She divided a malignant glance between the two of us and slipped out.

‘That woman is getting to be a damned nuisance, Larry muttered. ‘I think she’s a little crazy.’

‘You know, Larry, you might have something there. Why don’t you fire her? You hired her.’

‘No, I didn’t. My original arrangements were made with her brother. A very competent man.’

Competent, sane Leif. I remembered the last sight I’d had of him. The knife with which he’d been slashing at me was still in his hand when John dragged him down under the icy water.

Larry’s frown smoothed out. ‘Well, it won’t be much longer. I will certainly sever my connections with the organization after this. I hate to do it because they’ve done excellent work for me in the past, and at the start she was quite efficient. Some of her ideas were brilliant, in fact – like planting that message with the dead agent to get you on board as a means of making Tregarth behave himself.’

‘Oh,’ I said. He seemed to expect some response, but congratulating him on that brilliant idea was more than I could manage.

‘Her organization handled that matter, and very well, too.’ Larry went on. ‘She’s been acting strangely the last few weeks, though, and one can’t put up with that sort of thing. It’s inefficient.’

‘Right,’ I said, swallowing.

‘I need that pectoral, Vicky,’ Larry went on. ‘Do you have it?’

‘What . . . Oh.’ In the fascination of following Larry’s mind along its monster-haunted byways I had almost forgotten the Tutankhamon jewel. ‘No, I don’t have it. Didn’t you search me?’

Larry looked uncomfortable. ‘Only in the most respectful fashion. Mary wanted to . . . Of course I couldn’t allow that.’

‘Thanks,’ I said. And I meant it. The idea of those soft little hands on me made my skin crawl.

‘It’s a very large object,’ Larry went on. ‘I don’t believe I could have missed it. Anyhow, I didn’t suppose Tregarth would trust you with it. He has it, doesn’t he?’

‘Unless he is a lot dumber than I think he is, he’s stowed it away somewhere safe by now.’

‘So we decided. Well.’ Larry rose. ‘He’ll turn it over to us in exchange for you. So you see, Vicky, you haven’t a thing to worry about. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?’

His departure would certainly have that effect but it wouldn’t have been tactful to say so. I shook my head.

‘Have a little rest,’ Larry said kindly. ‘I’ll let you know as soon as we hear from him.’