The Spanish Connection Read Online Free Page A

We clambered up the side.
    In the cabin on the main deck, which turned out to be the salon, I could see a muscular man seated in a comfortable lounging chair. He was smoking a cigar that had made halos of blue smoke above his head.
    We went in. He rose, his large head moving up into the smoke cloud. Tina!" he greeted her, and she smiled back.
    "This is Mister Peabody, from America," she said. "Mister Peabody, this is Mister — uh — Roman."
    I glanced around. The surroundings were posh.
    He laughed, shook hands. His grip was firm. "Mister Peabody, I believe you ski?"
    I nodded. "I do."
    "So does Tina. And I do, but only a little. We are spending some time at Sol y Nieve. I understand you are going to be there?"
    "I am."
    "With a companion of yours?"
    "Yes."
    "This companion. He understands the nature of the rendezvous?"
    "He is a she."
    "Pardon?"
    "My companion is a woman.
She
understands the nature of the rendezvous."
    I was studying Roman Nose. From the picture I had seen I realized that he could easily be Rico Corelli. In fact, I was sure he
was
Rico Corelli. He was the right age, although he did not show his age as much as most men in his business.
    "I have always had good relations with Americans," Corelli said.
    Tina smiled. "Always."
    "We are looking forward to your presence in our country," I said. "At least, I understand that you…"
    Corelli held up his hand. "I
hope
to be making the trip. If we can make a deal."
    "It will take only one meeting," I said. "At the ski resort."
    He nodded.
    "What is the reason for this preliminary meet?" I asked abruptly.
    "Security," he snapped, puffing at his cigar. The heavy smoke had begun to wander all over the salon.
    "You seem reasonably secure." I leaned forward and spoke evenly and significantly. "I assure you, there will be no trouble with security while I am around."
    A faint smile flickered across his mouth. "Perhaps not."
    A steward brought in drinks. I leaned back. The meeting had been discussed and agreed to. It would simply be a matter of contacting him at the resort hotel and bringing Juana along with me.
    We drank.
    We talked of other things. Fifteen minutes passed. Finally Tina rose.
    "I suppose Mister Peabody is anxious to get back to his hotel."
    I nodded. "Thank you for your time, Mister Roman. I look forward to a fuller discussion in the snow country."
    We looked at each other and I turned to leave. Tina came up to me and took my arm.
    "I am sorry that I cannot return to the shore with you. But Bertillo will take you back."
    I shook hands slowly. "Thank you — both — for your charming hospitality."
    We were on deck now, and I climbed down into the powerboat. She waved at me from the deck as the inboard started to swing around and head for the marina.
    We had proceeded only fifty yards when there was a sudden scream from the yacht. The startling sound traveled speedily and uninterruptedly along the surface of the water.
    I turned quickly. "Stop, Bertillo!"
    I saw Tina come out of the salon where she had just gone. She was stumbling.
    A series of orange flashes blazed inside the salon, then the rattle of automatic riflefire chopped across the water.
    I heard a shout.
    There was another scorching burst of gunfire, and I saw Tina Bergson fall to the deck, her voice cut off in mid-scream.
    A figure in a dark wetsuit moved quickly across the deck in strides like a panther s, and jumped off over the rail on the far side into the water. I had drawn my gun, but could not get a clear shot of him.
    "Circle the yacht!" I snapped to Bertillo.
    Astonished, frightened, but able, he gunned the powerboat, and we swept around from the right hand side, past the bow of the yacht.
    Only bubbles showed where the man in the wetsuit had gone. He had left scuba gear hanging there, that much was obvious. He was gone for good.
    We circled about for a full minute, but he did not emerge.
    I climbed the ladder to the deck where four crewmen surrounded Tina, who was breathing, but moaning