LOO OM CUM TCE et POUT IR? SIR’S EXCLUSIVE NATIONAL SEX ee . Ula (0:14 = Aull Color on t JUDITH ADAMS LINDA MOORE KAREN KLAUS DEBBIE MOORE » by a aD Ts a3 DETECTIVE NOVEL PU ha hs hegadh Ma PU Se all.the girls you want A Ca aCe a documented case history= INSIDE SIR! INSIDE SIR! = INSIDE SIR! = INSIDE SIR! = INSIDE SIR! INSIDE SIR! = INSIDE SIR! The list of writers who are published in any particular magazine. is fong. Contrary. to popu: lar opinion it's harder for a writer to break into a magazine a sec- ond time, When 2 writ: er's byline appears in a magazine 2 third time, ts" good reason for everybody to celebrate ‘Such an author is Rob- ert Lory, whose short story, "The Weakest Link.’ begins on page 40, Working as an ad and publle relations writer and Industrial photogrs- pher in. upstate New York, “Richmond, Va. and currently New Yori City, Bob has published In Sia twice before. His work has also appeared In "MR." Magazine, Fantasy & Science Fic- tion.” “it Science. Fic- tion® and, "Worlds of Tomorrow.” In 1965 his story "Star Party” was selected for Ace Books’ ‘World's Best Science Fiction.” and last fall a story “Rundown” was Included in the Berkley Books’ anthology. "Sci- ence Fiction Oddities, A magna cum laude graduate of Harpur Col- lege (1961), Bob is a veteran of three years with the US. Army. in Germany. He has a young son and daughter, ‘and enjoys. painting, chess and karate, The SIR! Sex Survey is one of our most widely read and discussed fea: tures. This month's edi- tion, "Sex and the Pur- suit of Pleasure.” begin ning on page 23, Is an excellent. exampie for ‘explaining the popularity of this. feature “among social and behavioral scientists aswell as Ron-professional stu dents of thie field We have Included three reports. from two men and one woman, which reveal the man- fers In which they die covered the sexual na ture of mankind in gen- feral_and themselves In particular. In a thorough: ly scientific manner they discuss their historles with particular’ refer ence to thelr firat sexual encounters. The reports Include the effect of these encounters on their sexual conscious- esses, end our corre: further ef luate and/or ‘complement the Initial ‘experience. INSIDE SIR! Traffic tieups are @ litt tle different from. the weather in that though everybody talks about them some people actu: ally do something. ‘About one of tha most tunusual and imaginative approaches. to avoiding attic Jams hasbeen lavented by a North Carolina company known fas Benson Alrcratt, Ben. sen's solution? The Gy: rocopter. When SIR! contributor Lyle Blerma saw his first Gyrocopter he felt ‘an immediate urge to testpilot the device. And up in the air he went. He was having such’ ball that It ap- 3 if It would be Whether you hate traf fic or are” an aircraft enthusiast or you just enjoy getting away from it all once In a while, we feel you will really tke Lyles report on tne Gyrocopter. Incident budget fang ‘will be In terested in knowing that Lyle Bierma Includes surprise on that ac: count. iMIS JOISNI = [IS JOISNI = i¥IS ICISNI = INSIDE SIR! Michael Caine is for the birds and that fact does not seem to bother him. “Birds” being Lon: don slang. for chicks, ‘and Michael Caine be: ing the Cockney bloke fon his way to” super. movie-star fame, we de- cided to take a good look at him, You might know him as Harry Palmer, the poor man’s James’ Bond In "The. Ipcress. File” and "Funeral In Berlin” for maybe you. remem: bor him as. “Alfie” or maybe you saw a news: paper item about girls making a scene over the ultra-cool English actor. Somehow despite all the fabulous stories his name inspires, despite his definite ability. 10 keep up with his new and. fabulous affluence Michael Caine is. grind- ing out movies as often as possible so he can have his share of it all before everything stops. The story of this plain, unadulterated cockney and his so-far victorious fight to claw his way into the circles in which “he ought not tobe" makes fascinating read: Ing whether you're a movie buff or not. Just flip the contents page over to_page four’ and enter “The Bird Filled World of Michael Caine,” = [Ul JOISNI = iMIS IMISNT = GHIS IMISNI = iMIS AMISNI iMIS TMISNI iMIS INISNI =SPECIAL ‘Wet Senda corps and» chiens PHOTO FEATURES Pa caeccalenen rh cer aiaaeae FICTION fo THE WEAKEST Un nosent ony ARTICLES meinem (len DEPARTMENTS : con ern sea seb TAF EVERETT MEYERS Editorial Director OCT. - 1967 RONALD REGGIO. 7 ROBERT S. CALDWELL — 7 Production Mana JAY BURTIS.— “advertising Manager VOLUME 23 NUMBER 10ii aie a bt iPRU Re a em err a ees en ce mere ee ee ics oc iceman earners that reek of good schools and fine old families and all Ce er ke Cae ae ens ee a ee eee Re ee Tar ee Cee ae ee stage actors, is trying to bar the English from appearing ae eae eee a eg Oe een eer ko Ae ee Oa are ee ae een eure Ck ee oe ae a ed of “The Ipcress File” and its sequels, Is definitely In. So Ra Ok a eed Of the Atlantic keep throwing themselves at him, aspiring een eee eee Ce eee ee eo eee a et Peet ee ee ae eee Peer era ee ker iy PCa ee era or em Pe ee en en oe ee eta ee Ty ee cree erg ee es a ecg hhe can look down on the best people who used to give ce Cee CeCe eC ee Ee aac Cee ee eae ee a er Ce eae well known yet as was Clark Gable, but well-on his. way. es econ me ey Rae a reek te art et ae GRE LOR rea a a CTC eed Sr aaa CR Pe a ee eae en er ee ee eee ae ae eT Se eee PADRE eee rr are crea Pte ae ma Leet rd Pere ee ad Perea Ree ee eed Ce ae ‘Cool... detached ... amused . . . alert—these are the words most often used to describe the 6/2” English- man with the nearsighted blue eyes, the curly blond hair. pe ee ree reas Lie ee 1933, way over on the wrong side of the tracks or, in his rere ea eee CR Red Cicer ed con Ta hhim. His mother scrubbed offices all night, and together OR er ee a eae es no electricity. and one bedroom, in which Calne, his young: a ris With this beginning, Caine could look forward only to nwa nog re eo ener Se ee a ad ees Caine viewed this with no enthusiasm at all, and when- CO ee nn ‘world of American movies and American books, where the Sea Re ae ey ec ee Cees ee a ee ae ees ee a or Cer rect rae inn above my means, and an Intellect above my accent.” Cos ere erry with the Royal Fusiliers in Korea, ne began what was to Oe ae eee ts cen rocked with laughter at his desire to become an actor, and the world of the theater wasn't about to be broken ee ae ee Oar ens he didn't use his mustering out pay to enroll at the Royal Ce eee eek ery So errr ae tnt] Mr er re as ee ed ‘out, and with the help of a fellow worker to whom He con- Com ere at aT aeons ion 4 Cae ee ee ey was 8 semiprofessional singer and through her Caine got Oe Ra er ke rem ay Se eat ieee i Pre eens He went from that Into small parts . . . on to a larger company ssa juvenile lead. Then, figuring he wes ready a eC ag TR ead ee oe ee ete ce ee ee ea daughter. The marriage lasted three years before It foun- Rr aoe ee any Se ea a eer Pere ee eis ally something would give, as It always did In those Horatio Alger stories he had read so avidly. Reece ed kr ei eee re eee MCE eet Le sc) your office. But he stayed alive, ond moved from stock company ee ee eae | oe a aC eee and played the role on tour. (Continued on page 61) AAat Le DROP LEAFLETS Dear sini “That article on sexy leaflets was really something. The Idea of a government producing pornography makes you kind fof wonder Just how low people will sink In time of war. That must be quite a collection of stuff your writer Herd Friedmann has because he certainly seems to know what he Is talking about. Tt looks as if you picked the most repre- sentative pleces of this propaganda to Mlustrate the story. 18 a really excellent article Proves, you coming up with unusual material TL. Caldwell, NA. TONE POEMS Dear SIR! Didn't you guys ever have a coloring book when you were kids. If you did you would have known that female flesh Is Incase you're wondering king about turn to page 31 of September SIR! magazine and you will, se9 what I've been forced to buy. A couple of real good looking babes who are painted over with some kind of purple stuff that makes It hard to really ‘see them the way I'd like to. Now | know you can't hold a confor- ence with all your readers before you make every little move; but have some Consideration. What | mean Is If you're ‘going to be good enough to have pictures ‘of dames | want to look at, be good enough not to have any stupid printing technique got In my way. Okay? Santa Fe, N.M. Dear §.L.: You're taking part In our con- ference right now. Dear sini: don't know what you did with those chicks in Country Picnic In the Septem: ber SIRI but it was really great. That sort of reddish-purple color made Melissa and Jo-ann look really other-wordly but In a downto€arth way if you know what ‘roan That one with the really Tong hale ‘yeu dont see which pir fs, which} hed realy vivacious amile which wes some- ow ceptured by the skilful use of color Tn what would’ ordinerily be 8 dragay black and white page. av. Pasadens, Calif. esr A.V.: The long-haired gal was Me- lisse . , . or was It Joann? GIALS Dear SiR! T liked the section about Denine Novak (June SIRI), She is a real good-looking blonde but her bosom Is not up to par ‘with that of Gayle Robinson or most of ail with Kathy Wade. Kathy Is really a doll. | would like to see more of he And how about giving Information about Kathy, like her favorite hobby, pet peeve. favorite color sad whi or measurements? Tt wouldn't hurt to add the measure- ments along with the girls in every mag you publish. Keep up the good work. 1G. Dear HG. curvy Kathy Is an Impressive 38-27-38. Her favorite hobbies Include travelling and tennis, Kathy says her pet peeve is . Aa fora pix and |e apparent. It's red—“the ‘more flaming the better.” Dear SIRI: Bravo for the Jet age If Hattie Donald (SIR! Sept. ‘67) considers herself Its child, Hattle has got one of those cute faces and womanly bodies that Just drive men wild. | think she's an example of the way the SIRI girls have been getting better and better. Yours for many many more Issues of SIRI especially when it tures such girls as Hattie. HM. Milwaukee, Wis. Sucerstion INTERESTING \ pal. i] ss PFMoly Moly! Holly Crommer te it. i ‘oly molyt Holly Gromer is it. in cave you Torget which babe is which (and Tdon't see how you can) Holy 1. the lovely, lovely, feminine bundle ‘on page 10. She aeys ‘she'd rather bo bird But Tin glad. she's, not a8 ean awful waste of a won. Gorful person. Ive never sen a more perfect Tooking chick than Holy. ‘She Setintely: should. be. Hollywood, ike star or something Pe. New Haven, Conn. Dear SIR! Tam in the US. Army and read SIRI whenever someone buys one. After pag- Ing through each copy 1 get sick. You photograph a very low class of females. Thave yet to see a charming or even a pretty girl In an issue. You would double your ‘circulation if you would take more time to find attractive women. For instance your June issue with Lorna Drew who was your fold-out. She la not attractive at all. especially In that Idiotic fold-out with her holding a large bowl In front of her. She looks canniba- listic, cheap and unappealing ‘Then there's Kathy Wade of the same Issue. Well that sp . should put a bag over her head. that H.G. disagrees with you. He ight land you're right. After all, when It comes to women how can anyone go wrong? COGGINS ON BUICK Dear SIRI: Frank Coggins story on the Buick in the September Issue is | feel. his bost report yet. Not only does he teil us what this car does and does not do, he shows us. That is, when | read the article | felt as If | were at the wheel of the Buick GS-400. It was quite an experience. Cog- gins writes like a pro in a field In which Augusta, Ga, If you feel that way about Frank (ax we do) you might be interest- ‘ed In reading the magazine which has hhis own complete personal attention— Popular Imported Cars. Look Into It. We think you'll like It “VIET CONG” Dear SIRI: In, reference to your article, “Strictl Git" ‘and’ the question, of the’ origin of words "Viet Cong.” The term was first used by Pre: Ngo Dinh Diem in a letter to President Kennedy In 1961. There Is no direct trans- lation to the English language for the term, but It means roughly “rebellious Viet" {Viet meaning a citizen of Vi Nam—in this case South Viet Nam). As used by President Ngo the meaning was most probably the same as the English word "hoodlum.’ PE. Viet NamCARIBBEAN CRUISE WITH MODEL ‘wom LINDA MOORE)™ Do some photographers have an easy life of lux tury? Like Bill Crespinel when, last winter. he headed south from New York on a cruise ship accompanied by beautifully curved brunette model Linda Moore? (No relation, by the way. of Debbie Moore whose blonde charms you'll find beginning on page 57 of this issue.) Well. Bill leveled with us when we asked the qustion. “Linda was along for more than cheesecake pics.”” he told us. “She was my model for three advertising assignments as well, including fone for the steamship company. So we really work: ed hard a good deal of the time. But | won't kid you—there were times to relax and have fun too."” Highlights that Linda especially remembers include luncheon high on a cliff in Port-au-Prince, Haiti where the food was native; a drive across Jamaica where the mountain scenery reminded her of Ver mont instead of the tropics: and eating squid in its own ink in a top businessmen's luncheon spot in San Juan. Puerto Rico. “I like to eat,” she con: cedes, “‘and | love seafood. The animal they call langosta—a sort of tropical lobster—was another fone of my favorites in the islands.” Eating, for- tunately for Linda, has no appreciable effect on the dimensions of her curves, which remain at 35-24-36. One reason she holds her figure with: out difficulty may be her penchant for swimming. There was plenty of that on the cruise, where she quickly acquired some pink sunburn. But in New York Linda swims too, at a health club where she averages three workouts a week. She also is a keen social dancer, and notes the fact that modern dances are workouts compared to the old days of the foxtrot and waltz. But she feels that dancing isn’t sexy when you're doing it. "I honestly forget my date on a dance floor.” she says, ‘‘I'm so in- volved in the dance. But give me candles and wine and a cozy restaurant—and | really feel chummy." ‘At the lett (above) Linda epjoys os background an upland fake in Jamaica: to the right. scenes in cruiseshio cabin.100 HOT FOR HAWAII Detective Pete Schofield started his vacation with a congenial redhead only to be Interrupted by a deluge of danger, diamonds and women of mystery... ~ By THOMAS B. DEWEY CHAPTER ONE When I stepped out of the barber shop. 1 spotted her coming up from the beach, by that pessage between th Moana Hotel and the Royal Hawal ‘She turned in my direction back out of ‘sight ‘She had a towel over one arm and @ palr of sunglasses in her other hand. She was a redhead, about five-two or three, with good, strong. shapely tan legs tapering down to slim ankles and ute little fect in high heeled pump ‘She had freckles here and there. She ‘walked with as much dignity as pos- ‘ible, considering her perfect confor: mation. She couldn't help It that the various sections, fore and aft, moved In lovely concert, swaying, Jouncing or Hggling as the case might be. Thad been In Hawall a very short time, having arrived early that same ‘morning after ight flight from ng Rot up on the local custome, But surely, | th following redheads was’ permi it was one of those days—werm and ‘sunny and the soft trade wind blowing gently, just as the travel folder brag: Ged, and | would have followed her Gladly all the way to Tahiti. But she furned Into the beach entrance of the Lellani Hotel and there we were. She fed a meandering course around ‘end. of the swimming poo! 8 ing sway down the ‘One of the elevators clanged softly the doors sitd back and | viauslzed her Stopping inside. | resched the elevator and rode to the fourth floor That wor Sertt bros was siting tough the ide. rightangled, “deadend corridor Uihete the elevators wore banked along tne sido with bench opposite ther. Winon I-steppod out, there was. a men tittng ‘on the bench, He looked tke « Ghimeser or maybe. Korean, 1 was no cxport, Also, he. didn't look too wel. Tooked kind of a gry.bue color You allright? "Would you 7 body?" | sald. “A doctor, somebody?” ‘He shook his head violently. Topriahh THO by Thome B Dovey, Grginally poblibed by Sinan ond Wher Pl "No, no, am awright. Many thanks. You" ““My name Is Schofield,” | sald “Peter ‘Schofield. He showed the teeth again, nodding “Schofleld,” he said, "My name Yang Chun Yang. Many thanks.” He looked around as if he was afraid somebody might be following him. He jan't breathing very wel. “Nice meeting you, Mr. Yang.” 1 ssald and beat It around the comer and down the hall. ‘At the third door from the end, | tried the knob silently. The door was locked. 1 took out my key, stuck it in the lock ‘and turned. The door opened and | went In, ‘She was half out of her swimsuit, facing the door. She had challengi ‘green eyes and the freckles wer ally and excitingly distributed here there. | walked up to her and kissed her three times—once on the mouth “Oh, It's you.” sald my wife. “Who else?" | sai She shrugged, turning, and 1 helped her the rest of the way out of the swimsult. It was pretty wet. | took it fut on the balcony overlooking the ‘swimming pool and hung It over @ canvas chair. When | want back, she wea rubbing herself ry with @ fresh towel ‘She tossed the towel on the bed and tumed around. She was smiling now, big and wonderful I got hold of her and she vibrated. ‘she ‘awoon in my arms. | carried her to the bed and put her down gently. She wes holding onto the front of my shirt "Think of that.” she sald, panting a "You followed me ail the way “it was easy. She watched me unbutton my shirt ‘and teke It off. | paused 8 couple of times to kiss her here and there. She made little sounds of desperation. ‘ve seen enough already.” she seid. vm never going home. I'm going to stay here and sit under a banyan tree AUI't rot—till my tooth fall out and | lose my moral senge and I'm going to become known as Jungle Jeannie, the Queen of the Tropics—" ‘grabbed uunhooked my Vi ga me. Giggling. slyly, 8 belt. There was a knock at the door, light, rapid, urgent. My insides knotted up, Jeannie said ‘an extremely bad ward. | fastened my bolt and she reached for me but 1 moved back, n't go.” she whisp “Tl get rid of hit” | said, “Well wait!” she squealed. She scrambled off the bed and made “for the bathroom. | gave her a swat as she passed. It feit good. She gave me 8 look-back through the narrow opening ‘Of the bathroom door. | threw her a kiss and opened the door. Outside stood the man from the bench, Mr. Yang He looked, If possible, worse than hhe had before. He could’ berely stand “on his feet. He had hie arma. crossed over his midsection, as if holding onto himself. His mouth worked. “Look, Mr. Yang—" | sald, He kept moving his mouth and came fon in, I didn't feel | ought to push him ‘around much. | gave him @ little sup- port, got him to a chair and onto It and Glosed the door. His lips were still making silent words “What is It?" 1 sald. “What do you want?” “Misser Schofield" he seid, “you help me—?" “if 1 ean, but [had to lean close to catch his words. He was a very sick man. I reach- fed for the phone and he lifted one hand ‘and shook his head. There was blood ‘on his hand. "No, Please. You find my—wife—Sue Yang, Give her—th ‘With great difflculty he reached In- side his coat and drow out a long en- Yelope. There was blood on his shirt He handed me the envelope and | ac- cepted It, handling it gingerly. ‘Why me?” I said "You friend—Max. “Max Gould?” He nodded. His eyes rolled oddly in bis face. “your wife,” | said. “Where can | find “Who did this to you! His lips moved soundlessly. He let go of his wounded belly with one arm and made a'sign with his hand, feebly, mov- Ing it In'a circle around his head, some distance out, a8 If describing a halo. t didn't get it. isten—" | sald Mr. Yang rolled his eyes up slowly. His gold teeth flashed In his twisted tr Trlalon of he er ond i open Sonwel Fava Toeaed. T looked at the bloodstained envelope In my hand, then folded (t and stuffed tin my coat pocket. | took a look at the bathroom door and picked up the Phone. “Give me the desk.” | said. | told the mystified clerk that 1 want- ‘0d a different room. He sald he would ‘send a boy up to show us one on the fifth floor. | also asked him to send & couple of policemen. “Police?” he spluttored. “Unhuh, Because that's why 1 want to change rooms. Because there's « ‘dead man in this one.” "He wae still spluttering when 1 hung up. But I had things to do. Things about Jeanaie. Luckily we hadn't got around to un packing much. I handed Joannie) her traveling dreas, slong with a slip and 1 palr of casual shoes and told her to (et dressed, and that 1 would explain tor. ‘Like hell,” she said. ‘She picked up one of the shoes to throw at me, but the quarters were close and she couldn't get much swing Into it. 1 ducked it nicely and got out of there. 