Free MFU Whitman - The Affair of the Gentle Saboteur by Brandon Keith Page B

shape of a railroad car, painted yellow. Now it was Kuryakin who was leading. They climbed up three stairs, slid open a door, and entered. It was an off hour; there were no customers. It was cool from wood-bladed fans slowly rotating from wooden staves in the ceiling. There was a counter with backless round-seat stools screwed into the floor. Opposite the counter there were booths by the windows. The windows had Venetian blinds drawn against the glare of the sun. It was dim and cool and empty.
    A woman in a yellow uniform with a lacy white apron came out from the kitchen behind the counter, took up a pad and pencil from the counter, looked rather suspiciously at Kuryakin and Steve, but smiled toward Pamela Hunter.
    She had a long face and long teeth and narrow inquiring eyes. Her voice was not friendly, but neutral.
    "Yes, folks? What can I do for you?"
    Kuryakin smiled, nodded, and said, "Please, a minute," and the three huddled. "Do you have any money?" Kuryakin asked Pamela. "We don't."
    "No. I didn't bring a bag. Nothing." Kuryakin broke from them, went to the woman behind the counter.
    "We don't have any money, ma'am, but if you please... ."
    "What the heck's going on here?" the woman said, fear pinching in her mouth. "What is this?"
    "Please, we don't mean any harm. We're in a bit of trouble."
    "Look, I only work here. I can't serve you..."
    "Could you lend me a dime, please, for a phone call?" Kuryakin pointed toward the phone booth at the far end of the diner. "A call to New York..."
    "That costs more than a dime, mister."
    "I'll call collect. I'll return the dime to you at once."
    "What the heck's going on here?" She looked from the unshaven men to the well-dressed girl.
    "These guys bothering you, miss? I mean..."
    "No."
    "You with them—or they forcing you into something?" Her voice pitched up shrilly. "Just don't you be afraid, dearie..."
    "No, I'm with them."
    "What the heck? Now what the heck is this? Something's darned funny..."
    "Please give him the coin. Please!"
    "Darned funny. Who are these guys? You sure you know them? Look, we got cops..."
    "I know them."
    "You in trouble?"
    "Yes. All of us."
    "Look, honey, if you're hungry, it's okay. I don't own this joint, but grub, a meal, I can stake you..."
    "Not hungry, thank you."
    "You sure?"
    "Sure."
    "Honey, I don't like this. Look, we got a kitchen man in the back. He's big; he can take these two guys and knock their heads together. Don't be afraid now. I can see you're afraid. You got tears in back of your eyes, I can see. Now just hold up. William!" she called toward the kitchen. "Hey, Bill!"
    A towering man in a white apron came out of the kitchen and out from behind the counter. "Okay, I been listening. I'll take care of these bums, lady. I'll throw them right out on their ear." He took hold of Steve. Kuryakin pulled him off. The man clenched a huge ham-hand, turned swiftly, hammered the hand at Kuryakin. Illya ducked and jolted a fist upward, in a short thrust to the man's jaw. Abruptly the man sat down on the floor.
    "No. No!" Now Pamela was crying. "Please, no!"
    The man sat on the floor, blinking.
    The woman behind the counter held a kitchen knife menacingly.
    "Please! Please!" Pamela cried.
    Kuryakin helped the man to his feet. "Sorry."
    "You sure pack a wallop, young fella," the man said, rubbing his chin. "Give him the dime, Esther. This is no bad one. Bad, he could have kicked me in the head while I was sitting down there. He could have kicked my brains in. Instead he picks me up and says he's sorry. Well, I'm sorry, young fella. Mistake in judgment. Takes all kinds. It's a crazy world. Give him the dime, Esther."
    The woman put down the knife and rang the cash register.
    Kuryakin accepted the coin and went to the phone booth and closed himself in.
     
     

12. Change in Plans
     
     
    AFTER BURROWS' CALL to Solo, Sir William Winfield had routinely called his office and had been advised of urgent business. The British Ambassador to the United