The Toff In New York by John Creasey

will you stay here?” he asked, at the door.
    â€œTell your pal Dutch that I’ll be here, there and everywhere,” said the Toff, brightly; “he may not have known much of me before, but that’s no reason why he should stay in that state of blissful ignorance. After all, he started it.” He paused, and as Conway moved away, went on very softly: “And tell him not to hurt Wilf Hall. Tell him that if Wilf is hurt, I will personally break his, Himmy’s, neck. Make sure he knows I mean it.”
    He went in, and closed the door.
    He turned, to see an unexpected picture. Valerie, standing by the table, was in that moment positively dewy-eyed. Rollison had seen the look in the eyes of many young and impressionable damsels, and it never failed to give him pleasure; in these later days it seldom failed to surprise him, either. Here was a girl looking at him in a way which mingled adoration with admiration; and Valerie Hall knew exactly how to mingle them both. She was a natural.
    â€œIt’s time you got dressed,” Rollison said, firmly.
    â€œYes, I will,” said Valerie, but didn’t move. “You really meant that, didn’t you?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œIf this man Himmy hurts Wilf, you’ll break his neck.”
    â€œI’ll have a damned good try.”
    â€œIn spite of his reputation, and using gunmen, and - things like that.”
    â€œYou can be so careful that every time you go downstairs you count the steps,” said Rollison, “and break your neck when looking out of a window. Don’t get ideas, Val. Get dressed, and be ready to do anything I ask - quickly. If we have to stall with those diamonds, we have to stall, but we needn’t ask for trouble, and you’re leaving the Arden-Astoria for somewhere Dutch Himmy doesn’t know about. Lock yourself in until I come back, won’t you?”
    â€œYes,” said Valerie, and added with a stubborn note that he couldn’t fail to hear: “But nothing is going to stop me from trying to buy Wilf’s safety. I know all the arguments, that the more you pay the more the kidnappers ask, but I can’t help it. If you go to the police, or if you do anything that makes Dutch Himmy hurt Wilf, I’ll never forgive you.”
    â€œYou know,” observed the Toff, sadly, “you ought to have been born a boy.”
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10
FRIEND IN NEED
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    Rollison went back to his own suite, and for the first time since he had stepped into the Arden-Astoria, felt that he had time to breathe. He did not make the mistake of thinking that this happy state of affairs would last for long. Facts were facts. Dutch Himmy might be a degree worse than Legs Diamond or Al Capone. Certainly he knew what he was about. Brian Conway might or might not like working for him. That didn’t alter a situation which was likely to get rapidly worse.
    It was no longer possible to handle the case alone.
    Among the most disturbing possibilities was that Valerie Hall might decide that she was more capable of handling the situation than anyone else. If she once got the bit between her teeth, she would set a hard pace. She had now come to the conclusion that only by paying Dutch Himmy could she help her brother, and Rollison shrugged the thought off.
    He went to the telephone in his sitting-room, sat down at ease in an armchair and, after some study of the dialling system and exchange numbers, dialled a number and was answered with bewildering promptitude by a bright young woman who said:
    â€œDay’s Personal Investigation Bureau, can I help you?”
    â€œBless you,” said Rollison, warmly.
    â€œWhat did you say?”
    â€œI asked to speak to Mr. Day.”
    â€œYou did not,” said the girl, the last word rising several notes and ending in a hint of laughter. “Who is calling, please?”
    â€œRichard Rollison, from London.”
    â€œOh, sure, I could tell you were English; but