Parisian Affair Page 19

  Todd took her hand in his and walked to Paul. 'Hi,' he said, extending his free hand with a smile. 'It's nice to meet you, Paul.'

  With a slight nod of his head, Paul took his hand but held it lightly rather than shook. 'I hope you have a pleasant stay in Paris,' he said.

  'I'm sure we will,' Todd said, his eyes turning to Allegra. He squeezed her hand affectionately.

  'Well, I won't keep you,' Paul said. 'I know you must have a lot to ... see and do. I came by to show Allegra how to use the coffeemaker, but she doesn't seem interested in using it. I'll be on my way.'

  He started toward the hallway, but turned and looked at Allegra. 'You don't mind if I use the loo, do you?'

  'Of course not,' Allegra said. 'It is your apartment, after all.' She laughed.

  Todd's gaze swept the small apartment.

  'I'll just be a second,' Paul said, going into the bathroom.

  Allegra looked up at Todd and saw the intent look in his eyes as he continued to survey the room. 'What?' she asked. 'Why so serious?'

  Todd ignored her momentarily, then whispered, 'Where did you hide the loot?'

  Allegra yanked her hand out of his and stiffened. 'Wh-what are you talking about?' she said in a low hiss.

  'Don't play games with me.' His voice was still a whisper. 'I know you're here to buy something for Hilton Whitehead.'

  Allegra remained silent, her eyes ablaze with fury.

  'Tell me,' Todd growled quietly, 'and I mean now.'

  She looked away from him and didn't respond.

  Todd placed his hands firmly on her shoulders and leaned in close, his mouth at her ear. 'There are minicams in this place. Somebody's been spying on you.' He nodded toward the hall. 'Probably that little creep that's in the head.'

  'But—but... are you sure?' Allegra sputtered.

  He nodded, looking into her eyes. 'Now tell me where the hell you hid the loot.'

  Allegra returned his gaze. 'In—in the . . . bathroom,' she finally said.

  Todd's lips formed a momentary smile. Then he let her go. 'Sit down and stay in here.'

  'But what—?'

  'Allegra, please just do as I say for once.'

  She saw the serious set of his face and sat down on the couch.

  Todd went down the hallway and locked the apartment's door, then stood blocking the exit, arms folded across his chest. Soon the bathroom door opened, and Paul stepped out. Even from the sitting room, Allegra could see the look of surprise on his face.

  'I'll be going now,' the young man said, trying to maneuver around Todd.

  'I don't think so,' Todd said.

  'Why? What—what's going on?' Paul asked, looking at Todd, then down the hallway to Allegra.

  With one beefy hand, Todd grabbed him by the neck and practically lifted him off the ground as he walked Paul into the sitting room. Paul clawed wildly at Todd's hand, but to no avail. Thin and weak, he was no opponent against Todd's strong, worked-out body.

  Allegra watched with widened eyes and started to get to her feet. 'Todd, what the hell—?'

  He motioned to her with the flat of one hand. She sat back down with a frown on her face.

  He loosened his grip on Paul's neck, but didn't release him. 'Before you go,' he said, 'I want what you took out of the bathroom.'

  Paul's hooded eyes were barely open, and he was limp in Todd's hold. He licked his lips, and said, 'I... I don't have anything from the bathroom.'

  Allegra could see beads of sweat on his face and the almost spastic tremor that took hold of his body.

  'Don't play games with me,' Todd said.

  'I—I don't have anything,' Paul mewled pathetically. Sweat was now rolling down his face, and his eyes were wide with fear.

  Todd gave his neck one good hard squeeze, and Paul yelped. With his free hand, Todd yanked Paul's jacket off his shoulders and threw it to the floor. 'Search his pockets, Ally,' he ordered. 'And pat down the lining good.'

  Allegra sat still, but only for a moment, hating being part of this violent scenario. It wasn't so much the authority in Todd's voice that got her moving but the thought that he knew what he was talking about. She scooped up Paul's jacket from the floor, quickly searched the pockets, then laid it down flat on the couch and began patting it down.

  With his free hand, Todd was patting down Paul's upper body. Arms, chest, back, stomach.

  Allegra looked up at Todd. 'There's nothing,' she said.

  'You're sure?' he asked.

  She nodded. 'Absolutely.'

