Don't worry.'
At this moment, they heard Brady enter the chalet and walk quickly to the bedroom, he and Maggie shared. As he passed the living room door, he called, 'Maggie! I want you!'
Maggie scrambled to her feet and ran into the bedroom, shutting the door. Brady was sitting at the dressing table, quickly putting on his disguise. He had no intention of letting Mike see what he really looked like. He was uneasy about Mike. If something went wrong and Mike got into the hands of the police, he just might give them a description of Brady as he really was, and that must never happen.
'Hi, darling,' Maggie exclaimed, coming to him.
He waved her away, intent on turning himself into an old man.
'Baby! Work! This reception clerk, Claude Previn. How's it going with him?' There was a snap in his voice that startled Maggie.
'Is something wrong, honey?'
'Don't yammer,' Brady said, fixing his moustache. 'How are you and Previn progressing?'
'He's so hot he's likely to burst into flames,' Maggie said.
'He's off duty now?'
'Yes.'
'Can you contact him?'
Maggie blinked. 'You mean now?'
'Of course I mean now! Don't be a pea-brain!'
'Oh, Lu, you do sound cross!' Maggie said. 'I don't know if I can contact him. I do have his telephone number.'
'Where does he live?'
'He didn't tell me.'
Brady gave an exasperated sigh. 'Call him!'
He finished fixing his moustache, and began working age into the skin on his face. 'Now pay attention. You are going to him, wherever he is, and you're going to screw him stupid. Understand? When you have softened him up, you are going to find out where the hotel safe is located.'
Maggie's eyes opened wide. 'How do I do that, hon?'
'Tell him your patient is eccentric. He's expecting some valuable jewelry which he plans to give to his daughter. He wants to know about the security system of the hotel, and where the safe is. He will want to inspect the safe. Tell him you are scared of your patient and you don't want to lose your job. Tell him your patient is very difficult. Are you with me?'
Maggie thought for a long moment. Brady could almost hear her brain working. 'But, Lu, pet, can't I tell him all this tomorrow when he's on duty, instead of having to go to bed with him?'
'No! When we bust the safe, the cops will ask questions. I don't want you to be involved. Previn will keep his mouth shut rather than admit he has been having it off with you.'
Maggie considered this, then she smiled. 'I always thought you were smart, Lu.'
Bradey pointed to the telephone. 'Call him.'
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The following evening, Ed Haddon was sitting at the corner table of the seafood restaurant, nibbling black olives, a double martini before him when Brady came in. The maitre d' arrived as Brady sat down.
'Have the Chicken Maryland,' Haddon said. 'It's good.'
Brad said the Chicken Maryland was fine with him.
Haddon ordered a Scotch on the rocks for Brady which arrived while the two men sat silently waiting.
After Brady had sipped his drink, he said, 'You asked for action, Ed. You've got it.'
'No more than I expected.' Haddon grinned. 'As partners, we're the best.'
As the waiter was fussing around, providing bread rolls, butter and canapes, the two men relapsed into silence. It wasn't until the chicken was served and the waiter had gone, that Haddon said, 'You found out where the safe is?'
Brady cut off a portion of chicken breast, dipped it into a bowl of chilli sauce and conveyed it to his mouth. He chewed, nodded, said, 'This is great!'
Haddon had never known anyone as devoted to food as Brady. In spite of his leanness, Brady adored good cooking. Haddon contained his impatience. After five minutes while Brady ate as if he hadn't eaten for a week, Haddon repeated his question. 'The safe?'
'Gimme a minute,' Brady said, cutting into the chicken thigh. 'You know something, Ed?' He was speaking with his mouth full. 'When I was a kid, I starved. I'm not kidding. If I
At this moment, they heard Brady enter the chalet and walk quickly to the bedroom, he and Maggie shared. As he passed the living room door, he called, 'Maggie! I want you!'
Maggie scrambled to her feet and ran into the bedroom, shutting the door. Brady was sitting at the dressing table, quickly putting on his disguise. He had no intention of letting Mike see what he really looked like. He was uneasy about Mike. If something went wrong and Mike got into the hands of the police, he just might give them a description of Brady as he really was, and that must never happen.
'Hi, darling,' Maggie exclaimed, coming to him.
He waved her away, intent on turning himself into an old man.
'Baby! Work! This reception clerk, Claude Previn. How's it going with him?' There was a snap in his voice that startled Maggie.
'Is something wrong, honey?'
'Don't yammer,' Brady said, fixing his moustache. 'How are you and Previn progressing?'
'He's so hot he's likely to burst into flames,' Maggie said.
'He's off duty now?'
'Yes.'
'Can you contact him?'
Maggie blinked. 'You mean now?'
'Of course I mean now! Don't be a pea-brain!'
'Oh, Lu, you do sound cross!' Maggie said. 'I don't know if I can contact him. I do have his telephone number.'
'Where does he live?'
'He didn't tell me.'
Brady gave an exasperated sigh. 'Call him!'
He finished fixing his moustache, and began working age into the skin on his face. 'Now pay attention. You are going to him, wherever he is, and you're going to screw him stupid. Understand? When you have softened him up, you are going to find out where the hotel safe is located.'
Maggie's eyes opened wide. 'How do I do that, hon?'
'Tell him your patient is eccentric. He's expecting some valuable jewelry which he plans to give to his daughter. He wants to know about the security system of the hotel, and where the safe is. He will want to inspect the safe. Tell him you are scared of your patient and you don't want to lose your job. Tell him your patient is very difficult. Are you with me?'
Maggie thought for a long moment. Brady could almost hear her brain working. 'But, Lu, pet, can't I tell him all this tomorrow when he's on duty, instead of having to go to bed with him?'
'No! When we bust the safe, the cops will ask questions. I don't want you to be involved. Previn will keep his mouth shut rather than admit he has been having it off with you.'
Maggie considered this, then she smiled. 'I always thought you were smart, Lu.'
Bradey pointed to the telephone. 'Call him.'
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The following evening, Ed Haddon was sitting at the corner table of the seafood restaurant, nibbling black olives, a double martini before him when Brady came in. The maitre d' arrived as Brady sat down.
'Have the Chicken Maryland,' Haddon said. 'It's good.'
Brad said the Chicken Maryland was fine with him.
Haddon ordered a Scotch on the rocks for Brady which arrived while the two men sat silently waiting.
After Brady had sipped his drink, he said, 'You asked for action, Ed. You've got it.'
'No more than I expected.' Haddon grinned. 'As partners, we're the best.'
As the waiter was fussing around, providing bread rolls, butter and canapes, the two men relapsed into silence. It wasn't until the chicken was served and the waiter had gone, that Haddon said, 'You found out where the safe is?'
Brady cut off a portion of chicken breast, dipped it into a bowl of chilli sauce and conveyed it to his mouth. He chewed, nodded, said, 'This is great!'
Haddon had never known anyone as devoted to food as Brady. In spite of his leanness, Brady adored good cooking. Haddon contained his impatience. After five minutes while Brady ate as if he hadn't eaten for a week, Haddon repeated his question. 'The safe?'
'Gimme a minute,' Brady said, cutting into the chicken thigh. 'You know something, Ed?' He was speaking with his mouth full. 'When I was a kid, I starved. I'm not kidding. If I
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