"I will."
She dug out every pocket. She opened my vest, felt for a money-belt, felt inside my shirt, took my shoes off, examined them carefully by flash-light, and made sure I had nothing in my socks. She was a methodical person, that lady. Having searched me, she put everything back in its proper place, drew on my shoes and laced them. Then she sat back and stared at me.
"And there was nothing in the baggage," she commented.
I grinned. But quickly subdued my amusement as Toutou snarled beside me and his steel fingers pressed until my neck was numb.
"None of that, Toutou," she ordered sharply. "What about your friends, Mr. Nash?"
"None of them has anything."
"But you found something. You must have. What was it?"
She leaned forward, and her eyes bored into mine. I stared back uncompromisingly.
"I don't want to have to let Toutou hurt you," she warned softly.
At that something in me burst into flame.