Free Rhinoceros by Colin Forbes Page B

well-muscled hand he carried a malacca cane with a curious circular knob.
    'You'd like a drink?' Thunder asked as they sat in the library.
    'Always.' Oscar chuckled. 'Double Scotch.'
    'I'll join you. I've just had a conversation when it was difficult to keep my temper.'
    Thunder ordered the drinks, then stared at Oscar, look ing him up and down. Oscar was beaming.
    'Do you have to dress in such a noticeable manner?'
    'Before you have asked. Before I have told you no one takes me seriously. They think I am the clown. If only they knew.'
    Thunder remained silent until the waiter had served them and closed the door. Oscar lifted his glass, drank half the contents, beamed again. Thunder leaned close, kept his voice low, rasping.
    'So how are things progressing?'
    'Under my command . . .' He drank the rest of the whisky, looked at the glass, a hint which Thunder ignored, '. . . they progress. As always. Reinforce ments continue to arrive. A rehearsal will take place tonight.'
    'You'd better be damned careful. It's far too early yet for the real thing.'
    'This I know. Discipline. I insist. Under my command ..."
    'Yes, I know. The reinforcements - where will you train and hide them?'
    'On the Bodmin Moor on the Cornwall.'
    'They'll be conspicious,' Thunder objected.
    'No. Tourist buses I hire will take them there. I go there myself. I see the Jamaica Inn for the tourists. They go there. Then they are gone - on to the Bodmin Moor.'
    'You seem to have thought it out,' Thunder conceded reluctantly. 'And now I must go.'
    'You go?' Oscar beamed, showing his large teeth. 'There is something more. No?'
    Thunder reached a gloved hand into his pocket. He handed his guest a thick white envelope stuffed with fifty-pound notes. £10,000. It was his habit to make Oscar ask for the money. It exerted a degree of control over the fat man. He wore gloves to avoid his fingerprints appearing on the money or the envelope. He left the library.
    On his way out he met the waiter. He told him to take another double Scotch to his guest in the library. It would please Oscar. More important, it would prevent Oscar appearing before Thunder left the building. Oscar counted the money quickly. The Minister preferred not to be seen in Pall Mall again with Oscar Vernon, dressed as he was.

    * * *

    Paula arrived at Martino's in a side street off Piccadilly, handed her coat to the hat-check girl, and saw Aubrey seated at a table in a booth by the wall. He was drink ing and a half-empty bottle of red wine stood on the table.
    Oh, my God! she thought. I'm going to have trouble with this one.
    Aubrey stood up. In doing so he nearly dragged off the tablecloth. He lurched forward to stop the bottle toppling over and grinned. He was reaching for her to kiss her but she eluded him by slipping into the booth and sitting facing him.
    'Welcome to the banquet,' he greeted her, his speech slightly slurred. 'What are you drinking?' The waiter had arrived.
    'No starter,' she said quickly. 'I'll have Dover sole off the bone with French beans. No potatoes. To drink I'd like still mineral water. No ice or lemon.'
    'I'll have the same. And a bottle of bubbly. Make it Krug,' Aubrey demanded.
    'That's not for me, I hope.'
    'We . . . are . . . going ... to ... set ... this town . . . alight.'
    As he paused between each word his fingers marched slowly across the cloth, straightened by the waiter.
    'Champers is for you,' he told her.
    'I don't want any. So if it's just for me cancel the order.'
    He shook his head, winced, refilled his wine glass, drank half of it. She crunched a roll, began buttering it. He grinned foolishly.
    'How is the Brigadier?' she asked him.
    "The fighting old Brig. Pater has St Vitus' Dance. Can't stay in one place for five minutes. Do . . . you . . . know.' He leant a cross the table confidentially. 'Tell you . . . secret. Strictly entre nous ... he flies all over the ruddy place . . . Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Stockholm.' He paused to drink more, wine. 'How does