten,’ said Dal as, ‘but there’s no hurry.’
‘Oh, but there is. One must pay one’s debts,’ Gil is said, and took out a small roll of bills from his pocket. He handed Dallas two fives. ‘Sorry to have been so long about it.’
‘That’s okay,’ Dal as said, surprised to be paid, and thinking Gillis must have put a pretty hard bite on his sister. ‘What’s ten bucks between friends? Come and have a drink.’
Gillis shook his head.
‘Not tonight. I’m expecting a blonde: one of those wild, wool y and wanton females I specialise in.
She should be waiting at the bar if she isn’t going to be late. See you some other time.’
Dallas watched the tall, thin figure walk into the bar. Then he went into the cloakroom, parked his hat and returned to the lobby. He decided he would see Zoe right away, and then keep an eye on Gillis. Zoe would be on duty in ten minutes. He would have to hurry to catch her in her dressing-room.
He went down the stairs that led to the rear of the building, along the passage to Zoe’s room. The door stood ajar. He knocked and pushed it open. The lights were on, and Zoe’s silk wrap lay across the divan. There was a smouldering cigarette end in the ash-tray. But there was no sign of Zoe.
Absently, Dallas stubbed out the cigarette, and then went back along the passage to the restaurant.
Luigi, the Captain of waiters, came to meet him.
‘Good evening, Mr Dal as,’ he said. ‘Your usual table?’
‘Not at the moment,’ Dal as said, looking beyond him into the crowded restaurant. ‘Miss Norton around?’
‘She’s not due in the restaurant until eleven-thirty,’ Luigi said, and consulted his watch. ‘About five minutes. Shall I tell her you would like her to join you?’
‘Yeah, do that. I’l be in the bar.’
Dallas went across to the lobby. Schmidt touched his cap when he saw him. He approved of Dallas.
‘Seen Miss Norton?’ Dal as asked, pausing.
‘Yes, sir. She’s in the club. I expect you’l find her in her dressing-room.’
‘She’s not there. If you spot her, tel her I’m in the bar.’
He saw Gillis sitting in a corner of the bar with a blonde girl who didn’t look much older than seventeen. She had a pretty, vicious little face, and she was leaning forward across the table so Gillis could see down the front of her low-cut gown. Gillis looked casually amused, and glanced up. He saw Dallas come in and gave him a broad wink.
Dallas called for a double Scotch and sat on a stool up at the bar and talked to the barman. He watched Gillis in the mirror behind the bar. After a while, Gillis and the girl went into the restaurant.
Dallas decided he’d have another look for Zoe.
Luigi was just coming back to the entrance after seeing Gillis and his companion to their table. He shook his head at Dallas.
‘Miss Norton hasn’t shown up yet,’ he said, and there was an annoyed look in his eyes. ‘I can’t understand it. She hasn’t been late since she’s been here.’
The waiter came up at this moment and whispered in his ear.
‘She isn’t in the club,’ Luigi told Dallas when the waiter had gone away. ‘I’m very sorry, Mr Dal as, I haven’t an idea where she is.’
‘That’s okay,’ Dallas said shortly, and went back to the lobby.
‘Miss Norton has left the club,’ he told Schmidt. ‘Did you see her go?’
‘She hasn’t been this way, sir,’ Schmidt said, looking surprised. ‘If she’s left the club she’l have gone by the back exit.’
‘Thanks,’ Dallas said, and went quickly down the stairs to Zoe’s room again. He was worried now.
What had happened to her? he wondered, as he again entered her room. He stood looking around, then he went to her wardrobe, opened it and found her hat and coat on a peg. He stood for a moment staring at them, his uneasiness turning to alarm.
If she had gone out, why on earth hadn’t she taken her coat? It was raining a little outside, and she couldn’t have gone just in her evening dress.
He went over to the telephone and dialled her home number. There was no answer, and he dropped the receiver back on its cradle.
Had she slipped up somewhere? He had warned her not to attract suspicion. He knew how dangerous Baird might be, and he cursed himself for involving her in this business.
He picked up the receiver again and called Purvis.
‘Zoe’s missing,’ he said, when Purvis came on the line. ‘It may be a false alarm, but I don’t think so.
Can you send Ainsworth over to take care of Gillis? I want to look for her.’
‘Think anything’s happened to her?’ Purvis asked sharply.
‘Your guess is as good as mine. Has MacAdam reported about Baird’s movements tonight?’
‘Baird’s in the club now.’
‘I haven’t seen him. You sure?’
‘Mac phoned through about twenty minutes ago and said he tailed Baird to the club. He’s been watching the front entrance, and hasn’t seen Baird come out.’
‘There’s a rear exit. Doesn’t the fool know?’ Dal as said angrily. ‘Wel , he can look after Gil is. I’ll tell him. Baird’s not in the club, unless he’s in Rico’s office. I’d better go along and check that.’
‘If you want Ainsworth, I’l keep him standing by,’ Purvis said.
‘Yeah, do that. I’l cal you back.’
Dallas hung up and walked down the passage to Rico’s office. He rapped sharply. There was no answer, and turning the handle he pushed open the door.
The room was in darkness, and with a grunt of disappointment Dallas was about to back out when he paused and sniffed the air. His sharp nose detected a faint smell of musk. He sniffed again. It was musk all right, and he knew Zoe’s latest fad was to use a musk perfume. He groped for the light switch and turned on the light.
The office was empty. He stood looking around, but saw nothing to excite his interest, but he wasn’t satisfied. He went over to the desk, and bending, he sniffed at the blotter on the desk. The smell of musk was stronger there, as if Zoe had touched the blotter.
Something caught his attention and he glanced down. Half hidden under the desk was a small evening bag. He knew it at once. It was the one he had given Zoe a week or so ago. He had a tight feeling in his throat as he bent and picked it up.