Part 3 (1/2)

They found the big car parked outside a block of luxury flats down a quiet, tree-lined road.

Jaffe told Nhan to wait in the Dauphine and he went over to the Chrysler. As he expected the doors were firmly locked and the windows up. He would have to get the keys from Wade and get his permission to use the car. He hoped Wade wasnat already in the sack with the Chinese girl.

He entered the block and learned from the indicator board the girlas apartment was on the fourth floor. He went up in the lift and as he paused outside her front door he glanced at his watch. The time was ten minutes past eleven.

He listened and thought he could hear faint dance music. He thumbed the bell and waited. There was a long pause, then he rang the bell again.

The front door opened on a chain and the Chinese girl looked inquiringly at him. He saw with relief that she was fully dressed. He smiled at her.

aSorry to intrude, but I want to speak to Sam,a he said. aItas urgent.a He heard Wade, somewhere out of sight, say, aWhat the h.e.l.l? Here, get out of the way, baby.a The door pushed to, the chain was released and Wade appeared in the doorway, scowling.

The girl, with an elaborate shrug of her shoulders, went into the inner room and closed the door.

Wade looked a little drunk. He glared blearily at Jaffe.

aWhat the h.e.l.l do you want?a he demanded. aHow did you know I was here?a aYou told me a” remember?a Jaffe said. aSorry to bust in like this but Iam in a fix. Look, my d.a.m.n caras broken down. Iave got a girl waiting and Iave got to cart her out to the airport. Can I borrow your car? Iall put it right back in a couple of hours.a aWhy the h.e.l.l donat you take a taxi?a Jaffe gave him a sly grin.

aYou donat and canat do what I intend to do to this girl in a taxi, brother. Come on, be a sport or sheall change her mind. Iad do the same for you.a Wade suddenly relaxed and matching Jaffeas grin, he fished out his car keys.

aYou old sonofab.i.t.c.h,a he said. aWho is she? Anyone I know?a aI donat think so, but if sheas any good, Iall introduce you. Thatas the least I can do.a You do that and take care of my car. I want it back here by seven tomorrow morning.a aThanks, Sam, youare a real pal.a Jaffe took the keys. aOkay in there?a He nodded towards the closed door of the inner room.

aLooks all set,a Wade said, lowering his voice. aWeave got to the dancing stage. Another hour should see me approaching the home base.a aGood luck and thanks again,a Jaffe said and moved to the lift.

aSame to you,a Wade said, aand donat forget that introduction.a He watched Jaffe descend out of sight in the lift, then he stepped back into the apartment and closed the door.

chapter four.

I.

As Jaffe walked over to the Dauphine, Nhan looked anxiously at him through the open car window. aItas okay,a he said. aIave got the keys. Come on. Weall leave my car right here.a She got out of the Dauphine and stood by his side while he wound up the windows and locked the door.

aYouall have to bring the Chrysler back here,a he said, putting his hand on her arm and hurrying her across the road to Wadeas car. aDo you think youall be able to find your way back here on your own?a aYes.a aGood girl. Itas a dead easy car to drive.a He opened the door of the Chrysler and she slid across the bench seat to the far side and he got in under the steering wheel. He put the key in the ignition and explained to her how to start the car.

aThereas nothing to it. The gears are automatic. You just s.h.i.+ft this lever to drive, take off the brake and give her gas.a He moved the car from the kerb and started slowly down the road.

aIam going to drive past my place,a he told her. aKeep a look out on your side. If that girlas gone, I want to get some clothes. I donat know how long itall be before I can get away. I must have a change.a She didnat say anything. She sat as if she were stunned. He looked sharply at her. Her face was a blank mask of misery.

aDid you hear what I said?a he said sharply. aIam relying on you, Nhan. If Iam going to get out of this mess, neither of us can make mistakes.a aI understand,a she whispered.

It took a few minutes to reach the street where he lived. As he turned into the dimly-lit, tree-lined street, he said, aWatch out! You look right. Iall look left. Sheas wearing white.a As he pa.s.sed his small villa, he saw the place was in darkness. He could see no sign of anyone.

aOkay?a he asked, slowing down.

aI saw no one.a He swung the car into a side street and pulled up.

aWait here,a he said. aIall walk back and have another look. If itas still okay, Iall go in and pack a bag. I wonat be longer than ten minutes. Just wait here.a He set off back to the corner where he paused to look down the long deserted street. Then walking quickly, aware that his heart was beginning to thump, he advanced towards his villa.