1 pulled a sheet off the bed and draped It over poor Mr. Yang. It might ass for a large bundle of laundry, but probably not. Maybe | could manage to keep her from looking In that direction. ‘My hands were stained rust brown. | wiped them as well as 1 could on my shirt tail, stuffed It back where it be- longed and put’on my hat. Somebody knocked on the door. | checked in the ‘smoothed her skirt fond told her about Yang's bout faced and walked away to bathroom. took Yang's letter out of my pocket. tt was sticky here and there with blood. 1 was wondering whether to tum it ‘over to the police ar deliver it myself when there was an euthoritative knock fon, the door. “Just a minute,” 1 called. ‘On the concrete floor of the belcony wos a square of straw matting for a rug. | lifted a comer of it and slid the letter under. Then I wont fo the door. ‘There were two uniformed police of- “hetually, he wasn't very happy here.” | went Into the room and they came long with that “All right, Buster.” st titude. Mr. Carruthers hung around in "No, but I've seen a few in my time, | could be mistaken.” “You're from Los Angeles?” the dark ‘one sald. They would have checked thet fon arrival. "Uhh," | said, tat do you'do beck there? For a Tm—well, what I really am, if youhave to, know—I'm a private detective. “Oh.” ho sald. It was a big, fat, quiet, loquent “oh |! was strictly on vacation, I told them. | gave them all the facts | knew about Mr. Yang. They were very polite ‘and wished me a pleasant stay. When thay left | wont to the lobby and sent & telegram to Max Gould In Hollywood. Then | want to the fifth floor. ‘The scene that grooted me was a living plcture—like one of those punch- ed.up travel posters with a big, colorful plctorial map of someplace and an even bigger Miss Universe In a bikin! stand- Ing astride of or over it, as If she ‘owned the world, you know? Only Jean ‘le was Miss Universe without the bikin}. One of Jeannie’s most enchant- teristics Is her compulalon to take everything off at the slightest provocation, sometimes with: ‘ut any provocation at all—so far, how ever, only in private, ‘Spread out on the floor were the brochures she had picked up at the travel desk, the main item being a huge map of all the Hawallan Islands, with luscious green land and a deep blue sea. Jeannie was standing over It with her feet apart and her flets on her hips. and if the light had ight, she would have been throwing & {a9 ‘inating shadow over the Pacific pars- dise. Iw wrong. | wasn’t pro fascination. “What are you doing?” 1 perusing Jeanni “Just mapping @ trip,” she asked, “So am "Fun, tan't it?" “It sure fs, but there are some tough decisions. isis “Like, It's hard to choose betweer the rolling hills of the south and the mountains up north “Peter, you're not paying attention.” “Oh yés | am. And then agaln—" She swung her gorgeous right leg In ‘a slow arc ever the map and pointed with her scarlettipped big toe. ighty-ninedollar tour, we stay one night at Kona ‘and return late the next day. She traced the route for me with ind-ten,” she sald, It may bo the most romantic pace in the whole Islandot ‘ean ali the alan, Téon't know. kind of ike 1t down south th Hina? ahe seid, stil) studing 1'was out of my own clothes by now. Afterall two can play at that game. In fact ite's tox more. fan with two. not cooperating, Pete.” sho im just not getting to you. Ty agen,” | ved. “Til go along Sho turned around end looked at me for the fst time, Her ayes narrowed on ist come on across the bridge,” 1 She considered the suggestion and ‘shook her head. a “i's @ oneway trp.” she said. “How would get beck?" "ald thet to rest with five seconds of silence, “Besides,” Jeannlo said, moving to- ward her open suitcase, “i's lunch tne tnd tm hungry” 1 sihed. Resdng for the shower. owas prowilng ‘around. moodil, and fully dressed, when 1 came ovt of the showor. 1 couldn’ tell whether the ‘moodiness was because sho was dre dor hungry or worried. about Mr. Yang. the first was the most likely. T put on a Jacket, checked my waliet and Keys and wont out on the balcony. The bloodstained:envalope wes, wh Uhad eft tI held Te up to the light ‘again, {0:0 avail, sterted to open it, changed my mind, put It In my coat pocket and went inside, Jeannie was Sitting on the arm of a chalr, swinging jeady?” 1 That's always a gesser to pull on a wife who's been walting for you. ‘She got up without a word and head- ed for the door. Passing the bureau, she picked up @ booklet and handed It to me over her shoulder. | looked at It while T checked the door lock and Jeannie headed for the elevator. It was fone of, those “What's Doing “Around Waikiki" things, listing the places to go to be fed and amused. She had It open toa age end hed circled one of the listings with a penci ‘The ‘Surf Club," it read, “Open Seven Days @ Week. Dinner and Danc- Ing. Entertainment. Featuring the exotic Chinese dancing star, Sue Yang.” And finally, in parentheses, "Under New Management.” In a sober mood, | followed Joannie {from the room. Questions kept banging around In my head, along with some tentative answers. If this Sue Yang was Mr. Yang's wife, “with her name In the public guidebooks, why did he ask me to find her? How had she got lost? CHAPTER THREE ‘The Surf Club was on the spooky side. It sat far back from the Boulevard fon about ten acres of ground, planted {to coconut palms and banyan trees. ‘We were early for the spot. There was no traffic In or out, and we 3 back in the roomy, comfortable tex! ‘and. talked our dn ided It was time to go In. She had been through quite & day. Over lunch had filled her in on the disappearance ‘of Mr. Yang's corpse. Then, maybe to ‘get her mind off ‘things, she decid we would go window shopping. We hhadn't got back to the hotel til after five. We had spent about an hour with the spider Illy girl at the travel desk, planning 8 couple of Island hops, and by the time we got upstairs Jeannie was pooped and had fallen asleep. Al- together she had put up with a for of || frustration, with very little connublal ‘satisfaction, and the straln with begin- ning to tall. I wasn't feeling too comfortable my- ‘olf. Thore hi ppearance of Mr. Yang's body signified that some- body was watching awfully clost Upald Yoshi for the ride and told him that as wo hed no Idea what time we would leave the club, he could Brobebly do better than to al around walt for “Will walt.” he. said. "Nothing to do now this. sea: ‘Sult_yours {t_ maybe you'd lke to spend an ‘evening with the forily." Ho shrugged end looked inscrutable. "Better spend evening in cab,” he “More peace and quiet nd went “up over the veranda end Into’ the ‘pagan jungle of the Surf Club. It was depres Ing. There was a vast, empty room, full ‘of tables and chairs neatly placed, but without lights and ‘totally’ unoccupled. A high, Orlental screen separated the bg empty room from the foyer, which was also roomy and almost as doserted. ‘There were a couple of men standing around. One was a sixfoot'six guy who probably weighed in at close to three hundred; a real King Kong, of @ choco- late brown color He was dressed in a Hawallan shirt and dungarees and was bare-footed. The other wes e short, round-faced Chinese with a pale com: plexion who reminded me of a Los ‘Angeles policeman I had once known by the name of Sam Kool. This Semmy was dressed In @ tuxedo and a red cummerbund and in this. way he did not resemble Sam Kool at A broad Colonial-type staircase rose at one side of the foyer, climbing to the second story. It was roped off ot the first landing, but lighted ll the way up. | decided maybe there were living quarters up there for the staff ‘or the proprietors. Under the staircase ‘were rest rooms. "Can we get dinner here?” | asked Sam. nodded, deadpan, and pointed. found the empty dining room. J ‘more tightly than usual to my arm, “Maybe It's one of those places you "Where did you ever go to one of those places?” | her. “I can read, can’t I ‘Well, | wish you would read one of these inscrutable feces around here.” ‘Then we heard musi from off to the right, soft, undulating Hawallan music. "Come on,” | sald. Hand in hand, we made our way to in. progress. All floor, strung above ‘round a tiny dan: with paper lanterns and colored lights. Jeannie caught her breath.“No wondert" she murmured. A chiclooking hostess In white tinen showed us to 8 table and took # cock: {all order. On a platform atthe edge (Of the dance floor a Hawallan orchestra made with the guitars and some other ‘odde and ends. it wae nice quiet music. eal better?” | asked Jeannie. “i | felt any better they'd have to bring us a screen,” she sald. ‘The musicians took a break ond drifted ‘away from the stand. Pretty soon I caught the hostess’s eye and ‘asked what time Miss Yeng would her sppearance. Ise Yang won't be dancing to- right. I'm sorry.” she sald. ‘That's. a disappointment,” Jeannie he 11?" 1 asked guess if you had got kill be doing any dancing elther—not the same. night. “Uh-huh, maybe the next,” 1 sald. She finished her drink snd pushed the omty glass toward me across the table, I." she sald, “the main thing 1s to get rid of that envelope, So let's do crete eras ange cee nae eh eae te! rember ee bees See are Brae ms cear ats oe ieee 1 a i oo tents out of the envelope, taking note Teka aemest 1 ee ae Sicet meres Se ete at ee Sees eee Se St mer Pipe Bia eth Seba ead er Sin aie ee ir ag, toa eae ate a ir a ty vot a He bowed once more, “You come in" oes. you bet.’ 1 started. wey and turned back With no idee of what sort of fire I rig bate, Wanye tons hi iy name Schofild” | aa “t waa urged by & fiend of the family 0 toe Miss. Yang. I'd ike to sond her @ Setaell card, Could 1 ond We here?” “Yes.” he sald, “Most kind” “Not at all" | sald. "You have a very Interesting piace here.” ‘He. bowed. Toot eway then in a hurry, before he could have me doing It. Anyway. | had been too long away from Joannio. ‘The steaks were delicious. We of dered some wine and got a little high and applauded enthusiastically when the Tahitien dancer came out and did her fest shakes. We applauded the Howallan dancer's hulas, too, but less enthusiastically. Later we saw some ‘wonderful hulss and came to apprect fete them. But that night we were on the high side, very touristy and well fed, not to mention somewhat Itchy. "After the show we did a litte danc- Ing, if you could call it dancing on that litle floor. It was fun though, even the Jostling, like @ new step: one, two, three and bumpt one, two, three, etc, Jeannie got the giggles and started ‘chewing on my ear. Beyond the drinks ‘and the wine, there was something heady and wild in the atmosphere; ‘exotic aromas, the lanterns, the trope surf and that moon. The spell of it was thick around me whan, for some ree ‘s0n, | glanced up. Jeannle’s back was to the bullding and I saw lights up there In corer room on the second floor: soft, suggestive pink-and,jade lights through gauzy curtains. One of the curtains was drawn back and! sew the silhouette of @ Chinese gic in fone of the formfiting, highnecked dresses. She soemed to be looking down at the dance floor, but all the light was behind her so 1 couldn't be ‘sure, It was only a flash glimpse, but hadn't yet shaken off that f being watched and now the girl had edded herself to the list. Mra. 197 | wondered. Maybe I ought to find: out. Or mayba 1 ought to Tat R go, The music stopped and we went sey” ‘Then alip it to me. Ill tke it to the Powder room. It's time to blow thi Join anyway nl lug It out of my pocket and alid It, folded, across the table. Sho covered It with her hand and snaked It Into the big purse she was carrying. ‘As we got up to leave, | noticed that Sammy had disappeared. We went ‘through both dining rooms and on out to the foyer. Jeannie excused herself ‘and alld out of sight Into the powder ut if E i Fil i 3 tmant | apoke ‘my plece, Sue Yang, be- {Gon to make an appearance. | say "be- {Gen because she made It by degrees, Soming dawn the tlre. First, of tiny foot In black ilk lippe hallway to hor calf, the. sit dress, a blue-gotd: and little by ite, flashes of slender. creamy, naked leg. The hips snaked slowly downward, hugging the banister on one side, She had high, polnted breasts, upthrust ure dor the soft fabric. Her neck was half surrounded by ahoulderlength, _Jet- black hele. tt hung full and soft, fram Ing her pale, powdered. face. She tured It fo me slowly and looked st ime and 1 held my breath some more, Then drow in some ar, slow and shaky, and exheled tightly through my rose. ‘She smelled like a gardenia with pepper ‘on it. Her lips ‘wore. scarlet, Symmetrical, end full f timeless prom: ine, Her ‘nose was slender and tittle upturned at the tip. Her eyes wer round end black as her helt. Ao | climis td up the stalre to. within two. feet of her | noticed that her lashes wore alt an inch ong. it wasn't real. Tt was one of those dream faces t. guy tees in his sleep, the kind to get cant Op onan telend with, But there wes one offnote about It: her left eye Sported a shiner. She hed worked pret. {y hard with the makeup Kit to cover R, ‘but We wae. there; not. big, but enough to Keep her out of the show. Aslighe Indisposition; & emall mouse. was very sorry to heer you were wea” te ‘She half closed her eyes. end inclin- ed hor heed with dignity. Her face re- mained "closed, secret. 1 heard a Tustlng sound ‘and reelized she was Speaking to me. Her lips didn't move. Nobody must hear." she whispered. ‘You have some word from my hue. ben?" ‘My thoughts were bitter as bed beer. ‘Oh sure, lady, t thought. Right down tn th powdar room with my" sneaky But | whispered back, full of conte dence. doing a little of the venti Quiet bit myself: “At the. hotel. T didn't want’ to carry 1 around.” 1 glanced down over the banister and noted that king Kong and Semmy were watching us.""A\ thing. ran. down” my Spine like the cold feet of « mouse. Van withthe aid aay. |“Can you. meet me on pall, three o'clock tomorrow?" Lady, | was thinking, | can meet you In the’ middle of the Pacific in five minutes, if necessary. The spell broke lion pieces. There was the slam of door upstairs, followed by heavy foot- ‘steps. Simultaneously, | could see on the rim of my vision a red flash of hair as Jeannie came out of the powder room under us to join King Kong and Sammy. | kept looking up. panting like ‘a wind-broken horse. The footsteps kept coming above, “Tomorrow. Pali." | managed to mut- ter, and cravenly I turned and started down the stairs. “Oh, there you are,” Jeannie said. “yup.” ‘At the landing 1 paused and looked back. Sue Yang hadn't moved. One step up behind her was a guy about sixfeet- three, broad and red-faced, in a wrin- kled Palm Beach suit and a ten-gallon He was grinning down at me. “Howdy.” he said, booming It_ out. IkS havin’ a good time? That's said, “Just extending my best wishes. He grinned down over Miss Yang ‘and patted her fanay with a big, frlend- ly hand. She Just stood there. | almost choked. 'm not too squeamish, but 1 hadn't got all the way out of my dream yet and it was an obscene desecration. "Missed her in the show, eh? Sorry about that, A little under the weather, but she'll be back good as new tomor- row, eh, Susie? He stood there rubbing her bottom ‘and she stood there letting him. 1 ted to hit him. ‘Like to see folks have a good time,” the big guy._was booming. “Why ‘I bought the place.” And then, so help me, he came right out with it, boom: ing, “Ahm from Texas. Where y'all from, folks?” “Alaska,” 1 choked. ice meeting you. plunged down the stairs, nodded Jerkily at Sammy and then at King Kong and got hold of Jeannie's arm. She gave me a funny look "The big guy was leaning out over the banister with a white card in his hand, He tossed it toward us and it fluttered crazily to the floor ten feet away. ‘Name. is McGutfy.” he boomed, “Tex MeGuffy, Y'all come on back, hear, and have a drink on me. ‘Night, folks Say goodnight, Susie.” "Goodnight," she sald. That big hand wandered down her back again and | couldn't watch it any more. | tightened my grip on Jeannie’s farm and half dragged her out of the place, down the steps and over to Yoshi's black cab, parked off to one ‘Let's drive around @ little.” Jeannie said. ‘asked Yoshi to drive around. ‘Out by Diamon’ Head maybe?” he "Maybe. Fine," | sald pushed the window button and the warm night wind swirled softly through the car. It helped a little. Jeannie snug- led over and | put my arm around her mechanically “Was that her?” Jeannie asked, “| guess so. She said it was. Jeannie picked up my clenched fist ‘and moved it onto a likel her anatomy. | unclenched was about all. | was still burning un- der the collar. Jeannie put her hand on my face and swiveled It around to where she could look at It. “Lookee,” she said, giving me a small slap, “get little yella Cinderella (off your ‘mind, huh? This is me, re ‘momber?” “Yeah, honey, I'm sorry.” Jeannie wasted no time getting out of the cab when we pulled up at the hotel. 1 thought Yosh! was grinning @ little, but I couldn't be sure with him. He was always grinning about some- thing, I paused long enough to say, “Can you pick me up here tomorrow around wothirty?” 1 gave him an extra fat tip. He nodded happily, saluted and drove off ' looked around for Jeannie and she had disappeared. When I found her in the lobby her face was like a desert. “what?” | said ‘She pointed. Across the lobby. deep in a comfortable chalr. a small man in 2 neat black suit sat with a black fedora down over his eyes and a well- read but still neat newspaper folded on his lap. ‘And immediately, all at once, Max Gould wake up. CHAPTER FOUR He was a dapper. diminutive guy. dressed always in black, except on the olf course. where he was always in white. He wore his clothes well and was careful of them, He smiled up at Us with strong, even, polished teeth. “Hello, children,” he sald, nice evening?” “Up till now.” Jeannie said ‘were Just on our way upstairs. Maybe {you could give usa ring in the morn ing, huh, Max?” Max biinked at her. Going to bed? “At this hour? It's only micnight—what will you 60?” ‘Okay, Max,” Jeannie sighed. She flopped Into a chalr across from him and Max carefully looked a as her dress rode up. He was a ci fut man, Max. and successful one He was an importer, especially of dia- monds and other rare gems and curios. Thad done some routine credit checks for him and he had taken a fatherly interest in me, and inevitably in Jean- nile too. He was one of our favorite people, though you wouldn't know it from the way Jeannie greeted him. “Okay, Max.” | said, "where shall we go to talk He shrugged. “How about some Irish coffee?” “Sure,” he said A boy brought the coffee to our room and we sat around with it Jean XA “Easy, Fred—the jewel in her navel is bugged.” Gatorwith her grievance aired, felt bet- sleepy. told Max that Me. Yang was dead, he put his face in his hand and ‘head sadly. ‘After @ while and some coffee, he tus the background. T knew Chun Yang sbout thirty years. He waa an Importer end retail merchant In San Francisco—on honest man. Got along good with him. Never ‘Signed @ contract together—word ax ‘900d as—you know. ‘knew. It was equally true of Max. “Well.” he said, “a couple of months ago, Yang took a trip east—india, Sing- ‘pore, Hong Kong. He told me he wae (olng, offered to buy for me, but at the time, I wasn't buying much. | told him to enjoy himself, have a@ little fun for @ change, He looked cautiously at Jesnnie, who yawned. 