'And Valdini and the Greek?'
'They have gone to see him develop,' Carla answered. 'But why Stefan is interested when he knows the pictures are not pornographic, I do not know,' she added with a laugh.
Mayne was watching Engles — watching and waiting for him. The tension between them was uncomfortable. Engles drank in silence for a moment. Carla said nothing. She watched the two of them, and there was a gleam in her eye that I did not understand.
It was Mayne who made the first move. I don't think he could stand that silence. 'Have you thought out why I should want to kill Blair?' he asked. He tried to make his voice sound casual, but the tremor in it betrayed tense nerves.
Engles looked at him. Then he turned to Carla. 'You remember last night, when you told me what Mayne really was — you said he had double-crossed you?'
Carla nodded, and her eyes gleamed like those of a cat in the dark. Mayne set down his drink. His hand clenched as though about to hit out.
'Would it interest you to know,' Engles continued smoothly, 'that he is not content with double-crossing you — he plans to murder you?'
'That's a lie!' Mayne cried. Then with a sneer to cover that too emphatic denial, 'And how was I supposed to be planning to kill Carla?'
Engles smiled. But he still addressed Carla and not Mayne. 'The slittovia. A loosened cog and an accident — and that was to be the end of you, Carla, and Valdini.'
'You must be mad,' Mayne said, his lips white. 'First it's Blair. And now Carla — and Valdini.' Then, in a quieter tone: 'I can't believe you're serious.'