‘Got to,’ Dal as said, get ing to his feet. ‘Business. I’l dream of you tonight, sugar. So long for now.’
He walked quickly out of the bar as Eve finished her drink. He went into the gentlemen’s retiring room.
A moment or so later Eve came into the lobby. She collected her wrap and went out into the street.
Dallas reappeared and sauntered after her. He saw her get into the LaSalle parked in the big parking lot at the side of the club. He concealed himself behind another car and waited.
Five minutes dragged by. He saw Eve light a cigarette. The flame of her lighter lit up her face for a brief moment. Dallas decided she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.
‘And where does that get you, Dallas?’ he said to himself. ‘She’s way out of your class. If you’re going to get those sort of ideas, you’d better stick to Zoe.’
Then he spotted Gillis coming into the parking lot. He saw him look to right and left, then walk quickly over to the LaSalle, open the door and get in beside Eve.
Moving silently, Dallas left his hiding-place and crept towards the LaSalle.
VII
For the first time in two years, Preston Kile felt confident and excited about his immediate future. Eve had convinced him that the plan she had thought of to find the Rajah’s jewels might work. He hadn’t been hard to convince because, once explained, it was obvious that it was the only possible way. It was daring and brilliant, and he felt drawn to it in spite of knowing that it could end in disaster if he made a false move. It was the kind of plan he would have given his whole-hearted support to ten years ago: a gamble against enormous odds, but with a tremendous prize if it succeeded.