‘Just about, sir.’
‘Then you’ll have to dredge it, and fast. Now, what I want you to do is this: Contact the United States Embassy the moment you leave here. Makes it unofficial — ring and suggest you meet your man casually, not in the Embassy. Take him out and buy him a drink. It’s the naval attaché’s sidekick I want you to talk to.’ Latymer smiled suddenly. ‘Know who he is?’
‘No, sir.’
‘Well, while you were away on your last job, an old friend of yours was appointed to the Embassy.’ He paused. ‘Remember Stephen Geisler?’
‘Geisler!’ Shaw looked pleased. ‘I’ll say I do!’
‘Good. Well now, the fact that he’s in London means that it can all be done on a friendly basis, which is why I want you to handle it rather than me. Have a yarn with Geisler, show him those photos of the girl if you need to… I want to know who she was and what she was doing, and you can put it to Geisler in a friendly way that his people simply have to come clean and trust us and give us full co-operation, or none of us will get anywhere at all. I don’t want to put the pressure on at my level if it can be avoided, but you can drop a hint that when I’ve got something concrete to handle I can make myself very awkward indeed. Well — for now, it’s up to you, Shaw. And I want your report as soon as possible.’
‘Yes, sir.’ Shaw got to his feet. ‘By the way, what about the body?’
‘What about it?’ Latymer stared at him.
‘Are the police going to be informed now?’
‘No, they’re not, not just yet at all events. You can leave Scotland Yard to me quite safely.’ Latymer gave a cold smile. ‘I’ve got some good friends there, Shaw. Now get busy — I’ve got plenty to do, including seeing to the arrangements for crashing that dock into Southend Pier or somewhere equally salubrious. Come back here when you’ve seen Geisler, and be ready for a long trip by air — and check that Webley of yours! You’ll be needing it, unless I’m much mistaken.’
He made a gesture of dismissal.
As Shaw passed through the secretary’s office Latymer’s voice was already on the intercom demanding the Minister of Transport and the Deputy Master of Trinity House.
Shaw walked away from the old Admiralty building, through the Arch to Trafalgar Square tube station. From there he made two telephone calls. The first was to the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square, to make his number with Captain Stephen Geisler, U.S.N — a man he’d worked with closely a few years ago, when Geisler, then a commander, had been in charge of the joint U.S-British Bluebolt satellite control station. Geisler was genuinely delighted to hear from him again and agreed at once when Shaw suggested that they should meet for a drink at Martinez’, in Swallow Street. Geisler reminded Shaw that he was still a non-drinker but said he would see him at 6 p.m and would be only too glad of a yarn about old times.
Shaw’s second call was to Debonnair’s flatlet in Albany Street, just across from Great Portland Street station. He said, ‘Deb? I’m sorry, my dear. We’ll have to scrub the whole week-end after all.’
She didn’t answer right away but he heard something like a sigh. Then she said very quietly, ‘That’s all right, Esmonde.’
‘I’m sorry,’ he said again, awkwardly. ‘Disappointed?’
Again she didn’t answer directly; and there was a catch in her voice when she went on, ‘I… I’ve been meaning to ring you. You were in too much of a rush this morning.’
He said, ‘I couldn’t help that, Deb.’
‘I know, but… well, anyway, I was going to tell you the week-end was off, Esmonde.’ Then she added, ‘I’m leaving England on Sunday.’
‘Leaving?’ He felt a twinge of alarm. ‘What d’you mean — on business for Eastern Petroleum?’
‘No,’ she said in a small voice. ‘Not the firm, though it’s to do with someone I met when I was in Texas for E.P.C. Carlos Villaroel. Remember him? I think you met.’
‘You know damn well we did.’ Shaw’s voice was tight, blood was drumming through his brain. ‘You’d better explain a little more, Deb.’
She said, ‘It’s only that he’s asked me to stay with him.’
‘Stay with him!’
‘I’ll be well chaperoned,’ she told him. ‘His mother and sister live with him.’
‘I see. How long is this visit to last, then?’
‘He’s asked me for a month or six weeks.’
‘Uh-huh. What about Eastern Petroleum?’
She said, ‘I asked for indefinite leave. They took a bit of persuading.’
‘I’ll be they did!’ he said. ‘Isn’t this all a trifle sudden, Deb?’
There was, he fancied, a hint of tears in her voice. She said, ‘Oh, Esmonde… I’m terribly sorry. That’s genuine. I don’t think you’ll ever understand and it’s not that I–I’m not fond of you. I am, but… well, I was hoping to see you today and explain everything properly, don’t you see, and—’
‘All right,’ he broke in, ‘you don’t have to go on. I do understand, and there’s damn all I can do about it. A job’s a job and I can’t quit—’
‘There was a time when you wanted to, Esmonde.’
‘I know, and I’m not saying there aren’t times even now when I’d like nothing better than to get out, but someone’s got to do the job. Look, Deb, I’ll ring you again before you leave — perhaps I’ll call round if I can. And if you want me to.’
‘Don’t be silly,’ she said. ‘You know I want you to. This can’t all be done on the telephone… we’ve been too much to each other for too long, Esmonde darling…’
He said bitterly, ‘It all begins to sound a little final, doesn’t it. Look, you talk about leaving England. Where for, for heaven’t sake? Where does this character live?’
‘He’s got a hacienda in Bolivia, not far from Concepción. He owns a big ranch there and a year or so ago they struck some oil, hence the link-up. He got a connexion with a Texas oil company, and that’s how I met him.’ She hesitated. ‘Look, Esmonde, I’ve got rather a lot to do. I really must fly, but mind you get in touch before Sunday.’
He said goodbye and the phone clicked off. Slowly he replaced the receiver and left the box. As he walked towards the exit from the station his thoughts tumbled over each other. Villaroel was an attractive man in his way, and not a bad fellow. Shaw hadn’t disliked him, that time they’d met. Debonnair could do a lot worse than fall for a man like that, a man with plenty of money who hadn’t got a dangerous and uncertain job to do. For his part Villaroel had been clearly in love with Debonnair. Shaw hadn’t bothered much about that at the time, but now…
And — Bolivia? It was a devil of a long way off.
He left the station and walked along Cockspur Street, turning up Lower Regent Street. He regretted, as he went towards Piccadilly, that he had suggested Martinez’ to Stephen Geisler. It held rather too many memories of intimate dinners with Debonnair, and he would probably find it hard to give his whole attention to the American.
Chapter Four
Shaw walked into Martinez’, into the tiled replica of a Spanish patio, choosing a table set well back in a covered alcove where he could talk in privacy to Stephen Geisler. The Spanish waiter knew him well. He came across discreetly, his seemed face wrinkling into a genuine smile of welcome. ‘“Tio Pepe,” Senor?’ he asked.
‘Thank you. I’m expecting a friend, Paco, but I’ll have one while I’m waiting.’