He admired her frankness; though he hated the woman of it, that must always have the facts sugar-coated. He was hard to her.

“That is the word I meant. Want. Are you suggesting that overnight it should or could be anything else?”

She gave an odd little sigh.

“That’s that,” she said with a faint shrug of her lovely shoulders. “Only there is so much want and so little—of the other.”

“Possibly. My impression is we wouldn’t need much of the other.”

Because he didn’t touch her, they were both being hurt by the desire to touch. She flinched a little before the brutal magnetism of his eyes. She felt gutted by them as by a fire; and shuddered her whole body to shake herself free, as a dog shudders rain.

“We won’t talk of it now,” she said restlessly.

“We must take advantage of the time that remains to us.”

“Meaning by that that my hours are numbered?” She threw him a quick sidewise glance under a curve of her lashes. “Don’t you truly think your studied lack of interest in me will get me off? Really, that’s altogether too modest!”

“You are unfair, my dear. I am doing my best for you.”

“Go on. Say it: ‘without belief.’”

“Belief! Belief in what? Your innocence? God in His heaven, you didn’t imagine your love potion as strong as all that, did you? Let’s be honest. We can afford to be, you and I. It takes courage, but courage is the coin of our particular realm.”

“Who is to be honest?”

“Both of us, beautiful.”

“You begin.”

“Ladies first.”

“What you crave, I suppose, is a full confession, brief and to the point, omitting details. Mr. Belknap, I could almost think you are making love to me (oh, using the word lightly, don’t be alarmed!) to acquire information to be used against me. It may be you are regretting your gestures in my favor. Are you worrying about the reputation of Detective Ordway Belknap?”

“Hardly so late in the day. It’s been already thrown to the dogs. I have an intense distaste for attitudes or I should say I had thrown it at your feet, cold heart.”

“Not so cold as you might think perhaps,” and there was a tremor below the voice. “I seldom meet a man I feel is my match or better. I had hopes of you. You disappoint me.” The acrimony crept back. “To give me to understand that you pass up a brilliant display of your methods when you fail to put your finger on me doesn’t speak well for yourself, John. Even Sergeant Stebbins admits I’m too easy to be right.” She had the audacity to look mischievous.

“Stebbins be damned. It’s just his bull-headed sort than can’t see the obvious for dust. Nadia, you’re beating around the bush most successfully, but though I like to hear you play with words let’s clear the decks. And then my congratulations. Three in an evening is a jolly good bag.”

“Mr. Belknap,” she said with a sudden hard seriousness, “I have killed no one at Thorngate—neither Blake, nor Romany, nor my beloved Bertrand. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Desperate as my case may look the fight isn’t over yet. It’s just begun. I expect to produce a murderer to take my place, and I believe I have my man, using the word to cover the female of the species, under surveillance.”

“Confide in me?”

“No-o-o, I think not. Finder’s keeper’s, until—oh well, until.”

Belknap’s dark face darkened another shade. Even his control was wearing as sharp and thin as an edged tool. This futile fencing with Nadia Mdevani, taken with the savage unaccountable ache she stirred in him, was trying his last ounce of endurance. Yet there seemed to be no other way with her unless it were to eat humble pie; and be damned if he’d bend his nature for any woman.

“You and Miss Lacey appear to know it all.” His tone harbored scorn at the root of its being. “I should say it was about time you did something about it.”

Nadia looked serious.

“There is something troubling Joel Lacey,” she said. “But she is keeping it well to herself, in spite of you and that Sergeant Stebbins; and even me. For I’ve been hot on her trail. I should say it was loss of nerve and not lack of knowledge that is holding her tongue-tied. Perhaps she’d better let well enough alone. Do you know, dear man, there are times when terror rises in me like a cold fountain. Not that I’m afraid of death exactly; but I don’t relish it just around every corner. Did you see ‘Outward Bound’?”

“Yes, why?”

“Nothing much. Only those blind ships blowing down there in the fog reminded me of it. Who will be next, Mr. Belknap?”

“You take it for granted there will be a next.”

“Don’t you?” her eyes were steady on his.

“Then perhaps it is my duty to see you under lock and key. You don’t go so far as to deny I could command your arrest, do you? There is that Berlin-Viennese Murder Ring to account for.”

“You know too much,” she murmured with serpent softness. “Did Bertrand tell you more than he knew? Or did he write it?”

“Meaning?”

“Exactly what you care to have it mean.” She paused. “Are you asking for it—my arrest?” There was no slightest trace of apprehension in her manner.

“No; not exactly. I’m asking for something far more necessary to my peace of mind.” He took her wrists suddenly and drew her towards him. “Kiss me.”

She twisted her hands free and turned away. But her lips were drawn a little, and her face very white.

“I think not,” she said. “The Devil’s in it I know, and Bertrand Whittaker. Possibly Cain, Orestes, Brutus, Hamlet’s mother and a few besides. But let’s keep Judas out of it if we can.”