  Todd clawed at Paul's belt, undoing it with alacrity, then yanked down the zipper at his fly and tore open his pants, sending the button rolling across the floor.

  Paul began to squirm in his grip. 'Please,' he whimpered. 'Please. Don't do this. Please.' His eyes beseeched Allegra, but she turned away, unable to bear the pathetic look on his face.

  'Aha,' Todd said calmly. 'What have we here, Paul?' From Paul's Jockey shorts, his pulled the small box labeled JULES LEVANT JOAILLIER and held it up toward Allegra.

  She gasped, and Paul's body slumped in Todd's powerful grip. Tears were running down his wan cheeks.

  Allegra took the box from Todd's hand, and he released Paul, who almost stumbled to the floor.

  Allegra opened the box to make certain that the ring was still inside. Nestled within the pinkish beige suede, its dark green shimmered up at her—almost with an impish wink—and she felt her body go limp with relief.

  'It's here,' she said to Todd.

  He nodded, watching Paul reach over and take his jacket from the couch. When he'd put it on, he wiped the sweat and tears from his face with a sweep of both hands and stood stiffly.

  'You did this for Sylvie,' Todd said, stating a fact rather than asking a question.

  Paul's eyes briefly lit on Todd's. Then he studied the floor as he redid his zipper and belt.

  Todd took a step toward him, and Paul flinched. 'I repeat. You did this for Sylvie, didn't you?'

  Paul's mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out.

  'You had a minicam in here and one in the bathroom, watching to see if Ally hid the ring here, didn't you? You have a place with monitors, upstairs or downstairs. Don't you?'

  Todd took another step toward him, ramming the fist of one hand into the palm of the other. Paul looked up at him, flinched again, and then took a step backward.

  'You were watching her. Invading her privacy. Like some filthy pervert. Only you couldn't see her while she was in the shower because that's a blind spot on your monitors, and you thought she'd gone out.'

  His eyes fell to the floor, and Paul remained silent.

  Todd drew back his arm and balled his hand into a fist again. 'You make me sick,' he spat. 'I'd like to tear you to pieces.'

  'No,' Allegra cried. 'Todd, don't. We've got the ring. Just let him go. Please.'

  'Tell me, Paul,' he said. 'Tell me now, or I'll break your fucking nose. You did this for Sylvie, didn't you?' He moved closer to him, using his body to intimidate him.

  Paul nodded slightly.

  'Say it,' Todd growled.

  Paul nodded with more vigor. 'Yes,' he finally muttered. 'For Sylvie.'

  Todd relaxed his fist and crossed his arms over his chest. 'I'm going to rip the fucking minicams out, and I want you out. I don't want to see your face again.'

  When Paul didn't move at first, Todd shoved him with a hand. 'Get the fuck out!' he yelled.

  Paul scurried down the hall to the door. His hands fumbled at the locks as he tried to open the door. Todd was close on his heels.

  Paul was over the threshold in one awkward step and didn't pause in the hallway outside before starting down the steep, curving steps.

  'We'll be out of here tonight,' Todd shouted at his back, a finger pointed at him. 'Your keys'll be in the kitchen sink.' He slammed the door, locked it, and turned back to face Allegra, who stood watching from the sitting room. Her face was drawn and white.

  CHAPTER 14

  He walked slowly toward
her, then took her into his arms. 'Oh, Jesus, I'm so glad to see you,' he said, hugging her tightly.

  Allegra's tense body shook slightly and tears came into her eyes, but she fought them back as he stroked her shoulders.

  'It's going to be okay, Ally,' he said tenderly. 'I'm here for you.'

  She slowly relaxed into his warm embrace. 'I—I'm glad to see you, too,' she said, 'but I'm having trouble believing what just happened.' She drew back and looked up into his eyes. 'I'm having trouble believing everything that's happened in the last few hours for that matter.' She squeezed his shoulders with her hands. 'Including how you found out so much.'

  'I think we'd better sit down and have a little talk, Ally. I want you to tell me everything. You've obviously put yourself in some danger here, and I want to know exactly what's going on,' he replied.

  Releasing her, Todd moved a chair over against the far wall, stood up on it, and yanked the minicam off the wall near the ceiling. Plaster chips rained down on the floor, and the tiny camera hung loose on a wire. He jerked again, tearing the camera off the wire.

