Greek Fire Read Free Page B

played a lot of poker, didn’t he?”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œThey met in a poker game more than once. Your husband lost. Once he drank too much and got talkative. He dropped a hint of something he was going to do when he came to Athens. He mentioned a name. My friend knew I was interested in that name. When he saw me a week or so later he passed the information on. By then you’d left. I work in Paris, and it took me a couple of days to put my things in order. I got to Athens yesterday.”
    She picked up her glass now, frowned at it, contorting her flat lips, then abruptly she drank the brandy at a gulp.
    â€œGive me the name of the man who killed Juan. That’s all I want to know.”
    â€œI have no proof that would satisfy the police.”
    She said: “Tell me the name and I will not go to the police.”
    He studied her. “I believe you. But it wouldn’t help. You’d only be putting your hand into the same snake’s nest——”
    He stopped. A pale shadow had fallen over the table. In the flood of Castilian that followed he could only pick out a word here and there. He got up.
    â€œJoin us. I was hoping you’d come.”
    Philip Tolosa said in English: “I have no wish to talk with reporters. Maria, come.”
    Gene said: “ You play the harp superbly.”
    The Spaniard’s sallow face was drawn and dirty, and there was cigarette ash and stains on his coat. He was a good lot taller than his brother, being about Gene’s height. Maria got up and there was another sharp, explosion in their own tongue. He had been looking for her everywhere, he said, couldn’t think why she had gone out; she was explaining about this man. Tolosa looked at Gene, eyes cagey and bloodshot. He couldn’t keep his fingers steady.
    Vanbrugh said: “Are you sure you’re going to get out of the country? Are you sure they’ll let you go?”
    The girl pushed her chair aside, nearly upsetting it. “What is this you are threatening us with?”
    â€œI’m threatening you with nothing. Perhaps your brother-in-law knows what I mean.”
    â€œI know nothing except that we have no word to say to anyone. Come, Maria.”
    â€œThis man tells me——”
    â€œCome, Maria.”
    She shrugged and glanced again at Gene, hesitating between them.
    â€œIf you want me any time,” Gene said, “ I am at the Astoria. Ring me or call round.”
    There was nothing more he could do now and he watched them go, Philip Tolosa holding the girl’s arm. After a few paces she jerked her arm free. But she did not look back.
    Gene sat down again to finish his coffee. Then he took out a couple of notes and put them beside the printed bill.

Chapter Four
    As a clock was striking five Vanbrugh crossed Kolonaki Square and made his way up one of the avenues running off it towards the slopes of Lycabettus. This was a good neighbourhood, the houses individual and distinguished, some set back from the road with wrought-iron gates and balconies.
    It was raining now, a fine drizzle falling like nylon across the city; but towards the sea, towards Piraeus, the grey day was illuminated with broken blue. He walked with the collar of his jacket turned up, hands in pockets, easy slouch, as if the iron pavements were not his natural home at all. He looked like a hobo or a trapper, and had never been either.
    At the house where he called the half-coloured maid was new to him and seemed doubtful whether Mme Lindos would see him. He gave his name and waited at the door.
    When he went in he was shown in to a small morning-room where a handsome old woman sat before an open fire fingering a book of photographs. There are certain architectures of forehead and nose and cheek-bone which defy the erosions of age. She had them.
    He kissed her hand and then her cheek, while her gentle sophisticated gaze went slowly over him, noting that he had lost weight and