The Ugly Duckling

by Iris Johansen

  She didn’t reply.

  “Look, Gardeaux is a very cautious man, but he has a passion for swords. What do you think he’d do to get a chance at Charlemagne’s?”

  “Charlemagne?” She vaguely remembered seeing the sword on display at a museum. “You’re going to steal it?”

  He shook his head. “But I’m going to tell Gardeaux I did and that I replaced the real one with a fake.”

  “He wouldn’t believe you.”

  “Why not?” He smiled. “He knows. I’ve done it before.”

  She stared at him. “Have you?”

  “Well, not a sword.” He took a drink of coffee. “But the principle is the same. Since last April I’ve had a swordmaker in Toledo working on duplicating and aging the sword. I’ll send Gardeaux pictures and offer to have one of his experts look at the sword before he sees it. Without chemical tests he won’t be able to tell the difference. If I demand a meeting alone with him to show him the sword, I don’t think he’ll be able to resist.”

  “Doesn’t he know you intend to kill him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then he’d be a fool to meet you.”

  “Not on his own territory, surrounded by a chateau full of guests and his own people.”

  “And then you’d be killed.”

  “Not if Gardeaux can help it. His associates would be very upset.”

  He was talking about Sandequez, she realized. His insurance policy.

  “It’s still dangerous.”

  “But it can happen … if you’ll agree to wait.”

  “What about Maritz?”

  He hesitated. “There’s a possibility he might not be at Bellevigne. Gardeaux may think harboring him there is too risky after his attack on Tania.”

  Her gaze flew to his face. “Then where would he send Maritz?”

  “Jamie will contact a few people and see if he can find out.”

  “You knew I thought Maritz would be here.”

  “And he may be. I just don’t know.” He finished his coffee. “And you’re the one who told me we were off to Paris.”

  “I don’t want Gardeaux without Maritz.”

  “Then we’ll try to find him for you.”

  “I won’t be stalled again, Nicholas. I want him now.”

  “Credit me with a little intelligence. I wouldn’t try something as crude as stalling you.” He leaned back on his stool. “I take it you refuse to wait?”

  “You haven’t given me a reason.”

  “I gave you an important reason. It would be safer.”

  “You just told me Gardeaux would do anything to keep you from being killed.”

  “Except to keep from being killed himself. And Sandequez’s umbrella doesn’t extend to you.”

  She pushed back her stool and rose to her feet. “I’ve waited too long already. Find me Maritz, or I’ll go out and find him myself.”

  She left the kitchen and went straight to her room. She couldn’t argue with him any longer. His argument might have merit, but this had to be over. Everything was shifting, splintering around her. Black was white. White was black. Nothing was the same. It had gone on too long.

  She needed it over.

  She took a long, hot shower and then placed a call to Tania at the hospital. She was told Tania had been released that morning. She called the house.

  “How are you feeling?” she asked as soon as Tania picked up. “How’s your ankle?”

  “Annoying. I can only hobble along with a cane. Where are you?”

  “Paris.”

  There was silence on the other end of the line before Tania asked, “Maritz?”

  “If we can find him. Nicholas says that he may not be at Bellevigne, that his attack on you might make him persona non grata with Gardeaux. I may have to find a way to make him come to me.” She grimaced. “Which may not be easy. Nicholas says I could have been just a job to Maritz and my status as a target has recently gone down.”

  “Thank God.” There was a pause before Tania asked curiously, “Why?”

  Nell’s hand tightened on the telephone as a vision of the burning Victorian house came back to her. “I’ll tell you some other time. We’ll be moving tomorrow, but I’ll call you when we’re settled and see how you are.”

  “Not tomorrow.” Tania’s voice was suddenly throaty. “Tomorrow we go to Phil’s funeral. He’s being buried in his parents’ hometown in Indiana and we won’t be back until late tomorrow evening.”

  “Are you well enough? Phil would understand.”

  “He saved me. He gave his life. Of course I’m well enough.”

