The Silencers - 04 by Donald Hamilton

Author:Donald Hamilton [Hamilton, Donald]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-01-04T05:00:00+00:00

Xvii

Reaching the motel, I paused outside the door briefly, wondering what kind of a scene she’d prepared for me inside. I’d taunted her and sent her away, remember, claiming to have no further use for her. I didn’t think she was about to let herself be dismissed in such a cavalier fashion, so it was her move. I had no more doubts. The only question was whether I was merely dealing with a mortally offended lady pursuing a private revenge, or whether she had other, darker motives. I didn’t really think she had, but of course I couldn’t rule it out entirely. In any case, it was obvious that I had misjudged her in that El Paso hotel room. Forced to surrender the film capsule under threat of being stripped naked, she’d still managed to hold out on me. She hadn’t been nearly as scared as she’d seemed. Questioned about her sister’s dying words, she’d come up with the perfect answer. Wigwam, she’d said, The Wigwam in Carrizozo. It left her protected. If I already knew about Mr. Wegmann’s service station and confronted her with the knowledge, she could claim to have made an honest mistake-the names were that close. If I didn’t … well, at least she’d given no more help to the disgusting bully who’d wrecked her dress and threatened to smash her face in. And she could have the satisfaction of imagining me combing Carrizozo for days, searching for a native shelter that didn’t exist. She couldn’t have anticipated that she’d be present to watch, although maybe she’d even hoped for that. In any case, given the opportunity to come along-forced to come along, even-she’d made the most of it. I couldn’t help grinning wryly as I recalled the way we’d marched around slushy streets for endless hours this afternoon, while she, outwardly cooperative and sympathetic, undoubtedly laughed herself quite sick inside… . I turned the knob and went in to see what she’d figured out for me next. She’d left one small light on, so I’d get the full impact as I came in. That was a flaw, objectively speaking-darkness would have been more suitable to the tragic impression she was trying to convey-and I thought the pathetic, moist, crumpled handkerchief in her trailing hand was overdoing it a little, but on the whole it was a very creditable stage setting. It established the proper mood instantly. Her fur-lined coat lay on the floor where she’d discarded it, supposedly, as she stumbled forward and flung herself face down on the big bed in tears-too upset by my cruelty, it would appear, to even remove the little plastic boots she’d been wearing over her shoes. A nice touch of verisimilitude was that the boots were muddy. She gave me plenty of time to appreciate the scene. Then there was an audible gasp as she realized, officially, that she was no longer alone in the room. A moment later she was sitting up, prettily startled and embarrassed. “Oh! I didn’t hear … I must have fallen asleep.

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