Page 95 - Brokenclaw - John Gardner

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‘I need to use one of the public telephones.’ He slipped a ten into the man’s

hand.
‘Oh, okay, sir. Thank you. You want I should get you a cab?’
‘I’ll be just fine,’ and Bond disappeared into the brightly lit interior. A
minute later
James Bond OO7 - printing disabled he had swiped a credit card through one of the telephone booths James Bond OO7 - printing disabled
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and dialled the same local number as before.
‘Curve’s Deli, Joe speaking. How can I help you?’
‘Custodian! Patch me through to whoever’s the senior officer.’
There were a couple of clicks, then a voice he recognised as Grant’s

answered. ‘Custodian? Where the hell’re you calling from?’
‘Public booth. Listen, we could have a serious problem. Our hostess seems
to have been expecting the real Mo girl, but we’re not certain if it’s Eeny,
Meeny, Miney or Mo, if you follow.’
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‘I don’t, but go on.’
‘Our hostess seems to have been working for the people at the old French
Legation, but swears she didn’t know what she was really up to. I would
suggest you make arrangements to have her dried out once we’ve left. We’re

off to sunny California tonight.’
‘Jetsetter!’ Grant was actually trying his hand at a joke. Pity it was so limp.
‘You’re in touch with Indexer?’ Bond did not even have a smirk in his voice.
‘Of course.’

‘Then use whatever means you can to put a photograph of the Mo woman on
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the wire and get it to him.’
‘Then what?’
‘He knows where I am, and you know, right?’

‘Right.’
‘Are we alone, or does Indexer have company?’
‘He says not, and he’s usually accurate.’
‘I’ll call back from the apartment and order pizza or something. You can

send a lad down with them. Just get Indexer to intercept and bring the items
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up.’
‘Will do.’ Grant hung up and Bond left the hotel.
‘Okay, sir?’ The doorman would remember him, but that couldn’t be helped.

‘Sure. Fine. My phone’s out and my girl just stood me up.’
‘Women!’ said the doorman, as though this was the cause of all the world’s
problems.

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