Free Dangerous Deception by Anthea Fraser Page B

place?”
    Damn! I’d intended to bring it, but the shock of seeing him had driven such practical considerations out of my head.
    â€œNot with me, I’m afraid.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, not with you?” His voice sharpened. “Good God, you didn’t leave it in your room?”
    â€œIt’s hidden, don’t worry.”
    â€œUnder the mattress, I suppose.” His voice was heavy with sarcasm.
    â€œI’m not a complete fool, Philip.”
    There was a short silence, then he said brusquely, “I’m sorry, I can’t seem to adjust to your being well-schooled in all this.”
    Hardly surprising.
    He gave a sigh of exasperation. “Well, if we haven’t got the plan we can’t go now, which is a bit of a bind.”
    â€œWe don’t really need it,” I urged, cursing my stupidity and conscious of ‘the Lawrence girl’s’ imminent arrival. “The corridor won’t be hard to locate.”
    But he shook his head decidedly. “No, we’ll leave it till tomorrow – I’m not in the mood for treasure-hunting. Anything else to report?”
    â€œOnly that the shipment has been arranged,” I said, parrot-wise.
    â€œUh-huh. And the Zimmermans? I didn’t see them at lunch.”
    That really shook me. I said feebly, “They were lunching at the golf club. Clive was meeting them there at twelve-thirty.”
    â€œClive?”
    â€œJust someone at the hotel. I met him out on the hill this morning.”
    â€œSinbad?”
    My eyes flew to his. “I don’t know – don’t you?”
    â€œNo, only that he’s here. Another example of Bryn not letting the right hand know what the left’s doing.”
    His voice was bitter. He was staring straight ahead of him, across the silver waters of the little lake. This new Philip, tight-lipped and aloof, took a bit of getting used to. After all the years of his striving to please me, it was disconcerting to discover that I quite obviously meant nothing to him. I was strictly on my own, and heaven help me if I put a foot wrong.
    He turned his head, meeting my eyes. “So what do we do now?”
    I looked away. “I don’t know. There’s not much point in going back yet. Perhaps we could drive to the nearest beach? It would pass the time.”
    â€œI thought you loathed beaches?”
    â€œIt was only a suggestion. Have you a better one?”
    â€œNo, my brain’s not functioning this afternoon. But as you say, since we’re supposed to be in love – though God knows why it was necessary to have that embellishment – it would hardly be in keeping to sit reading newspapers in the lounge. Very well, the beach it is.”
    â€œUnless we try the castle, after all,” I suggested again.
    â€œI told you, I’m not up to it,” Philip said baldly. “Just one thing more, before we start making sand pies: how’s Matthew?”
    I bit my lip. “He seems – all right.”
    â€œWhen did you see him last?”
    â€œJust before I left. The day before yesterday.”
    He turned to me then, and I didn’t like the expression in his eyes. “Well, I must say, you’ve more nerve than I have. At least I broke away before I got in too deep.”
    â€œYou had no option,” I said tartly, “you were thrown out.”
    â€œ
Touché
. And you, so far, have been more circumspect?”
    â€œPrecisely.” The brittle little voice didn’t sound like mine. If only I knew what it was all about, how serious it was, if there was somebody I could warn, and who, if anyone, I could trust at the hotel!
    â€œThe Zimmermans,” I began hesitantly as Philip bumped the car back on to the road.
    â€œDon’t worry – they won’t give any sign of recognising me. They’re pretty well briefed. I saw them in Chicago last month.”
    â€œSo they – know all about