1d he have fun?" | prompted. "1 don’t know," Max sald. “He got married. Then, about two weeks ago | yoneymoon in Honolulu now for a Couple of weeks already, and every: thing is great; he wants fo bulld a new home In'San Francisco, for the bride, ‘and.on top of everything lse, he's fome stones, diamonds. Beauties, he says. and i ‘on the ground floor if ‘Ware you Interested?” Max. shrugged. “Like I told Yang at the time—It he’s got something special, I'm always in- erested. He wasn't pushing, you un- derstand, But @ man can al ‘cash. especially right gots married. ‘We took a look at Jesnnle, but she seemed to be asleep. ‘What's with the bill of sale’ ‘sid. “if you and Yang were such bud- sles’ ond “all?” tlently—"it's not something between me—or him—and whoever we do bus ‘Ress with along the line. Proof of own- ler—there’s not ‘worth of hot mer- trust somebody. Not in. the diamond OF opinion, you know? Yang told me hie ‘wile wanted to go to work, as a dancer, ‘the had # good offer from a night club hore, He didn’t want her to do It. So ahe came on and sald hello and put It ‘up to me. Well—what could | say? | fad It wae nice to meet her. “Did ‘you, talk to Yang about any- thing else?” No. We'd already talked about twantyfive dollars’ worth.” ‘And you never heerd from him Well, by now | guess that would be yesterday moming. “What time?” “Around nine o'clock. He don’t sound like the same. guy. He's frantic. Some- thing about his wite—t couldn't make head or tall out of It, but I got the Idea there was some kind of trouble. T'was looking at him closely and he kind’ of avoided my eyes. This wasn't like Max, He shifted In bie chair, as If something small hed crawled up his pants leg. “You sent him to me, huh, Max?” ‘id. He nodded reluctantly. “What else?” | said. “For one thing, that deal for. th diamonds. | was ready to go ah with it. if Yang was jn money trouble Tt would be a nice thing all around. ‘paused, cleared his throat softly. “And you t00, Pete.-There’d be room for five, six thousand, sort of a com, lon for helping make the deal.” trying to determine whether she was asleep. Speaking a3 quietly #s possible, | told ‘Mox about our visit to the Suri Club. you?” he asked. ‘went to the bed where Jeannie had dropped her pi land snaked the envelop It. That Is, wo looked at i.” He took the two sheets out of the ‘envelope. He glanced at them, brought ‘ut a pair of glasses and looked more cerefully. Hie teeth began to show and hhe looked up suddenly, snapping the Paper with a finger. This te itl” he eeld. “This Ie the Bill | thought about it some more, took ther look at Jos “Where's the pall?” | asked him. ‘2 spot up the into Ita little deeper. It would be nice to have something to give her, though. If wo could get # copy of It, an obvious ORT cone” Ma ei, “1 tow 2 cate er ata ttt s noon tev “Sire y, but what's the deal? Why the phony document?” ‘Let me put It like this,” | said. “t never met Mes. Chun Yang. Neither Aid You, isht?” ight. “Wall, this trip to the pall is for a little fishing, If | cast the hook to the right spot, maybe we'll catch some: thing nice: maybe no “Okay, Pete. "Do you have Yang's address here In Honolulu?” I esked him. “Yash. He got out @ small black book and leafed’ through It sbout halfway. He told me what It was and I wrote It 1 nodded. “vd Tike to get a little sleep now. Max,” 1 sald. "One more. thing—to make it easier for me to got away to- morrow, will you come over and squire Jeannie’ to lunch or somewhere? Keep hher occupied?” “A pleasure,” he sald. “Noon?” “Around then. And you can slip me ‘the phony document. huh’ "Sure, Pete. Goodnight. F'got up to let him out. | closed the door, turned back to the room. Jeannie was sound asleep in her chelr. 1 mean, sho was asleep. No doubt it served me right, but | kept trying. | lifted her from the chale and put her on the bed and she slept Through it. | undressed her. no. re- sponse. | even fooled around a tittle, ‘and she didn't budge. | quit finally be- ‘cause it seemed sneaky. | tucked her Jn and got Into the other bed. CHAPTER FIVE slept fine. She wes still 3p at ten in the morning. ‘She was In deep pesc: got up end dressed quielty. | found ‘a pencil and a plece of hotel station- ery. Dear Freckles, | wrote. It was won. derful. Have a sleep. Max will take you to lunch if 'm not beck by ‘noon, Be nice to him, but seve a little for the old man. Happy daze. Pop. 1 slid it under a bottie of face lo- tlon where she was bound to see it, ‘got Into my Jacket. picked up my Iden. @ication stuff and left the room. U had breakfast in the hotel dining room and read the moming paper. There wasn't a word about Yang. | walked out to the front of the hotel‘and looked up a taxi. Yoshi wasn’t there, but | hadn't expected him. Our ‘appointment was for later In the day. Ttehad been raining off and on, th ‘streets were glistening and the alr was balmy and moist and sweetly scented. ‘The car stopped and my driver pointed off to the right, toward the beach. lumber you want one of these places,” he "sald. "Look lke nobody home, nowhere.” ‘There was @ row of half a dozen homes on a slight ridge that sloped down to the beach. | found the number Max had given me and pushed the doorbell. Nobody came. The front door ‘was locked and I tried the rear door. Te'swung open. Although the house was of western design, the furnishings were mostly Oriental. In the bedroom were twin beds with @ rumpled nightgown and negligee on one of them. A pair of satin mules eat on the floor. In a cor- ner was a wardrobe trunk plastered ‘with travel stickers. There were a good many art objects In the hall, including a lolly bronze Buddha on a slim teakwood column with ‘a sliding tray forming part of its base. A large vase had tipped off 9 high table ‘and smashed on the parquet floor. There were other signs of a scut- fle: abrasions, scars, as of heavy shoes sliding. Leading from a desk to the front door was 2 double trail of ragge: brown splotches. On a telephone stand near the front door was a notepad with the names "Max Gould,” “Pete Scho- field” and “Hotel Lellani” written on the top sheet. It was hard to escape the conclusion that Mr. Yang had been ‘attacked in his own home and then, ‘when his attacker had fled, had made his way to see me. | was about to step outside when @ ccar ‘turned into Yang's driveway a Stopped, | tumbled into the open lanai at the rear of the house and hid be- hind 2 maze of potted palms. | could ook, Into the bedroom. What | saw didn't surprise me. The mysterious visl- tors were my old pals Sammy and Kong. Kong was stuffing the nightie and negligee and the mules into a drawer fa the open wardrobe trunk. Sammy was fiddling with the combination, of the wall safe. He didn't have to fiddle Very long. It opened all right for hi He reached in and felt around and his hand came out empty. He looked round. the room unhappily, started opening drawers and looking under pillows. Kong was looking In other Grawers, taking out lingerie and blows: tes and one thing and another and stuff- ng. them into, the trunk. Every once inva while, when Sammy's back was turned, Kong would look at him, a5 if checking on his position. ‘Sammy appeared to have exhausted the possibilities in the bedroom. He took a last quick look through, the Gresser drawers while Kong closed the big trunk. Sammy started out of the room. He was Just short of the door into the hall when Kong turned around 's | watched, open-mouthed, hit Sammy. Kong hit him just once with his closed fst on the back of the neck, 8 short, downward chop. and. Sommy Gurad ip onthe floor thaw @ sound (ong. stooped, picked up Semvmy’'s ankles and’ dragged him back into the oom’ and. out of the way. Then he ‘went Sack to the trunk, lied it with Both hands the woy 1 would it a car ton full of groceries, and carried it out {o the hall end ost sight of him. waited about @ minute and a half stunned by what | Hed Just seen, and ‘wondering what the hel wes going. on here. The barefoot monster came back from the ball into the bedroom, pick fed Sammy up and draped him over his Shoulder and disappeared with him. 1 ‘moved out ofthe ite jungle and hung tround the lanai, waiting some. more. I'peard car doors slamvon the ve, the throb of the. motor starting. and going sway. Then if was. quiet CHAPTER SIX tt was alittle after noon when 1 got back'to the hotel. | scouted the. pool erafully and found Jeannie inher Stneuit on a chalae, longue and. Max sitting beside her in hie Black sult and fat, looking uncomfortable in the sun, Pretty soon Jeanate got up and walked foward” the swimmer's entrance, I veatched her til she disappeared, then Went in and caught up with Max (0 the lobby, 1 told him about my visit to, Yan house, His eyes, wore full of ques: tone but he didnt waste valuable time Inenttoning them Dig you get the copy of the bill of sale?” {asked him He took, it out of his pocket and handed it to me "Good boy tras 10 co the bill of sale, allright: ‘and the phony version looks authentic at first glance, but Is obvious Enough fo arouse. plenty of suspicion TFthe doll fant all She says she Is.” Mi Guck out now. You can ‘tell her you haven't seen me.” “Spoor deanie.” *Yeuh, Wel, is for her own good Think of the coat she can. buy with Ivey stuthousand. dollars." ‘ae’ careful, Pete watched Jeanie leave the hotel fon Mace arm and mixed @ measure of Boutoon. with some. selfpity. Then | Rat! lunch inthe coffee. shop, finished af with” another bourbon "and sat Ground on the terrace. a whi ing the swimming pool, At about one- forgive | went up to the room. The was a radio up there, and 1 tue Grand eft it'on while T shaved SRowered ‘and dressed. There. was ® focal newscast about ‘ifeen, minutes long, but no reference to Mr. Yang- Tog stl hadn't found him Kt made m= nervous. T fooked through the closet, where 1 had ‘hung my shict the dey before: {noone Yang had spilled blood on. it moos there, We had gone. to Tunch Wane clock and hadn't come back it eald. “Old your copy until five. Then we had gone out returned at midnight Thad accumulated a few items of laundry. 1 added a couple of clean shirts to it, made a respectable look- Ing. bundle ‘and went out to the hall ‘A chambermaid was trundling a canvas Taundry cart. | waited in the open door- way til she reached mo. I smiled. She paused, edging away from a probable Indecent proposal. | held up the bundle, just wondering about my laundry,” 1 sald, fF your name is on it, sir, Tl t It for you. Oh, Ill take it,” seid, “if you'l tell me where to go. Down in the base- ment, isn't it?” “Yes, sir. Past the elevators.” She smiled back then, being no long fer wary of the indecent proposal. | Tocked the door and took my paper sack to the stairway and down to the fourth floor. ‘There was some clatter in progress at the far end of the corridor from “where our original room had been. Two or three doors stood open down there. A flatbed dolly with side racks sat out in the hall. There were a couple of fat rolls of carpeting on it. 1 wandered down there and looked into one of the ‘open rooms. Two Japanese men, work: ing with quick effclency. were laying 1. working from with the fur- hiiture stacked on the bare side. It ‘would be a cleaning service, | figured, that would take up soiled carpeting and put down clean on a kind of rotation pattern once or twice a year. Two. chambermaids wer down the hall, One of them laid a stack fof Tresh linens across one comer of the laundry cart and disappeared through the door marked STAIRWAY. The other unlocked and entered the oom in which Jeannie and 1 had lived for 2 few hours and In which Mr. Chun Yang had dled. When I reached the room, she was remaking the twin beds. She was @ iybullt Japanese itl, with @ face fas noncommittal as any | had ever Seen, She wore her hair in 9 pony fail. an unusual style and effective on Not any more." terday. | dropped by—seem to Inga shit She’ looked at me with that prety mask. 2 white shirt” | said. “I thought 1 oft hanging tn the closet when we thanged rooms: ‘Sha glanced at the closet. {took it for an invitation, stepped in, opened {he door and took @ Tock. Turing back Ther ‘busy agoin with the bed mak: ing shook my head ‘ot there. Do you remember seeing it yesterday?” $5"Geve me another of those looks. Sot here yesterday. Just working for tiend today" "Oh Well, sorry to have dlaturbod found seventhirty. that evening and18 1 took a lok a the carpet whore war Yang hed deg, But count toe ter pore eden of an te Eotore ith the two cone. wr moun ‘tao much ss vidones, bat rear of my nnd. “AF you ron Sr eeter “Thanks. anyw ‘across it, my name Is. Schofi Schofield. Room five-ffteen.” ‘My name had no apparent effect on her, She nodded her Impassive face fand went on with her work. As | left the room, the two rug cleaners, we trundling thelr dolly with the rolledup ‘carpets on It to the freight elevator. 1 watched them make the corner and y3¢ the load Into the cage, Another levator stopped and | got in and rode {fo the basement, with three stops In betwoon. ‘When I reached the basement, they were pushing the dolly out onto loading platform. A goodsized panel truck was sitting out there. The two men swung the hoavy carpet rolls Into the back end. The name on the truck ‘was: KLEEN-AITE Rug and Carpet Clean- ‘There was an address that didn't mean anything to me. ‘They brought the dolly inside again ‘and started away past me toward the ‘exit ramp. | moved out from the wal. ‘smillng cheerfully. and ssked if | could speck. to them for a minute—about rugs. Theit faces were flat as drawn window shades. ‘Now lunch time,” s seemed to be In charge. They went. | felt rolected, but after all It was getting latish and we all have to eat. I looked at the truck again ind. decided it wouldn't take long to pause at the room with @ carpet, roll Mr. Yang up in it and get it down to the truck, They would know, too, how to clean up small stains in a hurry and blood Isn't hard to clean for 2 casual inspection, found a door marked VALET—24- HA, SERVICE, and went in with my paper sack. An elderly Chinese accept- fed the package and gave me a pencil and a laundry list to check. | checked It and turned it over. Thora was a pile of heavy duty laundry bags In one corner. Some of the linen carts were lined up nearby, Getting my shirt that far would be easy encugh. Just lift it down from the closet. dump It in one of the carts and get It down there. Then pretend to find it But why? To put the finger on me? Pretty slit, | was rapidly getting mys state. of bofuddlement. | from the basement into the airy lobby, took a look out over the pool, saw ‘nothing sensational and walked out to the main entrance. Faithful Yosh, with his bleck sedan ‘polished to a’ high sheen, was walting on the loading drive. He. bounced out, opened. the rear door, hesitated end glanced around curiously. ‘Mis" Schofleld not ready?” ha sald, Schofield not taking this trip,’ the one who If Into a Imbed up | sold, We got sway and we went. He was hell of @ good driver, fast, smooth ‘and quiet. A little sulky, maybe, be- ‘cause’ Jeannio wasn't with us, but 1 1 missed her it was a beautiful trip. After we left the clty behind, there wore extonsive estates with luxurlant gardens. Then we came into 8 park area and started what turned ‘out to be the long climb to the pall. “You want me go up the road, turn ‘round? he said. jell no,” | sald. “This Is @ business appointment. Take about a minute and @ half.” Tho wind was blowing like crazy and I had to shout to make myself heard 1 could tell he heard It, all right, but he didn’t believe it, not for thirty sec fonds. As far as he was concerned, | was practically In the act of commit- ting adultery right there on the spot “Get those Ideas out of your hen 1 growled at him. “Til be right back. I grabbed the door handle on. the offside. gave a push and nothing happened. 1 could feel the wind tear- Ing at the car Yoshi got out with some doliberation, came to the door and pull- ed It open, br 1 elim " ‘against the wind—he bowed ceremont- ously. 1 could have given him one in the teeth, except that t needed ride ome. Sue Yang, Lotus Blossom, Flower of the East, hadn't looked around. Sho —. ‘stood looking away and the wind mold- ‘ed the sheer dreas tight to her alm, ‘willowy treme and her black page-boy bob blew slmost straight out from her pale columnar neck. By rights, she ‘Ought to have blown over, but sho did- nt She didn't have her clgaret holder ‘out. It wouldn't have done any good to ‘came to think of It, was a car, or any ‘other kind of transportation. Possibly ‘had come by magic carpet. Or she ‘might even have flown in under her ‘own power. Power she had plenty of. Thad felt the blast of It only the night before. Her voice was a whisper on the wind. ‘Did you bring the message?” I nodded. She stood with regal calm, rot ‘extending her hand, not anxious. Hor hair tossed fitfully about her neck. Vopened my coat to get at the Inside pocket ind nearly blew It off. F got It buttoned again and brought out the envelope, holding It tightly. Her ‘eyes held on my face and then, Irre- aistibly drawn, lowered to look at the prize. | held onto It. At once she turn- ‘ed her head and gazed away over tt pall, calm and Impassive. | held the fenvelope In my left hand, well out in plain sight, and she made no move fo take It or even look at It. 1 glanced around over my shoulder and Yoshi wag hunkered down behind the wheel, pretending not to notice. The Flower Of the East stood gazing into the vast distance, atralght, slim, Uke a fragile reed, untouched by the wild storm. It ‘was Just too damn cool. AS If moving by Itself, my right hand worked its 1 grinned at her and held up the envelope. She struggled for @ while with her face and finally got it aet ‘again. She looked scorntully st the ‘envelope and reached for It. thought of something. The blood: stains. When 1 piled it back, her face ‘thumb under the flap, lifted It and drew ‘out the contents, the two pages of phony bill of sale, In Chinese. | gos- ‘could have that, but V wanted to save the envelope nodded, Impatiently 1 thought, and ‘snatched the document. | watched her ‘open and glance at It and appear sat- lafled. 1 stuffed the bloody envelope in my pocket and looked around. “Give you @ ride home?" | asked, istocratlc hand to her held up my hands to show I had no funny business In mind. “Do you want a ride back?” 1 shout-it wasn't quite. th before. Not bad though. The meeting was over She regained her dignity, straightened ‘away from me and once more tumed In that Impassive, exotic feshion and gazed Into. the same old space. The two folded sheets of white paper had given her bent and rattied In the wind and shu didn't lose her grip on them, | went back to the car. Yoshi didn’t ‘open it up for me this time. When | ‘caught sight of his face, he wae grin- hing painfully, as. if he didn’ really want to but couldn't help It. I got in and let the door slam and shook my coat into shap t's go, huh?” | said, ‘Down now?" he asked, getting it During the time It took us to tun round on the. shallow turnout of the Dall, my dream git stood with her back {o us, looking. away. just a3 when we hd rived kop hen sight tong 3. could and then the curve’ wiped er ue 7 shi" 1 sald, “do. you mind play- Ing a little cops and robbers?” = He thought Tt over for 8 whl "You ‘mean—ike go round pinch ladies?" he said. : ee “Well, sort of.” All right" he sald. “What we do?” “We ge down here at 8 good clip— pretty fast—and find © place to. get GH the road and out of sight, and we T hoped he wouldn't have to go too far to find a turnoff. Ho didn’t. About half a mile. Then he applied the brakes In a calculated, slow, smooth manner, and suddenly there was a turnoff and a narrow dirt road leading away from It Into woods. The foliage slapped at us as Yoshi pushed the car away from the highway. Pretty soon he stopped. ‘could still see the road pretty well for quite a stretch and I looked at him, Questionin Gan see road all right, can't see us from road. All right. Then 1 could hear the car coming. & big, strong motor, tires squeaking around the curves. It came fast, yet It seemed to take It forever to get into view. It was a blager car than Yoshi's, longer, heavier and maybe blacker. but ier. It showed around & curve, carcened slightly, straightened Up and went on down. it passed the turnoff and I got a square look at It. The driver was the big doorman from the Surf Club, King Kong. Beside him. Inthe middle, at. Lotus Blossom, On the outside, his round, moondike ooking straight ahead, sat Sammy of the red sash, They barreled on and out fof sight_and hearing down the long ‘canyon road. Talghed ond relaxed in, the seet Well, at least Kong hadn't killed Sam- sy gth that sudden assault back in ang" honeymoon cote roan looked st mo for» moment, 3 got under the wheel, “She pret tmad You ploched her, hun?” he seid, “Shove not nearly ‘as mad ‘now. eo aho will be pretty soon," | sald, “We can 90 now." THe becked out of the jungle and got ‘onto the highway and then ‘we. were falling smoothly, not 30 fast. down th that a?” “Sure.” he sald. Honolulu, 8y the river.” “Wouldn't be much out of the way, a the way, want to go by there?’ in a manner of speaking. yes.” ‘My question, Misser Schofield, Is— which we are, the cops or the. rob- era?’ T laughed. | couldn't help it. | knew it was rude and | tried to stop but | couldn't. And pretty soon Yoshi was laughing too: happy as. always, and everything was all right. It had been a very tough question, CHAPTER SEVEN Downtown Honolulu didn’t have any- thing on any other busy, dirty, raucous American city. Yoshi picked his way ‘with some distaste along a crowded Street and paused before 8 fourstory Toft. building that carried the. sior KLEEN-AITE—Rug & Carpet Cleaners. He insisted on walting for me. Taside, Ina room roughly the size ium, rugs were stretc ‘drain boards and half @ crawled over them with foaming detergent and scrub brush a desk In a cramped service are front door, sat my little Jap- bermald, the one who did- n't know anything about my, shirt. “are you In charge here?” | asked. “No,” “ahe ald, “My husban’—he 1s that’s the way It should be,” 1 sald. ‘A cold sweat tickled at the back of my neck as | thought about the recep- tlon | was likely t0 get from Jeannie was working down the hall today— when | asked you about that shire?” ‘She nodded. "Sorry | didn't know about your shirt HH right, We just that It was: kind of @ special shirt. Had blood on Kes (No reaction. The hell with it ‘talking to you.” | sald. The door to the private office open- ed and a guy backed out of It, « big alittle of the rug cleaning man, Mr. Kloor-fite. Twas edging along the wall trying to make the front door unseen, but the big Texan turned around ‘ust then son! he boomed. He shook hands with one big paw and slammed the other one down on my back. My teeth banged together sharply. “ahim just down here seein’ to things.” he sald. “Tryin’ to get the Club up igo. only bought I Tate, you “1 know." t sald. He was crowding me out the door. | trled to nod goodbye to the Japanese girl, but | couldn't see around him. "Say, son," he boomed as we hit the street, “you got a car waitin It would have been ridiculous to say ro, Yoshi had already got out and was feah, "Mind givin’ me a lift?” big Tex sald. Tent mine out and It aln't back yet, far a3 I know. 2 It @ long, black one?” | asked. “Yee, suh, son," he sald, “How'd you know?" “Just guessing,” 1 seid He crowded me Into the back st slammed the door. Yoshi gave me Took and 1 shrugged. He got under the ‘wheel and backed us carefully into the raffle, Tex MeGufty wes waving those big hands. | kept having @ picture of them fooling around Sue Yang and it stil bothered me. He leaned across the back of the front seat as if he owned everything In sight, end sald to Yoshi, fey, sonny, you drop us by the Royal Hawalian, huh? | want to buy this gentleman a drink.” Sok." | sald, “I've got to get bac ty wife's expecting mi He looked at me with suspicion. int you stayin’ at the Royal Ha- waiiant” he sald. fo, At the Leifani he sald. Thon, cheerfully, bear- ing up, "Well, it's a right nice hotel, 10. ete 0" pocket Tex McGuffy reached Into his pocket ‘and brought out e slim, pearl-handied Irrife. He hefted It In his palm a sec- fond, then did something that suddenly produced a gleaming six-inch blade. 1 le. He grinned. Ho sat beck calmly. he en trimming he fingeralts. Ho was ore food att | guessed he probebly used | ho Wo qut his steaks with, too,1 quaas everyting Is bigger In Tex i. nn if you ain't right” he sak. “You know—betwaen you end me, con fidentilly, since I been over here, they can have Texas. | been there. It's cold In tho winter and hot In the summer. had al that. Since | got over here, | feel I ow man. Had two big breaks, followin’ each other. 1 got me ‘Surf Club—cheap—and I slgned up Susie. Now ® man can't do better'n that tryin’ “Sure,” | sald. "That gltl Is. goin’ to make that Club, ‘you know that?” He gestured with the kite, scowling, fed back out of reach, digging for seat. "That poor kid." he. ras like to die of misery til got hold of her.” “Sho was unhappy?" 1 sald. “Unhappy? Son, sho was livin’ like a slave, kicked around—she was married to this miserable little squirt, wouldn't fet her do nothing’, mistreated her. Flight after she went to work for mo, he kept comin’ around the Club, both ‘you kiow-—t finally had to throw him out.” "You don't say.” 1 said. True as I'm sittin” here,” he said. "Some kind of two-bit businessm. from San Francisco. You know, went fever to Hong Kong. figured he could pick up a Chinese girl cheap, treat hor like in the old days, make 2’ slave out of her.” Weil.” 1 sald, We were approaching the Royal Ha- walian and Yoshi slowed, looking for ime in the rear view mirror. Tex MeGut- fy snapped his knife shut and put it away and | edged into view. | nodded to Yoshi and he pulled into the Royal Hawaiian entrance. I decided the time had come to assert mysolf "Vil have to take @ rain check on that drink,” 1 He scowled @ little, but he took it all right. Backing out of the car he hhad to twist his neck out of line to get the hat in the clear. ‘Thanks Just ‘All right, son.” he said. “You come round to the Club. Suste'll be dancin’ ‘again now.” He locked at me sharply. Well, you talked to her last night there, you saw what that litle bastard jone to her. eye! 1 shook my head sadly. He reached In and pumped my hand, ‘Thanks for the ride, son. Bo you. He pulled a twentydollar bill out of his pocket and tossed It into the front seat There you go, sonny.” "You're a good driver.” Yoshi looked at me via the mirror and I shrugged. thanks Very much," Yosh! said, ‘So long now.” McGulfy said. He turned abruptly and stalked away. ‘Yoshi pulled out of the Royal Hawalla drove a block and 2 half and stopp t the entrance to the Lellan he sald. It was the late cocktall hour and the hotel was bustling. That could account for the fact that they took me by sur- vise. 7 I was standing at the elevator, wait- ing, whan the two of them stepped UP {ulety. One wes tho big, dercakinned folic officer of the day before. and fhe other was his sidekick, the blond Mr. Schofield.” the dark one ssid auiety, “wel, have to ask you to ith us. ‘Yes, sir." he sald. 0 they must have found Yang. “Well,” I stalled, “could 1 let_my wife know? She's been expecting "the dark "She spoke to us.’ ‘What did she say? fhe dark one moved his feet. ‘Well, she said—" He choked on It briefly, then tried again. “She said, ‘I don't care where you take him. Just don't bring him back." "You're sure It was my wife,” 1 sald. the blond boy said. CHAPTER EIGHT They opened the siren from time to time on the ride downtown. It was all the sound they did make until we en- tered a building with familiar hospital ‘odor about It and stepped into a room with some very depressing tables here ‘and there. One of the tables was oc- cupled. Without ceremony, the da cop yanked the cover back. | took @ Took, turned around and held on to my. stomach. “Is that your mysterious visitor?” ‘one of them asked 1 nodded. "Yeah, | guess it fs.” A guy In plain clothes ca ling. There was a newspaper aticking ‘out of his coat pocket. He Joined us ‘and nodded all ‘around, showing his teeth, “This Ie our frend Mr Schoteld?” he ne of the cops sald it wa: Let's go find a quiet place and talk things over.” he sald happily | went right along. | couldn't get out of there fast enough. In, whis- It wasn't too bad In the room we finally came to rest In. There was pler ty of light and fresh air and there were some chairs to sit on. The dark cop mumbled something and left the room ‘and the boy from Nebras) plainclothesman stood. around. y name Is Jack Bishop” the pain clothesman said. “'Sergeant.” ‘said. "Mine's Schofiold.” feah.” he sald He offered me a cigaret and | shook my head. chicken, He shruggt mart, maybe.” he ssid. My stomach was raising hell again. 1 sald, ‘Where did you find him?” | said, [__“oh—" he estured vaguely, “down there, not far from the foot of Hotel | He chuckled. “Well, ‘glad to, have you. Hope you enjoy your stay. tm trying.” "You don't mind telling me, 1 hope, Just what happened between you and this Mr. Yang yesterday morning?” So I ran it off again. When | finished, ergeant pushed out his lips and whistled a little and lit another cigaret ‘walked around some mor ‘Well, did you find his wife? Did you give her the envelope?” he asked ‘when | finished, “Yosh, 1 did.” “What ta his’ wife's name T sald." "Sue' Vang. She's a 10 Surf Club.’ He trowned. He dnt ike something “Incidentally, what wes done to him?” “I was about to ask you,” | sald. He’ thought it over a while, then shrugged. ‘S near as we can tell, somebody stuck @ kalfe in him.” “it wasn't mo,” 1 sald. Bishop got to brooding again. “Look.” 1 said, “I'm anxious to co- operate, if only to get this over with 80 1 can get on with my vacation, Ill sive you all you need to check me out —fingerprints—I've got » complete s fon file with the Los Angeles police— He gave me a funny look, "Nobody here is accusing you of ‘anything, Mr. Schofield.” “rm glad to know It,” | sald. he sald, “I'll take you ‘up on, the cooperation, temporarily at il right." 1 said carefully. “Shall we go? 80,” 1 sald. “Will It take “Oh, Just a minute,” he sald. When I looked back, he had a desk drawer open and was hauling some- thing out of It, white cloth, 's blood on It." “Yeah. When Me"Yong fll naturally I tried to catch him. Some of the blood ‘on the shirt, Unavoidable.” did you get it?” “it turned up in the hotel laundry You see, we did make He was giving me that odd look, | found myself shaking my head back ‘and forth mechanically,“Couldn't have,” I sald. “I never sent that shirt to the ‘leundry.” He looked odde he sald thoughtfully. ‘would appear to me, Mr. Schofield, that somebody has « big eye on you. "Yeah." "71d lke to keep this for a few daye he sald, stuFing the shirt back in the 1 shrugged. He closed the drawer ‘and moved to Joln me, “Let's go see what we can find,” We rode In the back seat of a big. official car. Bishop didn't bother to tall ‘me where we were going. They seldom do. We chatted about the westher and the Islands and he gave me a rundown ‘on the places we ought not to miss, ‘and thus the time pi It was early and there was very ttle traffic moving Into the Club. Sam guessed we could see Sue Yang, If she was In. ‘Sho came down about the same way she had that first night I'd seen her, ‘carrying the long cigaret holder. | held my breath es ehe crossed the foyer. Her big eyes glanced at the Sergeant, then held on mo the rast of the, wa) but | couldn't They were blank, bowed slightly turn, with great dignity. “Mra, Yang?” Bishop sald. “Mrs. ‘chun Yang?’ She bowed agein. Bishop was gentle ‘and sympathetic. “1 regret,” he ‘bad news for you, about your husband.” ‘know, Sergeant,” she ssid quietly. “My husban’ Is dead.” 1 looked at her eyes closely. They didn't tell mo a thing. The shiner was much Improved, slmost Invisible “Oh, you knew.” Bishop sold. leaned of it @ short time ago,” ‘he sald. "Somebody here read it in the evening paper—that you found him." ‘She was pretty great, all right, Either ‘she didn't giva a damn whether he was. ‘alive or dead, or ahe was, in true Oriental fashion, masking deop grief. There was no way to be sure. "Vm sorry you had to learn of It that way,” Bishop sald. could see hi her calm reaction. ""Had you beer—domiclled with your husband, Mrs. Yang?” he asked, beg your pardon?” a “Were you living with him “Only untll two days ego,” she sald. ‘quarreled. | wished to proceed my career and he wished other- TThed an engagement at the Club boing nonplussed at ‘So you moved out of your husband's house before he was killed.” ‘Was he killed?” sho sald, Bishop did some blinking. It hadn't occurred to me thet Yang might have started to do himself In followin ‘quarrel with his lovely wife, the changed his mind at the last minute— ‘Rot quite soon enough. “Apperently he was, ma'am,” he sald. “vm Very sorry. Do you know of any: fone—any enemy of your husband's— ‘anyone who might have wanted to kill “Ho hed ». Not customers. The. brisk fidgeting around near Tex McGufty In his big hat was coming across the foyer to- ward us, The glant Kong was leaning inst the newel post with his arms folded, and Sammy, in his red cum- merbund, was standing part way up, heed at mo. “Hello son,” he sald. He put hls arm.around Sue In a pro- priatary way. ia young lady Is my star, fea ‘She's had quite an upset. 1 don't want ‘nobody botherin'—" Bishop was showing his |. D. card. McGuffy blinked at It 'm slways ready to cooperate with the police,” McGuty sald. “But we got ‘2 show t0 do here ‘tonight. Why don’t MoRESAND MOTEL foou -rv AR veh | ‘i > _— “Forget the pool temperature; ‘are there any gitls in it?” You come back end see Susie sfter- had @ chance to recuperate, I'l take care of everything, expenses and all. 1 already told her that. After you ‘get the place cleaned up down there—" at place? 7 1 house there, where Yang got It. | told Susie I'd have It all renovated, the wants to move beck in thers ‘while, t's very kind of you, Mr. McGut- Ishop sald. I, It aln't nothing’. Anybody'd do "guess 30,” Bishop sald. ‘nodded pleasantly et Sue Yang, tthe others, put his ut. I walked out behind him. I didn't try to catch any- body's eye. | didn't dare. ‘We got into Bishop's cer and drove out toward Diamond Heed. He didn’t have to tell me where we were golt this time. Neturally, he would have hi the boys checking ‘Yang's house. His driver slowed suddenly, felt his way slong a dark street and turn Into the drive that wound up to Yang's front door. There was @ police car sit ting In front of the garage. “Oh.” Bishop sald as we got out. thi, morning, Ho gave me some more fillin. Hivoice hed a droning quality thet made re sleepy. | only half listened. | was {gazing beyond him, my eyes lightly Sut of focus, and I happened to start Tooking at thet happy Buddha on the teakwood column. | waa thinking about the way It was made, a3. an incense burner, with the holes and all, and won- dering why the light of the’ lamp be- hind it didn’t show through anywhere. ‘The officer sald something to Bishop. “excuse hap 981d to me. "Be right back. He went toward the reer hall with the officer, | heard them in the kitchen, the back door opening. | looked at the Buddha, He grinned at me. | walked ‘over thero and put my hand on his hhead to keep him from tottering. When Mtrled to pull cut the sliding tray he ‘appeared to bo sitting on, It tuck. | ‘could wiggle it, but 1 couldn't slide It '@ softness holding It more and ou fraoly. to It from tho bottom and found tA black pouch the size of a ‘wadded man’s sock had been stuffed In- ot Ite size and blackness could easily account for the trapping of the light. | wouldn't have taken an oath on what was. In the pouch, but | could make a respectable guess. Bishop ‘would be coming back any moment. 1 hhad a choice of getting In worse trou- ble then anything yet, or of letting priceless objects fall into the wrong hands. By "wrong hands” I referred to ‘any except mine, Max Gould's and those of the widow ‘As a decision, it wasn't too tough. 1 gave a pull on the soft, black pouch. It fell Into my palm. 1 slid It into, my pants pocket and replaced the Buddha fn its stand. 1 hed put the Incense tray Into place when | heard Bishop and the, other offer retuning from the tchen, “Care to see the rest of the house?” he said | looked at my watch. “Well, If I'll the game to you—" “Oh sure,” he sald, “Thoughtloss of me, You want to get back to your wife. Ill drop you at your hotel.” We chatted pleasantly—and_ point. lessly—as we rode to the Lellant and V promised to keep In t thanked me for my pati goodnight, went In and got in the votor, floated up to the fifth floor and down the hall to our room. It was nit thirty and. surely my little redheaded fury’ would be home from dinner by this time. It wasn't until | had Inserted the key In the lock that the full effect of Sergeant Bishop's charm came through to me—somewhat in the man- nner of @ rap on the back of the skull. No matter what else I'might have ta ‘mind about the murder of Chun Yang: ‘sure as | was about fo surprise my redhead In tub or shower, or at least some deshabille, | was working basle- aT aly for Sergent Bihop, Honolua po ica. Free of charge! Ubraced myself, worked yp a happy ‘grin and ploughed Into our boudoir, Eicking the door shut hard and noially behind mo. "There was no sound of @ shower, no ‘aplashing In the tub. | looked in there ‘and found nobody. | opened the drapes ‘and looked out on the balcony, same reault. | even checked the closet. There wasn't any Jeannl ‘rdid a double take and looked once more in the closet, Her traveling sult twas hanging where It had always been. ‘There was a pair of shoes on the floor tnder I That was all. Her sultcase was ‘gone and Were gone with It. | hed been walked out on. CHAPTER NINE I stalked around some and told off quite a few people, including Sergeant Bishop, Max: Gould and my loyal wife. Thinking of Max brought me back to the pile of clothing ta dumped on one ‘of the beds. | rummaged around and brought out the pouch I'd anitched from the heppy Buddha. it was a small pouch, old and soft and well used. When I squeezed It with my fingers | could feet hard objects like kernels of corn. 1 loosened the fraglle-tough drawstring and dumped the contents ‘onto the bedspread. ‘Some corn. All | knew about dle- monds was @ skimpy accumulation of pointers that Max Gould hed glven me id | wasn't too sure of most of them. But | knew that thelr best friends. girls, would go pretty far for them. Crimes had been committed over them, crimes ‘of murder, mayhem, and grand theft. tossed one of the medium-sized ones {In my palm greedily. A man could get himself back In his wife's good graces ‘with only that much 1 slid them back Into the pouch, tight- ened the drawstring and looked for a 20 to stash them tomporarily. It bout fifteen minutes and | solved the problem by slipping the string of ouch over a coat hanger, a0 that hung down inside my Jacket. Against It showed oniy dimly. ‘round 20 that 1 ‘door should stand open, only the back of the Jacket would be visible. 1 thought about how horrified Max would be. 1 thought about Max ‘some more. | needed Max. Certainly it would be possible to talk to Max without mentioning the pride-shatter- Ing thing of Jeanna with the bright red got in the shower and It felt pretty ‘900d. After a shave and a good towel- Ing I didn't feel-sorry for myself any more. | felt brisk and tingly and ready for a big evening, and nobody to spend i Along about tenthiry | decided 1 would have to get something to eat. V toyed with the thought of ‘ordering It sent up, but eating alone is not one of the thrills of married life, With @ ‘combination of reluctance and urgency, Trgot off the bed and looked In the dresser for a clean palr of shorts. 1 had them In my hand, of all places, when the knock come st the door. 1 dropped the shorts. Ail 1 could ‘think ‘of, with savage triumph, was something like, “Aha, me proud’ besu- ‘yf and t made for the door, yanked Tf open and stepped back. “Oops,” | think | sald when | saw Sue ‘and came on in, ‘backed off some ing, with no place to took over at the door, pushing it to behind her and reaching back with her Teft hand to punch the lock. She would- iit take her eyes off me, and this both ‘ered me at once because I'm not an ‘unusual specimen of masculinity, 1 ‘mean, I'm all right, but I'm not any’ Mr. America. Rallying, | reached for the bathroom door, which was closest. But | was un used to the doorknob, which seemed to be jammed. “No, Mr. Schofield,” she sald firmly. $0 1 gave up. 1 got my mind off my: ‘olf long enough to take some notice. Whet | noticed was that she was we allk scart was draped loosely over her ‘erm, covering her tiny wrist and part ‘of her slim, fragile hand. Protruding from the hand was 0 threednch length (of blue steel with a smooth bore hole in tt. “Oh,” 1 sald, backing off. "Sit down,” sho sald. | glanced ‘sround and there was the bed to sit on. It would help a little, not it doesn't matter,” she sald. “Sit down. 1 backed some more till the backs of my knees came against the bed. Then | sat down carefully. Inspiration struck | reached out to pull down the bed- ‘spread for a lap robe, but Mise Yang ‘nudged the alr firmly, ‘No, Mr. Schofleld,” she sald sit stil” It isn't easy, you know. Tm sorry,” she sald, ‘gave up again. 'f It doesn't bother you,” | sald, 16 hell with It.” ‘You bother me, Mr. Schofield. You {ticked me, on the pall. it wasn’t cievr. Not funny. “You mean when | pinched? | spolo- ‘lze for thet. It was just an Irresistible Urge. You wouldn't shoot a man over ‘one pinch— “I don't mean the pinch. 