10The lean black-eyed credit jeweller was standing in his entrance in the same position as the afternoon before. He gave me the same knowing look as I turned in. The store looked just the same. The same lamp glowed on the small desk in the corner and the same ash blonde in the same black suede-like dress got up from behind it and came towards me with the same tentative smile on her face.
‘Was it—?’ she said and stopped. Her silver nails twitched at her side. There was an overtone of strain in her smile. It wasn’t a smile at all. It was a grimace. She just thought it was a smile.
‘Back again,’ I said airily, and waved a cigarette. ‘Mr Geiger in to-day?’
‘I’m—I’m afraid not. No—I’m afraid not. Let me see—you wanted—?’
I took my dark glasses off and tapped them delicately on the inside of
