Page 47 of Fire Must Burn

‘Thank you, sir,’ she said. ‘I owe you change. I left my bag on the boat, but I could run and fetch—’

‘Get out of the car, Sparks, and don’t come back,’ said the Brigadier wearily.

‘Yes, sir,’ she said, as Carruthers unlocked the door with a switch in front. ‘Goodnight, sir. Goodnight, Carruthers. You missed out on the best kiss of your life, by the way.’

‘I’ll live with it,’ said Carruthers. ‘Go home, Sparks.’

She got out and closed the door, resisting the temptation to slam it shut, then walked slowly and deliberately back to her boat, waving over her shoulder without turning to look when she reached it. She went inside and locked the door, listening as the Bentley roared into the night.

The still-open book of water beetles waited for her on herarmchair. She closed it, leaving a marker in place, and went to bed.

Lowle called on Monday at nine thirty, asking to speak to Sparks.

‘He called me,’ she reported. ‘First thing. I had barely settled at my desk when the telephone rang. He sounded very eager to meet me. You must have done a good job selling me to him.’

‘Not so much selling you as selling him on the general idea,’ said Sparks. ‘I didn’t tell him anything about you specifically, so you are free to concoct your character as you see fit. When’s the date?’

‘Tomorrow night,’ she said.

‘Good,’ said Sparks. ‘I told him to give you some time to prepare.’

‘Sound advice. I already got my hair done Saturday so it’s just a question of what to wear. I guess I’ll be needing some bulletproof lipstick. I heard he really nailed you Friday night.’

‘He did.’

‘So he’s a masher, then.’

‘Didn’t used to be, but that was years ago.’

‘Any good?’

‘It was better when we were younger.’

‘Most things are. I guess I should be expecting the same treatment now that he’s got you out of his system. How does he like to be kissed?’

‘He certainly took the initiative this time. It used to be the other way around. The element of surprise seems to be a factor.’

‘Fine. I’ll play it by ear. Wish me luck.’

‘Good—’ began Sparks, but the other woman hung up before she could finish the phrase. She replaced the handset and drummed her fingers on her blotter.

‘What was better when you were younger?’ asked Gwen from her desk.

‘What?’ replied Iris, turning towards her.

‘The thing that you weren’t expecting in which he took theinitiative. Tony Danforth, I’m guessing from your side of the conversation.’

‘We went out Friday night after you left,’ said Iris.

‘Interesting. And?’

‘And he kissed me at the end of it.’

‘Did he?’

‘He did.’

‘Were you supposed to do that?’ asked Gwen. ‘Was this some part of the grand scheme I didn’t know about?’