1 mean the papers you gave me. They weren't real, Mr. Schofield. They were, how do you ‘sy, phony? gged. ‘thelp It,” sold. “I didn't forge “Just the true papers, Mr.Sa ae De ne eRe Cee Reon ns Beau ee cay See eae Ee RS TH to time, been examined on our pages. Though it is not the purpose. ili Co Rua Ce Se en eee a Pe ee RU ae varying intervals. . ee ee a ee) its pursuit..To document our information we are including three eee Ce Se ee mee ec in frank detail their sexual histories with particular reference to Pe nee Our first correspondent is a 38-year-old resident of a large Ree aR CR COR UU EIR eos Ut eee Cg Re) or object to your printing my answers, experi- eR Pe ee eS Pera “'My parents operated a rooming house dur- ing the war years (1941 - ?). The roomers were almost always 99% military (male) personnel and wife (no children). It was near a Marine ee eee eS Cee Rd Pe ee Sao A aA aN Fe]THE Hy i SURVEY ty pee ed pec rrr a aa Tae Poet eae Sa inon aa paar ney Sa Coty pasta he ieee Pepe iis eer Satara a emt pa tenors Soria ees Ee teeta! a a inne P poeta beter estes aes CR Ren Beet te et gre PONCE anaes caret eens eens ner Reena paper en Ee a Fy ee ee ‘when the Marines had liberty was se Oar MOU one ae Rd per Ra Re ead hhoura off. If seems tht all of the 72 ee ee eee Caer mond Corte ro See a Rg ec a eae eae Cre ees rite peer mae art eae peep through. | was 15 at this time. Ge are ac ‘was In my own room peeping into the next. | had told my mother that | was re ee ead ee ee Pete MR OR a ed ee ee ee ‘my room to watch the proceedings in epee me ke sag phn a orks one ed Pee ECs Ren eS es poem one ers ee ee a Pay ee eee der and was startled right out of my eC ears pe ee Te eo ‘a Marine roomer who hed wanted me er es Pa er ss cee hc ce ae ces es Gee Pr ee ey eet cr aera UR ad Re Rea (as I had all that stayed at our house) Pe ee errr ae a cer meg Se Re seemed to enjoy her very much. eer SA eee ea cree aca ar es a ees ee eons Oe ae ears Of beer just to be ready for him. 1 had yen her in this position Just prior to Ree Ce a eg or an acts er a eee Porat is oc ee ee OC ee ee Ce iT Ce eae nd ao eee iy ee On ee ae PO uC Cm Ea ee ee ee eR eon eee Pera eer Cees ee eed ere eer ee a pei ae ae ea Cea me aa Pare ee me eer ey eae om Pe Rug pe eae Rr eee Pea Re Cea eR ae Se ee eee ea Pee a re eae rea ee ad there were only two of the wives in the Lone a es ae Pee ie ee Penere ee RCr ae ar Pa Ug eee Oe head's Coast Guard friend came and Pena ee and ie ee ancy aR ae ad Sema that I figured would mess up my view: Per ere eg rere ee ee long for some beer drinking and some Peete ee aCe thought) the redhead took the lead in pr a er peer om ee ae couldn't stand just fooling around, and that the redhead would go to her apart. ment and | could see at least one good ‘show if the lights were turned out com- pletely. “It Soon happened. The wife of next door and friend came into the bedroom er meg PR ee ees bothered. It didn’t take them long to Pe ee ee an oe eee rd eee ear) Gee ee my viewing was messed up for a while. he ee ee eS Pr ar ae es er are ers me eg and there stood the redhead. The first thing she said was ‘I got rid of the Sy ee ee CT Pra aed Care mee cr me Re mR eee eee Td Corr ner ameter erat Ce reer ae Pee On me Pe eke se oes was and pressed her eyes to the viewpoint and said, ‘That damn No Pee ee eed eee ar’ Pe ee weer Preece cry ese ee a Ce Rc a eee ee Then it happened. | was grabbed and pulled over on the bed. She took her er eee nd best anything | ever had. nL te ere a eee nee oe es eee ae a Peete rr Na Pr the correspondent’s report, his initiation into intercourse changed his pleasure pattern so that he now found it desir- re aaa Sees Rare Carey ee MCT Pee Some ea Pere rier ee Pere em eee ed Paper ae a ae Pea enc ne Pm) ee eae ce ees tribute my own. | would fill out a ques- tionnaire if, you had one for women ieee Rs eater ere eg Pern pe eo ene) as an interior decorator for a furniture peer ee ees Pere rs sister and was raised in In- pe Re er mn eee eer ee ed ian re Comer ttle older and both the boy and his eae aoc errs pee ra aca ee ere ree ecm Sect rena aT eee a when we were about 12. He was also eNO MLL sister, Our yearly visits to his parent's ie ae parr ec CCR eo aie fo eee Peter ed Hines perrte arte aed Pimeeeee em Macca eee Matt ees tar basis as our mother was very strict. We were also deathly afraid of preg: nancy. By ane eT eos aoe) CT me ets Ing. Instead of chastising us she lock- CoCr ag eee eres ak es ee RCs ee Pee er ee ees eR rere eae) Peter ularly when no one el eee ey ere end irae er) ere ered Por a joyed it very much, finding it more sat- ee ee Sar Cn een ners Po eed et a ae casion. My sister married ond settled ee ne ee | hhas never had any other sexual activity Pe Ce aS Saree eee eed ere eee Sr eS enn RU oT Cee eee ae eR ue ng ‘and for that reason it was only the two co Sm 1 boy and quit school to follow him to one ee Rd Poe ar hk om erry with many different boy fr ANCE ney friends with the girl | now share an ‘apartment with who was also from the pre ed Sa er Te ea ee ed Pee Pee er rr ren ere eer ad eet OT mg Stimulating each other in this manner. Since this she has allowed a boy friend Paes ere eM Pn Un emer eR fee ee as We both enjoy it tremendously and eee Re Ou Pee ee eo SrA eT ee man and get married and have a family er CR ead Pee em ernie CC OCR’ Se Ld SS Ree Oe a’ Pe og td the pleasure of the latter we both would re roe eee CC ae ae) minded enough that we could suggest It. When we do find such boys we will undoubtedly marry but not to the dull routine marriages that end in divorce Aa wha ee eee eee ee mS One gets the impression that she Is Pee ey ee ee as ee eee ees respondent, E.E.C. of Toronto, who also mentions masturbation end homosexual ee ee eee sion that all sexual encounters are so- lated and he gradually drifts from pleas- rs can't remember at what age sex Peed es se poeta s rae ere ed of any kind of sex. First of all | must fet you know that 1 do not let myself ree re Me ed devise is used. This is the reason for A uno course. | believe the premarital sex Is ee a ead eee eo cs CO oy PR a er a era eee a ee ed ee eo a eee pre ee Pee Re Rad just arrived in the city for the first time [Sener eres Le | ‘and | did not have the address of my Pe ed pee es ee es Peek eas eee ee ee Oecd aC aC Rd Pree a aa ee ens pierre ee eee ee eas ti one nis Pe a ee climax. We became very good friends permet ees ‘Serves. The meetings were held once ‘a week and | always got a ride back (Continued on page 63) FyBy YWETTE ALOUETTE m With thousands of European chicks flooding the Riviera and risking third degree sun burns just to get discovered, bikini and all, by some international film exec, Barbara Kockritz, a popular W. Berlin model is something of a puzzle. This gal doesn't want to get into the movies. “Why should 1," she says forthrightly. “I don’t even know if 1 am talented.” I such an attitude as hers becomes widespread, con- tinental wolves will be forced to create new come-on fines. Meanwhile Barbara is doing well as a photographer's model and a shorthand typist. Barbara's pix on page 27. Curses! Foiled again! Or, shades of Shakespeare . . . Three Musketeers! No one really thought it could happen in this day and ‘age. But it did, and in the hallowed precincts of the French National Assembly. The Members, as is their wont, got into a hot argument, as is their wont, and almost before you could say “Jacques, the son of Robin,” the Socialist deputy from Marseilles. was calling another deputy an idiot. The other deputy, from a town so small it's not even listed in the guide books, is a man who's stuck with de Gaulle .. . and been stuck with him . . . for fo, these many years. Now being called an idiot is an insult, whether it's true oF not. So what do you do if you're insulted . . . and in public, at that? Obviously, you challenge whoever insulted you to a duel. So that's what the deputy from wherever it was did. he said, throwing down his glove in the tried and true tradition of ail those old Errol Flynn movies, “that is an insult. Seconds later, the seconds of the second deputy, Rene Ribiere, were around to see the Member from Marseilles, ‘@ man who used to be mayor there, and who came close ident of France a year or so ago. “You, ave insulted the Member from wherever and memories of the “That, sits," answered the Member from Marseilles, “was what | meant to do.” said the seconds, “it can be nothing but 8 duel at dawn, day after tomorrow.” The socialist deputy, Gaston Deferre, sighed. “Dawn is PARIS REPORT a little early,” he complained. “Couldn't we make it at noon?” Well, what would you do, if you were caught short like that? You'd do what Deferre and Ribiere did. You'd dash off to the nearest gym, hire a fencing master, and at least find ‘out how to hold the sword you were supposed to fight with. With such minor matters taken care of, the two char- acters turned up to finish off the act, if not each other. With no one around but a half dozen photographers and an ‘equal number of reporters, the two of them fell to. Ribiere was quickly wounded, although hardly wounded to the quick. And it happened not once, but twice. The final time, he and Deferre decided, examining the slight scratch on his arm, didn't really count, on account of he didn't even bleed. The second time things went better. Deferre pinked his plucky opponent again and a thin red line leaked out, onto his skin. After that it was all over. Ribiere’s seconds came run ning with the Band-Aids, and made like medicine men. Then everybody got his picture taken, and Deferre and Ribiere made statements to the press. “The insult had to be washed away with blood,” Ribiere said. “This has been done.” Deterre’s comment was a lot shorter. the deputy announced again. While most of France almost died laughing over the deputies and theit doings, word went around about the film the French are sending to the Cannes Festival this year. It's a thing called . . . wouldn't you know? . . . “The Killing Game,” and it's full of sex, sin and the same sort of simple medium that made those James Bond things such a blast. There's not much of a plot to “The Killing Game” when ‘you come right down to it, but the story is sort of about ‘2 young French fellow called Pierre who draws a comic strip, and his gorgeous helpmate, Jacqueline, who helps him meet his deadlines by drawing his pix. They've just about run out of ideas, though, when what Plot there is sickens, and a Swiss admirer of the writer arrives on the scene, He's a teller of tall tales, he is, and the guy and the gal put together a new and funnier funny by picking his brains. They make their boy Bob their hero, ‘and whip out wild and weird episodes about him. When Bob sees the strip, he gets ideas, too... and ends up doing in real life what he's been doing in the drawings. Which includes almost everything anyone could imagine, which in turn makes “The Killing Game” one of the fastest, most fascinating shows seen in France in a long, long time. For real belly laughs, though, we still choose the act of the dueling deputies, just the week before. That's the official bit in Cannes, this week On the unofficial side there is. .. (Continued on page 64) He's an idiot,” ai. eae "You've got to watch those Toronado brakes!” someone told us before the test car out. "They're not w are cracked up to be “Yeah,” someone else said in al! se ‘ousness. “You bring it down from 12 miles per hour once or twice and sou i S09 Just how much they fade “And that steering. with the dri front, will turn you off for sure. Wait anc see!” a third party volunteered Well, our rebuttal after driving the Toronado is an emphatic. We found it to be one of the dling American automobiles we've driven to date. We were almost convinced th "Front Wheel Drive i 2 big car!” Whoever said that (and sve think it came out of Detroit) is vero This car will pull you through any you feed it into with the rel a European Gran Tourisimo vehicle We picked up our test car in the ning, loaded the enormous trunk with our gear and headed North. The first thing that hit us was the way those crazy head: lights popped up out of the front end and stayed up like a frightened vixen's e2r ‘We jumped on to an expressway. ran it up to sixtysfive, checked the rear v mirror and hit the power brake: couple of times. it came down ly and we settied back reassured. The brakes were far more than adequate for anything we would ask of them during the test period. We couldn't care less about what they did or didn’t do at 1 mph because we did not propose to drive at anywhere near that speed ‘The power steering, on the thrus and turnpikes, was a5 good as the brakes The smoothness, accompanied by a plete, enveloping silence as we c along, surpassed that of any car wey hhad ‘our hands on recently. When w racked the car out the next day on som fone-lane private roads up around Rock port, Mass. we detected a bit of over (Continued on page 62) SPECIFICATIONS: Wheelbase on the '67 remains the same as last year, 119 Inches. Oe na ing circle, 43.0 feet, curb to curb. Engine (Toronado Rocket V-8) Is a big 425 Ce er ee cd miles per hour in less than nine seconds. Toronado sports 885 x 15 inch tires.™ Do you know what a springbok is? How about a kudu? Would you believe a guanaco? “They're all friends of mine,” says Karen. ‘I have a standing date with them every Saturday afternoon.” We were a little confused too, until Karen explained a relative ran a z00. “I've always enjoyed being around ani: mals,” comments the dark-haired beauty. ‘They give you a different perspective on life. For instance, I look at a zebra standing quietly under an oak tree, and I'm aware that he doesn’t even know about rising taxes or keeping up with the latest styles. The only thing he cares about is having enough to eat, a place to get out of the rain, and a little peace and quiet. That's what | mean about having a different perspective. That's why | go to the zoo every Saturday. It's a way for me to relax —to see things from the zebra’s point of view. Sure | go to see the other animals, but my kind of Saturday afternoon is relaxing with a zebra. Sounds kind of goofy, | guess, until you've tried it.”” Karen ran her long white fingers through-those cute brunette locks and we had trouble putting her soft beauty in the same thought with a zoo. ‘‘People should pay more attention to the animals they see in a z00," remarked Karen. ‘They've got something on us humans in their quiet, relaxed way. They never fail to psych me into a real easy-going mood for whatever it is | want to do. They don’t have any hang-ups," quipped Karen with finality. 31eee me be bas gern 4 sie . of© The bartender had been listening to the lush's troubles for over an hour. He finally said, “Now listen to me. See that blonde at the front of the bar? That's my wife! And that beautiful girl over here Is my mistress. And do you see that big new car out in front? That's my car. And they're all overdue. Now will you shut up?” ‘© They tell about the preacher who officiated at so many shotgun weddings that he decided to rename his church—"Winchester Cathedral ‘An income tax bureau received a return from a bachelor who, although single, brazenly claimed a dependent son. ‘An, inspector sent back the form with @ note read: Ing, “This must be a stenographic error.” The bachelor wrote back, “You're telling me.” © Two camera bugs were draped over a Paris bar discussing their experiences of the day. “This morning in the Bois de Boulogne | noticed an ‘old crone huddled beneath a bundle of rags,” one shutterbug said. “She was hungry and homeless. She told me she was once a countess but lost ali her family and money and had nothing to live for.’ ‘The poor thing,” sald the other photographer. “What did you give her?” ‘Well, it was. sunny. her £18 at 1/100. the first replied, “so | gave © Two Judges were arrested for speeding and they decided to try each other. The first Judge went up on the stand and asked his colleague: "How do you plead to the charge?” ‘Guilty,” sald the second judge. “Five dollars fine,” ordered the first Juda changed places. “How do you plead.” asked the second Judge. Again the plea was guilty. “Well,” sald the second judge. “These cases are becoming much too common, This Is the second case like this we've had this morning. | hearby fine you ten dollars or ten days In jall ind they © A tall beautiful blonde entered a shoe store and asked for a palr of black shoes with the lowest heels possible. The puzzled salesman looked at her and ‘asked, "What are you going to wear these with? If you must know.” she answered haughtily, “with a short, bald-headed bank president. ‘© What's your favorite joke or gag? Send it to PLAYTIME JOKES Editor, SIRI, 21 West 26th Street, New York, N.Y. 10010. Wo will pay $5 for any Joke or ‘gag used, In case of duplicates, the first one received ‘will be the winner. Jok SIR! JOKES FOR PLAYTIMEc wu ee a Ty " vyA SIMPLE MAIL ORDER KIT AND AN ADVENTURESOME SPIRIT CAN SEND YOU SAFELY ALOFT IN A MATTER OF HOURS By LYLE L. BIERMA i Last month 1 suddenly dropped the can of beer | was drinking and watched a one man flying machine come into view over the garage. Before | could make heads or tails of what the thing was, the contrap- tion slowly began to descend, and landed on a small patch of land next to the house. It turned out to be my best friend, Jim Dickens, with what he termed to be the most exhilarat- jing experience since God created women—The Gyrocopter. Like a kid 1 was soon firing ques- ton after question at Jim who gladly filled me in on the whole story. ‘Sometime ago he had come ‘across an ad in a well known mag- {azine with an Illustration describing the Bensen Gyrocopter. Having had ‘a bug to fly for as long as he could remember, Jim sent to Bensen Air- Craft Corporation in Ralelgh, N.C., for complete literature describing the copter. After looking over the material, he got In touch with a dealer in his area and arranged to purchase the complete outfit in kit form. ‘He assembled it himself with si pple home shop tools and it wasn't ong before he had the rotorcraft ready to fly. Like everything else, according to Jim, It takes a little practice before can master the copter, but the (Continued on page 63) 3THE WEAKEST LIN I sat down casually beside her on the park bench. It was one of those warm, pleasant days which come too rarely to Berlin in the autumn. The girl young, dark-haired, pretty—also looked warm and pleasant, until she felt the Luger's steel barrel in her rib cage. “It Is over,” | said softly in Germs A gasp—a mixture. of surpy fright—came through her lips. she repeated, also in German. “You've been tagged. The book, please. She ‘hesitantly handed over, the copy of Miller's “Tropic of Cancer” that had been in her lap. Twenty minutes before, she'd checked it out of the University Library. Td watched her at the desk, just as I'd watched a nervous Hermann Erick fumble with the same book ex- actly two and a half minutes before she entered the library's American Fiction Section. Now it was my turn to fumble, using just my left hand. My right was busy with the Luger. mt “Ah, here we are,’ said and stripped the microfilm from the inside of the dustjacket flap. The girl stammered. have no Wdea— “You have no idea how in the world this piece of film got mixed up with Henry Miller—am I right?” jut it's true, 1 don’t know—" “You just wanted something to read Inthe park—right?” "Yes, just to read.” | opened the book to a random page and shoved it in front of her eyes. “in that case, you will please read. Aloud.” She stared blankly at the page, then looked down. “I! cannot.” "You cannot. Is it because you can not read English at all? She didn't answer. “Up,” 1 said. "Now we walk, Irene. She\ stood shakily. “You know my name?’ | nodded. “I know that you've been using the name Irene Bruen since you've been here on the West side of the wall, It was three days ago when you walked through the gate from the East, where for the last two months you've been employed as a waltress.” I knew much more. | knew what the microfilm contained. |_ knew who had passed it to Hermann Eick. My briefing had been thorough. “What happens now?" she said. We were out of the park, our destination Just four blocks away. 1 gmiled. “That depends entirely on whether you Intend to cooperate.” “Are you taking me to—to the po- lice?’ ‘She was obviously new at this game of spying. “OF course not. Some place much -cozier.” “1 have Scotch and bourbon. Also vodka, if you. preter” She did’ not answer, but sat silently on the couch in my apartment. -I'drink Scotch myself. Ill pour one for you." The small bar was agross the room. i turned my back on her and walked slowly to'Tt, diving er time to thinks As I'made the drinks I watched her movements from an inconspicuous mitor attached t0 the wall by the side Gi the Bar. She was opening ner hand There were no weapons init. I'd checked her bag and. her pockets, The rim expression on her face told. me ‘nat she was looking for, | waited until She ‘closed the bag. She'd mede@ de Eision, a big. one. Terossed the room and handed her a glass. "Are you waiting for something to. wash it down with? “To do what?" “To wash the pill down with. The pill fof poison located in the little com- partment in your handbag.” | took the bag from her trembling hands, and open: ed it. "This deadly little thing. Very unprofessional of you, you know, not to take it.” | dropped the pill into my Jacket pocket. ‘She ‘swallowed her Scotch quip. Her. voice was barely abc whisper. “I'm not professional, “I know. This is only your second assignment.” ‘She looked up sharply. “You seem to know everything!” “Not everything.” 