she said softly. “Next time, I’ll kill her.”
Larry remembered her words: You belong to me. And they suddenly took on a new
and ominous meaning. For the first time he had the premonition that this was not some
fly-by-night affair that he could get out of anytime he felt like it. He sensed the cold,
deadly, untouchable center that was in Noelle Page, and he was chilled and a little
frightened by it. Half a dozen times during the night he started to bring up the subject of
Helena, and each time he stopped because he was afraid to know, afraid to have it put into
words, as though the words had more power than the deed itself. If Noelle were capable of
that…
At breakfast the next morning Larry studied Noelle when she was unaware of it,
looking for signs of cruelty, of sadism, but all he saw was a loving, beautiful woman,
telling him amusing anecdotes, anticipating and catering to his every want. I have to be
wrong about her, he thought. But after that he was careful not to date any other girls, and
in a few short weeks he had lost all desire to do so because Noelle had become a complete
obsession with him.
From the beginning Noelle warned Larry that it was essential that they keep their
affair from Constantin Demiris.
“There must never be the slightest whisper of suspicion about us,” Noelle cautioned.
“Why don’t I rent an apartment?” Larry suggested. “A place where we…”
Noelle shook her head. “Not in Athens. Someone would recognize me. Let me think
about it.”
Two days later Demiris sent for Larry. At first Larry was apprehensive, wondering
whether the Greek tycoon could have heard about Noelle and him, but Demiris greeted
him pleasantly and led him into a discussion of a new plane he was considering buying.
“It’s a converted Mitchell Bomber,” Demiris told him. “I want you to have a look at
it.”
Larry’s face lit up. “It’s a great plane,” he said. “For its weight and size, it will give
you the best ride you can buy.”
“How many passengers will it carry?”
Larry thought a moment. “Nine in luxury, plus a pilot, navigator and flight engineer.
It flies at four hundred eighty miles an hour.”
“It sounds interesting. Will you check it out for me and give me a report?”
“I can’t wait,” Larry grinned.
Demiris rose to his feet. “By the way Douglas, Miss Page is going to Berlin in the
morning. I want you to fly her there.”
“Yes, sir,” Larry said. And then added, innocently, “Did Miss Page tell you that we’re
getting along better?”