Read Online Circus by Alistair MacLean - Free Book Online Page B

wouldn’t suit our friends at all. But I’m not taking the ghost of a chance.’
    â€˜And you think this patrol will help?’
    â€˜Yes. In a closed community like this their presence will be common knowledge within the hour. Put it about that the police have received threats against unspecified members of your staff. If you have any bogey-men among your crew members, this news will make them lie very low indeed.’
    â€˜As you say, you don’t take many chances, do you?’
    The admiral said drily: ‘I think the shadows of Pilgrim and Fawcett would entirely approve. Have Bruno and Maria met yet?’ Wrinfield nodded. ‘Reactions?’
    â€˜Bruno hasn’t got any. If he has, he never shows them. As for Maria, well, Henry said she didn’t exactly fall about.’
    â€˜Unimpressed, one might say?’
    â€˜One might.’
    â€˜She’s watching the show?’
    â€˜Yes. With Henry.’
    â€˜I wonder if she’s still unimpressed.’ 
    Â Â Â 
    â€˜Still unimpressed?’ Henry asked. He clearly wasn’t, but then he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.
    Maria didn’t answer immediately. She was staring, as if hypnotized – as ten thousand other people were doing – as The Blind Eagles went through their unbelievable and seemingly suicidal aerial routine. At the end of the performance she released her breath in a long soundless sigh.
    â€˜I don’t believe it.’ Her voice was almost a whisper. ‘I just don’t believe what I’ve seen.’
    â€˜I can hardly believe it myself – and I’ve seen it a hundred times. First impressions can be wrong, no?’
    â€˜Just how wrong.’
    Half an hour later she was with Henry just outside the dressing-room area when Bruno emerged, dressed in street clothes. He was back to his old, relatively unimpressive self. He stopped, smiled at her, and said: ‘I saw you at the show.’
    â€˜Blindfolded?’
    â€˜On the low wire. On the bicycle.’
    She looked at him in astonishment. ‘Doing that impossible act? You have time to look round the audience?’
    â€˜I have to have something to occupy my attention,’ he said with mock bravado. ‘Enjoy it all?’ She nodded and he smiled again. ‘Even The Blind Eagles? I’m only searching for compliments, of course.’
    Maria looked at him without smiling, pointed upwards and said: ‘A star has fallen from the sky.’ She turned and walked away. From the slight corrugation of Bruno’s brow it was impossible to tell whether he was puzzled or amused.
    * * * 
    Dr Harper, looking every inch the high-powered consultant that he wasn’t, arrived precisely at ten o’clock the following morning, but had to wait over half an hour while Wrinfield went through the motions of interviewing several other woul-be circus doctors who had turned up quite some time before ten o’clock.
    Wrinfield was alone in his office when Harper knocked and entered. Harper said: ‘Good morning. I’m Dr Harper.’
    Wrinfield looked at him in considerable astonishment and had just opened his mouth to speak, doubtless to inform Harper that he was not likely to have forgotten him due to the fact that they had made their first acquaintance over the dead body of Pilgrim, when Harper handed him a handwritten note. It read: ‘This office may be bugged. Interview me as you would any other candidate.’
    â€˜Good morning.’ Wrinfield hadn’t even blinked. ‘I’m Wrinfield, the owner.’ He launched smoothly into the interview: Harper, both while listening and answering, sat down and scribbled another note. He handed it across. It read: ‘End the interview and give me the job. Ask me my immediate plans then invite me outside for a look around.’
    Wrinfield said: ‘Well, that’s it. I’m too busy a man to spend a lifetime on making decisions. The