1 corrected and sip- ped my drink. “There is, for instance. one little thing I'd like very much to know: The next link in the chain—who you were to pass the microfilm to next.” ‘And that is why you've brought me here. To find out,” she said resignedly. Precisely. | could have tried, | sup- pose, to foliow you until you made the ass, but | suspect that was to be made back. In the eastern sector, and I'm afraid | would have had some difficulty in following you there smiled pleasantly. glass?” ‘As. |_ again crossed to the bar, she asked, "Who are you? Who do you—er. work for “A direct question, which will have to receive an Indirect answer. My name in one ‘May | refill your ERIC THOUGHT THERE WAS A POINT WHERE HE COULD BREAK THE SPY CHAIN—HER NAME WAS IRENE— mi By ROBERT E. LORY Is Eric. As for whom | work for, it’s enough for you to know that | repre: sent the Opposition.” “The Americans? English? Germans?” | handed her the second glass of Scotch. “it really makes very little dif- ference. What matters Is that for the present my assignment Is you.” “Why me?” “simple. You are part of a chain—a new, but as of right now, a well-recog: hnized chain. Every chain,” by definition, has Its weakest link, And you ore that ink. This time it took two gulps to drain her glass. “And Iwill break?” It was 4 question, and yet not quite a question. "You will break “And die,” she added. ‘We all die sooner or later. But you'll be fortunate enough to choose the place. Where would you like to go—the United States? France? England? South Amer- ica? Name the place—you can go there with enough money to be comfortable for the rest of your days.’ ‘My days will not be many. They will find me and kill me. You donot know how they are, T laughed. “They're over-rated. So is their system. What happened to you is an example of tha ‘Even $0, | shall be loyal.” She lock- ed her body in rigidity. “So it's loyalty now, is it? If you" going to be loyal, be loyal to some- thing worthwhile, ‘to somebody worth- while. ‘My country—" "Your country holds you in slavery. ‘And any man you've ever had has no doubt treated you exactly the same way —like a slave. Has any of your country: men ever been different? Have you ever been treated like the real woman you I do not know what you mean.” Her face said differently. But you will know, Irene. Take your clothes off. Now. ‘She stood up in a shot. Tgrinned. “All right, 1 But first, your glass again.” She passed it to me eagerly. Her hand shook. ‘To say that | do not enjoy my work, especially this phase of it, woul perhaps noble and_virtuo\ fot, by a long shot, be true. For, lke most everyone In today’s highly ‘tech- fiical world, | am a specialist, and a good one. And there Is no such thing a8 a good specialist who does not en- (Continued on page 64) ; al “1 will not help you.ee eS I a — —- ite) i = — ba a iad = I eS ea a 7 ——a fee —— a cat — eae Bm Ren Ld Pe eons aki) when he died was the cent the bestdocumented UFO-sightings of all time, Lese than a year previously, a ae ed Caan PO a pron n SU a Um Umer me mL In his report on seeing nine object flying near Mt. Rainier, in the state of race ee ra like a saucer. would if you skipped it Pern ken eee oe ee Rao eed Cra ce a re ee Cea ee ‘country, The nation was soon divided intothree groups, — the flying soucer be- er eae waited to be convinced, and the diehard Pee mr a aang er ore am kee aris Corie omen ca eras by tracking down a fying saucer — what eat Mantell was commander of a group of Pe Re ee Sd eee ea try LO Sa mem CC eraser wer Re ae Raa Rn ee ed Sar ar er ec ae shaped UFO hovering over the area. The oe ee ae oi ay Eimer Cr ers Peace eres Sn ker ire trol tower had seen the UFO themselves. The base's commending officer, Col. Guy Pa as Hix picked up a microphone. He knew Cn er aces the area, en route from Georgia. Contact. ing Mantell by volce circult, Hix asked the pilot to investigate. Coe Pon Ua ae es OS Ce Ed ees Pe ecu ars PS ee an ers Pa en RNa a ems Param rad One ee esa rrr enn Pee oor Rec ec ee) peer eraeoa ere tell, the narrow escape had been Just Sere ei ec eo re ree eee es eee ore ee ones epee cr aC Cretonrm cory Pee eee Mee Le) pre ema a ci eee ore ae me Letc en ae a CE DO road Ce re ee ee a Oe eee ea rt Cee ars turned to the base because I didn’t have Ce a) Ea ee an CON MT is ee rer es Serre SLO et ‘accelerate away with tremendous burst ‘of speed. Mentell hed been chasing the OSCR cae aes pone Coa Pat t's directly ahead of me and moving a a now to take a good look. The thing looks De Ry ono Sere. CCL last. Ho had given not the slightest hint ur ea ee been matteroFfact, almost “routine. oie Ce Reo ek) Oeics creer ay sas Chie ee nT) ee Re ety rr een ee ee oe ny Pm a ec meas eee Do ee ars DC MC eg out the following facts: The body bore eee rae acim Oe ce ay ree a eos cree ‘Officially, the Alr Force says it be- Neves Maniell sighted @ Skyhook balloon reer ree ead ara a eo’ eee Mere ky ee alee ey ee eed peer e an ee ed rapa Rn kee near ere eR a Seem ear eae Pare a ae ee cos ane eas Pree ea ard ‘Said it Believed the pilot lost conscious- ‘ness when his plane was at an altitude between 25,000 and 30,000 feet. It sald rn ery for awhile and then went into ee eee Se ed port added: BU RR Ree lc ds PR eer Me aS Pa eeu eng Pee ee net y Se arm LOR ee ee report acknowledged that Mantell was an eA ad Ree ad ie tit Penny Aen meen plane was disabled and afire over the eee eee oT he forgets such a vital thing as the need TON Car aa Ree Ce Me mores Pre a eed ea cae trey ‘again point out that Mantell was no fledgling. He had made all kinds of aerial ‘observations under the most difficult clr- ‘cumstances and had never been guilty of RO a a Pee ett a loon with a metallic object? ee TR ea LS Cure Loa) PO etn ees dous speeds by the unremitting winds of Roe ee et Cum ers eee ka Force, seeking answers to these ere rer ree) Cer a ig a ae Lee pe cc a ues ren uses visual effects. rena aes re Corer eres ee LL Sk Rad chasing what scores of witnesses re- ESR to eae what happened when he closed in, Perea mine et css CI ryINE REEL for scube diving, demalton war, cave diving, et. Caer ea ea ea of origin, $32.20 from Ideal Reel, 823 Harrison St., Paducah, Ky. TELA ACR er eee Ld A ae ree ee Cee ee ee oe eee ee Oe Dam ean RC are woodgrain finish and bold letters and numerals which report time at a glance, tilted back slightly for easy reading. $16.95 at department and drug stores. Se Oe Rs er stability and support for ail camera tripods, rubber casters provide smooth gliding movement in any direction desired, $19.95 in camera shops and photographic centers. CLOTHES BRUSH by Westinghouse described as a nitpicker is cordless and rechargeable, brushes and vacuums fabric, $15.95, available at department stores, appliance shops, drug chains, hardware and houseware shops. COFFEE GRINDER by Braun prepares beans in = ne of nine different grinds 3-02. capacity, $30 at local dept. stores, or fr a Seat a Ra aT) ‘=~Schofield?” Her yoice wes level “i dont nom. wan tue. Maybe. Max had th tbat "Guin know the whereabout of but ‘t's only fair to sey that if you tum your beck on me, the situation Is “tam aware of your—resourceful- eas, Mr. Schofield ‘Gould we pour a drink and talk this vac?” | saked “INo,” she said sharply, wiggling the gun. “Stay where you ere.” 1 glanced at the door. No help there. tt would be a dandy time for Jeanni t0,come home. “What, ara these precious papers anyway?” | sald, “tm sure you know.” she said. 'Lcan't read Chinese.” 4, 32. “I guesa so.” “The papers eatabliah my right to ‘tones, they are.” ‘About these papers. If | could find them— “I would be grateful.” “How come you didn't take the pe pers with you when you moved over to the Surf Club?” “My husband kept them, to be safe. ‘There are those who might steal ther. When he was—hurt—he could not reach me. He gave them to you, for {had to admit It dovetatled. "But how did you know thet?” 1 asked. "How did you know he brought Ym not the only resourceful 1 8id. “Look, honey, I have no d ‘on you. Let's quit the melodrama with the gua and all. Also, wish you would ‘either take off your clothes or let me ut mine on.” “Very well,” she sald unexpectedly. “You may dross.” Thank you.’ { skinned into:my shorts and want to the ‘closet for a pair of pants. She ‘wiveled, watching me from behind the _ gun and lid It out of sight under the "You sald you could find the papers." she "1 aid 1 might.” Ing me giddy. “iF do." | sald, “are you prepared to soll the dlamonds to Max Gould, Im imediately, without holding “out for a we fae ead ge oe en tetas ea se ae eh coe ota ae fie se: er fal eet We ee a me uh a a ark Ae ae oy tg cra a a ee mar pe Pa cae ae gett be. Her fingertips felt a wild attack of the shakes coming fon. and fought to suppress It. Her mouth quivered. ‘Then the telephone rang. | jumped half a mile. it rang again. The gun rom under the scart and There was 0 paus right over,” he sald. That's all right,” 1 ‘Then, “I'll come Nd, and hung vp. ‘Lotus Blossom gazed at mo with the ccalm concentration of a hypnotist: | blinked. She didn't “Do you know who killed your hus: band, Mrs, Yang?” | asked. “No.” she said.“ will trust you to iow will we 1 mean?” ‘Sho shifted her weight, backed quick: ly to the door and, stlli covering me with the gun, twisted the knot “I will fet you know.” she sai. “At the Club’ "Not at, the Club, Mr. Schofteld. Good night “Thana for dropoing She opened the door, skinned around the edge of it and disappeared, | count ea tothree, made for the door and poeped Into the corridor. Lotus. Blow Som had vanlahed Thad ny shire on and was all wel. trussed when Max ‘Gould knocked the door, Impeceable aa always, ho let Fis yes slide here ‘and. there care fully"tnd I'anw his moat twitch. NO matter how hard you ted, you could Teimate it amell ike Jeannie, end 1 Gig't krow how hard: Max was ying. “Thal ba. enough of that.” | aald. iein't some hack driver ike, Yosh, ite my old pal-and client, Max” *eiluso me.” he ad. “but on the tinded av if you might be In. trouble— . “it's true there was @ woman here, 1 sald. “It was @ matter of business In ‘which you, of all people, should be in- tensely Interested. Ho gave me a patient look. In salt righteous. dignity. 1 stalked Into the closet and returned with @ pouch full of ice. I dumped the stones on the bed ‘and Max peered down at them frome hho sald “I dida’t want somebody eise to ster them, so I stole them’ first. Smart, huh? “I don't know. None of this was too entertaining to Max. Two things he never joked about ‘wore money and precious stones. He hoisted his pants legs to pre- serve the crease, put his hands on his, knees and stooped to take e closer squint at the merchandise "One thing | have to know,” | sald, “Ig. there enough to justify murder?” ‘Max squinted and pondered. "Ofthand—maybe.” he sald, “But Max got a gl fitted it carefully In his eye and took ‘real close squint. | could hear him breathing a little hard, With admiration, not greed. After @ minute he straight: ‘ened and put the glass away. “Where's Jeannie?” | asked ‘there In the hotel?” ‘When Max says “ain't,” he's upset ‘And nothing upsets him tike having to tell 9 little white lle. ‘Well! promised Jeanni “Did you take her to dinner?” “Yash, Pete. Was ‘she In a soit? mae “How did she act? Was she sore at me? Brody?” 'No, Pete, all she could talk about was what @ wonderful, loyal. brillant husband she had—1 mean, has.” "1 sald, “she was brody.” pened after dinner?” inning out of patlence, Max, 1 sald, “Tell me. “Well, we came back here and she asked me to wait in the lobby a few minutes while she went upstairs. So | {id and pretty soon she came down. With a suitcase. "A ‘ultease. Go shea “Then stie asked me to wait @ few more minutes and she went over to the travel desk. So when she came back from there she had this ticket and and she asked me If | would take her to the airport so you took her to the alrport. Where was she flying to?” “T promised 1 wouldn't— "Mex “She want to Kona.” I brooded about it for a couple of minutes. then decided to live a while Tonger. "While 1 put my shoos and ecktla on | told Max about the vi from Sue. Yang.! fou atl want to make thie deal?” 1 asked him. ‘Sure, if i's possible.” “Are these the stones described In that bill of sale? “Yeah, Pete. “ly Sue Yang's name mentioned in the ill of sale?” "Yeah, it is. It's Chun Yang or Mra. (chun Yang.” “So Mf ahe's the widow of Chun Tegitimate deal.” ‘Yang, we can mak “would say yee. “AN right then. Let's go.’ CHAPTER TEN The Surf Club was packed but Tex MeGiiy spotted us and_propelied us to the ber. ‘Come on over and have # couple ‘of drinks on me,” he boomed, "Ike | promised. You can soe the show great from the bar, better than. from the tables, How about that?” | shrugged at Max, who shrank from this hearty type of human contact, and Indicated we should 0. along. ‘MeGuffy crowded us up tothe bar wedged us in there betwe ‘2 couple of bamboo red drinks. Ha didn't we'd have, he just) ordered—some damn thing’ with rum ta It ‘You ain't drunk til you've had one spoken the truth about visk bility. From where we stood, looking across the small bar area, past Som 1's left shoulder, we had a clear, un- stage. The or chestra wes gathering now afte “Te lights changed, softened. Drums beet rumbling chant, Sue Yang. Biossom, Flower of the Eest, stepped ‘onstage. ‘Sho looked pretty grea, ell right Tall and illowy slim, Ia'a akintigh, floor. Tength white gown, she stood like & queen wile the" sudtence applauded Gnd settled. down ‘end. the drum, beat but ‘up to_her number. Bealde: me. 1 ‘Tox McGutly breathing Tike ‘hon the musie started but It was straight Hawallan and what she danced was s hule—about as Ordinary a hula as | had ever seen. She Fy nicely, I had to. admit, but with the big exotle bulld- i but big Tex was banging his hans to Svat and when | glanced a hm at an en | glanced hi was giving me @ funny look. | clap- t stare—you'll make her self-conscious.” —, “Hell, man.” he said, “thet's only ‘the warm up. She elways does a couple ‘of hula first, to get in form, you tow] Welt tl ahe starts that Chinese ‘Once more | took survey of the other room. King Kong end Sammy ‘were at their stations. | guessed they ‘woud stay there ex tong as she was qq Does she change costumes?” | le ‘Sure,” Tex said. “Got a little dress, Jing room fixed up for her back there.” . nica,” 1 sald. “was have to walk all the way ‘here and upstairs for MeGuffy « deni?” “My round." MeGufty sald, “Drink op, man” i got away then and paused at the ‘entry tothe big front room to check ‘once more, Aafar as 1 could tee, felther King Kong nor Sammy had mov: fod and. nether wes looking In my Srrecton. t went through the Gark room tp to the front of the bulldng. ‘opt going until got to the stars, 1 stepped. over the low-slung, velvet barricade they kept across the landing and went up two. stopa.at 8 time, imede It easily to the Upstairs ball be- fore. the doorman ‘came out of the rest room. 1 didn't bother with anything a the way. | ist made for tt beck Gor ner "that overlooked the "cafe, There, wore a lot of doors on both sides of the hall, some closed and some open, none of them lighted. But light show: ‘od under the closed door on the right 1 the ond of the hall didn't give tt ‘much thought at the time, | was Inter ated in the other end. Down there light showed under two doora on the Taft. The frst one. was, locked, T ted the next one, obviously aiving ‘on. an adjacent room. and. it ‘pened easily enough. One whif, withe Si oon Tokig an Sra wa 3 Tragrance of ‘peppered. gardenlas hhung heavy in the sire went in on tip too and closed the door behind ie. ‘Down ‘below | could’ hear the rum ble and throb of the music and guessed that” Susie. was into’ enother of her retinas fated wala go, wall and again ~——a | waa In a sort of siting room, fitted out ina haphazard style with furniture of varlous types. There was slong chaise piled with brightly colored pileran] =a = V atarted with the chaise, pulled off the cushions and dug down ‘behind the seat. 1 didn’t find anything. The room was bare of cupboards or shelves and there Just didn't seem to be any hiding laces for much of anything. All t want ‘ed was personal papers. if she was near on the level, she would doubtiees ‘havo proof somewhere of her marriage to Chung Yang. opened 8. connecting "door. went through "an cldfashioned bath ‘Into. a bedroom with a queen-size bed and @ fancy headboard. | took the bed apart, slowly and carefully, a0 as not to have feo much to replace Ina hurry. | got leer down to the ‘prings. and’ found ‘not 20 much as a discarded tissue or ® lost bobby pin. When I got through with that 1 tiptoed back tothe sitting oom and contrived to find ®t In the "yellow curtaina. through ‘which 1 could Took down on the ca ‘Lotus Blossom was in her dance, | didn't know which one It was, third, fourth, maybe fifth. 1t was ‘something different all right, aa Tex hed promised ‘after the hula. The lights ware tow, but {could see well ‘enough from Up above. It was worth watching. Sho wae ‘woerlng a flesheolored leoterd and an ‘sxotic headdress of some kind and she was really grinding It out to ah ‘throbbing rhythm. {t dide't sgem to be @ real Chines type of thing, unfase It would be some. thing they do around Sen Franciaco In ccartsin joints. What It seemed lke, to ‘about It, was one of those hodgepodge. affairs thet you get Ina burlesque house betwoen Btrippers. Lotus was a better danct than | had evar seen tn burlesque, but the routine was the same old Jaz. Then es 1 tuned from the window, 1 found them. ‘The. reaction. was ike that in a fastdropping elevator. Ev bofore | saw thom, t knew | hed made the find, Over behind the chaise, on the back wall, «bookcase, flocr 10 calling Every shelf wea neatly fled ‘with books—dummy "books, such as you buy from the Interior decorator to {il out @ room, There was nothing spe. lal about thie, In. an. old-fashioned, fonce-grand place, as. this hed been, But apparently thore had been some re: arrangoment. On every shelf but on ‘the books wore pushed clear {and made even rows. with about two Inches of space left along the front of the shelf. On the one exception, s0c- ‘ond down from the top. the booke were Siting clear out on the front odge and they weren't exactly oat end. even. They were little crooked. 1 got over there fast, reached up and ltSd" out three. or four of the. dur fries, Thre wes no walght 9 them: fist boxes, of cardboard. with fancy Linings that showed. I took out half f Jozen altogether end felt around be- find. There was. thick shoal of Be pore. I worked it out end around the Boca, trough the” gap 1 had made, tnd down off the shelf it wee a miscellaneous stack of stuf tokeno of the past, photographs. "found some photographs, glossy 8 x 10's, theatrical pictures. ‘There wore several head shots of Lotus, ex- tremely glamorous, There were half & dozen ‘full length’ of “Lotus, looking deliciously exotic with her cigaret hold er. The most interesting of the pictures, though, was one taken in a ‘theatre, brightly lighted: a full shot ‘of. the ‘stage, with a chorus lined up to form @ setting for a ramp. Alone on the ramp, with arms outflung, In a G-string ‘and a strip of fringe, stood none other. than Lotus Blossom herself. | looked at It and | would have bet the entire com: mission coming to me on Max's die. mond deal that It was an American burlesque hous 1 started on through the stack of material. 1 came on a brochure, hand- somely printed, with » photograph of Lotus on the cover. There wae @ double heading over it; one side Chinese, the other English. Undemesth the picture It read: The Exotic Chinese Star—Su Chen. On the inside spread, likewis Im both Chinese and English, was Celebration of her talents. Down. In the lower right hand corner was a pho- tograph of Sammy. round faced and wearing his cummerbund, but It was ‘Sammy, all right. The caption read: Im- presario—Chu Wang. Below that, In the comer, was an address. and tole- phone number. The street didn’t mean anything to me, but It was located in Hong Kong. | come on a manila envelope, some- what wrinkled and dusty. | slid. the Contents out and found a thick plece of parchment, With the words In Old Eng- Nish script, beginning with: “Certificate ‘of Matrimony.” It) was dated four revious. It bore the seal of Crown Colony of Hong sanctioned by Her Bri- nlc Majesty, Elizabeth fl, and It ‘was the official record of the legal mar- lage of Miss Su Chen and Mr. Chun Yang. Downstairs the music had stopped. The silence was scary. It meant the ‘applause hed died too. | had no way to know what was golng on. | wanted {to take my small tressures. with me, but more than that I wanted to get them back whore | hed found them. | ‘squatted down at the chalse and start- them together, hurriedly, rubber band off my wrist land stretching It around the bundle. 