flush.
âIt is not what you think. Onceâperhaps. But no longer. Not for some timeâyears.â
âLeon, darling, do you think Iâm jealous of the women you used to know?â
He realized that she was teasing him. But the quickness with which he suppressed his anger told her clearly how much his new plan included her. He said, âShe will do anything to hurt me. I must know whom she sees, what she does.â
âDo you really believe she wants to hurt you, Leon? Has she told you so?â
âThat is a strange question, Lenore.â
âI am a woman,â she said carefully. âIf I were angry with you, I might say something like that to you. But once I got over being angry, I wouldnât mean it. Iâm trying to ask, âDoes she still love you?ââ
âI do not know. But I cannot afford to take chances. You must watch her for me. If you will do this for me, Lenore, you can help more than you think.â His smile was soft and gentle as he bent to kiss her.
âMore than you think,â he repeated in a murmur.
CHAPTER IV
Barr sat with Stark in the dimmest part of a smoke-filled pub in Hammersmith. They were dressed in workingmenâs clothes, cloth caps, and each with a pint in his hand. It was just after the evening opening and the place was filled.
âShe spent the day sight-seeing,â Stark said. He was a sawed-off man, with the long trunk so common among the Welsh. His face was sallow and he wore a drooping yellowish mustache. When it was necessary he could mimic any accent from Northern Scotland down to Cornwall and across to Ireland. Now he spoke in his normal voice which bore the remnants of a Kansas twang. âIâve seen more damned historical monuments than I thought existed. Two days in a row.â
âSheâs at the hotel now?â
âYeh. But sheâs leaving in the morning. It cost me a pound to find out where sheâs going. To some little burg not too far from Brighton.â He gave Barr the name.
Barr looked thoughtful. âThereâs a Norman church there. She could be actually doing what she came here for.â His voice thinned out. âPortia Sloane also is there. At least she has a cottage near the place.â
Stark grinned maliciously. âIt couldnât be that
you
told her to go there?â
âDonât be a fool. I havenât seen Portia for a long time. Iâve never seen this Corey girl, except getting into a taxi at three a.m . Thatâs when she went to her hotel from Rogetâs last night.â
Stark sipped his beer. âYou think she might be working with Roget?â
âAccording to the Chiefâs message, he scared all that out of her,â Barr replied.
âRogetâs got it where some women are concerned,â Stark said. He cocked an eye at Barr and grinned nastily. âIâve heard some of âem say you have, too, Rob. Maybe you should move in and give him some competition.â
Barr said something rude. He was frankly annoyed with the arrival of Lenny Corey in England. As far as he could determine, she only complicated the affair, making them split forces to watch both her and Roget. Although, he admitted frankly, Roget didnât need much watching these days. From reports given them by co-operative services, both British and American, no one who could conceivably be his contact was in England at the moment. The phase was now in what Barr called a period of waiting. When Roget moved out of that phase, then it would be time to keep a constant check on him.
Stark broke the short silence. âAny news of Snyder yet?â
Barr looked broodingly into his beer. âOur friends got nothing out of that Helgos.â
It was a sore spot with Barr. It seemed years, not just four days ago, since he had landed on the Welsh coast with Helgos and turned the man over to his âfriendâ waiting to take the launch.
Snyder had apparently
Jennifer Rivard Yarrington
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