by Ray Saunders
Zola was ready, and we drove back to the Geneva Consulate.
We said goodbye, and she went off with the vice consul.
Steve asked me to go to his office. Once inside, we both sat down, and he began speaking.
“Your job here is about done now, Matt, and I’m waiting to hear what they want you to do.”
I nodded, and he went on. “I expect they’ll send you back home, now we’ve got Zola Peterson, and with Christine Turner on the run there’s nothing more for you here.”
I kept silent about Christine. “I thought I’d spend a few more days here before going back,” I said.
“That’s up to you, Matt, but we won’t pay your expenses after you’re wound up.”
I smiled. “I didn’t expect you would,” I said. “I’ve enough to finance myself.”
“Well for now, you’d best go back to Lausanne, and I’ll phone you as soon as they brief me on what’s next.”
“Okay,” I said and left.
I looked at my watch. It was three-fifteen and I thought that I would drive back to Vevey to see if Christine had returned.
It only took fifty minutes along the motorway above the lake, and I parked across the street from the hotel. When I entered the clerk told me that the manager wished to see me. I guessed that it would be about the rooms, and I was right.
“I’ve no wish to rush you, Mr Sands,” he said. “But there’s the matter of Miss Turner’s room. She doesn’t appear to be using it, and it’s a matter of when it’s likely that her bill will be settled.”
“I understand,” I said. “If you will let me have it, I’ll pay for hers and mine, and you’d best keep them for us for the time being. I’ll also pay you something in advance if you like.”
“That won’t be necessary, just a settlement to cover up to today will be sufficient,” he replied.
That done I went to my room.
I was surprised that she had not been back, and her clothes were still in her room. I was also surprised, because she had not got in touch with me to say what she was doing. Of course, it was possible that the Triads had found her, and forced her to go with them but I had heard nothing from them either. As far as the Chinese were concerned, they had missed the boat regarding the professor, but that left the diamonds, and that would be what they were after now.
There was nothing I could do about it, so I left and drove back to my hotel in Lausanne.
***
When I arrived there, the manager told me that Geneva had settled our bills until the following day and left a message for me to ring them. It seemed that Steve was making sure that I paid my own way if I stayed on. I rang Kim and arranged to meet her at her hotel in Geneva for the evening.
I had left some clothes to be laundered, and when I entered my room, they were all neatly arranged on my bed. I showered and laid on the bed to relax. It was six p.m. when I dressed and left to go and meet Kim. I was in no hurry to ring Steve again; that could wait until tomorrow.
When I met Kim, she said that she thought it would be nice if we went out somewhere to eat.
“What have you in mind?” I asked.
“There’s a very good hotel with a restaurant that has a view over the lake,” she said.
“Sounds great. Is it far?”
“No, and they have parking.”
“Let’s go,” I said.
It lived up to expectations, and afterwards we walked along the lake as the sun began to set.
“This reminds me of when we walked together in Zermatt,” she said.
“Except there was snow and sub-zero temperatures then,” I told her.
“Yes, and it was so romantic. I think that night I realised how I felt about you. You were so different, and the things you said made me realise that you weren’t the cynical hard-bitten guy that I thought.”
“Oh well, I’m full of surprises, and I’m really an old softie at heart,” I said.
She laughed. “That’s going too far,” she said.
We drove back to her hotel, and back in her room we embraced and made love. As she laid in my arms, I stroked her hair and looked at her.
“Zola Peterson has agreed to go to England. She’s probably there right now,” I said.
“I’m not surprised,” she said. “I could see that I wouldn’t convince her to return to South Africa.”
“Is it really as bad as she said?” I asked.
“Yes, the regime’s very oppressive, and I’m concerned about how things will turn out,” she said.
“Well, now you can go back and settle your affairs, and then come to England, once I’ve got my dream home,” I told her.
She sighed. “I’m not done here yet, Matt, there’s something else I have to do.”
“What?”.
“Well, there’s a man named Peter Borgman. He’s a diamond dealer, and we know he came here to meet Professor Linstead. He flew to Nice, but we lost track of him.”
“He’s dead,” I said.
She sat up. “Dead!”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“I was there when he was shot,” I said.
She turned to me. “What happened?”
I told her about the meeting Linstead had with Borgman in Monaco.
“What happened to the diamonds?”
“I’ve got them.”
“You’ve got them?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Well not here, they’re somewhere safe.”
“Who else knows.”
“Only Christine,” I said.
“Who’s she?”
I told her the whole story but left out about the night that I had been unable to resist Christine.
Kim laid back down and put her arm over my shoulder.
“If you let me have the diamonds, I can take them back, and my mission will at least be partly successful. It will compensate for my not having secured the scientists for South Africa.”
“I’ll think about it,” I said.
