Double Impact: Never Say Die & No Way Back Read Free

site,” he continued. “But that jungle could swallow up anything. All that mist and smoke hanging over the valleys. The trees so thick, the ground never sees the light of day. But you’ll get a feelingfor it yourself soon enough. When are you leaving for Saigon?”
    â€œTomorrow morning.”
    â€œAnd the Vietnamese have agreed to discuss this matter?”
    â€œI didn’t tell them my reason for coming. I was afraid I might not get the visa.”
    â€œA wise move. They aren’t fond of controversy. What did you tell them?”
    â€œThat I’m a plain old tourist.” She shook her head and laughed. “I’m on the deluxe private tour. Six cities in two weeks.”
    â€œThat’s what one has to do in Asia. You don’t confront the issues. You dance around them.” He looked at his watch, a clear signal that the interview had come to an end.
    They rose to their feet. As they shook hands, she felt him give her one last, appraising look. His grip was brisk and matter-of-fact, exactly what she expected from an old war dog.
    â€œGood luck, Miss Maitland,” he said with a nod of dismissal. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
    He turned to look off at the mountains. That’s when she noticed for the first time that tiny beads of sweat were glistening like diamonds on his forehead.
    Â 
    G ENERAL K ISTNER WATCHED as the woman, escorted by a servant, walked back toward the house. He was uneasy. He remembered Wild Bill Maitland only too clearly, and the daughter was very much like him. There would be trouble.
    He went to the tea table and rang a silver bell. The tinkling drifted across the expanse of veranda, and seconds later, Kistner’s secretary appeared.
    â€œHas Mr. Barnard arrived?” Kistner asked.
    â€œHe has been waiting for half an hour,” the man replied.
    â€œAnd Ms. Maitland’s driver?”
    â€œI sent him away, as you directed.”
    â€œGood.” Kistner nodded. “Good.”
    â€œShall I bring Mr. Barnard in to see you?”
    â€œNo. Tell him I’m canceling my appointments. Tomorrow’s, as well.”
    The secretary frowned. “He will be quite annoyed.”
    â€œYes, I imagine he will be,” said Kistner as he turned and headed toward his office. “But that’s his problem.”
    Â 
    A T HAI SERVANT IN A CRISP white jacket escorted Willy through an echoing, cathedral-like hall to the reception room. There he stopped and gave her a politely questioning look. “You wish me to call a car?” he asked.
    â€œNo, thank you. My driver will take me back.”
    The servant looked puzzled. “But your driver left some time ago.”
    â€œHe couldn’t have!” She glanced out the window in annoyance. “He was supposed to wait for—”
    â€œPerhaps he is parked in the shade beyond the trees. I will go and look.”
    Through the French windows, Willy watched as the servant skipped gracefully down the steps to the road. The estate was vast and lushly planted; a car could very well be hidden in that jungle. Just beyond the driveway, a gardener clipped a hedge of jasmine. A neatly graveled path traced a route across the lawn to a tree-shaded garden of flowers and stone benches. And in the far distance, a fairy blue haze seemed to hang over the city of Bangkok.
    The sound of a masculine throat being cleared caught her attention. She turned and for the first time noticed theman standing in a far corner of the reception room. He cocked his head in a casual acknowledgment of her presence. She caught a glimpse of a crooked grin, a stray lock of brown hair drooping over a tanned forehead. Then he turned his attention back to the antique tapestry on the wall.
    Strange. He didn’t look like the sort of man who’d be interested in moth-eaten embroidery. A patch of sweat had soaked through the back of his khaki shirt, and his sleeves were shoved up