Eric Ambler - State of Siege

“Poor Mr. Jebb! But you, mister? You here?”

“Most of the time. Last night, when the attack came, Miss Linden and I went up on the roof.”

“Miss Linden? That is Miss Mina’s friend?”

“Yes.”

“Ah.” She brushed the tears away. “You want breakfast?”

“I’m afraid there isn’t any food left.”

“I bring.” She held up the bag she was carrying. “I promise, I bring. Miss Linden, too? She want breakfast?”

“Yes, please, Mrs. Choong. There’s no electricity, though. We used the Primus stove.”

But she was already in the kitchen. I heard her swearing to herself over the confusion she found there.

After breakfast, Rosalie and I cleaned ourselves up as best we could with the dregs of the water in the bathhouse, and made ready to leave. We had arranged to meet later at the Harmony Club. Meanwhile, she would go home and I would see the police about my passport. I would also have to buy some clean clothes. Mrs. Choong took away the dirty ones to get them dobi- ed.

Nobody was allowed inside the radio station without a new sort of pass that I did not have, and we had to use the auxiliary staircase to get down into the square. The road was still closed to four-wheeled traffic, but the betjak drivers were back, and Mahmud was there, grinning knowingly as if we had all been on a wild two-day party together and were suffering a common hangover. There were a lot of people about, staring awe-struck at the damaged buildings or excitedly discussing their experiences. The children were having a fine time playing in the shell holes. As he pedalled along, Mahmud talked continuously about what had happened where he lived; but I don’t think either of us listened to a word he said. We were enjoying our freedom.

When we arrived at Rosalie’s apartment house, I waited outside until she had satisfied herself that all was well there, and then went on to the tailor’s shop. He had a pair of khaki slacks from another order that he said he could alter for me in an hour, and showed me where I could get a shirt ready-made. After I had bought the shirt, I set out for police headquarters.

As we approached, I could see that there was a big crowd collected at the end of the street in which the headquarters were situated. It soon became apparent that we were not going to be able to get through, and I waited while Mahmud went ahead on foot to see what the trouble was. He was gone five minutes and came back looking troubled. Barbed-wire barricades had been set up at both ends of the street, he said, and troops were preventing anyone entering or leaving who did not have a special pass. The crowd consisted mainly of people with relations who had been arrested during the night. Many of those arrested, he added with gloomy satisfaction, were themselves policemen, but there were others whose only crime was that they had not refused to give food and water to the rebel troops; or so their relatives said.

I went to De Vries’ offices, but they were closed. Then, I tried the Orient bar. That was closed, too. As I was coming away, I saw a man I knew slightly who said that there was rumour going around that both the Dutch manager of the Orient and De Vries had been arrested. I went back to the tailor’s shop and waited while he finished altering the slacks; then I told Mahmud to take me out to the Harmony Club.

It was a little after eleven and the club did not open until noon, but the doorman was there and he fetched Mrs. Lim.

She was only just sober, and obviously could not remember a thing about me; but she did her best.

“Hullo, love. Fancy seeing you here!”

“Hullo, Mrs. Lim. I’m looking for your husband.”

“Oh, he’s gone into town. I don’t know where. Hasn’t it been awful? Where were you all the time? The Orient?”

“Roy Jebb lent me his apartment.”

“Dear old Roy. Is he back yet?”

“He should be back today.” I could see her memory fumbling dimly with the fact that I knew Jebb.

“And you want to see Mor Sai?”

“That’s right. Major Suparto suggested that your husband might be able to advise me about a business matter.”

Suparto’s name jolted her. She was suddenly wary.

“Major who?”

“Suparto.”

“Never heard of him. But Mor Sai’ll be here soon. You’d better come in and wait.”

“Thanks. While I’m waiting, is there anywhere in the club where I can have a bath and change my clothes?”

“Oh, sure. Charlie there’ll show you. I expect you’d like a drink after. I’ll see you later in the bar, love.”

It was Lim who was waiting for me in the bar when I got there. He nodded politely and we shook hands.

“A drink, Mr. Fraser? Brandy dry?”

“Thanks.”

There was no barman there. He went round and poured two, one for himself.

“I hear that you have had a bad time during these troubles, Mr. Fraser.”

“Mrs. Lim told you that?” I smiled. “I must have looked rougher than I thought.”

“It was not my wife who told me.” He pushed a glass across to me and raised his own. “Your health, Mr. Fraser.”

“And yours, Mr. Lim.”

I took a drink from my glass. He sipped at his, and then put it down and felt in his pocket.

“I think that this is what you wished to see me about,” he said, and put my passport on the bar in front of me.

I stared at it uncertainly, then picked it up and looked through the visa pages.

“The exit permit is in order,” he said; “and the Customs and exchange clearance papers are clipped to the back.”

“This is remarkable, Mr. Lim.”

“Oh no. Our friend told me that you had left your passport with the police. I knew that you would not be able to get it, and would come to me. So, to save a journey, I brought it with me.”

“You make it sound very simple. I’m deeply grateful.”

“What have you been able to arrange about your air passage?”

“Nothing. The airline offices are shut. Someone told me that De Vries has been arrested. Is that true?”

“He will be released later, perhaps. But planes can fly without his assistance. Naturally, the scheduled services have been suspended, but foreign airports have been notified now that all is well again. There will be a plane in from Djakarta early this afternoon. It will leave again at five thirty. A passage will, I am certain, be arranged for you.”

I smiled. “It sounds as if the Major is in a hurry to get rid of me.”

The eyes behind the rimless glasses considered me attentively for a moment. Then, he shrugged. “Why not, Mr. Fraser? You know a little more than is convenient. The longer you are here, the more likely you are to talk to a newspaperman or to a friend who might himself talk.”

“I can talk just as well in Djakarta.”

“The Major thinks not. He has great confidence in you. Also, he believes that you will not wish to cause difficulties for Miss Linden. No, no, Mr. Fraser. Do not misunderstand. You are not being threatened. Neither is she. It will be no hardship for her to be discreet. We merely ask that you permit her to remain so for the moment. Later, in a week or two, nobody will be interested.”

“Well, she’ll be here soon. I’ll let you know.” I paused. “You could have warned me the other night. Why didn’t you?”

“I am an agent, not a principal, Mr. Fraser. In such a delicate situation, I was not free to consult my own personal wishes. I was very pleased to hear that you had come to no harm. Another drink?”

“No, thanks.”

“Then, if you will excuse me now.”

“Of course. And thanks again for the passport.”

“If you decide to leave this afternoon …”

“Sure, I’ll let you know.”

Rosalie arrived wearing a dress I had not seen before and looking delightful. She had spoken both to Mina and to her sister. Everything was all right. Mina had not dared to go to the apartment this morning; she had been afraid to find the whole thing blown to pieces and our bodies lying among the ruins. She was going to find a place for Roy to stay while the repairs were being done.