He thought: this may be a stupid move. I could be walking into a trap. For all I know, that girl has called the police and theyave found Haum and are waiting for me. But Iave got to have a change of clothes and my shaving kit. I just donat know how long Iall be holed up in Thudaumot.

As he approached his villa, he looked searchingly for the girl or Dong Ham, but the street was empty. He paused at the gates and again looked to right and left. Then he gently lifted the latch, pushed open the gate entered and closed the gate behind him. He walked silently up the drive and to the back of the villa. Here he paused, keeping in the shadows and looked across the courtyard to the servantsa quarters. No light showed. The door to the cookhouse was closed.

He thought: theyave got fed up with waiting. Sheas gone home, and heas gone to bed.

He returned to the front door. Taking out his key, he unlocked the door and stepped into the stuffy darkness. He shut and locked the door, then paused to listen. There came ano sound to alarm him, and without turning on the light, he groped his way up the stairs and to his bedroom. The door was locked as he had left it. He inserted the key, pushed open the door and paused to listen. The cold air from the air-conditioner came out and greeted him, cooling his sweating face. He entered the room, shut the door and turned on the light. The room was exactly as he had left it, and he grinned sheepishly as he realized how frightened he had been on the way up the dark stairs.

He looked at the clothes closet. His clothes were in there and so was Haum. This was no time to be squeamish. The quicker he got out of the villa and back to the Chrysler, the better.

He took a leather and canvas holdall from the top of the closet and tossed it on the bed. Then he went into the bathroom, collected his toilet kit, soap and two towels which he put in the holdall. From his chest of drawers, he took handkerchiefs, socks and three s.h.i.+rts. As he picked the s.h.i.+rts out of the drawer, he saw the gun. He looked at it for a long moment, startled.

He had bought this gun from a newspaper man who had been in Saigon during the early air raids. He had told Jaffe he had taken the gun from a soldier who had been killed by bomb blast.

aIam going home now,a the anewspaper man said. a You never know in this place. A gun can come in very handy. You can have it for twenty bucks.a Jaffe had bought it. He had never antic.i.p.ated having to use it, but at that time hand grenades were still occasionally being thrown and everyone was still pretty jumpy and it seemed the sensible thing to do to buy the gun.

He picked up the gun and balanced it in his hand. It was loaded, but he had no idea if it would be in working order after all this time. He was suddenly glad he owned the gun. In the spot he was now in, a gun might be very useful. He put it in the holdall, then with a conscious effort, he went over to the clothes closet, took out the key and unlocked the door.

He kept his eyes up so he didnat see Haum on the floor, but he was aware of the faint but unmistakable smell of death, and he felt slightly sick.

Hurriedly, he grabbed from the clothes rack a dark tropical suit, khaki drill trousers and a khaki drill coat-s.h.i.+rt. He shut the closet door and locked it.

He folded the clothes and put them in the holdall. He was now ready to leave. He picked up the holdall and left the room, turning off the light. He paused to lock the door, then he groped his way into the darkness.

The contrast between his cold bedroom and the oven-heat of the hall brought him out into a violent sweat. He suddenly needed a drink and that reminded him he had a bottle of Scotch which might come in useful.

He entered the sitting room and turned on the light. It was while he was putting the nearly-full bottle of whisky into the holdall, after a quick drink, he became aware of the sound of voices in the street.

Hastily zipping up the holdall, he stepped to the window and peered through the shutters. What he saw gave him a paralysing shock.

Under the dim light of the street lamp, standing close together and looking at the villa, was Haumas fiance and a policeman.

The girl was pointing to the sitting room window and Jaffe realized they could see the light coming through the shutters. The girl was talking excitedly, making chopping movements with her left hand while she continued to point with her right.

The policeman slouched at her side, his thumbs hooked into his gun belt, looking from her to the villa and back to her again.

Jaffe watched them, his heart now pounding violently. For some minutes the girl continued to talk, but Jaffe, watching the policeman, realized she wasnat making any headway. This wasnat surprising, Jaffe thought, slightly relaxing. She was urging this little man to enter property belonging to an American and the policeman was thinking this could spark off an international incident with him on the receiving end of trouble.

Suddenly the policeman turned on the girl and began to jabber fiercely at her. Jaffe could hear his harsh voice raised in anger, but he had no idea what he was saying.

His words, however, had a startling effect on the girl. She cowered away from the policeman and by her gestures, Jaffe guessed she was trying to excuse herself. The policeman continued to berate her until with a further outburst of words, he motioned her violently to go away.

She looked once more at the villa, then turning, she began to walk reluctantly down the street while the policeman, nibbling at his chinstrap, glared after her.