Free East of Desolation by Jack Higgins Page B

Kelso was standing at the window smoking one of my cigarettes when I went in and she turned sharply.
    “Too late,” I said. “He’s gone home.”
    “Is it far?”
    “Five or ten minutes walk.”
    “Would you take me?” She moved in close enough to fill my nostrils with her perfume and fixed me with those dark eyes of hers.
    “No need to go overboard, Mrs. Kelso,” I said. “You’ll need boots and the warmest coat you’ve got. I’ll meet you in the hall in five minutes.”
    She put a hand on my arm and said hesitatingly, “I was wondering—is there another way out?”
    I nodded. “The service stairs take you right down to the basement. There’s a door that opens into the backyard. Would you rather go that way?”
    “It’s just that Mr. Stratton went back down to the bar. If he saw me going out, he might wonder what was going on.”
    “It’s certainly a thought,” I said.
    Just for a moment I’d caught her off balance and the eager smile slipped fractionally, but she obviously decided to let it go.
    “I’ll only be a moment,” she said and went out.
     
    There was a force eight gale blowing outside that drove the rain straight into our faces like rusty nails and Sarah Kelso held my arm tightly and huddled against me as we made our way along the main streets.
    We didn’t talk because it took everything we had just to make progress, but when we turned into the narrow street that contained Arnie’s place the tall wooden houses on our right broke the force of the wind and the going was a little easier.
    Arnie’s house was at the far end and backed by rising ground that rose into the foothills, a single-storey wooden building with a veranda at the front. There was a light at the window and a loose shutter swung to and fro in the wind.
    I knocked at the door and after a while Arnie opened it and peered out. A scarf was knotted around his neckand he was wearing a dressing gown, but he didn’t look as if he’d been roused from his bed.
    In that first moment he only saw me and grinned. “Hey, Joe, you old devil. What can I do for you?”
    I pulled Sarah Kelso out of the shadows and pushed her forward. “Mind if we come in, Arnie? It’s damned cold out here.”
    His astonishment was plain, but he stood back at once so that we could enter. It was warm and inviting inside with a fire roaring in the stove so that the iron plate on top glowed cherry red.
    Sarah Kelso took off her gloves and spread her hands to the warmth. “This is nice—this is very nice.”
    “Arnie Fassberg—Mrs. Sarah Kelso. We’d like to see you on a little matter of business, Arnie, if you can spare five minutes.”
    “Business?” he said and dragged his eyes away from her reluctantly. “I don’t understand.”
    “Mrs. Kelso can do all the explaining necessary.”
    She turned and looked at me coolly. “You’ve been very kind, Mr. Martin, but I don’t think there’s any need for you to stay and go through all this again. I’m sure Mr. Fassberg can see me back to the hotel.”
    “Think you can manage that?” I asked Arnie who looked as if he’d been hit by a rather light truck.
    “Oh, sure—sure I can, Joe,” he said hurriedly. “You don’t need to worry about Mrs. Kelso. I’ll see she gets back to the hotel all right.”
    I’d reached the door when she called to me. When I turned, Arnie was helping her off with her coat. It was then that I noticed she’d changed into a peacock bluedress in jersey wool that buttoned down the front and finished just above the knee. The black leather cossack boots provided just the right final touch.
    She crossed to me quickly and put a hand on my sleeve. “You won’t mention this to Mr. Vogel if you see him, will you? I wouldn’t like him to get the wrong idea.”
    “We must avoid that at all costs,” I assured her solemnly. “You can rely on me.”
    Again that smile of hers slipped, but I turned and went out before she could say anything further.
    The wind changed