1 felt @ smell draught on the back of my neck. Carefully | lald the bundle down. | put both hands on the curving seat cushion of the chalse and held ‘on. Very slowly tumed my head end looked around. It was the big one, King Kong, stand Ing In the open doorway, watching me. ‘Still on my haunches, | pivoted slow- |y, pushed with one hand and straight: hed my knoos. | threw him a nod and 2 tight emile, dusted at my trousers with both hands and started strolling toward the open bathroom door. 1 ‘waved briefly. : “get waltng for Mins Yang” 1 sad “Til be In the other room. ee Ha started infor me the seme pasa He tall Se om, tpped up my pace, edged Int and through the: bathroom and ern th door of ‘the bedroom, ‘Thea T took'¢ Dinge toward tho door to tho hall ft ‘and Sammy. came in: tnd brushed past him. s ard a grunt behind me, Then 1 tripped over Semmy's foot ond spre. edn. tho. hall” My""head. bongo Spain the opposite wall and | rofes way trom it ost 98 Sammy vod at mo. He overshot and ticked away from him end got op. tuning. The by nea coming ut of the baroom Good momentum and’ | got past him allright but It was ark Op there and 1) was in unfamiliar triton & Small wooden che ‘wal caught ma_on th Swivoled mo off balance, The sein ad, but | didnt quite The big brown guy's hand hit iy back like eladgo. stumbled and when got my balance, he had a large Handful ot tho beck of my Tocket. He swung me, the way you's owing ton. hi racket to, got ready for 8 strok And I slammed against the wal. didn't are sbout the Jocket and waa trying to tinbutton fvand feave ft with him, but ho put ha other arm around my neck tnd’ pulled back and 1 gut struggling. Boside. me. Sammy padded by. going {eg toward the derk nd of the hall, Listen" aid, and King "Kong Just aqueezed my neck'® litle. and 1 Kept quiet. ‘Sammy opened 8 door and. stood back. Kong gave me a nodge from bo- hind with his knee that way. I walked part ofthe wey end ha carried me part of the way. by the cic and back. twas. sure ow the aro wore at the ond of th hall and iF they ‘were planning to. throw mo down them, hada chance to be 8 real deed detective, ‘Distanty heard voleos, as from down in the fever, But they worent any help. With the’ squoeze Kong had fn my volee box, couldnt have yoled at a gnat with any authortty. He pushed me past Sammy and the open door and. stopped. I heard the door click shut. Thon another elck and ligt Eame on. a dim yollow ight over: Wo were. on” landing ond the Stairs went down from It, steep so raling, ust blank and at the bottom that” smal, abandoned lanalmand bo: yond thet the sur. ‘Sammy's faca In the yellow light was fist and without humor." heard another click and he hed. eral kao. In his hand. Ho poked mo with It ito, jut vibe, | sucked In my breath ho whispered. “What you want?” He gave se snother dig with the knife. aI pointed at my throst and the at big boy's arm scroes It. Sammy sald some- thing In some language. The guy let tp on the squeeze. | chokdd, cough ‘Sammy put one hand over Gould: The diamond man." ‘He brooded at me with those ayes. it was spooky as hell. They didn't blink. 7 "You got money for diamonds?” he anid. fot on m Ho brooded some more. Then he anapped the knife shut, put It in his Pocket and signaled to Kong to open the presaure valve a little more. 1 got the idea soon enough. He was going to make sure | didn’t have the money fon me. He was golng to conduct @ per- tonal search, In the. course of which, hhe would Inevitably find the stones In the Tite pouch in my pants pocket. This could not be parmitted to happen. King Kong had let go of my Jacket ‘and hls arm across my neck was re Taxed, Just hanging ‘there os a. ro minder. Sammy put both hands inside my cont and started frisking me about oulders. | tried an old ‘0d up on It and slid hold, leaning egelnst him as 1 went. ‘Sammy loat his hold at the same time, King Kong gave a low grunt and i pushed away from him and literally threw mysell down the stair. 1 had heard that if you relax and i with the fall, you have @ chance to ‘make It without fractures, | atill don't know about that, but 1 got down in pretty good style, over and over, and It hurt some, but when I hit the bot- tom I could move all right. As | stum- ‘bled up onto my feet and. charged fcrose the moonlit anal, | heard therm elattoring down bebind me made for the terrace where, among the touriste, | would probably be safe from open attack, But elther the door was stuck or someone had locked It after Max and I had used it earlier. 1 was heading across to the outside of the Ienal a3 they reached the bottom of the steps, Sammy first. The outer door worked all right and 1 got through It and slammed. It weir faces. That gave me about three extra seconds which | used to eprint to the ocean aldo of the bullding. 1 got t0 the wail and over It and landed ‘up side of the establishment and crowded In close to the wall to catch my broath. The surf lapped happily at my pants If they had seen me go over the | was cooked, but | had thought might find a place to stash the pouch before they could catch up with ma. | moved along the wall, feeling over It with my hands. It was smooth and without depressions, No place to hide 1 i i i a cy at $e alts a elite ig id 3 # rapt wile z tte a he ee oe Be Pt Satta logged through springy grass toward See ae CHAPTER ELEVEN | found a cruising cab, directed It to the Surf Club and picked up Max. On the way back to the hotel I told him what { had found. “Then 1 guess we can make the deal,” he sald, Pretty soon we pulled up at the Lollant ‘and he wished me good night ‘and want on to hia own place. 1 got out and went into the lobby. ‘one-forty-five in the morning and very quiet. ‘When I got the light on in the room, 1 couldn't 8 from the 8, white with gold threade and flared skirt. lying on the bed. The second was the absence of her travel- Ing sult, a dark brown thing, the one tom that had been kt In the cosa It was gone. {felt the inside of the dress, on the back and in the area known aa the bodice. It was cool and faintly molet but very faintly. She had been only a ladylike hurry. aaa ' i had Schofield?” he, asked grinning. "That Vaald. to be smart.” ‘But another part sald, “Somewhere Jn that house of Yang's te the answer lowing the same line. He had all the Information to go on—well, maybe not quite all, but enough. 1 ‘wasn't out {0 best him to it, but It would be nice, U thought, to be able to complete the transection for Max Gould with a clear ‘conscience. ‘Yosh! hed slowed to a craw! and now he stopped. | looked off to my Fight. The small row of beach homes were black silhouettes ageinst the night sky. The rain had stopped. I don't know that | would sit around here much,” | sald to Yoshi. “Okay, Misser Schofield, | drive up street, turn around someplace, get out Of car—like It was parked for night | got out and started down the drive to Yang's house. Behind me | heard Yoshi start the car rolling on toward Diamond Head. T kept qulet. Even though Bishop hed removed the police watch, this. place had @ history of Invasion. | had had enough of Sammy and Kong for one ‘ight. Still it was lonely enough oa | catfooted into the entry passage be- ‘tween the louvres and the planter. The trade wind rattled the plantings softly, but there ware no human sounds. My fingers made no sound, tracing. the ‘smooth panel of the door, downward to the knob. But the sound of my heart Jumping to my mouth was plainly eudl- ble when | reached the doorknob and felt a key protruding from the lock. T becked out of ‘there and out of ——!tight beyond the planter and my hands ‘were wet. Bishop's men wouldn't leave 4 key In the door. Certainly nobody would leave a key for me. Life just was, never that convenient. ' put my ear to the partly open . For a long time there was no ‘sound but the quiet surf and the soft rattle of the plants. Then | heard some- thing. Muttering. Human, female mut tering. There ware @ of ight. dietant thuds. 1 looked. through the door screen, but the louvres weren't pen far enough to permit peeping. ‘There was light, though, thin, errati, moving like # gray sliver. | heard the ‘oft slap of footsteps In the rear hall, approsching. More muttering. A. thing climbed up my back. The volce was familiar. It couldn't be, but It was. There wasn't anything Chinese about | heard @ door open inside. 1 got back to the bedroom window and look: ed in. | saw the light first, a thin beam thrown by a pencil flesh, moving Jerkl- ly over the bed and the ‘walle, holding fon the open wall safe. Some of the light spilled on the mirror, reflecting her form, shadowy in a sult | knew was brown, with somewhat rumpled hair | knew was red, It all belonged to Mrs. Peter Schofield. CHAPTER TWELVE | moved a0 fast as | could and got Inside, using the ho—le—1t?" she asked tightly. ‘2 all ight, baby," | sald, “it's me. ‘The tight jumped in her hand, paused and flicked over me from head t foot, then dropped to the floor. | could her gasping for breath. “Oh God.” she moaned. “If you think Y'm going to stand here end faint, you ‘ra, ight” “1 was afrald to say anything. Didn't want to scare you.” | sal “Scare me?” | walked over and picked up the still gleaming light. Holding Tt 80 1 could fee her face, but without shining it Fight "In her eyes, | reached in.-my pocket and pulled out the little pouch, “This what you were looking’ for?” 1 sald. don't know,” she sald stubbornly. ‘Whet to It?” “Rocks. Hot rock “Diamonds ‘What else? She was recovering at a rapid rate, fou bum,” she ald, “why didn’t you tell me?" “1 would have, but you weren't there. ‘You ware In Kone, remember? “Listen, Pate, 1 hed to. | didn’t know 1 anid. We have to of here now. ne 9 Set out ‘She came along all and sudde by he eae ery Bo tht was ‘Twas only trying to help,” she a ly trying to help.” she sob- ‘against the door. She had her arms ‘around my neck, crying. 1 said, “did you tell me « woman clad you end put you up to 6 her—it was 30 It the dancer we saw at the ‘Surf Club, | mean the one who wasn't dancing, the one on the stairs?” ycTnst vou lost your sily head over? didn’t tose my heed. ‘She fell into my arms. | hold her for very close. She put her face up and her mouth was open. | kissed It. Then | kissed it again. After the sec- cond one, her fingernails scratched at the back of my scalp. She giggled. ‘Yoshi had the car quietly rumbling by the time 1 got the door open. Jean tle almost fell Into the back seat and Yosh! was away a3 I got In with her. Vput my arm around her and she snuggled close, aa in the old days when we would be out on a double date, "You darling creature,” she whis- ered. “Violate m ‘Not, in Yoshi's. cab,” 1 sald. “It wouldn't be neat.’ ‘Wich way we go?” Yoshi asked. hose, up by the gertors, fully ‘ogling her. “Ask hign to’ drive downtown.” she to. 1 promised, it came through to me In a way, but 1 didn't want to ask her right out in front of Yoshi. ‘So | ducked Into my shell, feeling harassed. Pretty soon! heard Yoshi task her where she wanted to go. “Just down there a ways,” sho sald, “across the river.” ‘Yooh! pulled up for # stop light. “V'don't know the umber.” Jeannie ald, “but you can't miss it. It's @ big place, It's some kind of rug cleaning place. CHAPTER THIRTEEN she" slopped ight slong end fo th er slong tad to front door ofthe rug closning plant Tithe threw ‘exactly where she, wes toing, There wan a sign on the bia fase doe, Giada“ hotoay. Jeannie pushed: cn. ater Vand, "ao you knew?" Sho put her Hagar to her ipa. After’about w minute Sue Yang 9p peared in the hall doorway. She. wee Grering ome sort oF loose wrapper SrLimone "and amel, polmted Back slippers. She was minus the cigar holder. Pert Jeanole wes making signs through tha glass like a longtost sister. The Inetfable' Lotus Sastom. approsched the door on her title feet, looked out ft up at close range, Thon'she bobbed har head with that quaint combination of algnty and humility and ont for Tock the door, She atood beck to lotus In-and closed it behind us, “You remember’ my husband, Mr. Schofield” Joannie sad ‘Sue Yang bowed sight. SM. Schoteld’* she sud. ‘She sat down ‘on the edge of the bed. her back very ‘straight, crossed her anklos and fold- (ed her lovely hands in her lap. Jeannie, ‘warm and outgoing by nature, sat down beside her and slid her arm around Mrs. Yang. | pushed the straight chair Into position with my foot and strad- dled it, leaning on the back. We look ‘0d at one another, separately. “T cannot know how to thank you, ‘Sue Yang sald. "You found them faction. One eyebrow shot up 83 she lifted her head on that lovely neck and snnle patted her tenderly. ‘Go ahead, deer.” she sald. him—what you told’ mo.” The great eyes fell slowly, then rose again. "First," sho sald, “I must apologize to Mr. Schofield—end Mrs. Schofteld— for coming to the hotel, with the. gun. ‘very bed. | was desperate. There mn the police, and then—" was looking at me. 1 shrug: “Tell "No harm done.” | sid. Sue Yang acknowledged with a bow. it was Impossible to Ive, 1 escaped’ to Hong Kong. There ery be softly. 1 was not in the prostitute class “We. understand,” | Jeanni “You're not the first.” ‘man In Hong Kong saw me dance, promised to help me, He got me work. Pthought he was a friend, But he was aid. do you say; manager. | tried to leave him, but there was no way. 1 hed no money, even while working. He stole ‘even from me, from my pay.‘900d man. He took care of mi ‘with him, not like prostitute—like a lover, you know?” “Oi course wo know, ‘Sue Yang's derk eyes swam momen In exotle liquid. hun Yeng loved, me, “Asked me to marry him, go to Amer. ea. I was wrong to him. | did not tell ‘afraid. He | asked. to Honolulu, for @ honeymoon. He had the hou by the sea, a lovely house. | was hap- py for the first time. He showed me the diamonds he bought in Hong Kong. He ald we would use them to bulld a fine house In San Francisco—American house, man and wife together.” to0, | "Pe don't need money.” she sald, “Chun Vang pald everything. There was money in the bank. In my name too. But now Chun Yang is dead. | have only the diamonds. Hor eyes nearly Jeannie patted her and swallowed with difft culty “guess $0," | sald. “Tell me what happened. You were happy with Yang, everything was fine, and then. some- thing bad. happened. 3," she said. "Something very bad. The man from Hong Kong camo. My manager. He followed us to Hono: lulu. T did not know. He knew about the diamonds, about my past.” fe wanted you to steal the dia- ‘monds from your husband?’ “Not at first. He wanted me to go to work, dancing, to be my manager. V said no. He sald if 1 would not go to work, he would tell Chun Yang about me—about my past. | was afrald.” “This guy you're talking sbout—this, that Sammy character’ ‘Sammy?" she sald, her eyes wide ‘ening, Vhad forgotten it was only my own ‘ame for him. | tied to remember the ‘name on the theatrical literature | had found in the Surt Club. “His name Ie. Chu,” Wang.” ‘That was tt “I’see,” 1 said. “So you almost had to do what he wanted.” “L was afraid of him. He had a place for me to work. I told Chun Yang. Ho didn't want me to go to work. | begged him. Finally he said yes. But he did ‘she sald. “chu fot like it. He did not like Surf Club, or Mr. McGulfty, She blinked the big eyee slowly; “I worked for Mr. MeGuty about two ‘weeks, and Chu told me he wanted the diamonds, He wanted me to steal them. seid no. 1 said 1 would tell: Chun Yang. | would not work any more, He struck me.’ ‘That's how you got the shin aid. “The black eye.” She touched her eye delicately ‘There was the morest trace of the mouse. “hae ght.” sho sald I trad t tell Chun Yang to hide. the diamonds. Sa" somebody weld steal tam. He 9. Ho had ther In tho suf, inthe wali tried to tell him bout mo, in Hong Kong. what 1 knew hu Wang would toll hin If refused to work. could not. Chun Yang saw ‘was Unhappy, he wanted me to. stop work, nat go back. sald T could not Stop, We quarried. After a while, he ioved me, and we no longer quarreled. But the next day 1 was afraid aga, ‘and when T told him t had to go" Bock to work, he wae very angry. He told ime if went beck to work, | should fever como home again. That was ‘when | moved to the Surf Club. 1 had hovther place to go. if he loved you 30 much.” Jeannie sid Ingnantly, “why did he Tet you ‘Chun Yang.” Lotus Blossom ex: plained, “sald we would go to San Francisco. It was early In the moming He went out fo wrange for the tickets While he was gone, | “You didn't want to stey with him, feven if he took you away from Chu 7" | sald. "Took you to San Fran “You do not understand, Mr. Scho: field.” she sald quietly. "He had told ‘me not to come back, I could not stay, No longer was I wife of Chun Yang. Jeannie started”to cry. “Well,” I sald, “how did the dia monds get Into the Buddha?” “I put them there,” she said. “When Chun’ Yang went to get the tickets. | was girald “Chu Wang would steal them. “He knew how to open the safe?" | ‘said, But | knew that, didn’t 1? “Yes.” she sald. "He knew. He made ime tell him.” ‘She looked down. She wasn't proud of i, but | Imagined Sammy could Persuasive In some rather special, Ort ‘ental ways. “What did you think would happen when Chun Yang came back and could. vessage, to tell him.” Where?” “In a secret place. Only we knew— Chun Yang and.” Jeannie's tears were flowing like wine. She had used up her handker- chief and 1 handed her mine. “Thank you," she sald, snuffling. 1 got up and took a turn around the dingy room, 1 put my hends In my pockets. “Do. you think,” 1 asked Lotus Blos- som, “that Chu Wang went to Yang's hhouse that morning to steal the dia- monds; that he ran Into Yang and they fought and Sammy—1 mean, Chu—till- ed him? ‘She lowered her wonderful eyes and her shoulders moved subtly. “1 donot know." she said. “Chu Watig was a very bad man. walked around some more, strenuously. | scratched the back of my head. When | Tooked at the bed, they were both 1 dug cautiously In both pockets, turning away a little but keeping a furtive eye on Susie. Her eyes were big and Intense and unwavering. 1 got hold of the pouch, got the drawstring Toose and twisted the neck down. Then, counting carefully, | miked the stones down out of the pouch Into my pocket ‘and tosged it In my hand once, smiling. From Lotus Blossom, a swift, Her eyes littered. Then slowly, deeply. “Weill go now." Jeannie seid, giving her a final pat. “Pete will seo Max Gould first thing in the morning and you can close the deal Jeannie got up. Without warning, Lotus Blossom. clutching the pouch to hher bosom, slid off the bed onto her the too of room. was Into the hall. | heard her gasp. 1 Tooked out there. 1 was Kong, all seven or eight feet of him, standing with arms folded at the foot of a stale: way at the end of the hall. In the dim light he looked even bigger’ than he 1 glanced back at Sue Yang "Oh," I sald. “I see. By the we 1 didn’t have to spell the question out. “ide is my true friend.” she sald Is from the Southern Isiands. for me. I cannot say jell, goodnight,” | sald. Joined Jeannie’ and we went out. snugly Imprisoned in mine, according to our custom at the conclusion of @ successful mutual enterprise. CHAPTER FOURTEEN We got through the deserted hotel {lobby In dignified fashion, but | pinch- ‘ed her In the elevator and she let me cchase her down to the room. 1 caught ‘up with her at bed and we fell across Itwith a spell of the breathless giggle+ “Tell me about it.” | sald. ‘She didn't answer. | pinched her MeOuch." she sald wl ‘'m trying to’ ‘make 2 good story out of it.” “Never mind that. Who cailed you?” “Well—this woman, it turned out to be Mrs. Yang, she said she had to talk to me, It wes urgent; that nobody: must _know.” “When was this?” “it was just before Max was posed to pick me up for dinner. So 1 ‘thought if It would help, 1 would go to ‘gee her. So when Max brought me home from dinner, 1 pretended | was ‘mad at you and was going to Kona and 1 did the whole bit, bought the ticket at the travel desk and all end packed my sultcase and got Max to take me to the airport. tel and change?” “Wall, | was wearing kind of a fancy dress and I didn't want It to get mess- 64 up, If anything happened, you know. 1 lay there looking at her, marveling. "You wouldn't mind If this one gets. messed up a little right now, would you?” | said. ‘She wriggled Into the bed, face down. I" started messing it up. She fighed with content, After a while | got up and excused myself to take a shower. Such clothes ‘a9 | still had on | threw over @ chalr ‘and went Into the bathroom. 