  It had been a foolish question, Nell thought. Tania would have crawled there on her hands and knees if necessary. “Take care. Give my best to Joel.”

  “Nell,” Tania said hesitantly. “Don’t blame him for being angry. He’ll get over it. He strikes out at everyone because he blames himself.”

  “I’m not blaming him. He’s right. I should have been the one hurt, not you.” She added, “We left so quickly, I didn’t get a chance to send flowers to Phil. Will you do that for me?”

  “As soon as I hang up.”

  “Which will be now. I’ll let you get your rest. Good-bye, Tania.”

  Tania replaced the receiver and turned to Joel. “She’s in Paris.”

  “Good. Shall I send her a ticket to Timbuktu?”

  “You’re not being fair. Nell was not at fault here.”

  “I don’t feel like being fair. I’m mad as hell.”

  “At yourself for not switching on the security system. I do not blame you.”

  “You should,” he said jerkily. “I was criminally careless.”

  “You didn’t know there was any danger. I didn’t know myself. It was only a feeling.”

  “That you didn’t share with me.”

  “You’re a busy man. Was I to waste your time on what might have been foolishness?”

  “Yes.”

  She shook her head.

  “Dammit, you almost died.”

  “And you’ve been hovering over me ever since. You canceled all your appointments and I cannot even go to the bathroom without you there.” She smiled ruefully. “It is most embarrassing.”

  “It shouldn’t embarrass you. I’m a doctor.” He stood up and crossed the room. “And, as your doctor, I’m telling you that it’s time you got off that ankle and into bed.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her toward the stairs. “And no arguments.”

  “I will not argue. I am weary.” She buried her face in his shoulder as he started up the stairs. “It’s strange that heaviness of the heart makes the body weary. That poor boy was—”

  “Don’t think about it.”

  “I’ve thought of nothing else since it happened. Such evil …”

  He laid her down on her bed and drew the crocheted coverlet over her. “It will never touch you again,” he said fiercely.

  A ghost of a smile touched her lips. “You’re going to keep it away by missing all your appointments and taking me to the bathroom?”

  He sat down on the bed beside her and grasped her hand. “I know I’m not Tanek.” His words came haltingly. “I’m Paul Henreid, not Humphrey Bogart, but I swear I’ll never let anything hurt you again.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Who is Paul Henreid?”

  “Casablanca. The movie. Never mind.” He stroked her hair back from her face. “What’s important is that you know I’ll make sure you’ll be safe for the rest of your life.”

  She went still. “I believe you’re saying something very important here. But you’re being most clumsy. Are you telling me that you no longer intend to nobly cast me out of your life?”

  “I should do it. I’m probably being a bastard not to—”

  “Hush.” Her fingers covered his lips. “Don’t spoil it. Tell me the words I want to hear.”

  “I love you,” he said simply.

  “Oh, I know that. Tell me the rest.”

  “I want
you to live with me. I don’t want you to ever leave me.”

  “Good. And?”

  “Will you marry me?”

  A joyous smile lit her face. “It will be my pleasure.” She drew him down into her arms. “And yours. I promise you, Joel. I will make you so happy.”

  “You already do.” He held her closer and mumbled, “I don’t know why you want me, but here I am.”

  She kissed him exuberantly. “You must continue with such humility. I believe it to be a very good thing.” Her smile faded. “But you pick a very bad time for such declarations. I’ve been trying so hard to get you to go to bed with me, and now it’s not—”

  “I know you’re ill. I wouldn’t—”

  “It’s not my ankle, it’s that it’s not fitting. We mourn a good friend.”

  He nodded and gently kissed her cheek. “I’ll leave you and see about supper.”

  She shook her head. “You will do no such thing. This time is special for us. You will stay here with me and we will hold each other and tell each other our thoughts.” She scooted to the other side of the bed and pulled him down to lie beside her. She cuddled close. “See, this is good too, isn’t it?”

  His voice was uneven. “Yes, this is good.”

