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moonlight gave her a sculptured-in-alabaster effect. She was wearing a low-cull strapless creation in gold lame, and she looked exactly what she was: the fourth richest woman in the world, from the diamonds in her hair to the cold, haughty expression on her rather long but distinctly lovely face.
    While I was looking at her and thinking she had the largest eyes I have ever seen and that her long and silky eyelashes were probably her own, she was looking at me. In the few second of silence that followed we sized each other up with frank curiosity.
    'I have about a couple of minutes in hand, Mrs. Dedrick, I said. 'But even at that I seemed to have kept you waiting. I'm sorry. Do you want to talk here or somewhere else?'
    'Where else is there?'
    'Well there's a river view near the golf-course that isn't bad. At least it's quiet.'
    'All right. We'll go there.' She moved along the bench seat. Perhaps you'll drive.'
    I got in under the steering wheel, switched on and trod on the starter. As I manoeuvred the car out of the lot into the drive-way, I gave her a quick glance. She was looking away from me, remote and thoughtful, her face as expressionless and as smooth as an ivory mask.
    I drove through the entrance gates, turned right, continued up the brilliantly lit avenue to the bridge, then swung the car on to the bridle path that led along the river. A few minutes' more driving brought me to the spot I had in mind. I slowed down, turned the nose of the car to face the glittering moonlit river and parked. Except for the occasional croak of bullfrogs in the reeds farther up the river and the lap-lap-lap of water against the bank, there was no sound to disturb us.
    'Do you want to get out?' I asked, breaking the silence that had brooded over us since we had driven from the club.
    She roused herself, as if her thoughts had been miles away, tossed her cigarette end into the river and shook her head.
    'No; we can talk here. It was you who found Souki, wasn't it?'
    'Yes. Have you any news of your husband?'
    'They 'phoned tonight. They want five hundred thousand. They told me he was well and was looking forward to seeing me again.' She spoke in a cold, flat voice that didn't quite conceal a frightened anxiety. 'The money is to be paid the night after next, and he will be released as soon as they have it.'
    I didn't say anything. After a long pause, she turned to look intently at me. '
    'Someone has to deliver the money. I want you to do it. I'll pay you well.'
    I was afraid she was going to say that. Dealing with kidnappers could be a dangerous business. More often than not the stooge who hands over the ransom money gets himself knocked off.
    'Have you made any arrangements with them yet?'
    She shook her head.
    'This is only the opening move. The money is to be in used twenty-dollar bills. It is to be made up into three parcels, wrapped in oilskin. I shall get last-minute instructions where the money is to be delivered.' She turned to look at me. 'You're not frightened of the job, are you?' 'I'll tell you that when I've heard what the arrangements are.' Then you think it could be dangerous?'
    'It could be.'
    She opened her handbag and took out a cigarette case. As she offered it, she said, her voice a little unsteady, 'Do you think they'll send him back?'
    I took the cigarette, tapped it absently on my thumb-nail before saying, 'The possibilities are that they will.'
    I lit her cigarette, and for some moments we smoked in silence. 'I want you to tell me the truth,' she said suddenly. 'Will they send him back?'
    'I don't know. It depends if he's seen them. If he hasn't, then there's no point in not sending him back.' 'But if he has see them?'
    'It depends on them. Kidnappers are about as ruthless as blackmailers, Mrs Dedrick. Kidnapping carries the death penalty. They won't take chances.'
    'There's nothing I wouldn't do or pay to get him back. It's all my fault this has happened. If it wasn't for my money, he wouldn't have been worth