"I'm worried about that," he said.
She grinned. "Because of me?"
"Maybe."
"Say it," she said.
"What?"
"Call me Winky."
"All right. Winky."
"It's a silly name, isn't it, for a big slob like me?"
"You're not too big," he said.
"Ah. The first kind word out of you, Sam. I hear you were worried about me and thought I'd been taken for the big buggy ride by that awful woman, right?"
"I was a little worried," he admitted.
"Good. I'm glad."
She looked great. There was a small bandage on her scalp, but it was partly hidden by her long brown hair. Her eyes, he saw, were not as dark brown as he had thought, nor were they as plain. She had no makeup on and looked as if she had just gotten out of the tub, which explained the water he had heard running somewhere. Her eyes were amber, really, he thought. He felt another wave of pleasure at seeing her alive.
"You're naked," she said. "Are you trying to tempt me?"
"I'm sorry."
"That's a lot of bee's wax. You're not sorry at all. Look, before you ask me a lot of questions about business, I'll tell you what you want to know. Do you want something to eat, by the way?"
"Not yet. Tell me."
She sighed and came all the way into the room, closing the door. He heard the click as she turned the latch but did not comment on it. She wore a long, Natanga woman's dress, all whorls and zigzags in a bright pattern, the shape of it like a tall pyramid, completely concealing her figure. He sat down on the bed. It was a relief to get off his leg.
"Hot diggity. The man can relax."
"Tell me," he said again.
"Everything is under control. Didn't Pearl Lu debrief you? She's an efficient gal. She also told me you weren't fooling with her girls when you visited her cat house."
"It was business. Were you jealous?"
"I could have killed you. I've claimed you, you know. You've wanted me from the first time you saw me, right?"
He did not deny it.
"You should have told me that Pearl Lu was in the business. I should have been told about her long ago, when I first went to work for your outfit. Why do you people have to be so spooky, anyway? Both, of us, Pearl Lu and me, working in the dark. We could have helped each other."
"She wasn't supposed to be active."
Finch grinned again. "No, I guess not. She had plenty of her other business to attend to. However, it doesn't matter now, I guess." She paused. "You're going to get mad at me, I think. It's about Willie Wells. He wanted a job with us, if he got away clear. So I arranged it. I sent him on to Tom Adams in Chad. Maybe he'll make it and work on our side for a change."
"I'm not mad about that. What about the money?"
"All safe and sound. Every bit of it, under lock and key in the National Treasury of Boganda. Even I don't know the combination there, and I'll bet Daddy, with all his banking connections, couldn't find out how to open the Raga's strongbox again."
"How about Irene?"
"She's sorry. She's in tears. She is very penitent. The Raga is thinking it over, but I think she'll be deported."
"Back to Liverpool?"
"I don't know. That would be too bad, wouldn't it? I think I'll put in a good word for her. You do that too, will you, Sam? It was her sister, after all, who revived the scary old legends about the Silver Scorpion and wrecked the FKP. The Raga will listen to you, Sam. He's waiting to pin a medal on you. I mean, literally.?
?No medals," Durell said. "He'll be disappointed.?
?Sorry. No publicity.?
?Oh, me. After all that buggy ride??
?Come here," Durell said. She started for the bed, then said, "Oh, no.?
?Come here, Winky.?
?Oh, yes." There seemed to be nothing more to say. For once he didn't even have to fill out the endless coded reports to General Dickinson McFee, back at K Section's headquarters in Washington. He felt remarkably free. The room was in deep shadow now. The day was done. He watched the tall girl as she shed the tent like, Natanga robe. Her tall figure was without a blemish anywhere. She looked rich with love. Finch got into the bed.
"Boop-boop-a-doop," she sighed.
"Right on," Durell said.
Assignment- Silver Scorpion Page 20