Free The Thinking Machine Affair by Joel Bernard Page A
Authors: Joel Bernard
traces on your shirt collar, Mr. Solo, and they look to me very much the same color as the ones on your pillow." He spotted the look on Napoleon's face, and added: "We all make mistakes."
"It's not that, Major; it's that I behaved like a stupid clown chasing a pretty skirt." He felt very small.
"These things happen. Tell me the whole story. It might help us both."
Like a schoolboy caught by his headmaster, Napoleon told Major Klima of the encounter with the woman in the restaurant.
"I wouldn't let it worry you, Mr. Solo. And with such a valuable description of the lady, I think I know her identity; but I'll send our fingerprint people along to confirm or discount my suspicion."
"I am glad my encounter has had some purpose other than teaching me a lesson," Napoleon said.
A quarter-of-an-hour later Napoleon watched the two fingerprint men working their way systematically around the room.
"I suggest you contact me in the morning," Major Klima said at last. "By then I hope to tell you whether or not we have established the identity of the lady and then we can discuss the next steps to take."
Napoleon felt suddenly tired. He'd had enough for t one night. He was even too tired to undress. He flopped onto the bed and was out to the world, to U.N.C.L.E., and to anyone else, within seconds.
CHAPTER SIX
CALLING ALL COFFINS
AFTER Illya Kuryakin had transmitted his radio report to Alexander Waverly, he returned to the building in which the City Funeral Directors conducted their business to check on any further development. The offices were closed, but, tuning in to the direction finder in the "dead" man's tooth, he had no difficulty in locating the right coffin in the dark funeral parlor. He had been able to get inside through an open window in the back.
Illya knew that the ingeniously concealed direction finder had only a limited detection radius and, anticipating that Vienna was not the ultimate destination but that the body was likely to be transported further, he wanted to be sure of all the arrangements. He took a miniature bug from his pocket and secured it safely under the hollow handle of the coffin. Satisfied that he would now be able to listen from a considerable distance to any word spoken near the coffin, he left the funeral parlor through the window.
As he reached the street through the backyard, he observed a car drawing up at the entrance of the premises of City Funeral Directors. He stepped back to avoid being seen. The man who had claimed the body earlier stepped out of the car with two companions. As they entered the building, Illya returned to the backyard to pick up with his receiver the conversation in the funeral parlor. As he stepped into the backyard, the lights in the building came on.
"You left the window open," he heard a man say, and was almost certain it belonged to the one who had pretended to be the dead man's relative.
"We always do, especially if we have bodies here," another voice explained.
"I see," the first voice said. "Now, I think we'd better get all those forms signed so that the formalities are done with and the body can be flown out tomorrow morning on the eight o'clock plane without last minute snags."
"We've already obtained the necessary papers and as soon as these forms are signed and duly witnessed everything is clear," the other voice said. Illya heard the rustling of papers in his earphone and then a voice said: "If you sign here, and I add my signature below yours, my colleague can witness the signatures."
When the formalities were completed, Illya heard the first voice announce: "That's it, then. You'll see to it that the body is at the airport in good time tomorrow morning?"
"Everything is arranged. The coffin will be at the check-in desk before seven o'clock in the proper regulation package. You can rely on our efficiency."
"Thank you very much," the first voice said, and added: "Should you need me between now and the morning, you'll find me at
"It's not that, Major; it's that I behaved like a stupid clown chasing a pretty skirt." He felt very small.
"These things happen. Tell me the whole story. It might help us both."
Like a schoolboy caught by his headmaster, Napoleon told Major Klima of the encounter with the woman in the restaurant.
"I wouldn't let it worry you, Mr. Solo. And with such a valuable description of the lady, I think I know her identity; but I'll send our fingerprint people along to confirm or discount my suspicion."
"I am glad my encounter has had some purpose other than teaching me a lesson," Napoleon said.
A quarter-of-an-hour later Napoleon watched the two fingerprint men working their way systematically around the room.
"I suggest you contact me in the morning," Major Klima said at last. "By then I hope to tell you whether or not we have established the identity of the lady and then we can discuss the next steps to take."
Napoleon felt suddenly tired. He'd had enough for t one night. He was even too tired to undress. He flopped onto the bed and was out to the world, to U.N.C.L.E., and to anyone else, within seconds.
CHAPTER SIX
CALLING ALL COFFINS
AFTER Illya Kuryakin had transmitted his radio report to Alexander Waverly, he returned to the building in which the City Funeral Directors conducted their business to check on any further development. The offices were closed, but, tuning in to the direction finder in the "dead" man's tooth, he had no difficulty in locating the right coffin in the dark funeral parlor. He had been able to get inside through an open window in the back.
Illya knew that the ingeniously concealed direction finder had only a limited detection radius and, anticipating that Vienna was not the ultimate destination but that the body was likely to be transported further, he wanted to be sure of all the arrangements. He took a miniature bug from his pocket and secured it safely under the hollow handle of the coffin. Satisfied that he would now be able to listen from a considerable distance to any word spoken near the coffin, he left the funeral parlor through the window.
As he reached the street through the backyard, he observed a car drawing up at the entrance of the premises of City Funeral Directors. He stepped back to avoid being seen. The man who had claimed the body earlier stepped out of the car with two companions. As they entered the building, Illya returned to the backyard to pick up with his receiver the conversation in the funeral parlor. As he stepped into the backyard, the lights in the building came on.
"You left the window open," he heard a man say, and was almost certain it belonged to the one who had pretended to be the dead man's relative.
"We always do, especially if we have bodies here," another voice explained.
"I see," the first voice said. "Now, I think we'd better get all those forms signed so that the formalities are done with and the body can be flown out tomorrow morning on the eight o'clock plane without last minute snags."
"We've already obtained the necessary papers and as soon as these forms are signed and duly witnessed everything is clear," the other voice said. Illya heard the rustling of papers in his earphone and then a voice said: "If you sign here, and I add my signature below yours, my colleague can witness the signatures."
When the formalities were completed, Illya heard the first voice announce: "That's it, then. You'll see to it that the body is at the airport in good time tomorrow morning?"
"Everything is arranged. The coffin will be at the check-in desk before seven o'clock in the proper regulation package. You can rely on our efficiency."
"Thank you very much," the first voice said, and added: "Should you need me between now and the morning, you'll find me at
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