1 wasn’t ‘gone long. When | came out, the lights were out and Jennie was in bed, cov- ered to the chin. | kissed her. She ‘slapped me in the face. “Don't come near me!” she sobbed. | switched on @ lamp and looked around. My anawer was on the floor. The pants | had just taken off were ‘and spilling from one of sparkling in the light, the precious stones of Chun Yang. Jeannie, in her sweet, wifely way, had gone through my pockets. ‘A man keeps trying. | went to the bed cautiously and put my hand on her shoulder. She went stiff as the wall oT off me, Peter Scho- T knew she would. Later she, would gat ‘vor te But now {couldnt oven Ae in'the same oor wi her. plcked ‘up the damonde, and put thert nan "envelope, aodled. It and Suck i inmy shit pockat.190t dress and turnout the ight. 1 found an early rentaurant, went a and ordered. 2 bg breakfast. By the ti had eaten yy Grou | fer pretty good. At eight tatoo Wolby ofthe Royal Pawan, {Gund comfortable telophone” booth ta ‘aled ax Gould imanay forthe deondat™ ask tar the. damonds rd he said. + you're’ coming slong on It. Hi me with the money at my hotel sround tenethirty?™ ‘Sure, Pete. ‘And the bil of sale. The ret one.” vey So that was all right. 1 wandered round until about nina o'clock, then went to the telephone again. | got po- lice headquarters and asked for Ser- ‘geant Bishop. It took @ while for them to, got him on. ‘Yes, Schofield,” he sald. “What is the way It must have been ‘spanking slowly end dia. ‘Somebody want to Yang's ind opened his abdomen. Yang hhad to get something done before he could die. He know where | was stay. Ing. He came up to my room and gave ‘me this thing for his wife and he diad there, as we know.” ty All roht-" Bishop ald, to patient: ly. “Okay. How did he disappear from the room? Somebody was. watching him, ‘ll the way to the hotel, some- body who needed a littie time’ before Yang's murder could be discovered. Now. some carpet cleaners have been working in the hotel. They got a truck. They roll up the carpets and stick ‘em Inthe truck and roll ‘em into their cleaning plant. which ta down by the river. Every day the guy with the truck ‘and his helper go to lunch, for an hour at least. “Whoever needed "the time went in and got Yang and rolled him up In a carpet. He could stash Yang anywhere ‘around there. Who would notice a roll: ed up carpet? The place was lousy with ‘om.' When the lunch hour came, he loaded Yang in the truck, drove down ‘to the river and dumped-—" 1 stopped talking. Bishop wes chuck- ling. “Pretty good, Schotield.” he sald. “IL ‘oppreciate your calling. But we're way ahead of you. We found the rug, too, Tete last night. The truck was owned by the KleemAite people. We know they were around the hotel.” "Oh," 1 sald. "Well, fine. lad ‘you talked to the Kleer-Aite people? "No, they're out of town, Christmas vacation. Plant’s closed. They're prob- ‘bly In the clear. Somebody probably Just borrowed the truck.’ “The drive behind the thing wes a diamond heist off Yang, planned way bback In Hong Kong. By'e thief named Chu Wang. He's working at the Surf Club, az manoger of the dancer, Lotus Blo—1' mean, Mrs. Yang “He was there last night when we ‘stopped by?” “Yeah, he, was. 7 fou didn't see ft to mention 1t7 dnt have it put together “anything else you haven't mention. ed—1 moan, haven't put together yet?" “No.” | sald. “But 1 thought you right like to pick thie guy up and have 2 talk with hie. “You got anything In this, Schofield?” “[ just want to start having # vace 1 loft the room without waking her end watted In the lobby. When Max appeared | passed him the sealed envelope, with the stones and he handed me # sheaf of greenbecks long with the bill of Holl of a way to spend Christmas, he sald, aa wo shook hand: ‘Then | was on my way to see Lotus Blossum at the KleenAte Cleaning plant. CHAPTER FIFTEEN The interior of the KleenAte office ‘was dingier looking by day then. by night. It looked. horribly deserted. 1 pushed the bell button. heard a dlstant Tinging inside. A. couple of ‘minutes passed and the door of the hallway ‘Opened sowly. Lotus Blossom looked ‘around it toward the door. Sho was Inscrutable, as always, Maybe ‘not quite. Maybe a little unfriendly. | smi- ed again and flashed the bill of sale, ‘She opened the door, stood back as 1 went in. ‘What do you want now, Mr. Scho- fiold?” she sald think we're ready to do business,” 1 said, Business ike last night?” q’That was just a precaution, fat me for sbout thirty seconds, then tumed and led. mo to ward the hall. Her long, lovely body ‘swayed under the loosely wrapped kI- ‘mono. It wasn't quite the same as semi but Kong wasnt to sight Ineo. te room. I the yellow light | saw a sutcase near the toon aight topcoat town over Ion the fonsaat was a aio vet tnvelope, Sue Yang loked et me fom ter Beaded Nes Sou area strange man, Mr, Scho field. she aad Sat nother guy.” sald. “Shall we get down to business?” "old you bring the. dlamonds—this tiger" “Better yet, 1 brought the: money: 1 cards "Max Gould: already hee tho tiumonds 1m hs agent an i soomed ht A ile short" sat down on the bed careful ‘She ‘walted patienty. 1 opened the folded ‘sheets and. led them on lap. She looked atthe thing for a whi then looked. "This Is genuin "You seam surprised She shrugged lightly and 1 handedhor a pen. She found 2 line for signa- ture, paused and looked up. “in English, Mr. Schofield, or Chi Either way will bo legal," I sald. She bowed stifly and wrote. with the pen. In Chinese. Her long lashe voliad the deep, dark eyes when she bent her head. Her personal scant was noticeable, The carclessly belted kr mono geped somewhat at the bodice ‘and 1 saw her upper breasts, pale and ler than I would have quess- fuller, ed. ‘Sh finished signing, carefully re capped the pen and handed It up to sme along with the document. bowed. She inclined her hosd. am glad we at last come to an ‘Me. Schofield,” she. aid. ‘There's something | have to know. “What fe It?" “Just a technicality, Just In case— but I'd like to seo some proof that you ‘actually did marry Chun Yang In Hong Kong: that you're his lege! wil helr, you know." OF courso, I'd seen the proof, but she couldn't be sure of that and | wanted to let her know | was covering every angie, She rose slowly from the bed and looked at me from her full height. Then she nodded submissively. f course.” Sho loosened the belt of the kl ‘mono, bent slightly and started to open fone of the panels. Then she paused, lancing up at me. “If you would be so kind, pleasi ‘she sald, “Oh,, sure.” 1 laughed, turning my back. “Just say when.” waited a minute. There was a faint rustling, Intimate and feminine. My throat tightened a litle, “all right.” she sald quietly, very close behind me, “when. !tumed around, my shoulder bump- Ing the closed door. She was a little more than a forearm’s reach from me. | could tell by the way she held her elbow tight egainst her dlaphragm with hher arm extended straight out on 2 evel with my belt. The kimono. gaped all the way down now. She was naked except for a. Gstring-ike bandeau ‘cross her loins. But this was window dressing. or sheer ccident. The main thing was the long, thin knife et the end of her extended arm. There was strap around her right thigh, high uf doubtless a sheath In back. What th hell, | wondered. All she had to do was, send for the certificate and there'd be 110 need for all this, But apparently, after being conned ance too often by me, she wasn't about to take any more chances. | flattened ageinst the door, sucking In my stomach. She had me good. Even with both hands free, she ‘could get the knife well into me before | could them. it had Tess thon an inch to "a gag Is 8 gag—" she sald. “Give me the All had changed. voice, posture, the look in the beautiful eyes. For a mo. caught my whole attention voly dgcarntlo ware the edges of f papersthin, Reahtinted tape, careful iy"ttted on the upper Ide,” drawing ‘out and fattening, them. Come on, Schad” ah sald end the accent wee straight out of Kansas City, Just ae it had been the day Td tweaked her lovely reer ‘She tossed her head. The short black bangs ‘on her forehead. dlasrranged themeeives, revealing the edge of Silful makup Job that had given her Skin the proper creamy tone. Glancing down sew where It tot off, jess even- iy tust above her breasts ‘Wor eyes snapped. at me "For the eyetul,” she sald. “Sixty-five ‘would pay for this eyeful,” 1 u're awfully good, honey.” ‘Shut up and get it, up, “L know you've got It My palm was damp in my pocket and slipped on the crisp money. I got hold palling sgulerly. 1 ‘and watched her ¥ mine. | slipped the stack of bills up Rotch, paused. The knife point dug at she sald between quit watching them Ler's have teeth, “W's stuck In my pocket,” | sald. 1 gave a little tug and the strain broke her. The eyes shifted down to imy left. | swung with my right hand, pushing her off balance” and sliding away along the wall. She yelped softly ‘and stumbled. twisting. 1 stepped out from the wali to get behind her, but she got her footing and swung around, coming with the knife. | did the bull fight turn, drawing myself In tight, and the knife slid past my belt. She stu bled again with one knee against the bed. | grabbed for her and got a hand- ful of Kimono. She pulled away, leaving It, and all she had on was the G-string ‘and that crazy sheath strapped to het leg. She swung again, slashing with ight her wrist with 1. She went limp, and when 1 moved in to take it she leaned into me with her shoulder and chopped at the back of my neck. | wasn't prepared for the judo. | fell heavily onto the bed, rolling away. She came for me on her knees cross the bed. The knife was up where | could see It and she could use Tt. 1 got one leg up ‘sobbing with fury end frustration. She clamped my ralsed leg in a scissors, grabbed a hhandful of my shirt and came again with the knife. This time 1 caught her wrist In both hands, For minute it was @ standoff. She was in wonderful ondition and i hadn't had any sleep. She tried to tighten the scissors, but It was only my leg and meant nothing in leverage. 1 went to work on her wrist, forcing it back til she rolled clear. 1 got my knees under me one at ‘a time and she was on her back, claw: Ing at my face. I leaned on her enough to hold her atill while | loosened her ‘rip on the knife. When It dropped ‘away. she gave up. | pushed it off the bad to the floor. She went limp. “Now Ie stil.” | sald. “You're taking is too hard. Hor face was @ mask again, dishevel- ed but calm. | let up on her slowly ‘and she didn't try anything. When I was clear of her, she hitched up the Gatring. | picked up the kimono and hhanded it to her and ahe drew It across her_bres sal. She looked at "The deel Is legitimate,” | sald. “The money Is yours. But give me the back- Ground. 1 got to talk to the cope “Go to hell,” she sald, turning her face away. ‘Then, Tet me give you the back: ground,” | sald. “If 'm wrong, stop me. It might help, because If nobody inter- rupts me I'm going to have to tell it my way. ‘You've been banging around the Far East a few years. Ups and downs, as the saying goes. Probably more ‘ups than otherwise, because you're damn ‘900d at your work and, except for one slip, probably the greatest actress ‘since Eleanora Duse. You ran Into this Chu Wang fellow. Made a good team. Or | don't know, maybe you're clean so far. Maybe you only went along wit ‘out knowing enough to get In trouble, | waited, but she only moved one leg lazily on the bed, neither confirming nor denying. “Anyway.” | sald, “along came Chun Yang. It was one of your down periods, way down. You were fed up with Hong Kong, wanted to home.” ‘was not dow sald flercely. wanted out, that's al "Okay," | said. “Yang was the boy who could do it for you. It was easy ‘enough to con him. Even if his. brain hhad told him you weren't Chinese at all, he didn’t really care, He was yours, body and soul—and pocketbook “I was good to him," she said. "He jas a lonely, middle-aged man. | could make him happy.” “But It couldn't work, could it? You hhad Chu Wang on your back. You both knew about the diamonds. You worked lt out together before you left Hong Kong. But by the time you got to Hono- lulu with Yang, you'd ‘sterted thinking along different’ lines, exclusive. lines. ‘The hell with Chu. Only he wouldn't leave it alone, would he? He kept put- tng the pressure on you. It had to be that way, because under the original deal, you could have walked away with your split with him and gone with the trade wind.” ‘She still wasn't saying anything, but ‘she hed twisted her head @ lite end was watching me while 1 talked “1 wish you wouldn't doing that," sald, “Doing what?” “With your legs. It's distracting.’ She stared at me for a minute, thenranged her kimono and lay still, ‘So you kept stalling. When you ‘about Max Gould and how sily the diamonds could be tured value, not just fenced some- where at haif price, you stalled hin real good. This was the best deal yet ‘and you could have It all to yourself. * think it ever would have come z ‘She came up then, fast, on her eb . and looked at’ me siralght end lot me finish. Chu was’ after you hard now. He forced you Into thet deal with McGutty. probebly mostly to keep an eye on you. Yang didn't like you work: Ing and you let him think you hed to for your artistic soul. He gave in, but kept fussing about it. It couldn't last. When Yang made noises about taking you to the mainland, It was all right with you. But in order to stall Chu. you had to tell him too much. Ul ‘about Max Gould and a legitimate deal ‘on, the rocks, ‘This was fine with Chu. But by now hhe didn't trust you too much. He pla rough. You're about to take off ‘with Yang for the mainland and Chu is afraid you'll run out on him. If anything ‘was going to happen, It had to happen right then. He pushed you around same, gave you a black eye... But-how ‘come Chu could push you around, with that big bastard hanging around, that Number One Boy?” he smiled a ttle. “But | guess,” | sald, “he's not too bright. And maybe the beast In him gets out of control when he's aroused. T'know he didn't heve any love for Chu. 1 saw him chop Chu down when Soca’ Sy at ty Reis oe See at EGS meee Eoeararta at de around. “Where Is he, by the way?” Sens cate i nh one a epee, 85 Seon Sag nt oy seanb at Theis i ch elena oe aon of or sn "gh sor he wi“ re ona acannon ob ae! a i co attain iy mifehed ‘nugh truth In It to be Bing Se fa i Tall a fact senna epee ibaa ee Ho ores ie Berta aay ase ie of the loot from the diamond sale. You got him steemed good and told him Yang was buying slrfine tickets to take you to Sen Francisco, and frst thing you know. Chu goes into action. “You followed him, you and Number ‘One Boy. You saw what You ‘saw Yang come out of the house, drag himself away. You stopped. in’ long ‘enough to see my name on thet tele phone pad. Then you followed him to the hotel. You knew he was coming to me. You needed time. If he was dis- covered right then, dead, you'd be in the middle of It. You had to have time to,zake the deal with Mex Gould “So you saw the carpet people work- Ing and you set Number One Boy to work I was easy enough for him to roll ‘Yang In a carpet, throw him in that truck and dump him somewhore. You probably went’ along with. him. The Kleen-Aite name gave you another Idea, a place to hide out. Strippers In Honolulu have been holing up there for years. | heard about that ‘She was leaning on one elbow. gaz. Ing at me with @ puzzled expression. ‘She lifted one foot and scratched tly ‘at the back of her leg. "You've got It wroni ‘What wrong? About setting It up? ‘You know how to do It, honey. Like when you got that black’ eye and you told McGuffy your husband gave It to you MeGutty was hot for your” “Not” she. yelled, stiffening up on both arms, glaring at me, “I didn't tell him that. Chu told hrm! ‘She was crouched on the bed. study- {ng me, her breasts exposed again, Sho groped’ for the kimono with one hand. V moved to help her. The the sound of @ door opening. Her eye went wide, her mouth opened to the limit. Sho ‘started screaming. 1 swung around, late again. In the doorway stood Sammy—Chu Wang— with @ gun In his hand and in a mood 10 use It. CHAPTER SIXTEEN Lotus Blossom's screams echoed through the empty building until she Sted them with her own fist at her ‘mouth. The look In her eyes was shoer fervor, Sammy moved Info the. room and. stood: where T'was. “You he spat toward her. “You the cops on mon” ‘Sho shook her Head frantically. Nol No, Cho, honest." He moved toward the bed. "the begged. “Do some “1 "1 sald. “This looks like a family fight ‘Where did he come from? | thought. What the hell happened to Bishop? "Where are they?” haven't got them, Chu," she sald. “Honest “That's true.” | aald. “Shut up.” Sammy sald. 1 took # iook at the gun and it was steady. | didn't doubt he'd use it if necessary. His foot kicked at the knife fon the floor, sant It Into a comer. He becked off, holding the gun on us, started yanking the drawers out of the chest. spilling the stuff on the floor. There wasn't much. Certainly no. dla: mond: Ho moved over to the aultcase, got down and got It open, covering us all the time. He pulled lingerle, blouses, skirts out of it and threw them 0: Ho pleked up the topcoat and shook it ‘upside down. Nothing fell out. He got fon his feet again and started toward the bed. Lotus started to. whimpe softy, like @ puppy. She got her kre under her somehow and skittered sway ‘across the bed and down over the side, Sammy scooped up tha kimono and shook it, keeping one eye and the gun “Like 1 geld," 1 told him, “she hasn't got them.” “Where?” he sald, “Max Gould,” | ssid, From behind the bed came little whimperings and se “Where's the money?” Sammy said He got no answer. In a sudden fury hhe bent, grabbed the bed frame and Jerked up on It. Lotus Blossom ye huddled "on the floor. Sammy's gun wavered and I started to move, then stopped. The doorway had filled up. It was Number One Boy. | edged back 8 little along the bed. He made no sound in his bare feet. fe crossed the room In two strides fand his two hands went up over Chu Wang's head. As they came down ‘grabbed the bed so It wouldn't fall'on her. Chu sagged down like a poled steer and the gun slithered off across the floor. Lotus. Blossom scrambled out from under tha bed ond I let it ‘down. Kong started toward me and she sald something sharp in another lan- ‘guage. He stopped, looking at me, then down at Chu, who ley crumpled beside the bed. Lotus Blossom brushed dust off her 0. “Give _me the money.” she sald, T want to get out of here. Beige Ue eee ante Sere St et Se sor aah Set at Se ha cy Sr Eee Regi Eo es ot ee a Se cd ae ne daa mun Ms sarees oe iene ert ok satin Sipser a Se beet cre ie Re tae eteback and get the money. Sho threw | window frame, her body ry 3 thea on purpose, 0 they. could tall him here. | ahouid have Known Bishop that well Kong, with his nude burden, had ded for the front door. Now i saw him charge back the other way past into ‘the. el he lifted it straight up, holding his It." | yelled. 1 pointed Into the room, "There's one In here.” ‘Number One Boy was pounding up the steps at the end of the hall. Lotus's hhead and arms hung limply down his back now. | started up after them. Far above, saw him push through 2 nar- row door, form a momentary silhouette Against. strong light, then” dlsappe: The Wory fiesh of Lotus Blossom was Tike @ tong scarf with @ black tassel ‘over his. shoulder, Traced up, got Into a corridor that ran toward the rear of the. bullding. It’s outside wall was concrete. It was wide, Ite floor was littered with dusty trash, At the far end was @ huge win- dow frame, without glass, twelve feet square. Through it, beyond empty space, | could see downtown buildings. Between would be the river Kong was hard by the wall Just In- side the door. Lotus stood beside him. She, had finally made him understand she’ wanted down, Her long black halr was a tangle about her neck. Hor breasts heaved furiously. “Ti talk, to. them,” 1 sald easy now." Latus Blossom looked at me strange- ly, 98 If she couldn't quite remember ‘who | was. She moved to face the big Quy. put both hands gently on his chest, looking up. a long way up. Against the light through the open ‘Take it luscious, totally feminine. For a. mo ‘amost might have done a little

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