“I thought you said you loved me, so what is there to think about?” she asked.
“For one thing I’m not sure who they belong too, and Christine could be in danger.”
She removed her arm. “I’m beginning to think that you’re not the guy I took you for.”
“Slow down,” I said. “Just because I won’t hand them over right away, there’s no need to get personal about it.”
“Well, what do you expect? First, I find you in adjoining rooms with Zola Peterson, and now you’ve just told me that you came here with a prostitute.”
I took her hand.
“I’ve explained why I’m here. I’m not on a joy ride, and I feel responsible for her.”
“It seems to me that she’s more than capable of looking after herself,” she said angrily.
It was not the time to continue arguing, so I said that I had better get back to Lausanne.
“I’ll ring you tomorrow,” I told her as I left.
She didn’t answer.
“Women!” I muttered, as I went to collect the limo.
***
I woke early, and after breakfast I rang Steve.
“What’s the news?” I asked him.
“Your job’s done here, Matt, and they want you to return to England. They’re pleased that we were able to get Peterson to continue her research with us.”
Keeping up the pretence, I asked, “What’s the situation regarding Christine?”
“They don’t think it’s worthwhile that you stay here hoping that she’ll show up. It’s probable that she’s hiding out somewhere, until she can find a way to use the diamonds to pay for her continued exile in Switzerland.”
I did not enlighten him about her disappearance, or the fact that I had the stones.
“When are they arranging for my return?” I asked him.
“I don’t know yet. I think you’d better finish up there and come here to Geneva. I’ll get you a room here, and you can wait
until it’s been arranged for you to go back to England.”
That was not what I intended.
“Well tell them that I’m staying on here for a bit. I don’t expect them to pay for it, I can pay for myself. Don’t bother to book a room for me, and I’ll contact you when I’m ready to go back.”
“That’s no good, Matt, we need you to return the limo. They won’t allow you to use it for your own private use.”
“All right, I’ll bring it back and hire a car,” I said.
There was nothing more to discuss so we ended the conversation.
I hung up the phone and stood there weighing up my options. Perhaps I should contact Kim and let her have the diamonds. That would patch up our differences and get me back in her good books again.
There was no rush for me to return the limo to Steve and I still had the room in Vevey, so why not take my things there. It was not expensive, and after I had returned the limo to Steve, I could catch the train back from Geneva to my hotel in Vevey and then use the Alpine.
Deciding that was what I would do, I packed my things and retrieved the gun and the diamonds from beneath the wardrobe. After I checked out, I drove to Vevey, and first went to the Rue de Lausanne where there was a branch of my bank. I rented a security box and deposited the gun and the diamonds for safe keeping, until I had time to sort things out. After that I went to the room in my hotel.
There was still no news of Christine, so I had lunch, and then drove the limo back to Geneva.
I went first to Kim’s hotel. She was still there and had just finished lunch.
“I think we ought to talk,” I told her. “We both got a little harsh last night before I left.”
“Yes, I’m sorry at what I said about you, Matt, but I was upset.”
“I could see that, but it was partly my fault,” I told her. “Let’s kiss and make up.”
We kissed, and I began to feel that same urge that she always aroused in me.
“Behave yourself, Matt.” She giggled. “I have to get ready to leave.”
“You’re going back so soon?”
“Well, I must find out about a flight home. I have to report my failure.”
“Look, I’ve been thinking,” I said. “Why not spend a few days here with me, and I might be persuaded to give you the diamonds.”
I could see that she was interested. “Have you had a change of heart?”
“My people don’t know that I have them. They think Christine took them, and that she is still on the run. I don’t know who really owns them, it could be that Peter Borgman was dealing in illegal stones, and who knows where they came from,” I told her.
Kim unfolded herself from my arms and she began explaining. “They don’t belong to the South African government. Borgman was known to be taking uncut diamonds to Amsterdam for illicit trading. He must have been involved in a scheme to get Carl Linstead out of trouble with the Chinese. I was not informed about that part of it. I was only told to contact them both then await further instructions.”
“If that’s the case, why then do you want to take them back to your people there?” I asked.
“I need something to let them see that I didn’t screw up completely,” she replied.
“Okay, then why don’t you come with me to Vevey, and we can enjoy a few days together, and work something out before you go back.”
“You don’t give up do you?” she said.
“I’m a very determined man when I want something,” I replied.
“All right then, you’re on.”
I explained to her that I had to take my limo back to Steve, and then we arranged that she would pick me up from the consulate, and then we would drive back to Vevey.
When I met Steve, he told me that there might be another job that they wanted me to do.
“What is it?” I asked.
“It’s not certain yet, but I’m told that there could be something that requires a courier to go to our embassy in Paris.”
“Oh. When?”
“I don’t know for sure. Probably in a day or two,” he said.
