Stone Cold by Norman Moss Read Free Book Online Page A

a man. Get him to talk about himself and look interested; it always works.
    “I’m not. A lot of the people in the army aren’t. What’s the life like? It’s quite comfortable if you’re an officer. You have some purpose besides making money, you’re serving your country. But a lot of people are very careerist. With military ranks, the steps on the ladder are lit up in neon.” I told her a little more about me and the army and I’d like to think she was interested.
    We finished our fish and drank the wine as I talked and the waiter came with the menu. I said I would pass on dessert but she ordered one. She had a healthy appetite, which I always find attractive in a woman.
    Then she said, “Actually, I heard a story today. Not about Stakis, but a member of his family so I suppose I can tell you. Do you want to hear a bit of gossip?”
    “Sure.”
    “It’s about his daughter, Sylvie. She’s the apple of his eye although so far as I’m concerned she’s a spoiled little bitch. Well, and a member of the Stakis household got this from someone who works in a restaurant, she was driving and she scratched another car as she parked. She wouldn’t listen to the other driver. It’s typical of her, not caring about other people’s things.
    “Anyway, the other driver approached her in the restaurant and the man she was with threatened him. Apparently, he was someone who works in a garage nearby. Maybe she likes a bit of rough, I don’t know. But then some other man stepped in. He shoved her escort out of the way and gave her a lecture on manners. He said if she behaved this way again he would put her over his knee and spank her on the bottom. Sylvie was mortified and burst into tears. I’m glad someone took her down a peg.”
    “A nice story,” I said, grinning. “Do you know Sylvie?”
    “I know the whole family.”
    “Have you ever seen Helena Stakis wearing this diamond?”
    “She’s got several pieces of jewellery. But there’s one zonking great blue thing she wears around her neck on a pendant. Yes, he’s asked me to be in attendance at dinner parties a couple of times, and I couldn’t miss it.”
    Then she clapped her hand to her head. “Oh, God, what an idiot! What a fool! Maggie Pringle, you are a fool. You are a prize chump. And you, David Root, are very clever. You just happened to be sitting in that café. And you just happened to get into conversation with me. You didn’t know that I was working for Stavros Stakis. And I fell for it.”
    I wished now that I had not mentioned the diamond. In fact, I wished the floor would turn to liquid so I could sink into it. “I swear I didn’t know,” I said. “It was just a coincidence.”
    “Sure, David.”
    “Please believe me. Please don’t walk out on me now.”
    “I’m not going to walk out. I’m looking forward to those profiteroles.”
    I waited until they were served and she started eating, and then went on. “Look, Maggie, you’re very attractive. Does it really not seem likely that if a man found himself sitting near you in a café he would want to start a conversation with you with no ulterior motive? Apart from the obvious one?”
    She smiled and her eyes narrowed under those heavy eyebrows. “Flattery too. You really are very clever, David.”
    Just then Max Duquesne came over to our table. “Ah, the tamer of the shrew. The hero of the dining room. You’ve enjoyed your meal, I hope.”
    I assured him that we had, and I introduced him to Maggie. “I’ve seen you in here before,” he told her. “You always add some sparkle to the place.” She acknowledged the compliment with a smile.
    When he had left, Maggie asked, “What was that about the tamer of the shrew et cetera?”
    “Well you see, that episode with Sylvie Stakis happened right here. She was sitting at that table over there. And I was the one who intervened. Except that it didn’t happen quite the way you were told. That was a highly coloured