There was a blinding flash and a violent explosion and the coast guard boat immediately began to fall astern.
“Keep her going,” Reiger shouted to Miller, and sat up to watch the coast guard boat burst into flames. He scrambled over to Fenner. “That’s the first time we’ve tried that stunt. Carlos’s some guy with his ideas. If we hadn’t had that pineapple on board the Chinks would be feedin’ the fishes by now, an’ we’d have had a lost journey.”
Fenner grunted. He couldn’t take his eyes off the burning boat which was rapidly becoming a little red glow in the darkness. He got slowly to his feet. Reiger had already gone forward. He was pointing to a green light that flickered in the distance. Miller swung the wheel a little.
“That’s the guy who takes our load,” Reiger shouted to Fenner. “We’ve got through all right.”
Fenner stood watching the green light come nearer. He knew now that he must start things moving. He’d played with Carlos long enough.
It was just after two o’clock in the morning when Fenner got back to the Haworth. Before he switched on his room light he knew someone was there. He didn’t hear anything, but he knew he wasn’t alone. He stepped inside, feeling uncomfortably exposed in the dimly lighted doorway. There was something in the air, a scent. He reached inside his coat and pulled his gun, then he groped for the wall switch and flicked the light on.
A woman’s clothes on the floor at the foot of his he’d caught his eye. A black dress, a handful of lace and crepe de Chine, a pair of shoes.
Glorie Leadler sat up in his bed. Two bare arms curved up over the sheet, holding the sheet firmly against her body. When she saw who it was, she lay back again, keeping her arms out and arranging her red-gold hair on Fenner’s pillow.
Fenner put his gun away. The only thing he could think of was that he was tired and that he’d have to strip his bed when she had gone. He didn’t fancy sleeping on the same sheets.
Glorie smiled at him sleepily.