  'There,' he said. 'That little shit can't watch us now. If he's got the balls.' He got down off the chair and tossed the camera on the floor. 'Be right back. I'm going to get the one in the bathroom, too.'

  Allegra heard plaster falling in the bathroom and felt a chill run up her spine when Todd returned with the minicam dangling from a length of

  wire in his hand. 'It was like I thought,' he said. 'The camera was aimed so it could see nearly everything in the bathroom but the shower.' He threw the camera toward the corner where the other one had landed.

  He joined her on the sofa, where she had taken a seat. 'Now,' he said, 'everything. From the beginning. Leaving nothing out. Okay?'

  She nodded. 'Yes.'

  'Good,' Todd said. 'First, get comfortable, and I'll pour us a little champagne. How's that?'

  'Champagne?' she said. 'Where did you get that?

  'Had the driver stop on my way in from the airport and got us a nice, chilled bottle.' He pulled it out of his black carry-on bag. 'Something to keep that tongue of yours well lubed, loose, and . . . true.'

  'I'll tell you the truth, Todd,' she promised. 'Why confide in you if I'm going to lie?'

  'That includes no sins of omission,' he said. 'I know you well enough to know that you might leave a few important details out.' He winked at her playfully, then turned and went to the kitchen counter. He set the bottle down, took two wineglasses from the shelf, then ripped off the foil and took off the wire covering the cork. The cork suddenly flew off and popped against the ceiling before landing on the floor.

  'Whoa!' Todd exclaimed, quickly grabbing a glass for the champagne bubbling out of the bottle. He filled both glasses and took one to Allegra.

  'Mademoiselle,' he intoned formally.

  'Thank you, monsieur,' she replied.

  He sat down next to her and clinked his glass against hers. 'To us,' he said, looking into her eyes.

  'To us,' she echoed.

  They both took sips of the champagne. 'This is delicious,' Allegra said.

  'It is, isn't it?' he agreed. He set his glass down on the little table and clapped his hands together. 'Now,' he said, turning and looking at her, 'why don't you start at the beginning.'

  Allegra didn't like what she was about to do because she felt that she was betraying a trust. She had promised Hilton Whitehead not to tell anyone what she was doing. But, she reasoned, circumstances had changed considerably since she'd made that promise in his New York penthouse. She had performed her duty to him in Paris, and since then had been a witness to two shootings, both of which might have been attempts on her life. Now, to top it off, Sylvie and Paul were apparently in cahoots to steal the ring.

  She began to tell Todd everything. Sylvie approaching her for Whitehead. Coming to Paris to bid on Princess Karima's ring. Staying at Paul's apartment at the instigation of Sylvie. Meeting Ramtane Tadjer at Jules Levant Joaillier, then seeing him at the auction, where he verified her assertion that Dufour was attempting to give her the wrong ring. Going to the museum with him, where a shot was fired through a window in the room where they were standing. Rushing from the museum only to see Ram's chauffeur shot on the street in front of her. Running back to the apartment and hiding the ring, only to discover Sylvie and Paul's plot to steal it.

  When she was finished, Todd, who had listened to her story without interrupting, stared at her blankly. She could tell that his mind was working overtime, however, and she knew that he was going to have questions. But first, she wanted the answer to a couple.

  'How did you figure out what I was doing?' she asked.

  Todd shrugged. 'It was simple,' he said. 'You left the Dufour auction catalogue on your bedside table for one thing. I saw you and Sylvie having a tête-à-tête at the club that night we went dancing. Then you've had all these conversations with her in the last couple of weeks. I know you're acquainted, but not that close. I also know she works for Hilton Whitehead, the only person I can think of who could afford to buy anything in that catalogue. Then, you were picked up in a Rolls-Royce to go to the airport. Plus, Jalouse magazine did not have a photo shoot scheduled with you.' He took her hand in his. 'I feel bad about calling them to check up on you, but I was getting really concerned.'

  Allegra wanted to be angry with him, but it was hard to work up any real anger toward someone who had been looking out for her welfare.

  'I guess I would never make a very good spy,' she said.

  'I wouldn't suggest that you go into that line of business,' he replied, his hand massaging her back. 'But I think there are a couple of things we ought to do right away.'