  “And after we run out of words, we will turn on the television set.”

  “Television?” he echoed, surprised. “You want to watch television?”

  “And the VCR.” She kissed his throat. “And you will put on the Casablanca tape. I must study this Paul Henreid.”

  “I want you out of here, Maritz,” Gardeaux said. “You’ve done nothing but blunder since Medas.” He moved toward the sideboard and poured himself a glass of wine. “And then you compound your error by coming here when I’ve expressly forbidden it.”

  Maritz flushed. “I had to see you. You weren’t taking my phone calls.”

  “That should have told you something.”

  “I need protection. The police are after me. Tania Vlados saw me. She knows who I am.”

  “Because you blundered. I’ve no use for blunderers.”

  “I can still be useful to you. If you hadn’t told me to get out of the country, I would have taken care of Richard Calder for you. You didn’t have to call someone from outside to take care of him.”

  “Yes, I did. I had to be sure. I can’t trust you anymore, Maritz.”

  “All I have to do is go back and get Tania Vlados. Then there won’t be a witness.”

  “You’ll not go near her. I can’t chance you being caught. You know too much. You’ll stay here in France and lose yourself.”

  “And then you’ll call me when it’s safe?”

  “Eventually. Keep in touch.”

  He was lying, Maritz thought. Did the bastard think he was stupid? He would go into hiding and then one day someone would show up to make sure he would never be arrested and become a threat to Gardeaux. “I’ll need money.”

  Gardeaux just looked at him.

  “I’m not begging. You owe me.”

  “I pay for success, not failure.”

  “I’ve worked for you for six years. It’s just bad luck that this job didn’t pan out.”

  “I’ve no work for you to do.”

  “The Calder woman.”

  “She’s not important any longer.”

  He sought wildly for another target. “Tanek. Rivil told me that Tanek’s name is on a passenger list for a flight that came in to Paris today. I’ll go after Tanek.”

  “I told you he isn’t to be touched.”

  “You hate him. It doesn’t make sense. Let me go after him.”

  “It makes perfect sense … right now. He’s protected.” He smiled. “But his protection may be weakening even as we speak.”

  “I can wait. Just let me have the job.”

  “I’ll consider it.” Gardeaux walked to the door and opened it. “Give Braceau your address and wait for my call.”

  Or a visitor with a garrote, Maritz thought sourly. He moved toward the door. “I’ll do that.”

  The door shut behind him with finality.

  Gardeaux was through with him, and he was a dead man. Nothing could be clearer. But he wouldn’t lie down and wait for it. He could still come out of this if he could get back in Gardeaux’s good graces.

  He would go into hiding, but there would be no call to Braceau.

  He would be too busy trying to find a way to save himself.

  “A call on the private line, Monsieur Gardeaux.” Henri Braceau was smiling as he proffered the telephone. “Medellin.”

  Gardeaux took the phone. “Is it done?”

  “Ten minutes ago.”

  “Any problem?”

  “Smooth as glass.”

  Gardeaux replaced the receiver.

  Braceau looked at him inquiringly.

  “Call Rivil. Tell him to take care of that matter I discussed with him. Immediately.”

  “It was a nice funeral.” Joel unlocked the door and flicked on the lights in the foyer. “I liked Phil’s parents.”

  “No funeral is nice.” Tania hobbled as quickly as she could into the house, averting her eyes from the snow-covered lawn. The yellow barricade was gone but not the memory of blood on the snow. “They are all terrible.”

  “You know what I meant,” Joel said.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be sharp with you.” She limped over to the window. “Today was difficult.”

  “For me too. Sit down and rest. I’ll make some coffee. We both need it.”

  She didn’t sit down. She stood staring out at the snow where she had huddled and tried to escape Maritz’s knife, where Phil had died.…

  “Here.” Joel was back, handing her a cup. She must have been staring out the window longer than she had thought. She took the cup.

  “You’re pale as a tombstone,” Joel said. “You shouldn’t have gone. It was too much for you.”

