Black Horn by A. J. Quinnell Read Free Book Online

first. You don't interrupt me with a single word until I've
finished talking."
    After a
pause, she nodded. He turned in his seat to look at her.
    "We
are not going to have dinner in a cheap bistro. We are going to have dinner at
the invitation of two good friends of mine. It happens that they both work in
their bistro and so that's where they have to entertain us. It also happens
that I need his advice. I need that advice because it could help me find out
who killed your daughter. So this dinner is what we call 'operational', and on an
operation, everybody involved has to be co-ordinated. That includes you. Now, having
talked to you for some hours, I realise you have the impression that you can wave
your magic wand and everybody will fall into line and lots of miracles will happen.
But sometimes your mega-bucks and your wand won't work. This dinner tonight is one
such occasion. Maxie MacDonald doesn't believe in magic wands. If he's going to help
us, he has to like you or, at least, respect you. And that goes for his wife Nicole, as well."
    She opened her mouth to speak but saw the look in his eyes and shut it.
    He went on, "There is another aspect. You know that Michael and I are staying at a
whorehouse. I told you a little bit about Blondie, the Madame. She's about
seventy years old, Italian by birth and not blonde at all. She's been a friend
of mine since I was in the Foreign Legion, twenty-five-odd years ago. I won't
bore you with the reasons why she's such a close friend, but she is. It so
happens that Maxie's wife Nicole used to work for Blondie. I borrowed Nicole to
act as a decoy, in Washington back in '89. It was part of the operation I
had going there with Jim Grainger. In fact, Jim met her there. Maxie was also
on that operation and worked with Nicole. It was a dangerous time and, as
happens at such times, Nicole and Maxie fell in love. When they returned to
Europe, she quit her job with Blondie and he gave up being a mercenary. They
bought the bistro and run it with Nicole's younger sister." He paused and
glanced at his watch and then his voice quickened slightly. "Now this afternoon,
I got a hell of a surprise. Blondie announced that she would come with us to
dinner. She hardly leaves the Pappagal and, in my memory, never at night. But
she's very fond of Nicole and I guess, in a strange way, she's paying Nicole an
honour. Because of that, Blondie has dressed up as though she's going to a very
important occasion, even though it's taking place in a modest bistro. That's
why I left a message with Ruby asking you to dress up. The point I am making is
that tonight you're having dinner with the Madame of a whorehouse. If you
offend her, you will offend Nicole, and if you offend Nicole you offend Maxie.
Of course, he will still answer my questions and give me advice, but there is
something else I want from him."
    She
couldn't help herself. The question came out. "What?"
    Again,
he held up his hand.
    "That
will have to wait until later, after I have judged his mood and Nicole's, but
Blondie could be a help."
    The
limousine turned into a side-street and pulled up in front of a building with a
small neon sign, reading 'Maxie's'.
    Creasy
said, "So, Mrs Manners, it's important that tonight you control your
natural impulse for abrasiveness." He pointed at the bistro. "You
can't wave your magic wand to get those people to do what I want."
    They stared
at each other and then she asked, "Do you know what time it is?" she
asked.
    "Yes.
Around ten o'clock."
    She
nodded. "I usually take dinner at eight. I'm damned hungry...Let's
go."
     
    Inside, the bistro was small and warm. On one side of the room was a long bar. There
were only eight tables, covered by blue and white gingham tablecloths. Michael
was sitting at a corner table together with an old woman dressed in a long
turquoise gown. Her face was heavily made-up and diamonds and gold, glistened
on her wrists, fingers and in her ears. Her jet-black hair was carefully
coiffeured