It was a little after eleven and the club did not open until noon, but the doorman was there and he fetched Mrs. Lim.
She was only just sober, and obviously could not remember a thing about me; but she did her best.
“Hullo, love. Fancy seeing you here!”
“Hullo, Mrs. Lim. I’m looking for your husband.”
“Oh, he’s gone into town. I don’t know where. Hasn’t it been awful? Where were you all the time? The Orient?”
“Roy Jebb lent me his apartment.”
“Dear old Roy. Is he back yet?”
“He should be back today.” I could see her memory fumbling dimly with the fact that I knew Jebb.
“And you want to see Mor Sai?”
“That’s right. Major Suparto suggested that your husband might be able to advise me about a business matter.”
Suparto’s name jolted her. She was suddenly wary.
“Major who?”
“Suparto.”
“Never heard of him. But Mor Sai’ll be here soon. You’d better come in and wait.”
“Thanks. While I’m waiting, is there anywhere in the club where I can have a bath and change my clothes?”
“Oh, sure. Charlie there’ll show you. I expect you’d like a drink after. I’ll see you later in the bar, love.”
It was Lim who was waiting for me in the bar when I got there. He nodded politely and we shook hands.
“A drink, Mr. Fraser? Brandy dry?”
“Thanks.”
There was no barman there. He went round and poured two, one for himself.
“I hear that you have had a bad time during these troubles, Mr. Fraser.”
“Mrs. Lim told you that?” I smiled. “I must have looked rougher than I thought.”
“It was not my wife who told me.” He pushed a glass across to me and raised his own. “Your health, Mr. Fraser.”
“And yours, Mr. Lim.”
I took a drink from my glass. He sipped at his, and then put it down and felt in his pocket.
“I think that this is what you wished to see me about,” he said, and put my passport on the bar in front of me.
I stared at it uncertainly, then picked it up and looked through the visa pages.
“The exit permit is in order,” he said; “and the Customs and exchange clearance papers are clipped to the back.”
“This is remarkable, Mr. Lim.”
“Oh no. Our friend told me that you had left your passport with the police. I knew that you would not be able to get it, and would come to me. So, to save a journey, I brought it with me.”
“You make it sound very simple. I’m deeply grateful.”
“What have you been able to arrange about your air passage?”
“Nothing. The airline offices are shut. Someone told me that De Vries has been arrested. Is that true?”
“He will be released later, perhaps. But planes can fly without his assistance. Naturally, the scheduled services have been suspended, but foreign airports have been notified now that all is well again. There will be a plane in from Djakarta early this afternoon. It will leave again at five thirty. A passage will, I am certain, be arranged for you.”
I smiled. “It sounds as if the Major is in a hurry to get rid of me.”
The eyes behind the rimless glasses considered me attentively for a moment. Then, he shrugged. “Why not, Mr. Fraser? You know a little more than is convenient. The longer you are here, the more likely you are to talk to a newspaperman or to a friend who might himself talk.”
“I can talk just as well in Djakarta.”
“The Major thinks not. He has great confidence in you. Also, he believes that you will not wish to cause difficulties for Miss Linden. No, no, Mr. Fraser. Do not misunderstand. You are not being threatened. Neither is she. It will be no hardship for her to be discreet. We merely ask that you permit her to remain so for the moment. Later, in a week or two, nobody will be interested.”
“Well, she’ll be here soon. I’ll let you know.” I paused. “You could have warned me the other night. Why didn’t you?”
“I am an agent, not a principal, Mr. Fraser. In such a delicate situation, I was not free to consult my own personal wishes. I was very pleased to hear that you had come to no harm. Another drink?”
“No, thanks.”
“Then, if you will excuse me now.”
“Of course. And thanks again for the passport.”
“If you decide to leave this afternoon…”
“Sure, I’ll let you know.”
Rosalie arrived wearing a dress I had not seen before and looking delightful. She had spoken both to Mina and to her sister. Everything was all right. Mina had not dared to go to the apartment this morning; she had been afraid to find the whole thing blown to pieces and our bodies lying among the ruins. She was going to find a place for Roy to stay while the repairs were being done.
“Poor Roy,” I said.
“He will not blame us. We could not help what happened.”
“No.”
She looked at me quickly. “What is wrong?”
There was nobody else in the bar. I told her about my passport and the plane that afternoon and what Lim had said. When I had finished, she thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Yes, I see. What is it you wish to do?”
“I want to know what you think. I’m not going to leave here if they’re going to make things difficult for you.”
“But it is you they are worried about. They know I will say nothing. Isn’t that what Lim said?”
“Do you believe him?”
“Oh yes. They know I would not dare.”
I knew enough about her now to know when she believed what she was saying; but I persisted.
“Are you sure?”
“Do you not want to go?”
I hesitated. “No, I don’t.”
“Because of us?”
“Yes.”
“I am glad. I, too, had hoped that we could be together again as we were last night. I keep thinking about it. But if they mean you to go, it is better that you go today.”
“Yes, I suppose it is.”
The barman came in and I ordered some drinks. We drank them and then went in to eat. The food was delicious, but I could not eat very much of it. She scarcely looked at hers. After a bit I gave up trying.
“Rosalie.”
Her eyes met mine. She said softly: “Yes, it is the same with me. I cannot stop thinking. What time must you be at the airport?”
“Five, I should think.”
“If you went back to the Air House and packed your things, we could be together until it is time for you to go.”
“Where?”
“At my home. My sister will not be there. It is very small and not like Roy’s apartment, but you will not mind that.”
