Free 13 - The Rainbow Affair by David McDaniel Page B

Crown, but that's not open today."
    The little priest suddenly and unaccountably smiled at Aunt Jane, leaned forward, and spoke, in an almost childish treble. "I beg your pardon, Mister Solo, if I seem to be intruding. But if you are in any sort of difficulty, we would be only too pleased to be of any small service to you."
    Napoleon looked at the earnest, plump little priest and smiled. "Thank you, Father, but I'm afraid my problems are all entirely of a secular nature."
    "All the better. As one divorced from secular matters, perhaps I may be able to show them in another light."
    Aunt Jane said, "Perhaps Mr. Solo would rather not discuss personal matters before strangers, Father."
    "Well, it's not at all a personal matter," said Napoleon. "It's... actually, it's more or less a matter of business." The temporization established, he hesitated, his mind racing.
    The Rainbow Gang was based somewhere in this area. He couldn't get in touch with Illya until tomorrow at the earliest. But the people who had kidnapped him knew he couldn't have gotten too far, and they would probably be looking around the area for him, so he would have to lie low while he was here. But it seemed a shame to be so close to Johnnie Rainbow's headquarters and not be out looking for it. Here was a chance to enlist some friendly natives - if he could trust them. Joey was unlikely to be a plant; he'd more or less found her at random on the road, unless Rainbow had planted her down the road a way to pick him up in case he got away and signaled her by radio... but then why hadn't she simply taken him back to them? Applying Occam's Razor, which translates into Modern English roughly as "Keep It Simple," she was probably just what she seemed to be, which was nice all the way around. And if she was all right, then Aunt Jane and Father John were also trustworthy, and might be able to help him.
    This chain of thought occupied the time it took Napoleon's right hand to rise from his lap to the inner pocket of his coat, with a barely perceptible hesitation as he glanced thoughtfully at Joey. He brought out his wallet, and spoke again.
    "Have you ever heard of the U.N.C.L.E.?" He spelled out the initials.
    Joey looked blank. "The Uncle?" she said.
    Aunt Jane's eyebrows rose. "No, Josephine. It's the United Network Command for Law Enforcement."
    "For Law and Enforcement," corrected the mild voice of the plump priest. "I have heard something of this organization. Distantly related to Interpol, I believe." His wide gray eyes blinked repeatedly.
    "Oh, no," said Aunt Jane. "Interpol is really only an information exchange. The United Network Command takes an active part in crime prevention on an international scale." She turned to Joey. "You see, dear, since crime in the modern world is unhampered by international boundaries, a sort of police force was needed which could also function supra-nationally. Where Interpol enables national police forces to pursue ordinary criminals who cross or whose influences extend over international boundaries, U.N.C.L.E. is capable of attacking crimes which involve whole nations. Isn't that more or less correct, Mr. Solo?"
    Napoleon was caught somewhat off balance by this unexpected display of knowledge, and it took him a moment to recover. "Ah - as a matter of fact, that's just about it. We're similar to Interpol in that we aren't specifically connected to any one country or group of countries; we're supported by just about everyone except Red China and Albania. In fact, my partner is a Russian national." Then he remembered, and flipped open his wallet, showing the gold card which identified him.
    The little priest leaned forward to study the card, and nodded. "Baycombe seems an unlikely spot to attract an investigator of international crime."
    Aunt Jane said, "There are certain features in the area which could interest the criminals, however. It is quite peaceful and privacy is easily maintained. In addition, the sea offers a ready avenue for