'You have a packet from a Paris bank I want,' Malik said. 'Give it to me!'
The T.R.4 pulled up behind the Mercedes and Girland slid out. He came to the off-side door of the Mercedes and looked through the open window at Kirst.
'Has he given it to you?'
'Not yet... but he will.'
Kirst hesitated for only a second, then with shaking hands, he opened the brief-case and took from it a square-shaped, sealed packet. Malik took it from him and examined it.
Girland quietly slid his gun from his hip pocket. He didn't trust Malik. He kept the gun down by his side, but the movement hadn't escaped Malik who looked up, stared at him and grinned.
'You take after me... you trust nobody,' he said and reaching across Kirst, he thrust the packet at Girland who took it with his left hand.
'I apologise ... force of habit,' Girland said and put the gun back into his hip pocket. He went over to Gilly who was waiting in the T.R.4. 'Is this it?' he asked showing her the packet.
'Yes' Gilly said and made a quick snatch at it, but Girland was too quick for her. She looked pleadingly at him. 'Please give it to me... it's mine!'
Girland shook his head.
'Don't let's go all over this again, Gilly. You gave me your word. This goes to your father.'
She went white.
'No! Please! I couldn't live knowing he had seen those films! If you give them to him, F11 kill myself! I swear I will!'
Girland studied her.
'But, Gilly, shouldn't you have thought of this before you made them? After all, you were going to send them to his enemies, weren't you?'
'Of course not! Please believe me! I was bluffing. Of course I wasn't going to send them to them. I Can't bear to think of anyone seeing them!'
'Oh come on, Gilly. You've already sent one spool to your father.'
'I didn't! It was Pierre! He sent it and then told me afterwards ! I could have killed him! Besides, these . ..' She caught her breath in a sob. 'They - they are much worse. I can't bear anyone seeing them. Don't you understand? I didn't know what I was doing as you or anyone else wouldn't have if you had had as much L.S.D. as I had.' Tears began to run down her face. 'You can't do this to me!' ¦
Girland regarded the packet in his hand, then looked at her.
'This little lot is worth ten thousand dollars to me. Why should I care what it does to you?'
She hid her face in her hands and began to sob violently, rocking herself to and fro: a picture of misery. Girland became aware that Malik had got out of the Mercedes and was watching him curiously.
Still holding the packet in his hand, Girland said, 'What are we going to do with our friend?'
'Tie him up and dump him here,' Malik said. 'Someone will find him. It'll give us time to get back to the airport and catch the Paris plane if we hurry.'
Girland looked at Gilly who was rocking herself backwards and forwards and he shook his head.
'Gilly... cut the act. It's good, but it doesn't convince me. You are like a lot of people . . . when they are on top, they're fine. When the cards fall wrong, they snivel I don't believe Rosnold was behind this. I think you were and now, without him, you've lost your guts. Here... take them.' He placed the packet on the hood of the T.R.4. Turning, he went to the Mercedes and took from the boot, Gilly's suitcase. This he dropped behind the driving seat of the T.R.4.
Gilly continued to sob, her face hidden in her hands.
Girland regarded her, grimaced, then shrugged. He walked back to the Mercedes.
'Let's drive further up the road to the next bend,' he said, getting into the car.
'You're forgetting the packet,' Malik said as he slid under the driving wheel.
'Don't be so obvious, Comrade,' Girland said. 'Let's move.'
Malik drove to the next bend and then pulled up. He told Kirst to get out. While he was tying Kirst's trembling hands behind his back, Girland lit a cigarette. He heard the T.R.4 start up.
Malik looked at him.
'She's going.'
'Yes.'
'She's taken the packet.'
'Yes.'
Malik tied Kirst's ankles together, then picking him up, dropped him over the hedge.
'I thought you were interested in money, Girland,' hesaid. 'Wasn't Dorey going to pay you for those films?'
'So he said.' Girland got into the passenger's seat of the car. 'Come on... let's move.'
With a puzzled expression, Malik started the car, reversed and headed down to the highway.
Although Malik drove fast, Girland saw no sign of the scarlet T.R.4. Gilly was driving even faster.
* * *
There were only six other passengers on the last flight to Paris and Girland and Malik sat together, away from the others.
Both men were silent: both occupied with their thoughts.
Girland said suddenly, 'You won't tell me unless you want to, Malik, but there's no harm in asking. Just why did you give up those films? I was anticipating trouble. With them, you could have made a big hit with your people. They wouldn't have hesitated to use them and Sherman would have been sunk. Have you lost interest in your work?'
Malik stared broodingly down at his big hands. For some moments, Girland thought he wasn't going to reply, then he said, 'At last I'm following your example. Ever since I began working for security, I've never considered my own interests whereas you have always put yourself first and your job second. Now I've decided to do just that. As long as Kovski is in power, I will never be allowed to return to the active field where I belong. Sitting at a desk, handling paper is death to me. This is my chance to destroy Kovski and I am taking it. Once he is destroyed, I will get back to the active field. ¦ He turned his head and his flat green eyes searched Girland's face. Then you and I will be enemies again.'
'Maybe we won't meet again,' Girland said, shrugging. 'It's only because Dorey keeps tempting me with money that I fall for his cockeyed assignments. He may get tired of it. How are you fixing Comrade Kovski? -
Again Malik took his time before answering. Finally he said, 'When I report tomorrow, I will tell him you destroyed the films before I could get them. I will remind him that if he had acted on my suggestion and had cabled the American airport police that Sherman was returning on a false passport, Sherman would have been ruined by now . . . that the films meant nothing. We could have prevented Sherman becoming President by sending this cable. This Kovski stupidly refused to do. I will then tell him that a tape recording of our conversation is on its way to Moscow.' Malik looked down at his hands and smiled evilly. 'That will be the moment... when he realises what I have done... that I shall enjoy.'
Girland nodded.
'I can imagine. Dorey will be pleased.'
Malik shrugged his heavy shoulders.
'Many people will be pleased.' He looked at his watch. 'We will be landing in a few minutes. We must not be seen together. Drina will be on duty at the airport. Will you go first? I will follow after you when Drina is telephoning that you are back.'
'That's okay.'
As the plane began its descent, Malik looked directly at Girland.
'I'll say good-bye now. I hope we don't meet again. In a couple of months I'll be back in the active field. We are all square now... you understand?'
Girland laughed.
'I can take a hint. I hope we don't meet again and thanks for your help. Yes ... we're all square.'