“That might suit me,” I said. “But I’ll have to contact you when I’m sure that it suits my plans,” I said.
“Where’s the limo?” he asked.
“I’ve left it in your parking lot,” I told him. “Here’s the keys.”
“Thanks.”
I left and went to meet Kim.
We drove along to my hotel in Vevey, and Kim booked into Christine’s room next to mine.
It was late afternoon, and a lovely day, so we took a walk along the lake and sat outside a cafe having tea.
“Penny for your thoughts,” she said.
“I was just thinking about the place that my government has promised me in England,” I said.
“Where is it exactly?” she asked.
“It’s in the West Country, and they’ve said that they’ll offer it to me at a reasonable price. I shall be able to have my own horses there, and I’m hoping there’s enough land with it, for me to start a breeding programme,” I said.
“You seem very keen to bury yourself in the country. Won’t you miss the bright lights?” she asked.
“No, it’s always been a dream of mine,” I told her.
“Well dreams don’t often come true,” she said.
“Have you seen the film The Wizard of Oz?” I asked.
“Of course. With Judy Garland.”
“Then you know the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow, where dreams always come true. Well, I think that if you wish hard enough, they will,” I said.
“That might just be wishful thinking,” she answered.
“Like I’ve told you, I’m a very determined man when I want something.”
She laughed. “That’s what I like about you, Matt, you never give up trying.”
“That’s right. And another dream of mine is to have you share it with me,” I said. “You have my business address. I want you to contact me as soon as you have everything is sorted out.”
We finished tea and walked back to the hotel.
Kim went off to park her car, and I collected my key.
“There’s someone waiting to see you, sir,” the clerk told me.
“Oh, where?”
“He’s in the lounge,” he said.
I entered the lounge, and immediately recognised the Triad who had shot Peter Borgman in Monaco.
He was sitting by the window, and I crossed and spoke to him.
“You want to see me?”
“Yes, you know of course who I am?” he asked.
I ignored the question. “What makes you think I’m interested in talking to you?” I said.
He gave me a sardonic grin. “I’m sure you will be when I tell you my reason,” he said.
“Okay, let’s hear it then.”
I sat down opposite him as he went on. “We have your little playmate, and we know that you have something we want. We’re prepared to offer you a deal.”
“If you’re referring to Miss Turner, she isn’t my playmate, and I don’t think I have anything that you might be looking for.”
His face hardened. “We know that you have the diamonds,” he said.
“I think you’re barking up the wrong tree,” I said.
He looked puzzled. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“Well, I mean that if you think that I have the diamonds you’re mistaken.”
“Trying to bluff me isn’t going to work. Your playmate has told us that you have them.”
I thought quickly. “I did have them but they’re not in my possession now.”
“Then you’d better get them quickly, or the consequences will be severe,” he said.
Before I could answer, Kim came in and approached us.
He stood up. “I’ll be in touch,” he said. With that he left.
“Who was that, Matt?” she asked.
“Someone that I met in Monaco. He’s the one that shot Borgman.”
“You mean he
’s the Triad?”
“That’s right, and it means trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“They’ve got Christine, and they know I have the diamonds.”
“So, what happens now?” she asked me.
I thought for a moment. “Well, I’ve stalled him for the time being, but he wants to make a deal, and will be in touch with me.”
“What kind of deal?”
“My guess is that he wants me to exchange the diamonds for them to release Christine.”
“Will you?”
“These guys don’t play games. They’re ruthless when it comes to something they want. I can’t see that I have a choice unless I can think of something.”
“That means I’ve lost the chance of taken them back with me,” she said.
“I’m afraid so, unless we can think of something.”
We went to our rooms and agreed to meet again later.
I laid on the bed and began thinking. If they were holding Christine, and wanted to exchange her for the diamonds, we would have to meet somewhere to make the exchange. Maybe I could insist on a place where we could stage an ambush and get Christine back without losing the diamonds to them.
They were holding the trump card so that was unlikely, but I could not think of anything better. It was not that I cared that much who got the diamonds, but I hated the thought of them getting one over on me. Another thought bothered me: once they had them, they would not want me or her to remain around, to tell about their activities.
I must have dozed off for the next thing I knew, Kim knocked my door and came through.
“Wake up, dozy, it’s time you got changed for dinner,” she said.
“I wasn’t asleep, I was just thinking with my eyes closed,” I told her.
“So’s my Aunt Fanny.” She laughed.
“I thought her name was Prudence,” I joked.
I got up and prepared to get ready for our evening together.
“I must call Steve and give him my number for when he needs to contact me,” I said.
“What will you tell him?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. He doesn’t know that Christine came back and gave me the diamonds.”
“Where are they, Matt?”
“They’re in my bank.”
“So, what happens when the Triads contact you?”
