Greek Fire by Winston Graham Read Free Book Online

you.”
    â€œOh?”
    â€œOh, I mustn’t forget. General Telechos paid you one or two agreeable compliments. I think he is ready to make a deal.”
    Lascou listened to the compliments. “Good. And your news?”
    â€œDid you see the man sitting beside me?”
    â€œOn your other side? Yes. I didn’t know him.”
    â€œKlaus was ill, Leon de Trieste invited this man in his place. An American called Vanbrugh.”
    â€œAh.…”
    â€œDid you say something?”
    â€œJust ah.”
    â€œThat’s what I thought you said. A coincidence after your telling me about him the other day.”
    â€œIf it was a coincidence.”
    â€œI was wondering; but I should think so … I asked Leon about him afterwards and he said he met him first some years ago.”
    â€œWhat is he like?”
    â€œSo-so. More grown up than one expects. You haven’t told me exactly what you’ve got against him.”
    â€œI tried to.”
    â€œOh, pooh, some fracas in Piraeus five years ago. That’s an old wives’ tale.”
    â€œNot altogether.”
    â€œBut you were not involved in some fracas in Piraeus five years ago.”
    â€œOf course not. He’s really nothing to me. As you gather, I never saw him until tonight.”
    â€œBut you are interested in him.”
    â€œSo are the police.”
    â€œWhat do they want him for?”
    â€œSome irregularity over his passport, I expect.”
    She laughed gently. “Couldn’t we be more original than that?”
    â€œNo, seriously.… He’s a trouble-maker and always will be. To get rid of him is a simple insurance at a time like this.”
    â€œWell, if you won’t tell me you won’t. Perhaps I shall discover for myself tomorrow.”
    â€œYou’re seeing him again? It might be of use.”
    â€œThat’s why I made the arrangement.”
    â€œFind out where he is staying, for one thing.”
    â€œApparently he’s a publisher or represents a publisher. Did you know that? He also speaks Greek and reads Greek; I’m not sure how well. He has lived in Paris for the last three years. His firm publishes Michael Michaelis. He knows quite a lot of people here; but he doesn’t seem anxious to be recognised. Two or three times in the foyer tonight he changed his direction to avoid people, including his own ambassador.”
    â€œIt shows he’s up to no good.”
    â€œEven that doesn’t make him attractive.”
    â€œGo on.”
    â€œBy the way, did you know the chief dancer at the Little Jockey had been killed in a street accident?”
    â€œNo. One of those you saw?”
    â€œThe chief male dancer. I wonder why this Gene Vanbrugh was at the club the same night as I was.”
    â€œWhen was the fellow killed?”
    â€œThe following day.”
    â€œFind out as much as possible when you meet Vanbrugh.”
    â€œI’ll listen carefully to everything he has to say.”
    â€œAnd of course,” added Lascou, “he will say so much more to you.”

Chapter Nine
    They met as arranged outside the King George at three. There was still no great heat although the sun was brilliant. It fell on a square strangely silent after the abounding life of two hours ago.
    She was sitting in a grey Silver Phantom Rolls. A chauffeur was standing beside the car, but when Gene came up he stepped respectfully back and opened the door. As Gene got in she looked at him thoughtfully but did not smile. She’d done her hair in a different way and was wearing Chinese jade ear-rings and a frock of grey jersey.
    He said: “ You should have warned me.”
    â€œWhat of?”
    â€œIf I’d known we were travelling the hard way I’d have put on battle dress.”
    She lifted a half-ironical eyebrow and started the engine. The chauffeur stood back and saluted as the car turned off into Venizelou Street. It was not until they had