The Saint Bids Diamonds by Leslie Charteris Read Free Book Online Page A

eyes that he suddenly realised might be impish. The light picked the burnished copper out of the curls on her russet head. Her coat was belted at the waist, and thrown open under the belt; under it the thin dress she wore flowed over slender curves that would have been disturbing to watch too closely.
    “You didn’t tell me why Graner’s expecting you,” she said.
    He sank on to the end of the bed.
    “That’s easy. You see, I answered his telegram.”
    “You did?”
    “Naturally. I knew Felson and Holby were jewel thieves. I recognised the name of Joris as … Well, frankly, it was associated with a rather famous job of jewel borrowing. And an unknown Mr Graner seemed to be tied up with the whole party. So I figured that Comrade Graner would be worth looking at. I wired him ‘Know very man. Have phoned him. Says he will leave immediately’-and signed it ‘Felson.’”
    “You mean you were going to work for him?”
    “I never cut a diamond in my life, darling. And I don’t work with anybody. I just thought it might pay a dividend if I got to know Reuben a little better. Reuben would pay the dividend-but not for services rendered.”
    “I see.” There was a quirk of humour in her straightforward brown eyes. “You thought you could blackmail him.”
    His fine brows slanted up at her in a line of gay, unscrupulous mockery.
    “I shouldn’t put it like that myself. It probably wouldn’t even be literally true. I’m an idealist. You could call me an adjuster of unjust differences. Why should Graner have such a lot of diamonds when I haven’t any? If he’s anything like what he sounds like from the way you talk about him, it’s almost a sacred duty to adjust him. Hence my telegram.”
    “But suppose Rodney wired him something different?”
    The Saint smiled.
    “I don’t think either Rodney or George is sending any wires just now,” he said carefully. “After I picked up the telegram I followed them out of Chicote’s to keep an eye on them. As soon as they got outside, a couple of birds in plain clothes flashed badges at them, and then they all got into a taxi and drove away. From the smug expressions of the badge merchants and the worried looks of Rodney and George, I gathered that whatever they were doing in Madrid must have sprung a leak. Anyway, it was good enough to take a chance on.”
    “But the others ‘ll recognise you.”
    “I doubt it. It was pretty dark on the road. I wouldn’t be too sure of recognising them, apart from the identification marks I left on them-and I had a hat pulled down over my eyes. That’s good enough to take a chance on too.”
    He put out his cigarette and stood up. The movement brought them face to face; and he put his hands on her shoulders.
    “Don’t worry any more tonight, Christine,” he said. “I know it’s pretty hard to take your mind off it, but you’ve got to try. In the morning we’ll do some more work on it.”
    “Joris said it,” she answered; “you’ve been very kind.”
    “For only doing half a job?” Simon asked flippantly.
    “For being so confident and practical. I needed pulling together. It seems quite different now, with you helping us. It must be something about you… .”
    Her face was turned up to his, and she was So close that he could almost feel the warmth of her body. His pulses beat faster, irresistibly, but his mind was cool. He smiled at her; and suddenly she turned away and went out of the room without looking back.
    The Saint took another cigarette and lighted it with elaborately unhurried precision. For quite half a minute he stood still where she had left him, before he strolled over to the wardrobe mirror and examined himself with dispassionate interest.
    “You’re being seduced,” he said.
    Then he remembered that the Hirondel was still parked outside the hotel. It couldn’t stay there all night; and a faint frown touched his forehead at the thought that perhaps it had stood out there too long already. But that