after the splattering sound that said she'd hit the sidewalk fifteen stories below.
Singh and I bundled Oscar up and got out of there. Downstairs I elbowed through the crowd starting to gather around Dr. Nyet's body and removed the formula from her death-grip. Then Singh and I took Oscar back to my motel.
I called Putnam from there. He said he'd make arrangements for the child to be looked after in New York. He was pretty sarcastic about it. 'I send you after a Russian scientist, and you come up with a baby,' he snorted. 'In all my espionage experience, you are the only man I know who could be depended upon for something that outlandish. Come back to London immediately. I'll want a full report.'
I caught a plane the next morning. Singh and I said goodbye at the airport. He was going back to Nepal with his jeweled phallus. The eunuch returns with golden gonads, I thought to myself as I watched his plane take off. A few minutes later I took off myself.
I didn't call Charles Putnam immediately when I set down in London, though. I had some unfinished business to take care of first. I dialed Gladys' number from a booth at the airport.
'Well, fancy 'earin' from you, Yank. Hi'd given you hup for fair.'
'Can I come over?' I asked.
'Not now. Hi'm hoccupied now. Han holder gentleman. A real toff 'e his too. But you might drop by lyter hon. Say hafter midnight. Hi'll leave the latch hoff so you can just let yourself hin.'
'All right,' I agreed. 'It'll give me a chance to check into my hotel and get spruced up, anyway.'
'See you lyter then, ducky.' She hung up.
I did as I told her and arrived at her flat in Soho a few minutes after midnight. I let myself in as she'd suggested and headed straight for her bedroom. Gladys was lusciously nude and sound asleep on the bed. She was sleeping on her stomach.
'Gladys, I'm here.' I shook her shoulder gently.
She opened her eyes and looked at me without moving. 'Oh, hullo.' She was still half asleep.
What's that?
'What, luv?'
'That.' I pointed, but she couldn't see what I was pointing at. I had spotted a neatly folded sheet of paper sticking out from between the luscious globes of her
'Oh, hisn't 'e ha caution.' Gladys giggled. 'Such ha gentleman, hand so much henergy for ha man 'is hage. Knocked me out properly, 'e did. Just like 'im to leave ha note hin a place like that. Wondrous frolicsome, 'e his. What does hit siy?'
'It says you were great,' I lied, folding the paper up again and sticking it in my pocket. 'Just great.'
'Aow, hisn't that nice.'
She may have been pleased, but I wasn't. I was pretty damn miffed at the note. You see, what it really said was,
Damn him! I tore off my clothes. I grabbed Gladys. I did what Putnam said. Immediately! Both times! Then – and only then! – I left to report to Charles Putnam.
