being the perfect host, Henderson, and leaving us alone to get better acquainted?”
He reached for the arm that Henderson was clutching, and deliberately pulled her away and stepped aside so she could sit in the chair he had been occupying.
Henderson was unable to conceal a flicker of irritation that crossed his face, and Shayne wondered if it went deeper than mere irritation, but his voice was bland as he bowed slightly and said, “I don’t blame you for one minute, Shayne, but I warn you that you’ll have to work fast. About five minutes is all I’m going to allow you. Then I have an important matter I want to discuss.”
Shayne stood with his back to the room, facing the chair and Hilda as Henderson went away. She leaned back with her head against the cushion, looking up at him with parted lips and heaving breasts that showed inner tension.
In a low, harsh voice, Shayne said, “Take your glasses off, Hilda.”
The tip of her tongue came out to wet her lips. She reached up obediently and removed her Harlequin glasses. There was animal fright in her luminous brown eyes. “Why are you here, Michael Shayne?”
“I was invited. Why are you here?”
“I, too, was invited.” She lifted one hand appealingly toward him as he stood over her, blocking her off from the rest of the room. “Later, I will explain everything. Come to my room, yes? We cannot talk here.”
“Why not?” He kept his voice low and harsh. “After the run-around you gave me the other night I think I deserve an explanation.”
“It was no run-around as you call it, Michael. Please believe me it was not.”
“Do you want me to believe it’s sheer coincidence that you turned up here today using another name?”
“Perhaps as much coincidence as you being here,” she answered composedly. “Am I to believe that is true?”
“I had my own reasons for coming.”
“I, too, had my reasons. Have you… found any trace of Harry in the city?”
“No. Have you?”
Pain clouded her eyes as she moved her head slowly from side to side. “Nothing. But I am a stranger here and I do not know how to proceed.”
“You don’t appear to be a complete stranger to Henderson.”
“I have said I will explain that later.” She looked past him and sat up straight in her chair, taking a sip from her cocktail. In a fuller-bodied voice, she declared, “I think that would be most pleasant, Mr. Shayne. After the party is over, then?”
Henderson’s voice intruded just behind Shayne. “Just the sort of thing I’ve always heard about you private eyes. Leave you alone for one minute with a beautiful woman and you end up with an assignation.”
Shayne said, “Do you mind?”
“Of course I mind. But I don’t see what I can do about it. Now that you’ve got that settled, Shayne, would you mind stepping inside my office with me? I’ve a matter of extreme importance to discuss with you.”
“You will excuse me?” Hilda was on her feet and moving away from them before Shayne could reply.
Then he said flatly, “My office hours are nine to five. Make an appointment with Miss Hamilton.”
“This is off the record, Shayne. I need professional advice.”
“Do you invite your doctor to a party to get a free prescription from him?” Shayne’s face remained expressionless, but his voice was intentionally insolent.
“See here, Shayne.” Henderson stopped and controlled himself with obvious effort. He smiled thinly and his voice became placating. “I understand, of course, and I’ll be happy to pay your fee for any professional advice you give me. What is your regular charge for a consultation?”
Shayne drained his glass and said, “I think another sidecar will cover it.” He stood up and Henderson stepped aside, followed close behind him to the bar where the waiter smilingly emptied the contents of the shaker into Shayne’s outheld glass.
Saul Henderson murmured, “This way, if you don’t mind,” and went to a closed door beyond the
He reached for the arm that Henderson was clutching, and deliberately pulled her away and stepped aside so she could sit in the chair he had been occupying.
Henderson was unable to conceal a flicker of irritation that crossed his face, and Shayne wondered if it went deeper than mere irritation, but his voice was bland as he bowed slightly and said, “I don’t blame you for one minute, Shayne, but I warn you that you’ll have to work fast. About five minutes is all I’m going to allow you. Then I have an important matter I want to discuss.”
Shayne stood with his back to the room, facing the chair and Hilda as Henderson went away. She leaned back with her head against the cushion, looking up at him with parted lips and heaving breasts that showed inner tension.
In a low, harsh voice, Shayne said, “Take your glasses off, Hilda.”
The tip of her tongue came out to wet her lips. She reached up obediently and removed her Harlequin glasses. There was animal fright in her luminous brown eyes. “Why are you here, Michael Shayne?”
“I was invited. Why are you here?”
“I, too, was invited.” She lifted one hand appealingly toward him as he stood over her, blocking her off from the rest of the room. “Later, I will explain everything. Come to my room, yes? We cannot talk here.”
“Why not?” He kept his voice low and harsh. “After the run-around you gave me the other night I think I deserve an explanation.”
“It was no run-around as you call it, Michael. Please believe me it was not.”
“Do you want me to believe it’s sheer coincidence that you turned up here today using another name?”
“Perhaps as much coincidence as you being here,” she answered composedly. “Am I to believe that is true?”
“I had my own reasons for coming.”
“I, too, had my reasons. Have you… found any trace of Harry in the city?”
“No. Have you?”
Pain clouded her eyes as she moved her head slowly from side to side. “Nothing. But I am a stranger here and I do not know how to proceed.”
“You don’t appear to be a complete stranger to Henderson.”
“I have said I will explain that later.” She looked past him and sat up straight in her chair, taking a sip from her cocktail. In a fuller-bodied voice, she declared, “I think that would be most pleasant, Mr. Shayne. After the party is over, then?”
Henderson’s voice intruded just behind Shayne. “Just the sort of thing I’ve always heard about you private eyes. Leave you alone for one minute with a beautiful woman and you end up with an assignation.”
Shayne said, “Do you mind?”
“Of course I mind. But I don’t see what I can do about it. Now that you’ve got that settled, Shayne, would you mind stepping inside my office with me? I’ve a matter of extreme importance to discuss with you.”
“You will excuse me?” Hilda was on her feet and moving away from them before Shayne could reply.
Then he said flatly, “My office hours are nine to five. Make an appointment with Miss Hamilton.”
“This is off the record, Shayne. I need professional advice.”
“Do you invite your doctor to a party to get a free prescription from him?” Shayne’s face remained expressionless, but his voice was intentionally insolent.
“See here, Shayne.” Henderson stopped and controlled himself with obvious effort. He smiled thinly and his voice became placating. “I understand, of course, and I’ll be happy to pay your fee for any professional advice you give me. What is your regular charge for a consultation?”
Shayne drained his glass and said, “I think another sidecar will cover it.” He stood up and Henderson stepped aside, followed close behind him to the bar where the waiter smilingly emptied the contents of the shaker into Shayne’s outheld glass.
Saul Henderson murmured, “This way, if you don’t mind,” and went to a closed door beyond the
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