“My information is for sale,” he said. “I have information concerning your brother that you will be anxious to buy.”
“Shall I?”
She moved away from him, opened a silver cigarette box and lit a cigarette.
“Are you attempting to blackmail me?” she asked.
“I would scarcely call it blackmail. Valuable information is always worth paying for. The price is five hundred dollars.”
“You don’t imagine I have such a sum in this apartment, do you?” she asked contemptuously.
“Why not? You are obviously well off. It’s not a vast sum, but if you haven’t, I would consider taking some jewellery as security to be reclaimed for cash tomorrow.”
“And what is this information?”
Sweeting smirked.
“Surely you don’t expect me to tell you that without the money or the jewellery, Miss Dorman? From experience I find women have no sense of honour.”