  “He’s still free,” she whispered.

  “He can’t hurt you. They don’t even think he’s in the country.”

  “Nell isn’t sure where he is. She says she may have to draw him to her.”

  “She should leave it to the police.”

  “Police can’t stop people like him. He’ll just keep killing and killing …”

  “He’s not some supernatural demon, Tania. He’s a man.”

  He had seemed like a demon to her. Joel didn’t understand. But Nell did. She had faced the demon and knew its power.

  She turned back to the window. “I hate him.”

  His hand pressed her shoulder. “Phil was a good man.”

  “Not only because he killed Phil. He made me afraid. I thought I’d been afraid before, but it wasn’t like that.” She shuddered. “I’m still afraid.”

  “Do you want to leave here? We’ll sell the place and go away.”

  “And hide for the rest of my life? He’d like that. It would be a victory for him.”

  “Then what do you want to do?”

  It seemed as if the winter chill outside had suddenly invaded the room. She crossed her arms across her chest to ward off the cold. “I don’t know.” She was silent a moment. “Nell isn’t sure she can get Maritz to come to her.”

  He stiffened. “I don’t like where this conversation is going.”

  “He’d come for me.”

  “No,” he said flatly.

  “With Nell it was a job, but he became ‘involved’ when he was stalking me. You should have seen his face when he realized he didn’t have time to kill me before the security men got here. I’ve never seen an expression of such frustration.” She smiled bitterly. “Oh, yes, he’d come for me.”

  Joel jerked her around to face him. “I said no.”

  “I don’t like being afraid. As long as I fear him, he’ll always be with me.”

  “Did you hear me? You’re not going. I won’t let you out of my sight.”

  “What if he disappears? I’ll be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life.” Her e
xpression hardened. “He’s not going to win, Joel. I won’t let him win.”

  “For God’s sake, this isn’t a game.”

  “It was to him.”

  He jerked her close. “Shut up. I won’t lose you. Do you hear me? You’re not going anywhere.”

  She relaxed against him. That’s right, Joel, keep me here. Keep away the cold. Keep me safe.

  Don’t let me go.

  The house Jamie found for them was a small cottage on the coast. It was perched on a high cliff overlooking the Atlantic and a boulder-strewn shoreline.

  “Does it bother you?” Nicholas asked her. “Jamie probably didn’t think.”

  Jamie muttered an exclamation of surprise.

  “It doesn’t bother me.” It was true; standing there on the windswept cliff didn’t disturb her. It was completely different from the enclosed balcony at Medas. Maybe enough time had passed so that the pain was dulled. She turned and went into the cottage. Clean and cozy, it was decorated in an unpretentious style.

  Jamie followed her. “I’m an idiot. Forgive me?”

  “There’s nothing to forgive. The cottage is very pleasant.”

  “Well, you’ll have to enjoy the sea air by yourself for a few days. Nick and I have to go up to Paris.”

  She whirled to face him. “Why?”

  “Pardeau, Gardeaux’s accountant. Nick wants to see what we can do in that quarter.”

  You can never have too much insurance, Nicholas had said. “What about Maritz?”

  “We’ll tap a few sources while we’re there,” Nicholas said from the doorway. “You’ll be safe here. No one can recognize you and Jamie was careful to make sure this location is secure. I’ve written the car phone number on the pad on the counter.”

  “Why can’t I go with you?”

  “For the same reason we moved here. I don’t want you recognized. Once we start probing, Gardeaux will know I’m in Paris. If you’re seen with me, he’ll draw conclusions and the advantage is blown. Make sense?”

  “Yes,” she said slowly. “When will you be back?”

  “In a day or two. Can I trust you to stay here?”

  “What good would it do me to leave until I know where Maritz is?”

  “Promise me.”

  “I’ll stay here. Satisfied?”

  He smiled crookedly. “Hell, no. I’ve forgotten what it is to be satisfied.” He turned away. “Come on, Jamie, let’s get going.”