Read Vulture is a Patient Bird Online

Authors: James Hadley Chase

Vulture is a Patient Bird (26 page)

BOOK: Vulture is a Patient Bird
7.95Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads
Shalik got to his feet and walked over to the window, turning his back to Garry. The news shocked him. He disliked strangers knowing that he was capable of being shocked.

After a few moments, he turned and asked, "How do I know you are telling me the truth, Mr. Edwards? How did the other two die?"

"Jones was eaten by a crocodile. I don't know what happened to Fennel. He was probably killed by a Zulu. I found the Zulu dead with Fennel's rucksack and the ring. Fennel had stolen the ring and my compass and left Gaye and me to find our way out of the jungle. I succeeded: Gaye didn't."

"Are you quite sure she is dead?"

"I'm sure."

Shalik sat down. He wiped his damp hands on his handkerchief. He had an important assignment involving a million dollars lined up for Gaye when she returned. Now, what was he to do? He felt a bitter rage seize him. He would have to start another long and difficult search for a woman to replace her, and in the meantime, the assignment would fall through.
"And the ring?" he said, controlling his rage.
Garry took a matchbox from his pocket and pushed it across the desk to Shalik who picked it up, shook the ring out on to the blotter and regarded it. Well, at least, this assignment hadn't failed. He was suddenly very pleased with himself. By using his brains and these four people as his pawns, he had made half a million dollars within the space of a few days.
He examined the ring closely, then nodded his satisfaction. As he put the ring down, he said, "I am sure the operation wasn't easy, Mr. Edwards. I am very pleased. In fairness to you, I will double your fee. Let me see . . . it was nine thousand dollars. I will make it eighteen thousand. Is that satisfactory to you?"
Garry shook his head.

"Nine is enough," he said curtly. "The less I have of your money, the cleaner I will feel."

Shalik's eyes snapped, but he shrugged. He opened his desk drawer and took out a long envelope which he tossed across the desk.
Garry picked up the envelope. He didn't bother to check the contents. Putting the envelope in his breast pocket, he got up and walked to the door.

"Mr. Edwards . . ."

Garry paused.

"What is it?

"I would be glad if you would dictate a full report of what happened during the operation. I would like to have all the details. My secretary will supply you with a tape-recorder."
"What do you want it for . . . to give to the police?" Garry said. "You have the ring . . . that's all you're getting from me," and he went out, walked past the blonde secretary without looking at her and hurried to the elevator, his one thought now being to get back to Toni.
Shalik stared at the closed door, thought for a moment, then shrugged. Perhaps after all, it was better not to know too much about what happened, he decided. Pity about Gaye. He knew she had no relations. There would be no awkward questions asked. She had come into his life, served a useful purpose, and now she had gone. It was a nuisance, but no woman was irreplaceable.
He picked up the ring and examined it. Holding it in his left hand, he reached for his telephone and dialled a number.
The diamonds were nice, he thought and ran his forefinger over the cluster, then started as something of needle sharpness cut his finger. He dropped the ring, frowning, and conveyed his bleeding finger to his mouth.

So the Borgia ring still scratched, he thought. The poison, of course, would have long dried up: after all the ring was nearly four hundred years old. He looked at his finger. Quite a nasty scratch. He continued to suck his finger as he listened to the burr-burr-burr of the telephone bell, thinking how pleased his client would be to get the ring back.

The End

BOOK: Vulture is a Patient Bird
7.95Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Truth of Fire by Abby Wood
Good-bye Stacey, Good-bye by Ann M. Martin
The Rose Rent by Ellis Peters
The Unofficial Recipes of The Hunger Games by Rockridge University Press
Aquatic Attraction by Charlie Richards
El guardian de Lunitari by Paul B Thompson & Tonya R. Carter
El príncipe de la niebla by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Cold feet by Brenda Novak
Master M by Natalie Dae
Love Is Murder by Allison Brennan