‘Not to me,’ said Packer. ‘Charles gave her that necklace as what we call a “sweetener”. And that was just for openers. By this time he’s no doubt got a full contract drawn up — joint bank account, with small print to his advantage, if she hasn’t read it carefully and beaten him to the draw. She’s a banker’s daughter, of course,’ he added, with a bleak smile at Pol, who did not return it. ‘All right, Charles, what’s it all about?’
‘She has said nothing to you so far?’
‘I’ve hardly had the opportunity to speak to her — especially since you’ve assigned us separate rooms. Was that your idea, or hers?’
‘Ah, mon cher, it is indeed unfortunate,’ Pol said, stroking his goatee, ‘that you and Mademoiselle Sarah have had this little contretemps. It would be in all our interests if you became friends again.’
‘I’m not prepared to discuss my affairs in front of two strangers,’ said Packer. ‘My personal relations with Sarah are even less relevant than your little cadeau to her.’
‘That could be a matter for argument,’ Pol said. ‘In the kind of operation we are planning, I must emphasize that personal disharmony could be as damaging as mutiny or betrayal.’
‘All right, Charles. So what you call “Operation Shah-Mak” still on, and this time it’s to be played on the Ruler’s home ground? And where does Sarah fit in?’
‘Mademoiselle Sarah,’ Pol said, leaning back with his hands folded across his immense stomach, ‘will be the instrument of death.’
“Instrument?’ Packer paused, his thoughts disorientated. ‘What instrument?’
For some time no one spoke. The silence was broken by the faint scratching of Pol’s fingernail on his goatee; while Packer was aware of the pale hunched figure of Dr Zak watching him with his large sad eyes.
It was Shiva Steiner who finally spoke. ‘I should explain, Capitaine Packer, that under my auspices, Mademoiselle Sarah made the personal acquaintance of the Ruler in Switzerland before she left. I have also extended to her an invitation to visit Mamounia, where I shall arrange that she should again meet His Imperial Highness — this time under more intimate circumstances.’
Packer turned and stared at Pol, with confusion and dismay. ‘Oh, for God’s sake!’ he yelled, suddenly in English, with a look of hopeless rage. ‘You don’t really intend to get her to kill him?’ He paused. Again, none of them spoke. ‘She’s never killed anything except a few pheasants,’ he added in French, ‘and she’s not even good at that!’ He turned to Shiva Steiner. ‘You talked about a provisional plan. What is it?’
‘Let us take this step by step, Capitaine Packer,’ Steiner said blandly. ‘It is sufficient for the moment that she should be successfully introduced into the Ruler’s intimate presence, under circumstances in which he will be both highly vulnerable and unsuspecting.’
‘And how’s she going to kill him?’
Pol began to speak, but Packer cut him short. ‘No, I want Monsieur Steiner to answer. He seems to be the one who’s taken over this operation.’
Shiva Steiner inclined his head. ‘Certainly, mon Capitaine. We have devised a plan with care — and, I may add, with considerable ingenuity. I do not claim that it is a perfect plan, but it is a very good one. The Ruler is fond of entertaining female company, particularly of select origin, and when he does he always uses his private apartments in the Palace, which are separate from those he occupies with his family. On these occasions he is guarded by a small group of specially chosen men who are familiar with his habits. When Mademoiselle Sarah leaves His Highness’s apartments, it will be worth literally more than the lives of any one of these men to stop her, even to ask her name. But what is more important — under no circumstances do these guards enter the royal apartments until they are summoned by His Highness himself.
‘The Ruler entertains many women in this way,’ Steiner went on, ‘and it is not uncommon for him to tire of them before the night is out. Therefore, if Mademoiselle Sarah is seen to leave his apartments early, not only will she arouse no suspicions, but she will have ample time to make her escape. That is where you will come into action, Capitaine. You will be waiting in a car close to the Palace Square and will drive her to a spot outside the city where you will rendezvous with a private aircraft. We will discuss the precise details later. But that is the broad provisional outline of the plan.’ He paused. ‘I am interested to hear your opinion, Capitaine.’
‘And why have you chosen me to drive this car, Steiner?’
It was Pol who answered. ‘Because you will inspire confidence in Mademoiselle Sarah. I know that you are angry with her, and that she behaved in a foolish and selfish way —’
‘I said, I will not discuss my personal relationships here!’
Pol smiled indulgently. ‘But I have also said, mon cher, that your personal relationship with Mademoiselle Sarah happens to be of critical importance to this operation.’
‘Why?’
Pol sighed and patted his belly. ‘In the last few days I have had the opportunity of getting to know the young lady quite well. She is most discreet about her private life, but I have been able to detect that her emotions are somewhat confused, at least as far as you are concerned. She will not admit it, but in a situation where she finds herself exposed to danger, she has come to rely upon you.’
‘Did she tell you this?’ said Packer.
‘Not in so many words. But I can assure you that when I informed her you were arriving here, she was not displeased.’
‘You still haven’t told me how she’s going to kill him.’
There was another
