Demiris looked up at him.“ No,” he said, puzzled.“ As a matter of fact this morning she complained to me about your insolence.”
Larry stared at him in surprise, and then as realization flooded through him, he quickly tried to cover up his blunder.“ I’ m trying, Mr. Demiris,” he said earnestly.“ I’ ll try harder.”
Demiris nodded.“ Do that. You’ re the best pilot I’ ve ever had, Douglas. It would be a shame to …” He let his voice trail off, but the message was clear.
On the drive home Larry cursed himself for a fool. He had better remember he was playing in the big leagues now. Noelle had been bright enough to realize that any sudden change in her attitude toward Larry would make Demiris suspicious. The old relationship between them was a perfect cover for what they were doing. Demiris was trying to bring them together. The thought made Larry laugh aloud. It was a good feeling to know that he had something that one of the most powerful men in the world thought belonged to him.
On the flight to Berlin Larry turned the wheel over to Paul Metaxas and told him that he was going back to talk to Noelle Page.
“ Aren’ t you afraid of getting your head bitten off?” Metaxas asked.
Larry hesitated, tempted to brag. But he conquered the impulse.“ She’ s a bitch on wheels,” Larry shrugged,“ but if I don’ t find some way to soften her up, I could find myself out on my ass.”
“ Good luck,” Metaxas said soberly.“ Thanks.”
Larry carefully closed the cockpit door and went back to the lounge where Noelle was seated. The two stewardesses were at the rear of the plane. Larry started to sit down across from Noelle.
“ Be careful,” she warned softly.“ Everyone who works for Constantin reports back to him.”
Larry glanced toward the stewardesses and thought of Helena.
“ I’ ve found a place for us,” Noelle said. There was pleasure and excitement in her voice.
“ An apartment?”“ A house. Do you know where Rafina is?” Larry shook his head.“ No.”
“ It’ s a little village on the sea, a hundred kilometers north of Athens. We have a secluded villa there.”
He nodded.“ Whose name did you rent it in?”“ I bought it,” Noelle said,“ in someone else’ s name.”