  'What?' she asked, turning to him.

  'Get out of here and check into a hotel, for one,' he said. 'And the other is to call Hilton Whitehead and tell him exactly what's happened. He ought to know, Ally. I think you may be risking your life for him, and he should know about it. And he's got to know about Sylvie right away.'

  Allegra nodded. 'Oh, God,' she said. 'I hate doing this to her—'

  'To her!' he exclaimed. 'Think about what she was trying to do to you.'

  'I know,' she said, although the full impact of Sylvie's betrayal hadn't yet registered in her mind.

  'I wonder . . .,' Todd began, his eyes focused on some distant, indefinable point.

  'What?' she asked.

  'This guy Tadjer sounds very suspicious to me. You say the ring originally came from the shop he owns. He was at the auction. He came to your rescue at the auction house. He took you to the bank, but too late. Then he takes you out for a drink and you nearly get killed.'

  'It doesn't look very good, does it?' she replied. 'But, on the other hand, everything he did might have been perfectly innocent.' She sighed and said in an exasperated voice, 'I just don't know what to think.'

  Todd took her hand in his. 'Nothing right now,' he said. 'Let's get your stuff together and get out of here. We'll find a hotel. Then we'll call Whitehead from there.'

  'Okay,' Allegra said. 'First, let me run to the loo.' She got to her feet. 'I'll be right back, and it'll only take me a minute to get packed.'

  She went down the hall to the bathroom, closed the door behind her, and took the lid off the big wicker hamper. Then, pulling the dirty linens out, she tossed them on the tile floor until she saw the gleam of metal at the bottom of the hamper. She lifted the small snub-nosed pistol out and looked at it, thinking it might come in handy.

  Hardly believing what she was doing, she slipped it into the toiletries bag still perched at the edge of the bathroom sink where she'd left it, then quickly gathered up her various articles and cosmetics, and stuffed them into the bag. She zipped it closed, then replaced the dirty linens in the wicker hamper. Finally, hoping to fool Todd, she pulled the chain that dangled from the old-fashioned toilet tank mounted on the wall near the ceiling.

  She took her toiletries bag, opened the bathroom door, and went back out to join him. He was alread
y on his feet, his overnight bag in hand.

  'I'll just be a couple more minutes,' she said, stopping at the closet.

  Sylvie slowly replaced the receiver in its cradle and began tapping her carefully manicured fingernails on the desktop. She felt as if all the nerves in her body were stretched as taut as piano wires.

  Jerking open a desk drawer, she rummaged out a pack of unfiltered Camels. Her hand shook as she lit one with the gold-plated Cartier lighter that Paul had given her for Christmas. Taking a long drag, she blew out a stream of smoke and watched it poison the pristine air in the brightly lit office. Hilton would have a fit, but Sylvie knew her run with him was over.

  Racking her brain to come up with a solution to her dilemma, she couldn't think of a satisfactory explanation to give Hilton Whitehead. She could play the innocent girlfriend who had told the sweet, harmless boyfriend she'd left in Paris about the auction setup and place the blame on Paul, professing to be guilty only of giving away a secret she shouldn't have. But if Hilton Whitehead decided to investigate, she knew that Paul wouldn't take a fall for her. No, she thought, the little shit would start screeching like a spoiled schoolgirl that I planned the whole thing.

  With a final tap of her nails, she quickly got busy. Pulling open a desk drawer, she took out a small metal box and opened it with the key that had lain in the drawer next to it. There was always at least five thousand in petty cash that she used for tipping building employees, catching cabs, and sundry duties. Not much, she thought, but it was a start. She took the cash out and stuffed it in an envelope, then shoved the envelope in her handbag.

  From another desk drawer, she took out two checkbooks, one small— a personal account of Whitehead's—and a large one for one of his business accounts. Flipping to the back of the small one, she carefully tore out ten checks. Any more than that and it might appear obvious that checks were missing. She opened the hard-covered business checkbook and flipped to the back of it. After opening the metal ring binder, she took out five pages of checks, fifteen in all. She folded these along the perforations, then stuffed them along with the personal checks in another envelope. Between the two accounts, she estimated that she ought to be able to garner another few thousand this afternoon if she worked quickly, going to different bank branches to cash them. His signature was no problem. She'd signed it countless times.