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.""As you like, monsieur," LeGrand said."You are welcome to ride with me.""Monsieur Templar will stay with me," Annabella insisted."You will be comingback to my house with the professor in any case, won't you?"LeGrand looked at his wrist watch and shook his head."Perhaps not.My wife does not care for managing my business very long.I hadto leave her in charge while I drove out here.But I shall see that ProfessorClarneau comes to see you as quickly as possible.""I must admit that I'm impatient," Annabella said.They walked to LeGrand's car.He paused to shake hands before getting into thedriver's seat."It was a pleasure, mademoiselle," he said to Annabella."And an honor,monsieur.""It will be an even greater pleasure for me when our deal is completed,"Annabella said."What about delivering the paintings.and the money?"LeGrand laughed as he settled himself and closed the car door.He looked upwith his elbow on the open window frame."I don't blame you for being anxious, mademoiselle.My wife is already asanxious for me to sell the paintings so that she can have a certain fur coatthat has monopolized her dreams for the past ten months or so." He made one ofhis shrugging gestures."Therefore our interests are parallel.If ProfessorClarneau approves the paintings or perhaps I should say, when ProfessorClarneau approves the paintings  he will be able to hand you a check on thespot.He is my partner in this transaction, and the money is in our jointaccount, so that you can have your payment immediately, without my having tobe around.I shall countersign the check when I meet him now, and he can takethe paint-ings with him back to Paris in his station wagon.Is that goodenough?""Very good," Annabella said contentedly.LeGrand winked at her as he started his car's engine."Of course, you drove such a hard bargain that Clarneau may be shocked but Itrust you can charm him into being reconciled to the price.""Don't even joke about such things!" Annabella remon-strated.LeGrand was about to pull away when Simon asserted himself the dialogue forthe first time."Monsieur LeGrand," he said quietly."Are you certain it was your friend whotelephoned?"LeGrand took his hand off the gear shift lever and his bushy eyebrows suddenlyarched to an almost comical ex-treme."Of course it was.What do you mean?"Annabella gave the Saint a ferocious look which clearly said, Simon, pleaseshut up and don't rock the boat!, but he went ahead in spite of it."I mean that these characters who've been so busy trying to swipe MademoiselleLambrini's worldly goods not to mention Mademoiselle Lambrini might just havePage 20ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmldecided to try another angle."Annabella's beautiful red lips were compressed with exas-peration, and LeGrandlooked more impatient than worried."What angle?" he asked."What would they have to do with Paul Clarneau? Areyou suggesting that he.No.That is impossible.He has been my friend sincewe were boys!""I'm not suggesting anything and certainly not that your chum Clarneau is acrook.I'm just wondering whether or not somebody might be using him as baitfor a trap that you're about to drive right into."LeGrand gave a nasal snorting laugh and shook his head as he put the car ingear."Apparently you read too many crime stories, Monsieur Templar or live toomany.You can't believe an ordinary automobile breakdown when you hear aboutone." He gunned the engine, then looked at the Saint again sardon-ically."Ofcourse if you would like to come along to protect me, or to protectMademoiselle Lambrini's interests."Annabella firmly caught Simon's arm and held him close beside her."He can protect my interests quite well enough by staying here," she said."Just hurry, please, and send your friend along as soon as possible.""A votre service!" LeGrand said, with mock humility.His car's wheels threw upgravel."And don't let Monsieur Templar dream up any ghosts to steal ourpaintings before Clarneau comes to take them!"6Twenty-five minutes after Marcel LeGrand had driven away, an American stationwagon of venerable vintage crunched up the drive and stopped at the frontdoor.Simon and Annabella went outside, and the driver of the car all but ranto meet them [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]