Foucher, Dakar. She checked out at six this evening. I’m pretty sure it’s the same woman from the description. She is on her own, so that’s something learned. She’s probably moved to another hotel. The check is still going on and all the hotels are alerted to look out for her.”
“No sign of this young fellow with the chin beard?”
“He hasn’t been near the George V Hotel. I have a couple of boys staked out, waiting for him. So far, he’s keeping clear of the place.”
“Radnitz have any interesting visitors?”
O’Halloran shrugged.
“A stream of them. Some we know: some we don’t.” Dorey moved his letter opener from the left side of his blotter to his right.
“I’m trying to trace an American,” he said finally. “This man could be connected with this business, Captain. I have a description of him here.” He took a sheet of paper from his desk drawer and handed it to O’Halloran. “Have you any suggestions as to how I find him?”
O’Halloran read the description, then looked at Dorey, a quizzing expression in his light blue eyes.
“Why do you imagine this man could help?”
Dorey rubbed the end of his beaky nose and avoided O’Halloran’s cop stare. Until he had talked to this Senegalese woman, it would be dangerous to tell O’Halloran too many details.
“I can’t tell you that, Captain: not just yet, anyway. But it is important that we find this man.”
“Who gave you this description?”
“A man called Husson. He runs the ‘Allo, Paris’ club.”
O’Halloran looked interested.
“I know the joint. It’s out of bounds to service men. We have had trouble with Husson in the past. Do you want me to go along and talk to him?”
“We want to find this man, Captain,”
“Is he a resident in Paris?”
“Yes.”
“Every American in Paris is registered with the Prefecture of Police,” O’Halloran said. “They hold their dossiers and their photographs. Do you want me to take Husson along there and see if he can spot your man?”
Dorey felt a rush of blood to his face so angry was he with himself for not thinking of this simple solution as soon as Husson had given him Girland’s description.
“I would be most grateful, Captain. When could you arrange to do it?”
“What’s the matter with now?” O’Halloran asked. He looked at his watch. “No, the club doesn’t open ’til ten. I’ll send a couple of boys down there at ten, collect Husson, run him down to the Prefecture and we’ll know who your man is in a couple of hours or less.”
“And in the meantime, you will continue to search for this woman?”
“We’ll keep hunting for her until we find her.”
“If you find out who this American is,” Dorey said, “call me at my apartment no matter how late it is.”
“I’ll do that,” O’Halloran returned, and nodding, he left the office.
Dorey sat for some minutes, thinking, then he reached for the telephone and called Janine.
“The net’s closing,” he told her when she came on the line. “O’Halloran almost caught up with her this evening. He’s now working on the identity of Rossland’s man. I think by midnight we’ll know who he is.”
“Or who he was,” Janine said. “Look, John, I’m in a rush. I’m catching the 21.50 plane to Dakar tomorrow night, and I have a lot to clear up.”
Dorey stiffened.
“You’re … what?”
“I’m going to Dakar.”
“I haven’t authorised you to do that. You can’t go rushing off without my say-so. It is a costly journey and I see no reason why you should go.”
“I’m going, and I’m paying for myself,” Janine said firmly. “I’ll be more use there than I am here. I think Rossland’s man is dead by now. You might telephone the American Embassy at Dakar and alert them that I am coming. I may need help.”
Dorey thought for a moment. Now he was sure this wasn’t going to cost the division anything, he began to see it was an excellent idea to have Janine out on the
“No sign of this young fellow with the chin beard?”
“He hasn’t been near the George V Hotel. I have a couple of boys staked out, waiting for him. So far, he’s keeping clear of the place.”
“Radnitz have any interesting visitors?”
O’Halloran shrugged.
“A stream of them. Some we know: some we don’t.” Dorey moved his letter opener from the left side of his blotter to his right.
“I’m trying to trace an American,” he said finally. “This man could be connected with this business, Captain. I have a description of him here.” He took a sheet of paper from his desk drawer and handed it to O’Halloran. “Have you any suggestions as to how I find him?”
O’Halloran read the description, then looked at Dorey, a quizzing expression in his light blue eyes.
“Why do you imagine this man could help?”
Dorey rubbed the end of his beaky nose and avoided O’Halloran’s cop stare. Until he had talked to this Senegalese woman, it would be dangerous to tell O’Halloran too many details.
“I can’t tell you that, Captain: not just yet, anyway. But it is important that we find this man.”
“Who gave you this description?”
“A man called Husson. He runs the ‘Allo, Paris’ club.”
O’Halloran looked interested.
“I know the joint. It’s out of bounds to service men. We have had trouble with Husson in the past. Do you want me to go along and talk to him?”
“We want to find this man, Captain,”
“Is he a resident in Paris?”
“Yes.”
“Every American in Paris is registered with the Prefecture of Police,” O’Halloran said. “They hold their dossiers and their photographs. Do you want me to take Husson along there and see if he can spot your man?”
Dorey felt a rush of blood to his face so angry was he with himself for not thinking of this simple solution as soon as Husson had given him Girland’s description.
“I would be most grateful, Captain. When could you arrange to do it?”
“What’s the matter with now?” O’Halloran asked. He looked at his watch. “No, the club doesn’t open ’til ten. I’ll send a couple of boys down there at ten, collect Husson, run him down to the Prefecture and we’ll know who your man is in a couple of hours or less.”
“And in the meantime, you will continue to search for this woman?”
“We’ll keep hunting for her until we find her.”
“If you find out who this American is,” Dorey said, “call me at my apartment no matter how late it is.”
“I’ll do that,” O’Halloran returned, and nodding, he left the office.
Dorey sat for some minutes, thinking, then he reached for the telephone and called Janine.
“The net’s closing,” he told her when she came on the line. “O’Halloran almost caught up with her this evening. He’s now working on the identity of Rossland’s man. I think by midnight we’ll know who he is.”
“Or who he was,” Janine said. “Look, John, I’m in a rush. I’m catching the 21.50 plane to Dakar tomorrow night, and I have a lot to clear up.”
Dorey stiffened.
“You’re … what?”
“I’m going to Dakar.”
“I haven’t authorised you to do that. You can’t go rushing off without my say-so. It is a costly journey and I see no reason why you should go.”
“I’m going, and I’m paying for myself,” Janine said firmly. “I’ll be more use there than I am here. I think Rossland’s man is dead by now. You might telephone the American Embassy at Dakar and alert them that I am coming. I may need help.”
Dorey thought for a moment. Now he was sure this wasn’t going to cost the division anything, he began to see it was an excellent idea to have Janine out on the
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