Rhinoceros

hosts tonight?'

'I liked Victor Rondel. I think he's very intelligent and has a hypnotic personality. I thought he was fun.'

'I noticed.'

'Was I that obvious? Oh, Lord, I'll have to learn to control myself more. Do sit down.'

He sat on the couch in the position Newman had occupied and she squeezed his hand, then released it. He drank more water, urged her to do the same.

'You weren't obvious at all,' he assured her. 'It's just that I know you so well. Did you enjoy the meal?'

'Best I've had in ages. Marvellous restaurant.'

'And what did you think of Rondel's companion?'

She hesitated, leant her head back against a cushion. She took her time to answer.

'Weird the way Rondel kept referring to him as 'my partner' and never gave us a name. Highly secretive.'

'I noticed that. Maybe we'll learn more tomorrow when we visit his mansion on the way to Blankenese. He struck me as being exceptional, the sort of person you rarely come across. What about the relationship between them?'

'Good question. Difficult to come up with a good answer.'

'On the surface, I had the impression they are equal partners. But, thinking it over, the relationship could be different. I should be able to be more positive after we've seen them tomorrow. And now, I think it's time you went to bed.'

'Frankly, I'm dropping. See you in the morning…'

Newman returned a little later. He walked over to a cabinet, opened it up, took out a bottle of Scotch.

'Excuse me, but I need a stiff drink.'

'Like that was it?' Tweed said.

'I can talk frankly, now Paula's gone.' He poured a strong neat drink, swallowed half of it, sat down. 'It wasn't a picnic.'

'Tell me.'

'Poor Mark. The left side of his face – and his head -had been blown away. Explosive bullet, Kuhlmann said. He was right. To identify him I had to look at the other side of his face and head. Not a pretty sight, as Kuhlmann pointed out.'

Tweed had sat down at the small table near the sofa Newman had sunk into. He picked up the mobile phone Paula had left in her state of shock. He pressed the numbers of Pete Nield's mobile from memory.

'Tweed here. Where are you?'

'Parked no more than a score of yards from your hotel.'

'Can you come up to my suite? Right away. See you…'

'You're looking very grim suddenly,' Newman commented. 'I'd say you've just taken a major decision. Have you?'

'Yes. Wait until Nield gets here.' Within five minutes Nield was tapping on the door, entering the suite. Tweed told him to sit down, asked him if he'd like a drink. Nield, cool and calm as always, sat down, crossed his legs and shook his head.

'I'm driving. And I'm sorry about Mark. Very sorry.'

'How did you know it was Mark they shot?'

'I followed you into the hotel when you got back from the fish restaurant. You didn't see me. When Kuhlmann had disappeared in the lift with you I went over to the sergeant who had been with Kuhlmann, showed him my identity folder, asked him what had happened. I only knew it had been Mark when the sergeant described what he'd been wearing. Now, what do you want me to do?'

'Go back to Butler. Tell him to be ready to bring over here the armoury Marler obtained. Stun grenades, tear gas, smoke grenades and all the weaponry – except what Harry needs for himself. What about guns? Tell me again.'

'Three Uzis, several automatic rifles, a whole array of handguns. Lord knows what else.'

'We'll need all three Uzis here when the time comes, plus the rest. Where is Marler staying?'

'He's moved into the Renaissance with us now Oskar has left.'

'Consult Marler. He may want to make extra purchases. We shall be outnumbered, I suspect. So we make up for that in firepower. That's it.'

'Right. On my way…'

'You're planning all-out war,' Newman commented. 'Was it the killing of Mark that stimulated you to arrange all this?'

'I suppose it was a factor.' Tweed stood up, started pacing. 'It underlined how vicious Oskar Vernon is. And I think I'm beginning to sort out the good side from the evil. I'll be more certain after our meeting with Rondel and his partner tomorrow.'

Newman had opened the door to leave when he bowed, turned to Tweed, winked.

'You have a visitor. Don't stay up all night.'

Lisa walked into the suite as Newman left, closing the door carefully behind him. Tweed stared as he stood up. She was wearing a close-fitting strapless white evening dress. Round her waist was a green lizard belt with a lock ornament dangling from it. She carried a green evening bag no larger than a foolscap envelope.

'Well,' she said, with a wicked smile. 'Do I pass inspection, sir?'

He knew then that she was in a whimsical mood, which clashed with his own reaction to the recent tragedy. He managed a quirky smile.

'Not bad. Would you like a drink?'

She sat down on a couch against the wall, crossed her shapely legs and a slash in her dress exposed one leg almost to her thigh. Looking at him from under her eyelashes she spoke in a mock-indignant voice.

'Not bad? Is that all? And I would like a drink.' Glancing at the table, she saw the bottle Newman had left. 'I'd like a terrific double Scotch. Please. Sir.'

He found a fresh glass on a lower shelf under the table and poured Scotch slowly.

'Say when.'

'Keep going.'

He continued pouring. He looked at her and she was watching him quizzically, one bare arm stretched along the back of the couch. He used tongs to cram the glass with ice, hoping it would dilute the Scotch, then placed it on the table close to her.

'Any more,' he remarked, 'and you might spill it down that glorious dress you're almost wearing.'

'That's better. Much better. You are drinking with me? I hate drinking alone.'

He found another fresh glass, poured himself a modest drink. She patted the space beside her, raised her eyebrows, patted the space again.

'You are going to sit with me.'

I don't think so, he thought. If I get any closer to her now, heaven knows where we'll end up. He sat in the upholstered chair, raised his glass.

'Cheers!' He took a small drink. 'Now where the devil have you been for the past few hours?'

'You missed me. I like that.'

'Where?' he growled.

'I like you when you growl.'

He began to realize she was going to be hard to handle. He decided not to mention Mark's death. He felt sure she had not heard.

'What are all those policemen doing outside the hotel?' she asked.

'Maybe there was a traffic accident. Lisa, where have you been?'

'You went off to dinner without me this evening.' She pouted, then waved aside the reaction as childish. 'That's why I got all dressed up. I was hoping.'

She'd had another mood change. Tweed, for the second time, decided she was going to be difficult to handle. He was damned if he was going to apologize. Then he went ahead and said the wrong thing.

'It was a private dinner. A business dinner…'

'About the coming crisis?' she said quickly. 'I had a weird idea I was involved. Or are you shutting me out