The QE2 Is Missing

“That’s true,” Hank said, closing and locking the door. “But I wish to hell you would knock or something before you came in. I don’t like Frances being startled like this.”

“I am sorry, I apologize most strongly. But it was necessary not to be seen. I waited until this cabin was not being observed…. “

“You have a key to our room!” Frances said angrily.

“No. Just a certain skill with locks.”

While he was talking the door to the bedroom opened and Josep and Concepcion came out. “Better and better,” Frances said in her iciest voice. “Are there any more in there, or is two enough to do whatever little things you do with each other in my bedroom?”

“Frances, please. How these people came here is not important…. “

“Oh, isn’t it? Not to you, perhaps, but I’m afraid that I’m used to a little more in the way of privacy — or politeness.”

She stopped then, realizing that these strangers were completely unconcerned with her feelings; the girl scarcely noticing her. Frances stalked across the room and took out her temper on the curtains, throwing them wide, then looking out at the lashing rain, tapping her fingers angrily on the glass.

“All right, Diaz. What are you doing here and who are these people?” Hank spoke in a low voice, controlling his anger.

“These are my Uruguayan associates…. “

“Tupamaros?” Hank said.

“Yes,” Josep said, crossing the room and picking up the phone. “May I use your telephone?” He was dialling well before he asked; Hank remained silent. Josep spoke a few words in quick Spanish and hung the phone up again. “I am glad we all have the chance to meet at last. And exchange information. You have something to tell us?”

“That depends what you know already. Do you have a transcript of the material delivered in Hawaii?”

“I had one from your people,” Josep said. “I passed a copy on.”

“Then you know almost all that we do. These tapes since then go over the old ground with nothing really new.”

“All right, then I have information for you. The meeting will be aboard this ship. The diamonds will change hands here — and the principals involved will be General Stroessner and Admiral Marquez.”

“The national leaders themselves?”

“Exactly. This provides a rich opportunity for us, as you might imagine…. “

He was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Let them in,” Josep ordered. “Those are my associates.”

Frances was furious — but silent. Hank unlocked and opened the door and four men slipped in. They appeared to be cultivated and well-dressed Latins. But with the same grim hardness about them that Josep had.

“These people will be staying in this cabin,” Josep said. “They have come aboard the ship illegally and have no quarters of their own.”

“That tears it,” Frances said, stalking across the room and standing before the arrogant Tupamaro. “For all of the brass-bound nerve you take the prize. So take your friends out of here and…. “

Concepcion stepped close and seized Frances by the shoulders, spinning her about and slapping her viciously across the face. Frances moaned with pain and Hank jumped forward, this tiny sound driving all reason from his brain. He seized Concepcion and hurled her to the floor, clenched and raised his fist.

“Enough,” Josep said, seizing Hank’s arm to pull him away. Still possessed by anger Hank spun about and drove his fist hard against the man’s jaw.

Josep fell and rolled and, like a cat, was on his feet in an instant. With a long knife in his hand thrust out before him. His face filled with cold fury; no one struck him and lived. Hank saw this, but would not retreat. He crouched, hands extended and ready, his only chance would be to grab the knife arm, Josep tensed to leap — when Leandro Diaz’s voice called out sharply.

“This is a.45 calibre Webley I am holding,” he said, moving the barrel of the large revolver back and forth to cover them all. “You will put that knife away, Josep. The violence among us will end here. You will put that knife away, Josep. The violence among us will end here. You will tell that little bitch with you that I will kill her, instantly, if she as much as touches Mrs. Greenstein again. You all understand this language, don’t you? Or should I shoot one of you just to make the point clearer? We must work together on this thing, without internal wrangling. Agree now — or get out of here.”

“Agreed,” Josep said in a toneless voice, folding the large clasp knife and putting it away. His hand lashed out, hitting Concepcion so hard that she gasped and fell to the floor. “There. All even now, Mrs. Greenstein. You have had your revenge. Now we will stop these stupid games and go to work. We need each other. We don’t have to like each other. But we will work together for our common goal.”