Read Online Whiff Of Money by James Hadley Chase - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: James Hadley Chase
Ads: Link
leave my secretary alone!' Dorey said.
'What nasty ideas come into your little mind.' Girland looked sadly at Dorey, eased himself out of the room and closed the door.
At the sight of him, Mavis picked up the ruler.
Girland came slowly over to her desk, placed his hands on it and leaned towards her.
'My father told me never to be afraid of a pretty girL Since you are the loveliest star in my sky... kiss me.'
She stared at him for a long moment, then slowly put down the ruler as Dorey opened his door.
'You still here, Girland?'
Mavis returned to her typing and Girland straightened up. He regarded Dorey with an exasperated expression.
'The only person who could ever have loved you was your mother,' he said, 'and I am sorry for her.'
'Never mind about my mother,' Dorey snapped. 'You get off and earn your money.'
Girland glanced at Mavis who was pounding away on her typewriter, shook his head and moved out into the corridor.
As he closed the door after him, Dorey stamped back into his office.
Without pausing in her typing, Mavis smiled.
Malik sat behind his small, shabby desk and listened to what Labrey had to tell him. He thanked the gods that all his agents weren't as stupid and as unreliable as Drina. He decided this long-haired boy with his ridiculous green tinted glasses was worth five of Drina. When Drina had reported that he had lost Girland, Malik couldn't see how he was to make further progress. Now Labrey had come to him and had opened it all up again ... or rather, Labrey's girl had done so.
'Can you trust this girl?' Malik asked. His fiat green eyes surveyed Labrey.
'Can you trust any woman?' Labrey shrugged. So this is Malik, he was thinking. He had heard a lot about this man from Drina, and it gave him a kick to have direct contact with him. He was everything that Labrey would wish to be: big, muscular, ruthless and very efficient. 'I've thrown a scare into her, but it might not stay thrown.'
'Have you anything you can use against her?' 'She steals from shops ... she's always at it' 'You have proof of this?' 'Her place is full of stolen stuff.'
'That is not proof. We will have to make use of her as Girland is interested in her. Would she work for us?' Labrey hesitated.
I don't think so. She has no brains. She has no feeling for politics. All she thinks about is money, clothes and sex.'
Malik thought for a moment: a massive stone-like figure, his huge killer hands resting on the desk.
'Then we will pay her. What do we pay you?' 'Eight hundred a month.'
'We will pay her six hundred. Tell her she has no choice. Tell her we need her. If she won't co-operate, then one night something bad will happen to her . .. frighten her. Make sure she understands that Russia rewards good agents, but punishes bad ones. Do you understand?'
I understand.'
'Arrange it then.' Malik regarded Labrey. 'I shall have further work for you. You have done well. I will see you get more money.'
When Labrey had gone, Malik unlocked the bottom drawer of his desk and switched on a tape recorder. From the drawer he took a sensitive button microphone, so sensitive it didn't need leads to the recorder. He tapped the microphone gently to make sure the magic eye of the recorder reacted, then he clipped the microphone over his wristwatch and covered the watch with his frayed shirt sleeve. He walked down the corridor to Kovski's office. Kovski was busy writing a minute. He started violently when he saw Malik who had moved silently to Kovski's desk.
'Will you never learn to knock?' Kovski snarled, putting down his fountain pen.
Malik sat on the hard, upright chair.
'Sherman will be arriving at the Kennedy airport in another five hours,' he said. 'We know he is travelling on a false passport and in disguise. I understand he would not be welcomed by us as the future President. It occurred to me that you could alert the American airport police that he is travelling on a false passport.' Kovski stared at him. 'And suppose I do?'
'The
'What nasty ideas come into your little mind.' Girland looked sadly at Dorey, eased himself out of the room and closed the door.
At the sight of him, Mavis picked up the ruler.
Girland came slowly over to her desk, placed his hands on it and leaned towards her.
'My father told me never to be afraid of a pretty girL Since you are the loveliest star in my sky... kiss me.'
She stared at him for a long moment, then slowly put down the ruler as Dorey opened his door.
'You still here, Girland?'
Mavis returned to her typing and Girland straightened up. He regarded Dorey with an exasperated expression.
'The only person who could ever have loved you was your mother,' he said, 'and I am sorry for her.'
'Never mind about my mother,' Dorey snapped. 'You get off and earn your money.'
Girland glanced at Mavis who was pounding away on her typewriter, shook his head and moved out into the corridor.
As he closed the door after him, Dorey stamped back into his office.
Without pausing in her typing, Mavis smiled.
Malik sat behind his small, shabby desk and listened to what Labrey had to tell him. He thanked the gods that all his agents weren't as stupid and as unreliable as Drina. He decided this long-haired boy with his ridiculous green tinted glasses was worth five of Drina. When Drina had reported that he had lost Girland, Malik couldn't see how he was to make further progress. Now Labrey had come to him and had opened it all up again ... or rather, Labrey's girl had done so.
'Can you trust this girl?' Malik asked. His fiat green eyes surveyed Labrey.
'Can you trust any woman?' Labrey shrugged. So this is Malik, he was thinking. He had heard a lot about this man from Drina, and it gave him a kick to have direct contact with him. He was everything that Labrey would wish to be: big, muscular, ruthless and very efficient. 'I've thrown a scare into her, but it might not stay thrown.'
'Have you anything you can use against her?' 'She steals from shops ... she's always at it' 'You have proof of this?' 'Her place is full of stolen stuff.'
'That is not proof. We will have to make use of her as Girland is interested in her. Would she work for us?' Labrey hesitated.
I don't think so. She has no brains. She has no feeling for politics. All she thinks about is money, clothes and sex.'
Malik thought for a moment: a massive stone-like figure, his huge killer hands resting on the desk.
'Then we will pay her. What do we pay you?' 'Eight hundred a month.'
'We will pay her six hundred. Tell her she has no choice. Tell her we need her. If she won't co-operate, then one night something bad will happen to her . .. frighten her. Make sure she understands that Russia rewards good agents, but punishes bad ones. Do you understand?'
I understand.'
'Arrange it then.' Malik regarded Labrey. 'I shall have further work for you. You have done well. I will see you get more money.'
When Labrey had gone, Malik unlocked the bottom drawer of his desk and switched on a tape recorder. From the drawer he took a sensitive button microphone, so sensitive it didn't need leads to the recorder. He tapped the microphone gently to make sure the magic eye of the recorder reacted, then he clipped the microphone over his wristwatch and covered the watch with his frayed shirt sleeve. He walked down the corridor to Kovski's office. Kovski was busy writing a minute. He started violently when he saw Malik who had moved silently to Kovski's desk.
'Will you never learn to knock?' Kovski snarled, putting down his fountain pen.
Malik sat on the hard, upright chair.
'Sherman will be arriving at the Kennedy airport in another five hours,' he said. 'We know he is travelling on a false passport and in disguise. I understand he would not be welcomed by us as the future President. It occurred to me that you could alert the American airport police that he is travelling on a false passport.' Kovski stared at him. 'And suppose I do?'
'The
Similar Books
